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Catherine M. Sheppard
12300 Shadow Lane
Bowie, Maryland 20715
(H) 301-758-3551
(W) 202-586-6187
catherine.sheppard@nnsa.doe.gov
EXECUTIVE BRANCH – FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Quality program development and management; program management; program
analysis; policy development; Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act; counterterrorism and
counterintelligence national and program level policy, management, investigations and analysis; cyber
vulnerabilities, investigations and foreign threat analysis.
SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Current: Leading the implementation of a quality management system in federal NNSA to address
chronic management weaknesses. Developed NNSA quality management policy, conducted gap
assessments across federal NNSA, completed process mapping of multiple organizations and identified
operational efficiencies, created an ISO 9001 audit procedure and conducted audits, corrective actions
tracking, management review. Now more than half way through the project, have won support of many
NNSA senior program managers who have become committed to the values quality management offers.
Our final work products are captured in the NNSA Implementation Plan responsive to findings of the
Mies-Augustine report and other studies.
Created the methodology for and performed Resource and Requirements analyses to provide NNSA
senior management decision-quality information to validate (or not) over target funding requests. This
GAO-recommended activity included program cost analysis. Terminated by the then NNSA leadership,
the function has since been re-established at a more robust level under current Administrator.
Created an organizational health analysis methodology. In a year-long project, led the development of a
means to assess the present and future health of NNSA, using three business organizations as models.
Out of a myriad of metrics, identified those most critical to assessing the key indicators of organizational
health, both present and future, as well as remedial actions. Upon completion of the analysis of the
results, developed an accompanying governance process designed to manage corporate level
consideration of the findings related to assessment of performance against the key health indicators.
Conducted governance activities and completed a summary report to capture the key steps in this first-
in-government organizational health assessment work.
Led significant improvement of the management and informational content of Federal Managers
Financial Integrity Act reporting in NNSA. Identified as core problem the absence of documentable
program data as well as consistent procedures for reporting management and standardization of
reporting criteria.
As the Department of Energy’s Liaison to the National Counterterrorism Center’s Strategic Operational
Planning Directorate and member of the Senior Interagency Strategy Team, coordinated with
interagency senior level representatives to validate counterterrorism policy and planning documents
developed for presentation to the Counterterrorism Strategy Group (CSG) of the National Security
Council. (2006-2009) Participated in a number of interagency policy development efforts and provided
advice and guidance on the Planning Directorate’s focus on interagency, counterterrorism-related
programs and funding.
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Worked with several of the NCTC Strategy Team seniors to provide managerial analysis and advice for
the incoming Director of the Planning Directorate. One focus was on improving the Directorate’s
planning workflow. The problem was that demand for CSG briefings generally were not timed to
readiness on the part of the planning work, so that briefings offered the CSG might not be supported by
adequate interagency coordination and vetting. This dynamic was creating within the interagency a
growing loss of confidence in the planning directorate and adversely affected the morale of the
Directorate’s workforce. These management challenges, along with other high level issues requiring
attention, were captured in a report for the incoming new Director, who was appreciative of our insights,
and implemented the recommended improvements, resulting in improved management of planning
initiatives and increased NCTC credibility.
In 1999, the midst of the Chinese espionage concerns and a problematic investigation of counterintelligence
(CI) activities at the national security laboratories and the Department of Energy at large, I joined the
Executive Branch, accepting a position as the SES Deputy Director for the new Office of Counterintelligence.
I held this position for approximately one year until Congress created the National Nuclear Security
Administration whereupon I was appointed to the position of Chief, Defense National Counterintelligence.
Focused on improving the management of counterintelligence investigations. Convened a team to
capture the work flow of CI investigations and hired one information management specialist to create an
electronic (computer) case management system. We designed the system to reduce repetitive data
entry, to able information searches, and improve investigations management record keeping by
capturing information and a timely record critical decisions made throughout the course of investigative
activities. The CI case management system has since experienced updates and revisions, but it remains
an important element of the Department’s CI program.
