Celebrating Exceptional Employee Growth at Chenega MIOS

When I first joined Chenega MIOS as a marketing analyst, I could hardly envision the journey that lay ahead. I have been given opportunities to further my education in my field of marketing and communications as well as in leadership. My incredible boss’s mentorship was instrumental. She provided guidance, encouragement, and the occasional nudge when I doubted myself. Today, as a senior manager leading a talented team, I reflect with gratitude on the path that led me here. The investment in my development not only transformed my career but also empowered me to inspire and nurture the next generation of leaders within our company.

Each step of my journey has been shaped by the invaluable mentorship of my leaders, who have not only guided my career path but also enriched my professional growth in immeasurable ways.

During my almost decade tenure at MIOS, I’ve climbed the ladder of professional development and navigated through a series of memorable experiences. Each moment has been a learning curve from grappling with the complexities of program control—where I once dubbed myself the ‘worst PC ever’—to celebrating unexpected triumphs and personal milestones. My profound love for learning and intelligence has fueled my journey, turning every challenge into a stepping stone and every lesson into a milestone.

Chenega has provided me the opportunity to grow not only as a Professional Recruiter but as a Leader and person as well.

I started with Chenega as an Air Force Retiree that was floating from job to job, now I have grown as a Recruiter by Chenega providing me the opportunity to get new certifications and I have grown as a Leader by having awesome leaders to help form my leadership style.

The seven year journey from a Recruiting Coordinator to an HR Manager has been filled with challenges, growth, and colleagues who have become like family.

Starting as a technical recruiter at MIOS, I built strong relationships with customers and colleagues. My personal journey here is simple. When I hear Chenega MIOS, I think of family. This sense of belonging is what draws me to stay and continue my journey here. It’s like the old Oliver Garden commercial: “When you’re here, you’re family.” Corny, but true. From my first day in new hire orientations, learning about Chenega and the history of the village, to my conversations with JC (MIOS President) and leadership about my career aspirations and how to achieve them, Chenega MIOS has always felt like home. Chenega consistently provides opportunities for success, no matter what role you’re in. At Chenega MIOS, a dream is not just a dream but a reality.

I started with Chenega as Chenega Technical Innovation’s employee number two (number one being then President, Mike Owens). I remember sitting in the Dumfries office and hearing Cotton Eyed Joe coming from the flower in Mike’s office. I always knew it was going to be a good day when I’d hear that. It meant a contract had been won! The leadership at the MIOS companies I worked at over the years; Chenega Technical Innovations, Chenega Decision Sciences, Chenega IT Enterprise Services, and now Chronos Operations have made an incredible impact on my both personally and professionally. I am forever grateful for all the opportunities I have had with Chenega over the last 13 years!

Chenega became the family I didn’t even know I needed after the Navy. I was just looking for something temporary to fill the gap between the military and nursing school in the fall. A recruiter presented the most unexpected (for the area I live in) yet perfectly timed and fitting opportunity. It ended up being the best job I’ve ever had and inspired me to finish a degree in intelligence. I had two positions on that contract between CABS and fellow Chenega MIOS subsidiary, Kapsuun Group (KG). When it ended, CABS reached out to me about moving into Program Management on a new IC contract! It has challenged me beyond my timid little analyst comfort zone, and now I’m managing multi-million-dollar contracts with confidence. Five years in, I’m really proud of where I’m at right now and eager to grow from here. Smaller companies like CABS have endless opportunities to try new things because we all help and learn from each other constantly. The inspiration and encouragement I’ve received from our leadership, as well as the peer support is incredible.

Throughout my over 20-year career, I have been fortunate to lead the success of a few large government contracts. At Chenega MIOS, Kapsuun Group (KG), I was honored to build and professionally grow a large team for a significant project. I was responsible for rapidly expanding the team from 12 to 50 members, encompassing many skillsets and experiences.

As I continue my journey with Chenega MIOS, Chenega Defense & Aerospace Solutions (CDAS), I apply everything I’ve learned in my projects over the years to my current project. Working alongside very skilled team leads and establishing solid relationships with our customers, AMIC and AFCENT, we have overcome several challenges, reduced the turnover rate, and built a solid team and effective business practices based on our lessons learned.

Success is a team effort without a team possessing the necessary skill sets to keep the ship afloat or the aircraft on course. I am grateful to my leadership for entrusting me with the projects I have the honor of managing.