Agency team member named ‘Innovator of the Year’

FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. -

William Cosner, a Defense Contract Management Agency cybersecurity assessment team chief, recently received the Federal Information Security Educators, or FISSEA, Innovator of the Year Award.

FISSEA, originally known as Federal Information Systems Security Educators Association, was founded in 1987 with the mission of strengthening employee cybersecurity awareness and training programs across federal agencies.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology champions the association's effort. According to NIST, FISSEA annually recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in inspiring the strategic planning, building, and management of innovative cybersecurity awareness and training programs.

DCMA's Technical Directorate recognized Cosner during a recent town hall where his wife and colleagues congratulated him on his achievement.

"I was honored to be nominated, but I never expected to win," said Cosner. "I am grateful to Wendy Fite and Tammy Thompson for considering my efforts worthy of commendation. I am profoundly appreciative to the NIST team that selected my training tool as the Innovation of the Year. I am truly humbled at the recognition I am receiving, and I am excited that I can bring a positive light to the DOD, DCMA, DIBCAC - which stands for Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center - and my team."

Q1: What is your job title?

A1: I currently serve in DIBCAC, under DCMA headquarters' Technical Directorate as a cybersecurity assessments team chief.

Q2: What are some great things about working at your location?

A2: I am based out of Fort Gregg-Adams, but I mainly work from my home when I am not at a contractor facility. I frequently travel, so my location varies with each assessment. I get to meet and interact with people of diverse personalities and backgrounds. I also get to see some of the most interesting things that our 'DIB' community is producing to support the warfighter. DIBCAC affords me the opportunity to see wide ranging implementations of information technologies. We have a saying at DIBCAC: "just when you think you've seen it all, here comes the next assessment."

Q3: What are your job duties?

A3: I am privileged to manage a team of talented and incredible assessors as their first line supervisor. They constantly impress me with their professional demeanor and willingness to go the extra mile.

I am the primary architect of the DIBCAC Assessment Database, which is the central tool DIBCAC uses to assess compliance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, also known as DFARS and National Institute of Standards and Technology policies.

DFARS provides uniform acquisition policies and procedures for the Department of Defense.

I also work on the complementary public database that is available to the public as a free self-assessment resource. I occasionally contribute materials and expertise to the DIBCAC training team, and I serve as a mentor to my fellow DIBCAC team chiefs when they need my assistance.

Q4: How long have you been with DCMA?

A4: I began with DCMA in 2017 as a contractor in charge of the SIPRNET, which stands for Secret Internet Protocol Router Network and is a highly secure network that is used to transmit classified information.

In November of 2019, I became a civil service employee in the second wave of hiring for DIBCAC, and in September 2021, I became a team chief.

Q5: Why do you like working at DCMA?

A5: My career with the DOD spans 37 years, so (serving) is part of my DNA. I enlisted in the Air Force in 1987 and have been, in one way or another, employed by the DOD ever since. I firmly believe in the mission of the DOD and the agencies that support it. The camaraderie with my fellow team chiefs, the assessor population and my management are exceptional. I value the relationships I've built with them and others over the years.

Q6: Why do you think DCMA's mission is important to America's warfighters?

A6: Having served as an Air National Guardsman for over 21 years and getting activated to active-duty status for both Desert Storm and 9/11, I understand the importance of having contracts that are executed and managed properly. DCMA's mission of contract delivery and oversight is crucial in this day and age where everyone is cutting costs and trying to do more with less. The vision of DCMA, "a team of trusted professionals delivering value to our warfighters throughout the acquisition lifecycle" includes the keyword "trusted professionals." The people are the drivers of the DCMA mission, and I am honored to be counted among them.

Q7: What are your favorite hobbies?

A7: I love spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren. I have a foreign coin collection that I started when my son was in Cub Scouts, and I have maintained it to this day. It currently has an assortment of coins from 43 different countries - a few that no longer exist.

Q8: What goals do you have for yourself or your team for the upcoming year?

A8: I have a couple goals for myself. My first goal is to continue improving as a leader, peer and employee. My signature block has a quote from one of my favorite speakers Brennan Manning: "In every encounter, we either give life or drain it; there is no neutral exchange."

This constantly reminds me to encourage, educate, learn, listen and understand. I live by this quote in my professional life as well as my personal life. My second goal is to learn to let go more. Shifting from an assessor to a team chief can be challenging when it's time to let go of various parts of assessing.

Q9: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A9: I have an incredibly supportive management team. I want to sincerely thank Mr. William Spence for believing in me enough to give me the reins on the centerpiece of DIBCAC assessments. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Nicholas Delrosso for identifying the need for a tool that the 'DIB' community could utilize for self-assessments. I'm proud to serve my country and DCMA on such a remarkable team. I say this with all sincerity that, as we all know, teamwork makes the dream work.

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