2008 Women of Color Honorees
Special Recognition Special Recognition
B J Nash Miriam Stanicic
Senior Systems Engineer & Section Manager Director of Community Relations
Intelligence Group (TASC) Office of Diversity
Information Technology US Naval Academy
Northrop Grumman Corporation
MA–Russian Language-State University of New York at Albany
AAS–Engineering, Suffolk Community College BA–Slavonic Language: Russian, University of Zagreb, Croatia
BA–French, BA–Political Science, Miami University, Ohio
BS-Electronics Engineering, George Mason University Organizations polish their image
MS–Information Systems, George Mason University
and boost morale through good
As a senior systems engineer
community relations. Miriam
in the defense industry, BJ
Stanicic does that for the US
Nash holds a strategic position.
Naval Academy. Outreach
Her recent project took her
work includes programs that
to Britain to place a Northrop
send Midshipmen to speak in
Grumman bid for a govern-
local schools about a STEM
ment national identity scheme
education’s benefits, and bring-
contract. In general, she works
ing middle schoolers into the
on defense-related and com-
Academy for help with their
mercial technology projects.
reading. “It will always be im-
Nash, a former naval lieuten-
portant to focus on the human
ant, entered the engineering
element and personal interaction, regardless of advances in
field in the late 1980s, when
communications,” Stanicic says. Fluent in Russian and other
there were few women. “It was
Slavic languages, Stanicic was an interpreter for both the
a challenge to prove I knew
White House and State Department. As a teenager, she inter-
what I was talking about, but my Navy experience instilled
preted for Croatian senior citizens on visits to their doctor.
confidence,” she says. Looking towards the future, Nash pre-
dicts increasing demand for identity management software,
currently a strategic business initiative for Northrop.
Special Recognition Special Recognition
Rhonda VanLowe Sophia A. Williams
Legal Counsel Project Leader
Rolls-Royce North America Non-Intrusive Inspection and Imaging Technology
CSC
BA–Government, Georgetown University Law Center
JD–Cornell University AS, BS–Management, University of Maryland (European division)
MPA–Troy University
Rhonda VanLowe feels a link to the
landmark Brown vs. the Board of
“Once you’ve been in the military for 20 years, it’s your life,”
Education Board case of 1954—the
Sophia Williams says. For Williams, who joined CSC after
year of her birth. Understanding
retiring, her work keeps her on mission.
the decision’s impact on civil rights
Her role includes supervising
propelled her into a legal career.
analysts, under a $198-mil-
VanLowe is legal counsel for
lion contract with the Defense
Rolls-Royce North America,
Department, providing force
president of the Northern Virginia
protection in Iraq, Afghani-
Therapeutic Riding Program, a
stan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Ko-
mentor to students at American
rea. “I consider it an exten-
University law school, and contributes
sion of my military career,”
to improving literacy in the Washington, DC area.
she says. “I still serve our
country and soldiers.”
“The drive of our generation is inclusiveness,” she says.
“After hard work and hard-fought battles, corporations
Throughout her career, Wil-
really do see that having a diverse organization is in their
liams has been on the front
best interest.”
lines of force protection, law
enforcement, personnel security, and con-
flict resolution. She has served in the US Army Military Police
Corps in roles in Germany and the United States.
www.womenofcolor.net WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2008 45
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