LST is proud to share that Kristen Beverly, Director, Information Architecture in the ATM Services Organization, has been awarded the Patriotic Employer award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Employer Support of the Gaurd and Reserve. This honor was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and assist in resolving conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. Beverly was nominated for going above and beyond in supporting the work and mission of Shawn Herron, who is a Colonel in the Army Reserve. We recently internally honored Beverly and Herron at our all hands. We are always so proud and grateful for our veterans and active Service members’ sacrifices and are delighted to support them.
A message from Col. Shawn Herron:
We often hear the sacrifices and commitment of service members and their families toward our national defense. We hear less often, but no less important, the commitment and contribution of our civilian employers, which is critical for Guard and Reserve members. It starts with an adherence at the corporate level – expressed and actual support, policies like paid military leave. It manifests through leadership and teammates that live the commitment.
Every time I (or another Reserve/Guard member) go on military duty, someone at LST has to do something extra – from changing a code in the accounting system, managing client expectations, covering for me in the short term, or planning for a long-term absence, and often more challenging, how to reintegrate when we come back after a long absence for military duty. These are real and recurring challenges levied on our civilian employers. My experience with LST from the corporate level to individual leadership and teammates has been consistent support, encouragement, and recognition of the “why” we do it.
Some recent personal examples.
- The new policy for paid military leave is above any legal requirement that LST provides. It is a real and tangible benefit and example of commitment to Guard/Reserve support.
- I get my health insurance through the military. When I was changing duty status between mobilization and war college, I would lose health care coverage for a significant period of time – during a pandemic. I sent one email to Rachel, VP Corporate Services, and within five minutes, she had a solution to keep my family and me with health insurance.
- My boss (Kristen) recognized an incredible opportunity for me that would take me away for nearly a year (War College) – coming on the heels of a 3-month mobilization for COVID response – and not only expressed support but encouraged me because he recognized the importance to my military career and overall professional development. He routinely accommodates shorter-term absences for training and military duty.
These sorts of examples have been consistent since I’ve been at LS Technologies. It demonstrates the recognition on the part of LS and leadership of the challenges that Guard/Reserve have to face balancing both sets of obligations and LS’s commitment to supporting and helping. It reduces significant stress and uncertainty about what we have to face returning to work and allows us (Reserve/Guard) to focus on our military missions entirely. I know many, many Guard/Reserve who don’t have the support of their civilian employers. They have to make hard decisions and face negative repercussions at their civilian jobs, and both their civilian and military work suffer.
It truly is a partnership for our national defense.
I submitted the award because it is worth recognizing that commitment at a corporate level and contributions at a personal level.
A message from Kristen Beverly:
It is my profound honor to accept this award; however, it is reward enough to see the fruits of the long hours and extreme effort that Col. Herron has put into service for our Country and the tireless performance he continues to provide for LST clients and objectives while serving his important mission. It is a pleasure and an honor to work alongside Col. Herron and support his Civilian and Military ambitions and opportunities in whatever way I can.
Col. Shawn Herron
Col. Shawn Herron has been with LS Technologies for six years, serving as a senior technical advisor across a set of programs in our ATM Services group. Previously, Herron was the PM for the ATO Cybersecurity Group and the PM for support to the AJM-336 Aeronautical Services Program Office.
Herron is a Colonel in the Army Reserve and recently graduated from war college at the Eisenhower School and is the Detachment OIC for a small unit that supports the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. In May, he will take command of the 1st Innovation Group, a unit the Army Reserve is standing up to serve as industry tech scouts. They try to find start-ups, small companies, and entrepreneurs with technology or products that might help solve existing military capability gaps and help those companies get their solutions into the relevant military research and development, science and technology, and acquisition environments.
Kristen Beverly
Kristen Beverly is the Director for Information Architecture in the ATM Services organization at LS Technologies. Beverly joined LST in October 2016 and lead a team providing research and analysis in support of the FAA, NASA, and others for the development, validation, and implementation of concepts and requirements enabling data flows and infrastructure to meet the rapidly expanding information requirements of the NAS and the global aviation system. Beverly's prior experience includes time as Managing Director at CNA, an FFRDC supporting the Navy among other Government entities, and time doing R&D and technology transfer in the semiconductor, consumer goods, and bioinformatics industries.