Fort Belvoir, Virginia, March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AFCEA International President and CEO, Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence (Ret.), the first woman appointed as the U.S. Army’s chief information officer, will be inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame on March 22 in a ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She is also the first woman to lead AFCEA International in the association’s 76-year history.
The Ida Grove, Iowa, native, Gen. Lawrence joined the Women's Army Corps in 1972 and was commissioned in 1979. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Campbell University in North Carolina, a master’s degree in information systems management from the University of Georgia, and honorary doctorates in science from Dakota State University and humane letters from Campbell University.
During her extensive military career, Gen. Lawrence had operational assignments in Europe, South Korea, Southwest Asia and the United States, and led network, command, control, computers and communications (C4), and IT functions during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Appointed in 2011 as the Army’s CIO/G-6, Gen. Lawrence managed the defense enterprise systems, IT infrastructure, C4 solutions and advanced technology used by military warfighters and the supporting civilian workforce. Additionally, she helped develop U.S. Army Cyber Command and worked directly with senior staff members—including the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army—to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of cyber and other IT solutions.
Gen. Lawrence has led AFCEA International since January 2022. Prior to joining the AFCEA staff, she served as a managing director, national security practice, Accenture Federal Services (AFS). Prior to her work at AFS, Gen. Lawrence was senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton in the Defense Market Group, helping lead business initiatives in the defense and security markets.
“Receiving this honor gives me a chance to think of how grateful I am to have experienced so many firsts—as a woman and a leader—throughout my career,” Lawrence said. “And that naturally makes me think of all who supported me on this journey. No one achieves success alone, and I have so many people to thank. I hope this recognition inspires others to always be on the lookout for those ‘someones’ who see something special in you and encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone (like having a fear of heights but jumping out of airplanes 35 times to earn my wings!)—and to be sure to BE that ‘someone’ for those who come after you.”
As part of their celebration of Women’s History Month, the foundation will recognize several extraordinary Army women and will award scholarships. Through the U.S Army Women’s Hall of Fame, the foundation recognizes women who have served in the Army or the armed forces and contributed extraordinary service.
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Since 1969, the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation has been the premier volunteer organization for today’s Army women and veterans, a strong partner for their continued success, and a dynamic advocate for telling their stories. The mission of the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation is to promote public interest in the Army and recognize and honor the invaluable service of Army women through various programs, research, scholarships, and grants. The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
AFCEA International is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit international professional association that connects people, ideas and solutions globally. Established in 1946, the membership association serves the military, government, industry and academia by developing networking and educational opportunities and providing an ethical forum. This enables military, government, industry and academia to align technology and strategy to meet the needs of those who serve. AFCEA operates under the guidance of a board of directors, international staff and committees. A large network of chapters is managed by a group of regional vice presidents. Join online.
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