Empowering Excellence with Art & Frankie

In this insightful episode, Art and Frankie chat with Jeremy Ireland, director of continuous process improvement (CPI) at NAVWAR, to explore the critical concepts of CPI and the Navy’s Get Real, Get Better initiative. These topics are not just buzzwords; they are essential to growth and efficiency as a systems command. By the end, you will: * Understand the methodologies that can streamline our workflows and enhance operational efficiency. * Learn about the Navy’s approach to fostering a culture of honest assessment and continuous development. * Discover why these initiatives are particularly significant for us at NAVWAR and how they impact mission and objectives. This episode is more than just a discussion; it’s a tool for empowerment and excellence.

How do you quantify the relationship between a major employer and the city they reside? It takes a lot of factors, but if you get the right experts involved, it can be done! That’s just what NAVWAR did when we partnered with both the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) and the University of San Diego (USD) Knauss School of Business to publish the newest edition of the NAVWAR economic impact study. On this episode, Art and special guest host, Greg Geisen, chat with USD’s Dr. Jeremy Gabe, to dig into the findings and shed light on the synergies and mutually beneficial relationship between NAVWAR and San Diego. With the NAVWAR’s total gross regional product economic impact calculated to be between $3.14 and $3.38 billion during fiscal year 2022, and the increasing and evolving technical mission requirements, it leads to the conversation about NAVWAR’s slated revitalization of its outdated HQ facilities.

A new year marks new opportunities for growth and change! If you’re looking for a career change, or simply want to see what else is out there, look no further than the upcoming defense, space, IT, cyber & intel hiring fair at NAVWAR’s Old Town Campus on Monday, February 12. Connect with industry leaders, explore career paths, and pave the way for an exciting and rewarding career in federal service! The event will not only include NAVWAR, but other federal agencies and defense contractor employers as well. Today’s episode features Jason Semerakis from Transition Careers, who shares how to make the most of career fair opportunities – before, during, and after the event. To build on the career growth and opportunity discussion, we welcome Dyanne Avalos, NAVWAR staffing/recruitment supervisor, to provide helpful tips and best practices for navigating the waters of applying for federal civilian employment and how to build a resume in USA Jobs.

On this episode, we talk about igniting a passion for purpose in the workforce! Join us in exploring the WHY behind your actions, embracing a mission that puts the warfighter first, and being part of something larger than yourself. Embark on a journey that taps into the core of our mission to discover the power of rallying behind a cause, serving the nation, and providing essential information warfare systems in an ever-evolving world. Art and Frankie chat with Mr. Mike Spencer, executive director for the Fleet Readiness Directorate, to learn how understanding and belonging to the fleet's mission builds a culture that resonates throughout NAVWAR and the entire Navy. By fostering cohesion and ensuring every member understands their role, we create a stronger connection and ownership, enhancing the enterprise's success. Tune in and be inspired to embrace the mission!

Strategic talent acquisition is a key component of creating a world-class workforce. It involves proactively identifying and attracting top talent, rather than simply filling open positions as they arise. By investing in strategic talent acquisition, we are focused on long-term success by building a strong and capable workforce. In this episode, Art and Frankie talk with Sharmeka Speights, human resources director at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, about how NAVWAR uses talent acquisition strategies and tools to attract the best of the best to support our mission for the Navy and the nation.

While we are wrapping up the most wonderful time of the year, October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we couldn’t resist a bonus episode of Empowering Excellence, featuring more from our cyber gurus, Ryan Lasiter and Christina Crawford. With so many employment options in technology fields, why do so many smart cyber practitioners choose NAVWAR as a place of employment? In this episode, Ryan and Christina chat with Art and Frankie about the type of work we do to build systems, empower the warfighter, and apply technology early on in the right places. With the recruitment of smart talent, we are driving a cultural shift and learning new ways to think about coding, algorithms, application development, and more. If you know someone looking for a career in cyber, this is definitely THE episode to share with them!

