INSA Achievement Awards
On February 16, 2022, INSA welcomed senior leaders in government and industry to the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel to celebrate the stunning accomplishments of six remarkable early- to mid-career professionals across the intelligence, homeland, and national security communities.
The inspiring evening kicked off with keynote remarks by DIA Director LTG Scott Berrier, USA, who in his speech highlighted the value of mentorship, leadership, and a "dominant sense of duty" in reference to the night's distinguished guests and awardees.
Senior leaders and former William Oliver Baker Award recipients then took to the stage to present the awards. For achievement in Mentorship, Science & Technology, Government, Industry, Homeland Security, and Military, the following individuals were honored, respectively:
- Cadienne Naquin Hopkins, Senior Business Development Manager, Altana AI; Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, The Command Purpose Foundation
- Marylesa Howard, PhD, Principal Scientist, Nevada National Security Site, Department of Energy
- Mary Ann Kissinger, Requirements and Integration Analyst, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- Jaime Arribas Starkey-El, Data Scientist and Software Engineer, The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
- Shadi Elreda, Special Agent, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
- MSgt Elizebeth L. Harris, USAF, Operations Superintendent, All-Domain Overhead Cooperative Operations Group, Mission Integration Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office
For a recording of the evening's awards ceremony, see below.
Thank you to all our attendees and to our sponsors who made this night possible!
The six award categories span all segments of the Intelligence and National Security Community.
Achievement Award Categories
GOVERNMENT
The Richard J. Kerr Government Award
Open to civilian government employees up to and including GS-13 and equivalent rank.
HOMELAND SECURITY
The John W. Warner Homeland Security Award
Open to law enforcement professionals, intelligence analysts, and first responders from the federal government and state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies up to GS-13 or equivalent.
INDUSTRY
The Edwin H. Land Industry Award
Open to contractors and nongovernment employees with eight to ten years of nonexecutive experience.
MENTORSHIP
The Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award
Open to public, private and academic professionals up to and including GS-15/O-6 and equivalent rank.
MILITARY
The William O. Studeman Military Award
Open to uniformed military personnel up to and including 0-4/E-7
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The Sidney D. Drell Science and Technology Award
Open to researchers conducting innovative scientific or technological R&D whose applications have potential to make significant impacts in intelligence, defense, and/or homeland security.
With so many hard-working early- to mid-career professionals powering the national security, intelligence, and homeland security communities, we know there is someone in your organization deserving of recognition.
"Being able to hear the successes of the awardees and listen to theirs and the speakers’ reflections was inspiring. I immediately felt I was in a community of peers."
- Achievement Awards Ceremony Attendee
About the Awards
The INSA Achievement Awards were established in 2010 to recognize the accomplishments of early to mid-career professionals (GS-13/O-4/E-7 or equivalent and below with the exception of the Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award) in intelligence and national security as well as the mentors who inspired them.
Each of the six awards, named after William Oliver Baker Award recipients, acknowledge the importance of mentors and inspire early careerists to strive for excellence in the intelligence, homeland security, and national security communities.
Although missions and requirements differ in each of the individual categories, common areas of excellence include: leadership, potential for growth, impact on the profession, mission accomplishment, and emerging professional standing and influence.
The Awards
- Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award
- Open to all public, private and academic professionals up to and including GS-15/O-6 and equivalent rank
- Sidney D. Drell Science & Technology Award
- Open to early and mid-career professionals undertaking innovative science or technological R&D whose applications have had (or have potential to make) significant impacts in intelligence, defense, and homeland security
- Richard J. Kerr Government Award
- Open to civilian government employees up to and including GS-13 and equivalent rank
- Edwin H. Land Industry Award
- Open to contractors and nongovernment employees with eight to ten years of nonexecutive experience
- William O. Studeman Military Award
- Open to uniformed military personnel up to and including 0-4/E-7
- John W. Warner Homeland Security Award
- Open to law enforcement professionals, intelligence analysts, and first responders from federal government, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies at levels up to federal GS-13 or equivalent.