FTI SPEAKERS
Ms. Vickye R. Byron, SPHR, GCDF Ray B Consulting, LLC Vickye R. Byron is owner of Ray B Consulting, LLC, which offers diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint processing services. She retired from the United States Postal Service as Manager, EEO Services at the National EEO Investigative Services Office (NEEOISO). Vickye was a founding member of NEEOISO and an integral part of its success in moving the United States Postal Service to one of the leaders in federal sector EEO complaint processing. Vickye lead every function at NEEOISO and she developed the centralized processing of formal EEO complaints, the intake of initial EEO contacts, and she enhanced the business model by acquiring and servicing federal agency customers for the United States Postal Service’s EEO services. Vickye has over 19 years experience in federal sector EEO complaint processing at the local, regional and national levels and she held several assignments at the informal and formal stages of EEO complaint processing, as well as Manager, Human Resources. Vickye also has over 10 years experience in diversity at the local, regional and national levels at the United States Postal Service. She has developed and conducted numerous EEO, diversity, sexual harassment, and affirmative employment training classes for United States Postal Service employees, managers, executives, customers, and independent contractors. Vickye has a BS in Management from Shorter College and an MBA in Human Resources from the University of Phoenix. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a Global Career Development Facilitator; and she is a graduate of the United States Postal Service’s Advanced Leadership Program.  Ms. Carmen CantorExecutive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs U.S. State Department Carmen G. Cantor, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and International Information Programs (IIP). Ms. Cantor oversees key administrative programs in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives and manages budgets approaching $630 million dollars. Where she leads six divisions. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) from 2011 to 2013. Ms. Cantor served as the Deputy Director of the Office of Recruitment, Examination & Employment (REE) at the U.S. Department of State (2009-2011) where she oversaw over 150 Foreign Service, Civil Service, student and contractor employees in four divisions. Before re-joining the State Department, Ms. Cantor worked as Director of the Office of Civil Rights at the Foreign Agricultural Service (2007-2009) and Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission in Washington, DC (2005-2007). Her 23-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the U.S. Department of State and at the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, DC; Orlando, Florida; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ms. Cantor received an M.A. in Labor Relations from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus. She has attended executive courses at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government; Cornell University; the Center for Creative Leadership, and others. She is also an alumna of the National Hispana Leadership Institute and the Aspen Institute’s International Career Advancement Program. During her career, she has received the State Department’s Superior Honor Award for her outstanding performance as the first Executive Director in the Bureau of Counterterrorism and a Meritorious Honor Award for outstanding performance and for providing inspiring leadership and management in the Bureau of Human Resources’ Office of Recruitment.  Ms. Lorena CarrascoDirector, Diversity and Inclusion Commodity Futures Trading Commission Ms. Lorena Carrasco is Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In this capacity, Ms. Carrasco oversees programs to ensure equal opportunity in employment programs and equal access to federal programs. Ms. Carrasco was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in 2010 when she served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Management at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). In that role, she led the full array of administrative programs, such as human resources, civil rights, worker safety and health, procurement, financial management, etc. Ms. Carrasco began her Federal career in 1999 as a Statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau, where she used her multilingual skills to conduct language research as a source of non-sampling error. As part of her executive training, Ms. Carrasco served as Senior Policy Advisor to retired Congressman Silvestre Reyes and co-staff director of the House Diversity and Innovation Caucus. She has a graduate degree from the University of Texas at El Paso.  Mr. Sean ClaytonChief Human Capital Officer National Archives and Records Administration Sean Clayton is an accomplished federal employee with an internal consulting approach that leverages his skills in strategic planning, marketing and communication, organizational development, performance analytics, and process improvement to bring about positive change to the organizations for which he has worked. Mr. Clayton currently serves as Chief Human Capital Officer for the National Archives and Records Administration. He is a graduate of the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program with the Social Security Administration (SSA). He held several key leadership positions, most notably as the Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner for Management and Operations Support, responsible for a $34 million budget, facilities, IT automation, and human resources in the 6,800 employee San Francisco region. Prior to joining SSA, Mr. Clayton served as a Human Capital Specialist for the Department of Energy (DOE). Mr. Clayton also worked as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist while working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Other career highlights include being elected as the Chair of the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers. Mr. Clayton is also recognized as one of the Federal Government’s thought leaders on building management strategies to address generational differences in the workplace. Mr. Clayton has received national attention from numerous non-profit organizations, government agencies and was featured on Black Entertainment Television and Government Executive magazine for his work on civil rights as well as diversity and inclusion initiatives. Mr. Clayton attended Ursinus College and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics. He went on to pursue his Masters degree in Public Administration at American University with a focus in Organizational Diagnosis and Change Management.  