Photo By Christopher McGinity | SUITLAND, Md. (Feb. 26, 2024) Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Dr....... read more read more
SUITLAND, Md. -- Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Dr. Stacey Dixon visited the Office of Naval Intelligence to speak with the workforce about her personal experiences and philosophies during a fireside chat in celebration of Black History Month on Feb. 26.
The Naval Intelligence Black Employees Leading in Inclusion, Excellence, Vision, and Education (BELIEVE) employee resource group coordinated the event, and Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Steven Parode provided opening remarks. BELIEVE Chairperson Brandon Davis served as the discussion facilitator.
Parode opened by thanking BELIEVE for organizing the event and emphasized the importance of diversity throughout the intelligence enterprise.
"This naval intelligence enterprise and our diversity is a reflection of both our ability to overcome dissent and concern and deliver on the promise of a new future for America and for free people in the world,” said Parode.
While introducing Dixon, Parode noted, “Her career is legendary in intelligence. She’s worked in almost every facet of our national intelligence enterprise.”
During the chat, Dixon discussed a variety of topics including her academic background and the importance of diversity in national security. With a doctorate and a master’s in mechanical engineering, Dixon is used to approaching problems with a scientific mindset and considers this perspective useful within the U.S. Intelligence Community.
“I’m an engineer by training,” said Dixon. “I always talk about that because to me, that is foundational and fundamental. I’ve always enjoyed building things. The nature of putting something together, you’re always going to encounter failure.”
Dixon discussed important influences from her years as a student and found that participating in organizations she identified with benefitted her personal and professional lives. A member of the National Society of Black Engineers and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dixon felt empowered by the guidance and mentorship she received from these communities throughout her career.
“Having a place where you can go and meet people immediately who have a similar background was really, really useful as I moved around the country,” she said.
Throughout her career, Dixon has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of people, and she recognizes this diversity as a strength.
“I find that there was value because people brought different perspectives,” she said. “People brought different experiences and ideas to whatever task we were trying to accomplish.”
To Dixon, the future of the national intelligence enterprise and the safety of the nation depends on recruiting and maintaining a diverse workforce that can understand adversaries as well as our partners.
“…in the world that we live in now, in this global enterprise of a world, you never know where the next crisis is coming from,” said Dixon. “Having people who understand the different perspectives of cultures, having people who understand the nuances of various languages is so critical to what we do.”
Dixon concluded her visit by thanking the workforce for inviting her to speak and the work they do every day.
“I’m really happy to be here,” she said. “I’m looking forward to learning a bit more about the organization, but I just really appreciate the opportunity to talk to members of our workforce. It really is you all who are doing the great things that we are able to highlight to policymakers, and that’s what enables them to continue to support us and give us the resources that we need.”
The Office of Naval Intelligence delivers war-winning maritime expertise that promotes our nation’s prosperity and security, deters aggression, and provides options to our leaders. For more information on the Office of Naval Intelligence, visit www.oni.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2024 10:57 |
| Story ID: | 465713 |
| Location: | SUITLAND, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, PDDNI Reflects on Black History Month, Importance of Diversity, by CPO Naomi VanDuser, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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