Letitia Long, INSA Board Chair, Named to 2020 Wash100 for Advancing Government Policies and Research Initiatives

Executive Mosaic is honored to present Letitia Long, chairman of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance's board of directors, as an inductee into the 2020 Wash100 Award for her leadership and research initiatives in the federal sector.

This marks Long’s second Wash100 Award. Long secured her previous Wash100 Award in 2014 for leading strategic vision and creating value for the American public at the intersection of the public and private sectors. Long has continued her dedication to INSA research, strategy and advocacy throughout the years, leading to her second award. 

Most notably, since the COVID-19 outbreak, Long has led new initiatives to resolve the global crisis. In March 2020, the INSA sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget, recommending new federal policies that would offer financial relief for contractors currently maintaining the defense industrial base.   

INSA officials said the support during the pandemic shouldn't just be procedural. In addition to guidance on how contractors should pursue their jobs, they also need policies that will ensure they can stay in business while the pandemic is ongoing. 

“We write to encourage you to do all that is possible to bolster the health of government’s industry partners in the national security sector, which face dire financial straits as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak,” the letter, signed by INSA Chairman Letitia Long.

In addition to Long’s support for the GovCon industry and its employees, she has also supervised research initiatives to identify new methods to govern information and enhance security. In Jan. 2020, INSA released “Getting it Right: Establishing Uniform Policies for Controlled Unclassified Information.” 

The white paper has identified nine different challenges that the National Archives’ Information Security Oversight Office must address during the implementation of the federal Controlled Unclassified Information program. Failure to do so, the paper has argued, will result in an inconsistent adoption of the program across government and a significant increase in program costs.

The report noted that CUI is “information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls pursuant to and consistent with applicable law, regulations, and government-wide policies but is not classified under Executive Order 13526 or the Atomic Energy Act, as amended.”  

The research found that although the Archives is developing consolidated CUI guidance for all government agencies, more than 100 executive branch departments and agencies maintain their own practices for CUI. As a result “a patchwork of rules dictates how this information must be categorized, stored, handled, disseminated and destroyed.”  

INSA recommended that individual agencies are struggling to implement the Archives’ guidance, “making it likely that the new rules will be inconsistently interpreted and applied.” Federal contractors typically support multiple government agencies and must therefore ensure internal computer systems and their document handling and storage practices remain compliant. 

The agency additionally researched insider threat and electronic information, releasing another report in Feb. 2020. The Insider Threat Subcommittee of INSA released a key report on Publicly Available Electronic Information and its role in preventing insider threats. 

PAEI, including social media, public databases, or other information that is accessible to the general public, will  extend electronic continuous evaluation across all security clearance holders as a part of efforts to reduce insider threats and speed up the security clearance process.” As the federal government continues to align with the digital age, the platforms it utilices must maintain security. 

"INSA argues that government agencies need to figure out how to make the most of PAEI, issuing uniform legal standards behind its use. These sources can provide valuable insight into the lives of cleared employees and help set off alarm bells that may not be otherwise visible. The report does an excellent job of summarizing both the value of PAEI and where the government is doing well – and falling short – with its use."

Executive Mosaic congratulates INSA and Letitia Long for her 2020 Wash100 Award. Long’s continued dedication to develop the agency’s research initiatives and federal government policies shows that she is a notable figure in the GovCon sector.

About The Wash100

This year represents our sixth annual Wash100 Award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, achievement, and vision.

Visit the Wash100 site to learn about the other 99 winners of the 2020 Wash100 Award. On the site, you can submit your 10 votes for the GovCon executives of consequence that you believe will have the most significant impact in 2020.