Brenda DePuyIPMPA-CP Principal, DePuy HR Associates Brenda is the owner of DePuy HR Associates, which provides Executive training and HR consulting to federal agencies. She has trained over thousands of federal executives in leadership competencies and as a Leadership Coach, she has helped over 500 executive clients. DePuy HR Associates provides consulting services, program assistance and training to government agencies in the areas of Executive Resources, SES CDP Programs, staffing, diversity programs, RIF, workforce analysis, strategic workforce planning, organizational structures, classification and career development strategies. Her agency clients include: NGA, NIH, DOL, DHS, VA, HHS, DOE, AG, DHS, PBGC, CNCS, FEC, NASA, DOD and EPA. While working at OPM Executive Resource, she advised agencies on all aspects of their executive programs, and administering the OPM Qualifications Review Boards (QRB) as they reviewed and approved/disapproved the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) of agencies tentative SES selections. She also eventually led the Executive Resources’ portion of OPM Director James’ “Fix the Hiring Processes” initiative and personally developed and delivered government-wide workshops for HR Executive Resources staff on all new executive hiring and evaluation strategies  Mr. Manuel "Manny G" Gomez Jr.Go2Gomez Training & Consulting Solutions Mr. Manuel “Manny G~” Gomez Jr. is a native New Yorker born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn. He holds a BS in Management, MS in Administration, Master’s Certificate in Leadership, and is a graduate of the Army Management Staff College. Mr. Gomez seamlessly and enthusiastically presents, speaks, informs, and entertains as trainer and infotainer of Go2Gomez Training & Consulting Solutions. He serves as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations, College of Education and Human Services at Wright State University. Mr. Gomez is a Department of the Air Force Civilian at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and retired from the United States Army after a 20-year career. Ms. Anita Hinton Chief Career Development Central Intelligence Agency Anita Hinton joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1998, after spending 10 years with the Defense Contract Audit Agency and three years with the Government Accountability Office (formerly the General Accounting Office). She is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in Business, majoring in Accounting. Ms. Hinton currently serves as Chief, Career Development responsible for the career development of 900 corporate business agency careerists. Prior to this assignment, she served as an Leadership instructor and Program Manager for the Central Intelligence Agency’s primary course for first line supervisors. Ms. Hinton has contributed to the development of more than 2500 first – line supervisors and new managers. She is certified in numerous leadership assessment instruments and enjoys facilitating sessions focusing on managing change, understanding leadership styles, and managing conflict. Ms. Hinton has received numerous awards and recognition as a leadership instructor and manager.  Ms. Glorimar MaldonadoHuman Capital Advisor, Strategic Programs Office, Human Capital and Resources Management Office Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Glorimar Maldonado is a senior advisor for the Strategic Programs Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga. In this role, she provides technical guidance, data-driven analyses, and mission support to CDC senior leadership and staff to promote a prepared, diverse and sustainable workforce. Further, as a strategic recruiter, Ms. Maldonado conducts “Find & Apply” workshops at minority-serving institutions and colleges and universities nationwide, in addition to K-12 outreach activities that promote careers in mathematics and the sciences. Prior to joining the CDC, Ms. Maldonado was the chief of staff for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she was responsible for the daily operations of the office, including management of staff, development and implementation of national and Presidential outreach programs and publications, a Latino internship program, Web and social media development, event design, and strategic planning. Since 2007, Ms. Maldonado has worked collaboratively with key staff government-wide to improve the recruitment, retention and professional development of Latinos in the federal workforce. Additionally, she speaks at national Latino conferences and events and is an active member of CDC’s Latino/Hispanic Health Work Group, the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers, the National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives and the LULAC Federal Training Institute work group. Ms. Maldonado received her B.A. in English, history and psychology from Flagler College and is currently working on an MBA and M.S in leadership from Grand Canyon University.  Mr. Joseph ManciasFormer Senior Management Counsel to the Director U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department of Homeland Security Joseph Mancias is the former senior management counsel to the Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security. Upon leaving federal service he became a Principal with NashNogales,LLC, a management consulting practice. He is a former 25-year member of the career Federal Senior Executive Service and led a variety of programs that included agency wide oversight, enterprise wide human capital and training services, management counsel to agency heads, establishing private and non-profit sector partnerships, and initiating national marketing and creative communication services. His service included executive positions at the Departments of Labor, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security in his role as USCIS’ chief human capital and training office and senior management counsel. His military experience began as a Seaman finishing as a Captain in the Naval Reserve with tours of active duty in and off Vietnam. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&I, Kingsville, TX and a Masters of Science, Kogod College of Business Administration, American University.  Ms. Elimar C. Medina Figueroa Human Resources Specialist U.S. Census Bureau Elimar C. Medina Figueroa works with the Workforce Development Branch in the Human Resources Division at the U.S. Census Bureau. In this role she manages training and development for employees. Additionally, she also offers in-house training courses, and as a Certified Federal Job Search Trainer & Certified Federal Career Coach, she conducts resume workshops and assists employees by providing guidance with her resume, cover letter, and job search. Elimar is originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico.  Ms. Yvette Rivera, Esq. Associate Director, Office of Civil Rights U.S. Department of Transportation Yvette Rivera received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. Since then Ms. Rivera has devoted her public service career to equity and justice. As a federal attorney, Ms. Rivera has developed a deep background in civil rights, concentrating most of her career to the enforcement of federal civil rights laws. Ms. Rivera served the Department of Justice as a leader in the Civil Rights Division where she managed federal court litigation. Previously, Ms. Rivera served the Justice Department as an Honor Law graduate and an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Prior to her time at the Department of Justice, Ms. Rivera held leadership positions at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Ms. Rivera was most recently named the Associate Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Programs Division within the Department of Transportation’s Departmental Office of Civil Rights. She champions civil rights compliance in the Department’s internal and external programs.  Ms. Joanna RoopManager, Learning and Development University of North Carolina Charlotte Joanna has over 20 years of experience in Learning and Organizational Development and has worked for Fortune 50 Organizations such as Lowe’s Home Improvement and most recently at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and as an independent consultant. Joanna has experience in managing Leadership Development initiatives for Higher Education, Corporate and Supply Chain. Her focus has been in aligning Leadership Development with holistic enterprise wide business strategies, through building effective business partnerships, co-developing career models, coaching, and curriculum architecture design. Within Joanna’s Leadership toolbox she has experience conducting comprehensive needs assessments, performance analysis, developing intervention strategies for isolated business challenges, designing, developing and implementing enterprise wide Leadership curricula at all levels and across multiple lines of business. Joanna holds a degree in Education with a specialization in Corporate Training and Development from Wayland Baptist University. Additionally, she has the following certifications: Six Sigma Green Belt, Human Performance Technology, Information Mapping, Situational Leadership II, Organizational Development, Targeted Selection, Performance Technology and Instructional Design, Development Dimensions International (DDI) facilitator, CCL 360 Assessment Suite Certified and is a certified Myers – Briggs Practitioner.  