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so what better way to embrace it than to chat with some of our NAVWAR cybersecurity experts? With phishing scams, online threats, social engineering, and even AI-enabled attacks getting more intricate and complex, it’s more important than ever to be cyber aware and prepared to protect yourself. With the help of guests Ryan Lasiter, director of digital innovation and data, and Christina Crawford, cybersecurity technical domain manager, Art and Frankie share their experiences with cybersecurity threats and get tips about what we can all do to stay vigilant in the cyber world. As you can imagine, there is a lot to touch on, so don’t miss the special bonus episode of Empowering Excellence later this month for more from Ryan and Christina.

Yoga may seem like an odd addition to the office, especially if you have never tried it before. Many people may be hesitant…will I be flexible enough? Can I get stuck in a pose? Is it for everyone, no matter the fitness level? On this episode, Art and Frankie talk with NAVWAR Headquarters yoga instructor, Candace Gallihugh, about this ancient practice and the benefits it provides in the workplace for employees and employers alike. From stress reduction, to improved focus, to an opportunity for social interaction, the NAVWAR Yoga Program aims to foster an environment of wellness and productivity in the workplace. Candace guides us through her story of becoming a yoga instructor and dispels myths associated with practicing yoga.

It's no secret that the workplace can be a hectic, sometimes stressful, environment. Work can consume the majority of our day, leaving us little time for self-care and leading to unhealthy lifestyles. So what can WE do to help our employees achieve physical and mental wellness that allows them to thrive at work AND at home? Enter the NAVWAR Wellness Program! On this episode, your hosts Art and Frankie chat with the program leads from the Organizational Development and Training team, Rebecca “RJ” Jaeger and Adrienne Armstead, about the different facets of wellness. You’ll hear about a wide array of wellness initiatives at the command -- from educational speakers, exercise programs, chat channels, and formalized coaching – each representing a menu of options to help employees lead their most healthy lives. To put it simply, workplace wellness matter – for career satisfaction, balance, productivity, morale, retention, and more.

With 99% of businesses across the United States considered small businesses, it is important to learn the unique value they can bring to MANY different industries. In this episode guest co-host, Jen Carney, fills in for Frankie and joins Art to learn more about how small businesses play into our National Defense Strategy, and how NAVWAR’s Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) acts as an advocacy group that provides training and guidance to small businesses to ensure agile and innovative solutions for today’s most complex challenges. Director of the NAVWAR OSBP, Kimberly Reidy, will break down all you need to know, from North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, to set-aside categories, to upcoming events. If you are a small business or work alongside small business partners, you will not want to miss this.

One sure-fire way to keep employees engaged, fulfilled, and continuously learning? A career rotation program! On this episode of Empowering Excellence, Art and Frankie dive into NAVWAR’s Rotation Program and how it provides fresh perspectives, accelerates professional development, improves connection to the mission, and strengthens succession planning. They chat with program participate Jacque Multerer, and sponsor Jude Gronenthal, to hear about their experiences and what they gained from the program.

From Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) headquarters in San Diego, this podcast is a candid conversation about the programs that create an environment where people can grow and thrive, doing their best work every day. Setting the stage for the series, the first guest is NAVWAR Executive Director John Pope, where he discusses NAVWAR’s Human Capital Strategy and the command’s approach to taking care of people, so they can take care of business.

Episode 3 of the series takes a closer look at mentoring. Art and Frankie share their experiences with mentoring in their careers; and discuss types of mentoring, the benefits, and considerations when entering into a mentoring relationship. They also chat with three employees—Kamilah Terrell, Robert Nishnic, and Angie Layhe — about their experience with a recent “flash mentoring” event and what mentoring means to them.

230329-N-GC965-0001 SAN DIEGO (March 29, 2023) Naval Information Warfare System Command (NAVWAR) hosts episode 2 of "Empowering Excellence with Art & Frankie" podcast show talking about employee engagement, what it is, why it's important for recruitment, retention, and innovation. Art and Frankie are joined by guests M.K. Bailey, director of organizational training and development, and Jen Carney, deputy director of corporate operations, to talk about NAVWAR's approach to employee engagement, leading the organization to rank #1 in the U.S. Navy for employee engagement.