Joe Chioda

"I “fell into” working in the IC based upon an epiphany one day that changed my life. I had already been established in a career as a professional Chef, having worked in restaurants beginning at age 12 and attending the Culinary Arts curriculum at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. I think I woke up one day after an arduous work week and decided, 'I just can’t do this anymore'...that week I went to the recruiting station, marched up to the Air Force desk and said, 'I’d like to look into joining up.'"

"So off I was for six-months of training at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi in SIGINT collection methods...My Air Force training took me to the Foreign Technology Division at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH (FTD, now NASIC) where I worked SIGINT issues; Osan AB, Korea where I worked with the U2 mission; and finally, the Strategic Air Command in Omaha, NE working with data from the SR-71 and RC-135 collection platforms."

"At the end of my 6-year enlistment (and getting married along the way), my spouse and I determined military life was not for us, again leaving me with a career path decision. As I tested the waters of using my clearance and military background in SIGINT, I reached out to a Lockheed contractor I had befriended during a military assignment, who introduced me to a manager in a company that had IC business, HRB Singer in State College, PA (which was later bought by E-Systems, subsequently bought by Raytheon). Based on that connection, I got my first IC job as an Intelligence Analyst on a Washington DC-based contract."

"Fast forward many years, different job titles (engineer, program manager, BD/Capture Lead, Chief Growth Officer) supporting NRO, NGA, DIA, ONI and NSA customers,  and the acquisition of BS in Computer and Information Science and 2 masters degrees (all accomplished through night/weekend classes while raising a family), here I am at ManTech, overseeing the activities of a Business Development organization that works with multiple Intelligence Community customers."

"As a long-term defense contractor in the IC, it seems no day is ever quite the same and I think it’s been that way throughout my 30+ year career! Today, as a leader of a very dynamic part of ManTech’s Business Development organization, it’s my duty to serve those whose job is to help bring our expertise to our IC customers. In this context, my day may include making sure my team has the resources necessary to accomplish their daily tasks and empowering them to carry out those tasks to the best of their abilities; reviewing and prioritizing opportunities we may be qualified to bid; or helping Account Leads in developing strategies to win new business. In addition, as a leader in this company, I need to keep my management chain aware of any issues, opportunities, or problems so that together we develop strategies and tactics to solve them and grow the business, while simultaneously ensuring we provide our IC customers, and the nation, with support and solutions to help them fulfill their missions."

Favorite book this year: Grit by Angela Duckworth