Carl-Martin RuizDirector, Office of Adjudication Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Agriculture Carl-Martin Ruiz, a member of the Career Senior Executive Service, is the Director of the Office of Adjudication, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in Washington, DC. In this position, to which he was appointed in October 2009, he is responsible for the intake, investigation, and adjudication of both employment and program complaints. From October 2010 to September 2011, Mr. Ruiz served a detail assignment as Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Outreach, Employee Education and Training, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, Washington, DC. From June 2007 to October 2009, Mr. Ruiz served as the Director of Outreach and Diversity with OASCR. During the Obama Administration’s transition, Mr. Ruiz served as Special Advisor to the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, where he was instrumental in guiding the new Administration in their implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill and USDA’s outreach initiatives. Prior to his work with the USDA, Mr. Ruiz served as Director of Civil Rights with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration. Mr. Ruiz has held key positions with the U.S. Department of Army. He was Director of Equal Opportunity Programs (civilian and military) with the U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Belvoir, VA, and with the U.S. Army Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Other positions with the U.S. Army include Alcohol and Drug Control Officer, Civilian Program Coordinator, and Professional Psychological Counselor. Mr. Ruiz served honorably with the U.S. Army, elite 3/11 Armored Calvary (Black Horse), Reconnaissance Squadron. His private sector employment includes positions with Boston University as a Field Representative in Europe; with the University of Maryland European Division and European Christian University, as Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion; with New Horizon House/Community Mental Health Center, as Therapy Supervisor/Group Consultant, and with Churches of Christ as an evangelist. Mr. Ruiz is a graduate of Boston University with a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology; Southern Christian University with an M.A. Degree in Philosophy, and Freed-Hardeman University with a B.S. Degree in Theology and Social Work. Mr. Ruiz is tri-lingual in English, Spanish and German.  Mrs. Felicita Sola-CarterFormer Assistant Deputy Commissioner & Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer Social Security Administration Felicita Sola-Carter, prior to her retirement in January, 2009, served as Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Human Resources and Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer of the Social Security Administration. She shared national leadership of the Personnel, Training, Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, Labor, Management and Employee Relations, Human Capital Planning and Executive Services Support programs. A native of Puerto Rico, Feli graduated from the College of Mount St. Vincent in 1971. She began her career with SSA in New York City. In 1991, she joined the Office of the Commissioner in Baltimore, Md., as Senior Advisor to the Principal Deputy Commissioner, becoming the first Hispanic in that role. She is the recipient of a 2004 Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive and a 2005 Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive, the highest honor a career Federal executive may receive.  Dr. Fred SotoSupervisory Manager for Talent Management Employee Engagement and Diversity Provost EERE College Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Dr. Fred Soto is a widely acclaimed innovator, strategist, innovator and leader of game changing teams that improve people, process, performance and results. He brings interdisciplinary expertise and seasoned experience in Human Capital, Learning, Diversity, and organizational effectiveness. He links policy to practice and results through inspired leadership and functional employee engagement. OPM Director John Berry Invited Dr. Soto to instruct and guide his latest innovation: The Five Conversations: How leaders Release the Potential of People. One senior leader described the Five Conversations as “the Rosetta stone for employee engagement”! He has also served on a team that developed Employee Engagement recommendations to the Presidents Management Council. Dr Soto is a multi-published author in the fields of Diversity, EEO and Strategic Leadership and has authored over 50 motivational presentations. Dr. Soto holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Regent University School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management. He has completed the Cornell University, Advanced Diversity Practitioner Certification and other certifications in Equal Opportunity Management and Organizational Effectiveness. He is a licensed martial arts instructor and was inducted into the Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Other accomplishments include being awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for International Diversity Leadership and Training Excellence.  Ms. Nnenna UzochukwuSenior Human Resources/Communications Advisor U.S. Office of Personnel Management Nnenna Uzochukwu is a Senior Human Resources/Communications Advisor for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management with over 8 years of progressive experience in hiring and recruitment policy, strategic human capital and workforce planning, outreach, and communications. She is well versed in regulation interpretation as well as establishing and maintaining effective relationships with Federal agencies and non-profit organizations. Nnenna also is experienced in developing proactive recruitment and outreach practices to improve student, veteran, minority, and persons with disabilities selection. Her broad experience with organizations such as the Corporate Council on Africa, U.S. Department of Justice, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association has provided her with a broad range of experience that benefits OPM’s clients, internal and external stakeholders. Other areas of expertise include communications, journalism, marketing, media relations, event planning, sponsorship, budgeting, and contract/vendor management. Nnenna has a Master of Public Administration in Non-profit Management from the American University School of Public Affairs and her Bachelors of Arts, Lambda Pi Eta, in Mass Media Studies and Political Science from Hofstra University. In her spare time, Nnenna enjoys being involved in community and national organizations.  Ms. Ana H. ValentínSurvey Statistician NOAA Fisheries Services Ana H. Valentín is a survey statistician of the Fisheries Statistics Division under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In this capacity, she serves as a survey statistician and program manager for a national and various states fishery surveys, where she led an array of administrative, quality control, acquisition, and contracting actions. Ms. Valentín also manages the Fisheries Statistics Division budget and complies with the Blue Book with the Division Chief and addressed the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements of the Office of Management and Budget for various surveys. In her spare time at work, she contributes with the Office of Civil Rights in the planning and implementation of the NOAA Hispanic Heritage Month. Ms. Valentín began her Federal career in 2000 as a survey statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau, where she used her mathematical and bilingual skills to test the nationwide data collection system used on the 2000 Census. Ms. Valentín has a graduate degree from the University of Puerto Rico, and graduate certificates from George Washington University in Information Technology Program Management and University of Maryland University College in Leadership and Management. In her spare time, Ms. Valentín collaborates with various non-profit organizations, such as Information System Security Association Northern Virginia Chapter, Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action, Radio María Washington DC, and National Association of Hispanics Federal Executives, while she is completing her doctoral studies in Information Assurance.  