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Defense Health Agency Chief Information Officer Employee Presented with Prestigious Award

Image of Defense Health Agency Chief Information Officer Employee Presented with Prestigious Award. U.S. Navy Capt. Donna Poulin, Defense Health Agency’s chief of engineering solutions architecture-business analytics division, was recently recognized by the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Awards with an honorable mention.

U.S. Navy Capt. Donna Poulin, chief of engineering solutions with Defense Health Agency’s architecture-business analytics division, recently earned Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Awards recognition for her work supporting DOD’s global healthcare enterprise.

The DOD CIO Annual Awards Program, now in its 24th year, recognizes individuals and teams’ exceptional achievements within the DOD CIO portfolio of capabilities. Poulin earned an honorable mention.

“I truly love what I do, and I tell all that I have the best job in the Navy,” said Poulin. “I am truly honored to be recognized for my strategic technical leadership in support of the DHA mission.”

Poulin was nominated by Pat Flanders, program executive officer for medical systems and chief information officer for DHA.

“I nominated Capt. Poulin for her leadership and technical guidance of critical network standardization initiatives that enable secure, seamless access to health data required to support the medical mission and that enhance cyber hygiene throughout the enterprise to protect the health information of our beneficiaries,” explained Flanders.

Flanders pointed out two projects that Poulin led—network standardization achieved through medical community of interest, and the DOD’s climate assessment tool as examples of Poulin’s leadership and dedication to the warfighter.

“These projects significantly improve the security posture of the enterprise, eliminating inconsistencies and redundancies resulting from consolidation of multiple networks into a single, secure, global healthcare network,” said Flanders.

How Her Work Supports Readiness

Every job in the DHA and DOD has one goal in common—supporting readiness within the MHS. Poulin’s responsibilities are no different.

As chief of engineering solutions architecture, Poulin advises the “DHA CIO on the technical strategy and security architecture of information technology infrastructure, networks, and platforms delivered to the global DOD health care enterprise with the goal of providing higher quality, more cost-effective and secure information technology infrastructure supporting all aspects of health-service delivery and decision support.”

“In this role, I have leveraged my past experiences… to bridge the voice and day-to-day operational experience to help ensure that the worldwide MHS has a high-quality, cost-effective and secure IT infrastructure to support health care delivery,” said Poulin. “I also ensure compliance with departmental cybersecurity standards and IT technology modernization objectives.”

Poulin, along with other awardees, were honored during a December awards ceremony hosted by the DOD CIO John Sherman in Arlington, Virginia.

Capabilities and functional areas covered by the program include cybersecurity, information enterprise, electromagnetic spectrum superiority, command, control and communications, information technology and cyber budget and resourcing, cyber workforce, records management and IT accessibility, and special access IT programs.

Eligibility for the DOD CIO awards includes those supporting the military departments and services, combatant commands and joint staff, principal staff assistants, and defense agencies and field activities.

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Last Updated: December 08, 2023
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