ARLINGTON, Va., March 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women In Defense (WID), A National Security Organization, today announced that Barbara Dunlavey CMP, CAE has been named to the new position of Executive Director, effective March 9, 2015. She will be responsible for the management of business operations for an organization that supports 19 chapters and over 3,600 individual members representing industry, academia, military and government.
Dunlavey brings over 20 years of business management experience to WID. She has managed all facets of an association's organization operations including governance support with strategic plan building as well as developed educational programs for training, seminars, workshops, conferences and distance learning initiatives and converted these assets into non-dues revenue.
She has previously served as Executive Director for the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) and its educational Foundation in McLean, VA, where she provided Board support, governance and leadership services in addition to operational implementation of certification, publications, meetings and member programs for over two years. She was selected by the board to serve as a consultant during SMRP's transition to a new management firm. She was also the Executive Director and CEO for the Biomedical Society, Vice President for Conferences for the Information Technology Association and consultant to FOSE, the Internet Society, and Investment Professionals and recently guided an organization serving those on the Autism spectrum.
"Barbara has the proven leadership experience to support the growth of Women In Defense," said NDIA Chairman Arnold Punaro. "WID members can look forward to new and innovative approaches to networking and expanding their knowledge of national security issues within the defense community."
"WID could not be more excited about what Barbara brings to the organization," said WID President Karen Conti. "She has a wealth of experience in areas that will truly serve WID as an organization, and in turn, expand its members' benefits."
Having achieved the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2003 and the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) in 1996, she has facilitated CMP study groups and preparation courses. She was program co-chair for the March 2010 CEO Meeting for the Council of Scientific and Engineering Society Executives (CESSE), currently serves on ASAE's CAE Commission, and served on the CAE Item Writing Committee for six years and the Small Staff Advisory Committee for two years.
Regularly contributing to the association profession and community, she has participated in the development of ASAE's Business of Meetings Certificate program, authored a chapter for the Convention Industry Council's (CIC) Meeting Manual, 7th Edition and the 8th Edition revision, and provided content editing for PCMA's Professional Meeting Management Handbook, 4th Edition.
Barbara has also developed content and presented educational sessions for ASAE, GWSAE, CESSE, PCMA, MPI, and CIC on core association competencies such as Strategic Planning, Leadership, Marketing, Budgeting, Financial Management, and Trade Show & Meeting operations.
About Women In Defense
Women In Defense (WID), A National Security Organization, cultivates and supports the advancement and recognition of women in all aspects of national security. WID was established to provide women a formal environment for professional growth through networking, education, and career development.
Women In Defense is an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), which represents all facets of the defense and technology industrial base and serves all military services. This affiliation gives WID members a source for defense industry information, increased networking opportunities and professional contacts, and an expanded scope of informative programs. http://wid.ndia.org/