Mr. Jeffrey VargasChief Learning Officer Commodity Futures Trading Jeffrey Vargas is the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). He joined the CFTC shortly after the passage of the 2010 Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform Act. Under his leadership the Commission has embraced a strategic approach to learning which now focuses on building the technical, managerial and leadership skills of a dynamic workforce. Jeff is a learning visionary who likes to get things done! Within 18 months on the job he created the Commission’s first Strategic Learning Plan and has had a series of successful learning initiatives that include; the develop and deploy an online training needs assessment tool; stronger partnership building with divisions in the creation of their own technical training curriculum; the launching of an executive learning series of courses, and the deployment of an online/on-demand learning program that includes more than 350 courses which cover the financial marketplace. Currently he is focused on establishing an in-house school of swaps certification program and building a comprehensive technical and administrative orientation and onboarding curriculum for new employees. While with the Department of Energy he served as the Chief Learning Officer for the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and he was the Co-Chair of the DOE’s Learning Board. As the NNSA CLO he provided oversight of the technical qualification program and was the chief architect of NNSA Executive Summit and the NNSA’s competitive leadership development program. While with the Department of Energy (DOE), he served as a senior recruiter, senior advisor, and project manager. Jeffrey is an author and sought after speaker who is a national leader in learning innovation. He is ranked as one of the nation’s top experts on understanding generational differences with an emphasis on building generational synergy in the federal workplace. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, and later went on to complete the Georgetown University Training Specialist Certificate Program.  Ms. Veronica E. VillalobosDirector, Office of Diversity and Inclusion U.S. Office of Personnel Management Ms. Villalobos was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in October 2010. She manages OPM’s government-wide diversity effort to develop, drive and monitor strategies and initiatives designed to create a more diverse and inclusive Federal workforce. Prior to her current position, Ms. Villalobos was employed at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Commission as one of the agency’s first Honor Program Attorneys. From 2008 through 2010, she served as the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity where she was responsible for EEOC’s EEO Complaint Processing and Affirmative Employment Programs. In spring of 2010, she was detailed to OPM as Special Counsel to the OPM Deputy Director and Chair of the Inter-Agency Work Group on Diversity. In 2008, she served as the Chair of the Federal Hispanic Work Group, which was charged by the EEOC Chair with examining the Hispanic community’s systemic concerns about federal sector employment and executive development. From 2000 through 2008, Ms. Villalobos was assigned to the Office of Federal Operations where she issued decisions in cases covering the entire spectrum of legal bases of alleged discrimination. In 2006 and 2008, she served as a supervisory attorney and was responsible for reviewing the appellate decisions drafted by attorneys on appeals from agency and EEOC Administrative Judge decisions issued on federal sector discrimination complaints. During a detail in 2002, Ms. Villalobos worked in the EEOC’s Office of Legal Counsel, where she litigated EEO and Merit System Protection Board cases and provided legal advice to the Chair and Commissioners. In 2003, she detailed to the National Labor Relations Board, where she worked in both the Chairman’s Office, drafting Board decisions, and the General Counsel’s Contempt Litigation Division. Ms. Villalobos was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Psychology. After graduation, she received the Telecommunications Fellowship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, through which she gained hands-on experience at the non-profit Public Technology, Inc. From 1997 to 2000, she attended American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., where she earned her law degree. Ms. Villalobos is a member of the Maryland and Michigan Bars.  Mr. Victor Voloshin, Esq.Chief Mediation Officer, RESOLVE Program Director U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Mr. Victor Voloshin is the Chief Mediation Officer and RESOLVE Director at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As the Chief Mediation Officer, Victor is a senior EEOC official designated as a dispute resolution specialist under the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 (ADRA). In that role he represents EEOC at the Interagency ADR Working Group, an entity established by Congress and the President to coordinate, promote, and facilitate the effective use of ADR throughout the federal government. Victor is the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Interagency ADR Working Group and helps federal agencies design and improve their internal workplace ADR programs. Victor also directs RESOLVE, EEOC’s internal ADR program that addresses individual concerns and systemic workplace problems by mediating complaints, offering informal dispute conciliation, conducting group facilitations, and providing conflict-resolution training. Victor is an expert on the workplace conflict management issues who came to the EEOC from the District of Columbia Superior Court. Prior to that, Victor served as the ADR Director and EEO Officer for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent mayoral agency responsible for handling complaints against the New York City Police Department. For many years Victor taught as an adjunct professor at New York University in the Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program. Prior to government service, Victor was an attorney, consultant, mediator, negotiator, and arbitrator in the private sector. He has worked with non-profit organizations, quasi-governmental entities, and large multi-national corporations. Victor holds MBA and JD degrees from the College of William and Mary, and is licensed to practice law in New York State.  