Sandra Auchter

Ms. Sandra Auchter serves as the Director, Commercial Operations Group where she leads a group in focusing on solutions that meet operational requirements that have a direct impact on Department of War and Intelligence Community missions. 

Prior to her current role, Ms. Auchter served as the Director, NGA Denver (NGA-D) at the Aerospace Data Facility – Colorado (ADF-C), leading a team of over 500 personnel. As Director, NGA-D, Ms. Auchter provided senior-level oversight for locally-executed global GEOINT operations, set a forward-looking strategy for NGA Denver to support agency strategic objectives, and integrated NGA into Colorado’s geospatial, aerospace, and defense ecosystems. As part of her NGA-D directorship, she also served as NGA’s OPIR Official and OPIR Champion, responsible for advising the NGA Director on program decisions and resource allocation, integrating OPIR into the GEOINT enterprise, and ensuring the OPIR community addressed warfighter needs. As Director, NGA-D, she also served on the tri-agency Denver Leadership Team(DLT), alongside the NRO ADF-C site commander and the Director of NSA Colorado (NSAC), where she represented NGA’s interests and GEOINT mission authorities. The DLT drives tri-agency mission integration and collaboration, leveraging the distinct capabilities and authorities of NGA, NSA, and NRO to enhance mission effectiveness and performance.

Previously, Ms. Auchter served as the Deputy Associate Director of Capabilities (ADC) from December 2018 –June 2021. Prior to assuming that role, Ms. Auchter served as the Director of NGA’s Office of Eurasia and Africa(AOE) from December 2016 – November 2018, and prior as the Deputy Director, AOE between June 2015 and December 2016. From 2010 to 2015, Ms. Auchter served as a manager in NGA’s Office of Counterterrorism, completing her tour as the Deputy Division Chief for the Counterterrorism Division.

Ms. Auchter began her career with NGA in 2000 focused on national intelligence priorities and crises in the Africa AOR, with particular focus on Central Africa. In 2003, she served on a rotation concurrently as the NGA representative to the Director of Central Intelligence Agency’s Operations Center and as the Weapons Intelligence, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Watch Officer. From 2004-2007, Ms. Auchter worked Strategic Issues in the Near and Middle East, to include managing a special program on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency and NGA. She served as the Lead for Executive Communications to Director NGA from 2007-2010.

Ms. Auchter received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Regional Studies, Africa, from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and is an alumnus of the National Defense Intelligence College/National Intelligence University.