Yvette Thomas

Program Director – MSI Capacity Building
Student Freedom Initiative (“SFI”)

Accountable to the Chief Operating Officer for the execution of HBCU Capacity Building, including Information Technology (IT) infrastructure modernization.  Leads the joint SFI-HBCU-Industry team responsible for ensuring compliance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-171 Rev 2, essential for the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).  Develops and manages the end-to-end process leading to the identification and sequencing of HBCUs to initiate NIST assessments, gaps identification, selection of most appropriate solution(s) to achieve NIST compliance, staging, installation, adoption, and long-term support of the delivered solution(s).  Coordinates the identification, coordination, and approval of success criteria necessary to ensure successful transition from NIST assessment to operational support.

Has an extensive background, including project management, information technology, and engineering for programs of the highest national priority - led IT efforts to modernize customer HW/SW practices, policies, and technology.  Defined capability roadmaps, portfolio priorities and risks, schedules/milestones, and budgets for multi-customer implementations.  Defined performance parameters, tracked compliance with contract requirements, identified and implemented necessary corrective actions, and established forums and processes to enable effective oversight of end-to-end implementation of Information Technology (IT) and other systems.  Collaborated with multiple customers, contractors/vendors, and other subject matter experts to evaluate the impact of the customer’s missions, programs, requirements, and resources and provide recommendations to the decision maker(s).  Facilitated technical exchange meetings with the customers, users, and implementation contractors/vendors to identify cloud requirements, migration process and transition schedule and to ensure integration of project activities; thereby, enabling a seamlessly transition of mission critical products and services not operations. Graduate of University of Arizona (MBA/MS Technology Management) and Tuskegee University (BS, Electrical Engineering).