Henry (Hank) McCaffreyRegional Veterans Employment Coordinator Department of Veterans Affairs Henry (Hank) McCaffrey is the Regional Veterans Employment Coordinator (RVEC) for Region 8. He retired in August of 2011 as an E-8/Senior Master Sergeant after 25 years of continuous service to our country. His initial Air Force Specialty was as a Personnel Specialist, before becoming a Career Recruiter where he spent his last 21 years. During his career as a recruiter he has worked at every level: He started as a Non Prior Service Recruiter in his native Philadelphia before becoming an In-Service Recruiter assisting transitioning service members at Langley AFB VA. Later in his recruiting career he became a Training Instructor at the Staff Headquarter level. His final assignment prior to retirement was as a Regional Recruiting Manager in one of the largest demographic areas in the nation. He has never missed his goal of “putting the right people in the right positions”. This passion for assisting and serving the military is what led him to seek out the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as the Employer of Choice. As an RVEC for the Department of Veterans Affairs, it is Hank’s mission to actively support initiatives to promote the hiring of Veterans within the VA throughout his region. Like so many other Veterans, Hank understands the trials and tribulations a Veteran endures trying to create a competitive application for VA employment. He is committed to ensuring that each Veteran he comes in contact with understands the hiring process to successfully gain employment with the Veterans Administration. By providing information and assistance in navigating USAJOBS, crafting a competitive resume, and understanding special hiring authorities.  Matthew DesrosiersOutreach Specialist and Social Worker, Manhattan Veterans Center Department of Veterans Affairs Matthew Desrosiers is the Outreach Specialist and Social Worker for the Manhattan Vet Center. He is an Air Force Veteran, having served four years as a crew chief on F-15 fighter jets while stationed at Eglin AFB, Florida. In 2003 he was deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the initial invasion of Iraq. After finishing his enlistment in the Air Force he went on to earn his B.S. in Marketing from the University of South Florida and his Master of Social Work from Fordham University in New York City. He has worked as the Office Manager for the Tampa Vet Center, been the Vet Center representative for the VetSucces on Campus Pilot program at the University of South Florida, and the Outreach Specialist for the Manhattan Vet Center. After graduating with his Master’s Degree and becoming a licensed Social Worker, Matthew now occupies a hybrid position at the Manhattan Vet Center spending time both doing outreach to returning Combat Veterans and providing individual and group therapy for Veteran clients.  Michael G. WilliamsMinority Veterans Program Coordinator, James J Peters VA Medical Center, New York Harbor Healthcare System Department of Veterans Affairs Michael G. Williams has served his country by participating in Desert Shield and Desert Storm and was unanimously selected for a position as chairman of the Bronx Community College Alumni Association. In 2009, he was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Bronx Community College Foundation, which was established to enable the college to maintain a level of academic excellence and support for current and future students. Mr. Williams was born in New York City and graduated from Julia Richman High School. He attended Lincoln University for one year prior to joining the United States Marine Corp. Mr. Williams rose to the status of Marine Corp Drill Instructor. He was honorably discharged in 1995 after 13 years of military service. He entered Lehman College in 1998 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2000. He also earned a Master’s of Social Work from Yeshiva University and specialized in clinical social work. Mr. Williams began working at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx as a work-study student. He later became a paid intern and was eventually hired as a social worker at the Bronx VA Medical Center. In his current position as the Renal Social Worker, he supports the psychosocial functioning and adjustment of patients who have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and their families. Mr. Williams has been involved in other roles within the medical center. Formerly he held the position as the Ophthalmology Visual Impairment Service Team Coordinator. He is currently the Minority Veterans Program (MVP) Coordinator. In this position, Mr. Williams is tasked with ensuring that benefits and services are more accessible to minority veterans, as well as evaluating current programs and making recommendations. He communicates with the full range of external agency stakeholders; including State, Congressional and Legislative committees, and the news media. In his role as lead MVP Coordinator, Mr. Williams establishes, maintains, and fosters strong working relationships in order to communicate and disseminate program information.  Edward B. PerryMilitary Services Coordinator, New York Regional Office Department of Veterans Affairs Mr. Perry is a Military Services Coordinator for the New York Regional Office of the Department of Veteran Affairs/Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). He is responsible for providing information on eligibility and access to programs and services. He also partners with various community stakeholders to conduct outreach and ensure information is made available to Veterans throughout the 31 assigned counties of Eastern New York State. He provides transitional services to active duty Service Members separating from the Military, and reserve Service Members returning from duty in support of the OEF/OIF/OND contingency operations. He is also responsible for assisting in the promotion and improvement of access to VA services by Minority Veterans. He advocates for Elderly Veterans as the Elderly Veteran Outreach Coordinator, and in his role as Casualty Assistance Coordinator he ensures VA survivor benefits are made available to eligible family/dependents of service members who die in the line of duty, and veterans who die due to service connected conditions. Prior to returning to active duty with the military, he served as an administrative manager for Vinson & Elkins Attorneys at Law. Following retirement from the Military (Army/Army National Guard), at the rank of Sargent First Class(E7),with 20 years of honorable service, Edward began his tenure with the VBA as a Work-Study participant through Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services. He was eventually hired as a Claims Assistant, and subsequently promoted to Veterans Service Representative prior to his current assignment. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Nyack College, New York and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership from the Nyack College School of Business Leadership. Mr. Perry is also an ordained minister.  Andree’ M. Sutton, Ed.S., LPC, NCC (MFT)Chief of Recruitment, Retention & Outreach Veterans Employment Service Office Andree’ M. Sutton, currently serves as the Chief of Recruitment, Retention and Outreach for the Veterans Employment Service Office (VESO). Where she oversees a staff of 19 in a national effort to attract, recruit and retain Veterans into the VA for workforce. She previously served as the Region 8 Veterans Employment Coordinator for the Office of Human Resource Management, Department of Veterans Affairs. In this role she provided employment coordination and career counseling services to Veterans in particular severely injured Veterans. Prior to that position, she served as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Newark, NJ, VA Regional Office; where she serviced the disabled veteran population of the Southern and Eastern New Jersey region. In this role she provided a variety of vocational counseling services to disabled veterans. Additionally, Ms. Sutton worked as a counseling intern at the Ewing, NJ Vet Center providing readjustment counseling services to combat veterans. Ms. Sutton retired in 2005 from the United States Air Force at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9). She was a Regional HR Director/Senior Recruiter managing various recruiting operating locations. As a production recruiter her career resulted in several Century Club badges, Two, Three and Four per week awards, as well the award of Recruiter of The Year. Ms. Sutton is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, specializing in Career Counseling, Mental Health and Marriage and Family Therapy. She holds a Post Graduate degree (Ed.S.) in Marriage and Family Therapy, two Master’s degrees in Instructional Education and Community Agency Counseling. She is the immediate 2013 Past President of American Counselors and Educators in Government Division of the American Counseling Association. She is a member of the Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honors Society, National Employment Counseling Association and the American Counseling Association.  