Information security projects get Dawn McKenzie's full attention. Even when it takes until 4 a.m. to tie up a proposal, she's in the thick of it.
McKenzie is an information security specialist and project manager for Verizon Federal Networks Systems (Arlington, VA). "It broadens my horizons to see the inner workings of it all," she says. "I like challenges, so it's very rewarding."
Verizon has contracts in network security for the federal government and the Department of Defense (DOD). That means meeting federal and DOD mandates on security countermeasures, mechanisms, and types of encryption and virus scans. Contingency planning, risk assessment and security testing are also involved. The Verizon security engineering department has about 100 employees divided into groups of five or six members.
All security related
"My projects are all security related," McKenzie says. "They range from developing security policy to certification and accreditation of network systems."
She's involved from the start, dreaming up ideas, preparing the proposal, writing the technical parts and presenting it. "I'm not a straight tech person," she says. "My social work skills are complementary to this environment."
Growing up Army
McKenzie started life as an Army brat. She was born in Denver, CO, went to kindergarten in Europe and followed her father's military police (MP) postings around the world.
The family was living in Virginia when it came time for college, and she enrolled at Virginia State University and joined the Army ROTC. In 1983 she combined a BA in social work with her commission as an Air Defense Officer.
Being the only woman in her Air Defense basic training class didn't hold her back, and race wasn't an issue, but after graduation she found herself one of few African American officers. Her direct, no-nonsense attitude on the job made her stand out. On one memorable occasion she bypassed the general's aide to deliver some material to the general himself, then sat with him while he read it.
"There are those who shake in their boots when they meet a senior person," McKenzie says. "I never have. My father taught me to treat everyone the same."
On track for MI
Second Lt McKenzie was posted to Germany in 1984. As Air Defense Officer, she controlled the airspace at her post, monitoring friendly aircraft and keeping an eye out for enemy aircraft.
In 1985 the army was in need of military intelligence (MI) and military police officers. McKenzie thought she'd like to be an MP like her father. So following army logic, she requested MI with MP as the alternative.
The army put her on track for MI. "It worked out quite well," she says.
She returned to the U.S. as assistant director and counterintelligence officer with the Intelligence Security Command at Fort Belvoir, VA. From 1988 to 1990 she analyzed security violations and formulated corrective actions for six organizations.
At her next posting she was a special security officer in Seoul, Korea. She operated a highly classified support program and negotiated a $2.7 million security system contract.
She earned a masters in educational leadership by attending evening and weekend classes conducted for army personnel by Troy State University (Troy, AL), and joined public service sorority Delta Sigma Theta. She's still an active Delta, currently serving on her chapter's social action committee.
While in Korea, she met and married a fellow officer. They have one daughter.
Up and out
McKenzie's next posting sent her off to Germany again, this time as a tactical intelligence officer. She managed the post's document, personnel, information and communications security program and served as project admin for daily tactical intelligence ops.
Returning to the U.S. in 1993, she was appointed a deputy director of the 80th Training Division in Richmond, VA. Here she spearheaded a year-long security inspection of eleven facilities, resulting in the division's first passing score in five years.
Soon after, her husband retired after twenty-two years as an officer. McKenzie decided it was time for a change, so she followed him into the civilian world two weeks later.
"I enjoyed the military experience but my transition has been a blessing," she says. "MI was really the catalyst for my civilian career."
At work with the civilians
She took a temporary job at Hughes Technical Service Co (Washington, DC) as a senior systems support engineer, working on fingerprint biometrics. Then she joined Electronic Data Systems (EDS, Washington, DC) as an information computer security engineer.
The job was an excellent fit. Her military experience helped her meet the needs of government contracts in software development, and her relationship skills helped her cultivate senior-level clients and work with contractors and subs who were part of the software application process.
But the work involved more travel than she wanted, so in 1997 she moved to Data Systems Analysis, Inc (Fairfax, VA). She was an information security engineer, doing contingency planning for a federal agency.
When that contract was completed she joined Executive Security Engineering Technology Inc (Alexandria, VA) as a security analyst/training specialist.
In 2000 McKenzie returned to EDS as senior information security engineer. Verizon won her away in 2002.
Suited at Verizon
The challenges of her present job suit her very well. "Right now I've got a wonderful thing going: professionalism, respect, courtesy," she says.
"I've been offered more money. But I can honestly say that I declined each of those offers because Verizon is a great company and I am working for a great manager."
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