NATIONAL SECURITY EXECUTIVES & PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION
Leading The Way For Advocacy | Networking | Mentoring | Coaching & Sponsorship | Leadership Development
Mission
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Lead and advance America’s National Security Imperatives; and promote competitiveness into senior levels (GS15 to Senior Executive Levels) of the U.S. Government National Security Enterprise by sponsoring professional development and career enhancement opportunities for ethnically diverse employees and women with emphasis on African Americans. |
Objectives
- Catapult the National Security and Intelligence networks to cultivate coalitions around of common concerns– e.g. personnel policies, recruiting/hiring, promotions, assignments, management accountability and developmental approaches for career progression that impact under-representation of ethnically diverse groups of employees in core mission areas and across senior executive leadership levels.
- Identify human capital policies and best practices from across National Security Enterprises, Federal Government and Industry that may be transportable in promoting efficiencies, productive and harmonious work environments for all personnel levels.
- Provide developmental opportunities, learning experiences and exposures that specifically address topics of professional competitiveness including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and other topics of interest related to National Security—Developmental Approaches for Competitiveness; Critical Assignments; Sponsorship and Mentoring; Leadership Development, Rank-in-Person Strategies, Recognition and Promotion Build Alliances and Networks: Networking Skills, Making Connections and Building Enduring Partnerships and Mutually Beneficial Relationships that are vitally important to advancement and broaden responsibilities.
- Provide networking opportunities and opportunities to share triumph stories, challenges and successes.
History
The National Security Executives and Professionals Association, Incorporated (NSEPA) was chartered in the State of Maryland on June 5, 2015, as an idea that was conceived out of the need to broaden the previous pioneering organization—Intelligence Community Black Leadership Council (ICBLC), which was founded on May 5, 1995, by African American officials serving in the Federal Government’s National Security Enterprise. The group identified several issues that deserved the attention including policies and trends in recruiting, hiring, promotions, placement training, career development, and a host of other practices that adversely affected the advancement of Black employees across the National Security Enterprise, including the underrepresentation of Black employees at senior and leadership levels.
The ICBLC focused its efforts on the issues of Black underrepresentation at the GG/GS-13 through SES-levels and selection and placement of Blacks in power positions throughout the Intelligence Community (IC). A select group of senior officers decided to create a formal, but unofficial organization. In 1996, these seniors named the organization the Intelligence Community Black Leadership Council.
NSEPA was established as a non-profit organization April 10, 2015, after reviewing the recommendations of attendees of the National Security Leadership Summit held in June 2014 at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, where over 130 professionals who have served or supported, are currently serving or retired from National Security organizations participated. NSEPA has broadened the ICBLC’s vision to include membership by all, including Industry, who want to engage to ensure issues related to all personnel, with emphasis on under-represented groups and African Americans, serving and supporting National Security Enterprises are addressed. NSEPA broadened the ICBLC’s original charter to provide opportunities for its members to: (a) have access to the most up-to-date information regarding career progression; (b) broaden networks; (c) ensure access to a cadre of enlightened professionals committed to advocating on behalf of NSEPA’s members; (d) have access to mentors, coaches and potential sponsors; and, (e) cultivate NSEPA as the best in class organization in service to America’s National Security Imperatives and by promoting professionalism among its members to be of service for a greater and selfless good.
The ICBLC focused its efforts on the issues of Black underrepresentation at the GG/GS-13 through SES-levels and selection and placement of Blacks in power positions throughout the Intelligence Community (IC). A select group of senior officers decided to create a formal, but unofficial organization. In 1996, these seniors named the organization the Intelligence Community Black Leadership Council.
NSEPA was established as a non-profit organization April 10, 2015, after reviewing the recommendations of attendees of the National Security Leadership Summit held in June 2014 at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, where over 130 professionals who have served or supported, are currently serving or retired from National Security organizations participated. NSEPA has broadened the ICBLC’s vision to include membership by all, including Industry, who want to engage to ensure issues related to all personnel, with emphasis on under-represented groups and African Americans, serving and supporting National Security Enterprises are addressed. NSEPA broadened the ICBLC’s original charter to provide opportunities for its members to: (a) have access to the most up-to-date information regarding career progression; (b) broaden networks; (c) ensure access to a cadre of enlightened professionals committed to advocating on behalf of NSEPA’s members; (d) have access to mentors, coaches and potential sponsors; and, (e) cultivate NSEPA as the best in class organization in service to America’s National Security Imperatives and by promoting professionalism among its members to be of service for a greater and selfless good.