Thomas H. ConlanCemetery Technician for the Long Island National Cemetery U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mr. Conlan is currently the Cemetery Technician for the Long Island National Cemetery. He is responsible for providing responds to requests and answers questions as they related to the interment process to members of veteran’s family. In addition to his current position, Mr. Conlan has served as Cemetery Representative and Cemetery Caretaker at the Calverton National Cemetery. Prior to joining the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Conlan had a long and successful career as Project Manager in the commercial floor covering industry. He is an Army Veteran, having served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). He served as Company A Firing Party Commander. He has received a Bachelor of Arts in Degree History and English from the University of New England.  Kimberly CastilloEqual Employment Opportunity Specialist National Achieves and Records Administration Kimberly Castillo began her Federal career began upon completion of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) internship program in 2006 with the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Today, Ms. Castillo manages the Affirmative Employment Programs for the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). She evaluates policies, practices, and procedures and analyzes workforce data to help identify gaps and barriers affecting fairness and diversity in all aspects of the employment. Prior to working for NARA, Ms. Castillo worked for the FAA within the Office of Human Resource (HR) Management as the Assistant Program Manager of the Minority Serving Institution Internship Program as a HACU intern. Her experience led her to land a job with FAA’s Office of Civil Rights, where she gradually advanced in her career, from an Administrative Assistant to managing the Agency’s National People with Disabilities Program and the National Hispanic Employment Program. Ms. Castillo is the Chair of the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers, a Federal Inter-agency Council with over 350 members nationwide. She earned a Bachelor’s in Public Administration from FIU, an Associate’s degree in Communication from Miami Dade College, and she graduated from USA Graduate School’s Executive Leadership Program in Washington, DC.  Katherine ArchuletaDirector U.S. Office of Personnel Management Since becoming Director of the Office of Personnel Management on November 4, 2013, Katherine Archuleta has dedicated herself to being a champion of a diverse, engaged and inclusive Federal workforce. She also has made it her priority to give agencies the tools they need to hire, develop and retain a world class workforce for the 21st Century. As the President’s workforce ambassador, Director Archuleta hears from and counsels Federal employees about their work and talks with students, young workers, mid-career professionals and executives about what she likes to call the purpose-driven mission of Federal service. Director Archuleta is the first Latina to lead OPM. She began her career in public service as a school teacher in Denver. She continued to follow her passion for public service as an aide to Denver Mayor Federico Pena. During the Clinton administration, she was Pena’s Chief of Staff in the Department of Transportation and later his senior policy advisor at the Department of Energy. By then a sought-after leader, Director Archuleta returned home to Denver and was a Senior Advisor to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. She returned to Federal service during the first two years of the Obama Administration as Chief of Staff to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. She then served as National Political Director for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Clearly, Director Archuleta has lived the life of public service that today she encourages others to pursue. When asked what she would like her OPM legacy to be, she often answers: That we made it possible to sustain a government workforce of unparalleled talent and resourcefulness that reflects the diversity of America.  Carmine Gallo Eastern Regional Administrator Federal Aviation Administration Carmine Gallo became the FAA Regional Administrator for the Eastern Region on February 1, 2009. The Eastern Region encompasses the geographical area that includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The Region oversees operations at some of the world's busiest airports including, JFK International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Airport. At the time of his appointment, Mr. Gallo was the Director of Tactical Operations for the northeastern United States, where he had management oversight for day-to-day traffic operations from Maine to Virginia and west to Ohio including interface with Canadian, oceanic and military airspace. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Carmine's career with the FAA began in 1981 as an Air Traffic Controller at the NY Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility. Carmine has served in various managerial positions including Air Traffic Manager representing the Tactical Operations Program Office within Eastern and New England Regions, Supervisor at Republic Tower, NY TRACON and Area Manager for the Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia Areas. Mr. Gallo held several Pilot Certificates, including those for Airline Transport Pilot, Multi Engine Land, Flight Instructor single, multi-engine land and instrument instructor. Carmine Gallo attended C.W. Post College and is the proud recipient of numerous honors including the Distinguished Service Award for his support during the TWA 800 tragedy, the ATO Vice President's Award for Excellence for his work on the Short Term Initiatives and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Citation for his efforts during 9/11.  Clarence A. Johnson Director, Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity Under Secretary of Defense U.S. Department of Defense Mr. Johnson served as the Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Plans) from May 2009 to February 2010, and from May 2010 to July 2010, while the Department awaited appointment of political leadership to the Office of Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness). In this role, he provided leadership and oversight of all functions within this organization. In October 2010, Mr. Johnson served as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Diversity and Leadership) to assist the Army in implementing a robust diversity strategy. He stood up and served as the Director of the Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and Programs Division until his return in February 2012 to his current position. Prior to becoming a civil servant, Mr. Johnson was a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. As an active duty colonel, he served as Director, Military Equal Opportunity within in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Equal Opportunity. Mr. Johnson entered active duty service as a C-141 navigator. His tours of duty included the Military Airlift Command Plans staff and Air Staff Training. He was a squadron commander three times and a group commander twice. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters). Mr. Johnson holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Webster University, Missouri, and a Bachelor Degree in Biology from Tuskegee Institute, Alabama. Mr. Johnson is also a graduate of Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, the National Security Management Course (National Defense University) and the Georgetown University Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management Certificate Program.  