Robert Saunders

Experience

• 

  U.S. Department of State

  Jul 2004 - Jul 2007

  Information Management Specialist

  In China, I revamped and modernized training content, methods, and materials. I briefed each new user and offered refresher training for employees in violation of security practices. I was able to generate a 75% reduction in cyber security infractions by instituting unclassified new user briefing with hands-on training methods and relevant examples of cyber security best practices.

• 

  U.S. Department of State

  Aug 2010 - now

  Primary focus was on the deployment of overseas Cloud Migrations for the federal government. I’ve steered global enterprise cloud deployments, information assurance practices, staff development, customer advocacy, and capacity planning for 300+ embassies, 30K customers, and millions of dollars in equipment. I’ve managed site selections and built consensus with overseas staff to collaborate with site design engineers. I’ve also integrated security standards and protocols with on-premise, cloud, and third-party solutions.Some highlights from my overseas embassy assignments are included below. Any gaps in chronology are for periods when my work was largely classified. Show less In Namibia, I facilitated numerous system improvements and opened career pathways for local staff by defining and implementing project management best practices and upgrading training materials with online courses. Some achievements included:Introduced agency’s first overseas radio repeater offsite based on solar and wind power with 100% emergency and evacuation (E&E) radio coverage for embassy and related schools and residences.Established relationship with local ISP to mitigate lack of reliability of host-nation internet connectivity securing contract with minimal annual cost increases and guaranteed 98% uptime.Expanded LAN bandwidth 150% and reduced latency issues and outages by 50%.Devised and deployed multi-protocol label switching solution with fiber backbone ensuring best-in-class communications capabilities for all sites hosting Department of State and tenant agency members.Transformed demoralized team of six into highly respected, award-winning professionals with attentive mentoring and strong examples to define purpose, goals, and roles for individuals and group. Show less In Turkey, I shepherded an IT installation at a new embassy branch office. I also served as IT liaison for the European Bureau and Mission Turkey on the Adana/Syria HATS project. I augmented security and ensured minimal downtime for new arrivals in country. Some achievements included:Championed first Department of State contacts management database (CMD) for Mission Turkey providing real-time updates and accurate reporting across three locations.Successfully evangelized standardized kit to implement critical capabilities for real-time reporting on Syrian conflict with efficient use of space and immediate use of components without reconfiguration.Trail-blazed methods of obtaining equipment due to ineffective local procurement channels.Headed organizational change initiatives for complacent, under-performing staff with long-lasting impact on teamwork, business enablement, and customer-focused business practices. Show less In Mozambique, I oversaw a $700K electrical grid upgrade including detailed vulnerability assessments and stewardship of two Washington, D.C.-based fact-finding teams. I re-wrote the offsite server room statement of work (SOW) and evaluated the impact of information resources management (IRM) budget. Some achievements included:Increased bandwidth, reduced latency, and provided reliable communications for Department of State, USAID, and CDC.Persuaded executive office to invest in staff development initiatives with savvy presentation of business case and projected return on investment (ROI). Show less

  • Information Technology Manager

    Jul 2021 - now

  • Information Technology Management

    Aug 2018 - Jul 2021

  • Information Management Officer

    Aug 2015 - Jul 2018

  • Information Systems Officer

    Aug 2012 - Jul 2015

  • Information Management Officer

    Aug 2010 - Jul 2012