Managed all elements of the growth of the CI program which quadrupled in funding and staff size in two
years. Effectively handled intense congressional scrutiny of our developing program, with the result
being increased confidence in our overcoming concerning CI investigative weaknesses, evidenced in
congressional language and robust funding supportive of our needs.
As Chief, instituted, as noted by GAO studies, many programmatic best practices which included
demonstrable metrics related to customer support, innovative analysis practices, and technical assistance
visits that supported field program improvement and the integration of HQ/field integration.
The NNSA CI program developed strong working relationships with NNSA laboratory directors and
trained a CORto work with the NNSA federal field offices to ensure understanding of CI program
requirements and validation of CI contractor performance.
Benchmarked and employed analytic practices from the social sciences and other disciplines to perform
threat analysis, at times using open source information, resulting in significant strides forward in
understanding foreign intelligence operations and hostile presence.
Played a strong role in improving cyber CI case work and supported the FBI’s work on cyber
investigations, which required, among other things, an evolution in understanding of national
laboratories’ contribution to cyber threat analysis and detection.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Intelligence Community programs and budgets, program oversight, investigations,
legislation. Subject matter expertise also includes in counterintelligence, counter proliferation,
counterterrorism programs and policy.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
As monitor for USG counterintelligence programs, led successful initiatives to strengthen
counterintelligence programs across the Intelligence Community. Instrumental in developing and
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sustaining successful funding initiatives to support much needed modernization of Defense Department
counterintelligence tools, thereby improving investigative capabilities and the Services’ ability to
integrate effectively with the FBI.
Led congressional funding initiatives to support Army force protection capabilities that enabled real
time, on site reporting, invaluable during the Yugoslavia engagement, when force protection came to the
operational forefront.
Led congressional funding and program initiatives to support innovative counterterrorism activities in
CIA, groundwork for today’s information age threat environment.
Prompted the Analysis Directorate, CIA, to conduct a study that captured the changing nature of
analysis activities. Documented workload over a period of time, resulting in data needed to support
congressional actions to alleviate chronic overtime and shortfalls in strategic analysis work.
Succeeded, after years of committee failure, in the achieving the passage of legislation to enhance FBI
authorities under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
In mid-nineties, when the new House of Representatives leadership wanted to stop all intelligence
sharing, lead the conduct of informational hearings, identified and achieved in legislation a workable
solution satisfactory to both the Legislative and Executive Branches.
Greatly improved relationship of the Committee with the then State, Commerce, Justice Subcommittee
(Appropriations) which directly enabled sustaining authorization marks with matching appropriations.
One of the outcomes of this work was dual committee support for the development of leading edge FBI
counterintelligence capabilities.
Led committee effort to support significantly enhance denial and deception analysis; one key hearing on
the subject was praised by Committee Chairman informed critical decision making on costly
reconnaissance investments.
In coordination with the Congressional Research Service, ran first-time congressional staff seminar on
the terrorism threat, which was considered for years an exemplar of such programs.
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THE COURTS
Accomplishments:
Served for over 12 years as a court reporter covering Federal and local government administrative
hearings and high level planning boards. Years of observation led to an understanding of the
responsibilities involved, decision making, and general legal practices and procedures.
Reported on criminal cases, civil actions, equal opportunity, welfare and occupational health hearings,
and civil matters, and parole boards, which afforded a unique and wide range of experience and learning
in these subject areas.
Memberships and Activities:
Chair, Federal Occupational Health Organization Board of Directors, DOE
Volunteer – Shakespeare Theatre
Member and Program Chair – Bowie-Crofton Camera Club
Member – Bowie-Crofton Garden Club
Hobbies include gardening, study of history and dramatic performance, hiking,
photography, interior design and painting
Education:
B.A. in American Studies, 1972
University of Maryland, College Park
Minor: Journalism/Radio-Television