E. Maquel Marshall Program Manager for Minority & Rural Veteran Program U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs E. Maquel Marshall has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kentucky, where he studied Agricultural Economics and Business Marketing. He began his professional career with the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) in 2006, where he worked as a Farm Loan Officer with the Farm Service Agency. In 2009, Mr. Marshall worked for the Muhammad Ali Center as the Grant Budget Analyst and Executive Assistant to the President/C.E.O. In 2011 Mr. Marshall began his service to our Nation’s Veterans, with the Department of Veterans Affairs, at the Louisville Regional Office in the Support Services Division and later the Fiduciary Hub. Mr. Marshall is currently the Program Manager for Minority Veteran Program and Rural Veteran Program, with Central Office located in Washington, DC.  Frederick Pfaeffle Arana Deputy General Counsel U.S. Department of Agriculture Frederick Pfaeffle Arana began his tenure as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in March 2014. Prior to his current position, Mr. Pfaeffle was appointed by the White house as Principal Deputy General Counsel of the USDA, one of the largest agencies in the Federal government, with presence in 88 countries and with approximately 100,000 employees. Mr. Pfaeffle Arana has been instrumental in leading efforts with the U.S. Department of Justice to establish a $1.33 Billion women and Hispanic claims process to resolve long-standing discrimination claims by women and Hispanic farmers and ranchers against the USDA. He also worked to resolve multi-billion dollar class-action civil rights litigation filed by African-Americans and Native-Americans. Furthermore, Mr. Pfaeffle leads teams responsible for administrative investigations and adjudication of thousands of civil rights complaints filed against the United States claiming employment discrimination and discrimination in the delivery of USDA programming. Other functions include compliance with civil rights laws and regulations and establishing civil rights policy on a national scale. As Principal Deputy General Counsel, he assisted the General Counsel in managing the Office of the General Counsel which employs over 200 lawyers nation-wide. His responsibilities included providing legal advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and his subcabinet and supervising 3 Divisions and 2 Regions. In addition to his Civil Rights work, his areas of supervision included legal services in Natural Resources and Environment, Rural Development, Anti-trust, International Trade, Finance, Insurance, and Food and Nutrition Services such as the Food Stamp and School Lunch programs. Mr. Pfaeffle Arana was born in Mexico City from Nicaraguan parents and lived in Latin America until moving to Miami to attend High School, where he was became a U.S. Citizen. He attended the University of Florida and Florida International University and practiced as a CPA at a major international accounting firm until entering Law School at the University of Southern California. He began his career in the private sector at a major California law firm in the areas of Real Estate, land use, and environmental law. Prior to joining USDA in 2010, Mr. Pfaeffle Arana held the position of Principal Deputy County Counsel in Los Angeles County where he was responsible for legal work in the areas of Public Works, Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste and Water. He was active in the community serving as staff counsel to the Christopher Commission Investigating the LAPD following the LA riots and serving for a U.S. Senator as International Monitor to Presidential Elections in Nicaragua. Mr. Pfaeffle also served as member to various boards, including the Mexican American Bar Foundation.  Ms. Myrna Rivera Federal Aviation Administration LULAC, Assistant Director of Federal Affairs Myrna Rivera is currently on an Interchange Assignment Agreement (IAA), serving as the Assistant Director for Federal Affairs at the League of United Latin America Citizens (LULAC). Her assignment with LULAC began in November 2013 where she is involved in coordinating initiatives and training related to the federal government. Her current position at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is Director of Executive Resources, to the Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights. In this position she directs all strategic planning, finances, human resources, information technology initiatives, and marketing services for the FAA Office of Civil Rights. Myrna joined the FAA Office of Civil Rights in December 1994, where she served as an EEO Specialist implementing and leading the agency cultural diversity efforts under the Model Work Environment Program. In January 2001, she was selected as the Manager of the EEO Consulting Division. In this position, she directed the management of the Special Emphasis Programs, and developed and monitored the agency submission of the Affirmative Employment Plan. Under her leadership, the Office of Civil Rights established several corporate initiatives to include web-based multicultural resource database as a recruitment and outreach tool; Piloted a Corporate Mentoring Program; developed the Reasonable Accommodation Action Team known as the ReAcT concept and published agency policy on people with disabilities; and established the Affirmative Employment Oversight Board, with top agency leadership. Her background includes working in the FAA Office of Human Resources. While in Human Resources, she served as a Senior Specialist and principal advisor in the development and execution of cooperative education, recruitment and staffing programs. She also worked as an Organizational Development Specialist developing and delivering training in the area of Management & General training to FAA employees. She also provided consultation services to individual lines of business to achieve organizational cultural changes by leading team building activities and providing facilitation services. Myrna holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. Additional she holds several Certifications as an Instructor for Pritchett and Associates, Myers Briggs Type Instrument Rating, Gordon’s Institute Leadership Effectiveness Training and other related certifications in Organizational Development. She is also a graduate of the FAA Senior Leadership Development Program. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards to include: Vice-President Gore’s Golden Hammer Award; and twice she has been the recipient of the FAA Administrators Superior Achievement Award for her work in EEO.  Cyrus A. SalazarOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Director of the Early Resolution and Conciliation U.S. Department of Agriculture Cyrus Salazar serves as the Director of the Early Resolution and Conciliation Division within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. In this capacity, he oversees the USDA alternative dispute resolution (ADR) policy for employment and program cases. Mr. Salazar joined the USDA from the Department of the Air Force where he served as the Air Force Equal Opportunity Program Manager and Deputy Director of Air Force Equal Opportunity. He developed and administered Air Force-wide policy regarding military and civilian requirements for over 300,000 Airmen. His duties included developing and overseeing policy guidance for complaint processing, equal opportunity training, and organizational climate assessments. Mr. Salazar also served as an adjunct faculty, teaching equal opportunity and ADR curriculum at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute and at the Ira C. Eaker Center for Professional Development at Maxwell AFB. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Salazar served as the Director of Equal Opportunity at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico where he led the military and civilian equal opportunity programs and the ADR program. While working with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a bureau under the Treasury Department which regulates and charters the national banking system, Mr. Salazar worked as an EEO Specialist and participated in a range of EEO roles as well as special initiatives focusing on recruitment, training, and developing partnerships. Mr. Salazar began his career with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he served as a Human Resources Specialist. He then moved to the Office of Human Resources Corporate Recruitment Branch where he focused on outreach and recruitment activities. Mr. Salazar was then selected by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management where he served as the NIH National Hispanic Employment Program Manager. EDUCATION M.S. in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, United States Air Force M.A. in Public Administration, New Mexico State University B.A. in Communication Studies, New Mexico State University  Nigel SimonSenior Information Official and Director of the Office of Program Management Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nigel Simon currently serves as the Senior Information Official and Director of the Office of Program Management in the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service, Nigel completed a one-year assignment as a Capitol Hill fellow where he worked for Congresswoman Dr. Donna Christensen of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He served as the Director of the Information and Management Division in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (OCIR) before going on the Hill as a fellow. Previously, Nigel worked in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) and the Office of International and Tribal Affairs (OITA) serving as a program manager, team leader, and special assistant. Nigel completed two short-term mission assignments in Botswana and Cameroon, West Africa as part of the United Nations Environmental Program and the EPA. Before coming to EPA, Nigel was a military policeman in Maryland and the U.S. Virgin Islands Army National Guard units. He was deployed to Fort Clayton, Panama as part of Operation Just Cause. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Virgin Islands and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central College in Pella, Iowa.  Deborah StempowskiChief, Economic Planning and Coordination Division U.S. Census Bureau During her 23 years of experience, Ms. Stempowski has been dedicated major business process improvement initiatives, most notably the implementation of formal program management and business analysis processes in the programs she manages. She began her career at the U.S. Census Bureau in 1991, working as a statistician on the expansion of the Economic Census to cover emerging sectors of the economy including the telecommunications industry. In 1998, she moved to the Computer Assisted Survey Research Office (CASRO) where she led several Census Bureau-wide projects including the establishment of the Census Bureau’s Quality Management Program. Following her research work as well as process improvement passions into production operations, Ms. Stempowski returned to the Economic Programs Directorate in February of 2005, leading the effort to implement formal program and project management practices for the 2007 Economic Census. In June of 2006, taking on an expanded operations role, she became the Assistant Division Chief for Customer Relations and Products. In that role, she was responsible for company outreach, macro analysis, tabulations and dissemination operations for the Economic Census and its related programs. It was during that time that she also completed a five month detail assignment at the Office of Management and Budget, providing a project management structure for a Community of Practice across the fourteen major statistical agencies in the U.S government. Ms. Stempowski has continually sought out challenging assignments during her career and moved to the Director’s office in May of 2011. She served as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Director, leading the effort to streamline operations at headquarters for managing $300 million annually in reimbursable work. At the completion of that work, Ms. Stempowski entered the Senior Executive Service on April 8, 2012 as Chief of the Economic Planning and Coordination Division at the U.S Census Bureau. Ms. Stempowski has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Penn State University and a Master’s Degree in Financial Management from the University of Maryland, University College. She received Master’s Certificates in Project Management and Business Analysis from the George Washington University and has been a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2001. Ms. Stempowski is a January 2012 graduate of the Department of Commerce’s Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program. She is a recipient of the Director’s Award for Innovation (1999), the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (2004), and the Census Bureau’s Outstanding Mentor Award (2010).  Mauricio P. Vera Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization U.S. Agency for International Development Mauricio P. Vera is the new Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. He began serving in this position on January 7, 2008. Since January of 2001, Mr. Vera served as Manager of the Small Business Program in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Office of Small Business and Civil Rights. In this role, Mr. Vera strived to ensure that small, disadvantaged, women-owned, HUBZone, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses were given the maximum opportunity to participate in NRC contract awards through outreach, education, and creative procurement initiatives. Under Mr. Vera's leadership, the NRC became one of only three Federal agencies to be awarded the Gold Star Award by the Small Business Administration for its exemplary performance and commitment to contracting with small businesses in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005. In FY 2006 and 2007, NRC achieved additional significant increases in its total contract awards to each of the small business categories. In 2007, the NRC awarded Mr. Vera the distinguished Meritorious Service Award in recognition of his accomplishments in the small business program area. Mr. Vera went to the NRC from the Smithsonian Institution where he established and managed the Smithsonian's Supplier Diversity Program from 1993 to 2001. Prior to this, Mr. Vera served as a Senior Financial Analyst at the Small Business Administration. Mr. Vera, a native of Chile, has an MBA from George Mason University and a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maryland.  LTJG Andrea Proie Operations Officer NOAA Corps Officer Training Center LTJG Andrea Proie is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh with a focus on Environmental Studies. She attended NOAA Commissioned Corps Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) 116 at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, NY), graduating in June 2010. Directly after training, she was assigned to assist with Deep Water Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico performing helicopter over-flights to observe the extent of the oil. Her first sea assignment was aboard the NOAA Ship Rainier (Newport, OR) conducting hydrographic surveys in Alaska. She served as medical person-in-charge, diving officer, environmental officer, and a hydrographer. She is currently stationed at the USCG Academy in New London, CT |
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Ms. Virginia Andreu-Rosario