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Mr. Whittaker manages the International Program Office (IPO) portfolio of programs currently supporting 66 countries with over 350 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases with a total case value of $2.9B. He supports the Army Security Assistance Enterprise as one of five Army Security Assistance Management Directors who provides total life cycle support to FMS cases. This dual role oversees the development of requirements while writing and managing FMS cases and performs the acquisition functions of a PM/PL delivering training and training system products and services to our partner nations. He cosponsored the development of the $2.4B Enterprise Training and Services Contract (ETSC) that supports Train, Advise, Assist and Mentor missions as well as training systems operations and maintenance support for both the US Army and our international partners around the globe. He co-chairs the Modeling, Instrumentation, and Simulation for Training (MIST) working group with FVEY partner nations to leverage technologies and assure interoperability in the training environment for coalition training and exercises.
Mr. Whittaker previously served as Director, International Programs for Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD). He supported 50 partner nations with approximately 200 FMS cases with a total case value of $1B. In this role he was the lead for NAVAIR training and training systems FMS case development supporting multiple aircraft platforms and PMA’s. He was assigned as the PMA-205 Program Manager for International Programs and oversaw the procurement and delivery of aviation training systems in support of the partner nations’ aircraft. As the NAWCTSD Director, International Programs he developed and delivered surface, undersea and special emphasis programs across the NAWCTSD training systems portfolio of products and services. He spearheaded the Building Partner Capacity Program for Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC) program in support of the Department of State. The EIPC program provided COCOM prioritized training capability to 27 partner nations. This program provided regional training capabilities to enable partner nations to support US and NATO missions around the globe by providing them with quality training facilities and methods to support those missions.
Mr. Whittaker has over 38 years of military and government service that began when he joined the US Marine Corps in October 1983. He has over 24 years of international and acquisition experience supporting DOD objectives in building relationships and providing interoperability with our partners. He is DAWIA Advanced certified in Program Management and Business/Financial Management. He is a DOD certified Level III International Affairs Professional.
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Ms. Christina Bell is the Deputy Project Lead for the Internal Program Office (PL IPO). In this role, she supports the Project Lead IPO in supporting 66 countries with over 350 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases with a total case value of $2.9B.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Bell served as the Deputy Project Manager for Cyber, Test, and Training for the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). In this role, Ms. Bell supported a team of over 400 military, civilian and contractor personnel who delivered critical training, testing, and threat solutions valued at over $1B annually to the Department of Defense and partner nations.
Ms. Bell was previously selected as the Assistant Program Executive Officer Enterprise Support (APEO ES) for the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). In this role, Ms. Bell led the PEO’s Human Capital Directorate, Security Directorate, Facilities Directorate, and the Chief Information Office to provide critical enabling services to over 1,200 military, civilian, and contractor personnel at PEO STRI.
Ms. Bell completed a Joint assignment with the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as the lead civilian responsible for establishing the PEO for SOF Digital Applications. In her Deputy PEO role, she was responsible for launching the new PEO from the ground up, to include hiring all civilian personnel, justifying new Joint military positions, and launching a new Product Office for Unmanned Autonomous systems. Under her leadership, USSOCOM established five classified and unclassified software acquisition pathway programs valued at over $1B across the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) to deliver capability to the world’s most elite SOF Operators. While in this role, she also served as the Source Selection Authority for multiple USSOCOM competitive contracts/agreements.
Prior to her time with USSOCOM, Ms. Bell was Centrally Selected by the Army to serve as the Product Manager for Special Operations Forces Training Systems at PEO STRI, Orlando, Florida. She was responsible for supporting the U.S. Army, Coalition, Foreign Military, and the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) via a portfolio of more than 20 unclassified and sensitive efforts to include live, virtual, constructive, and mission rehearsal training support. As the first and only female Product Manager for SOF Training Systems, she led a team of professionals who have the culture and expertise to rapidly respond to emerging requirements and execute projects that exceed the Warfighters expectations. Additionally, Ms. Bell served as the Activity Career Program Manager for the PEO’s workforce of project management careerists, providing mentorship and guidance in support of their professional objectives.
Ms. Bell was also competitively selected to serve as the Program Executive Officer’s Deputy G3/5 and Acting G3/5, responsible for operations, acquisition oversight, strategic planning, and external communications for the $2B portfolio consisting of over 200 programs, including Foreign Military Sales programs supporting more than 40 countries. Ms. Bell’s responsibilities also included acquisition advisor to the PEO workforce of over 1,200 military, civilian, and service support contractors. While serving in this role, Ms. Bell was competitively selected to attend the Aerospace and Defense Masters of Business Administration program at the University of Tennessee. Ms. Bell graduated in 2017 top of her class, while maintaining her full-time responsibilities for the PEO.
In 2008, Ms. Bell began her transition to the program management career field while working in the Integrated Training Environment Project Management Office. She led two of the Army’s Acquisition Category II programs: Synthetic Environment Core and Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer. During this time, Ms. Bell earned her Level III Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in the program management career field. In 2015, Ms. Bell was competitively selected to lead the Joint Pacific Multinational Range Capability (JPMRC) program within the Project Manager Training Devices Office.
Ms. Bell started her Army career in 2004 as a computer engineer for the Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). In this role, she supported multiple programs in all phases of the acquisition lifecycle, including the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer, and the Special Operations Forces Training Systems in the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer Project Management Office. During this time, she achieved Level III Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in the engineering career field and completed Civilian Education System Intermediate training.
Ms. Bell began her service as a Department of Defense civilian in 2002 after graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Central Florida earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. Her first civil service assignment was as a Computer Engineer for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island, supporting the Cruise Missile Training program during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Ms. Bell is a member of the Army Acquisition Corps, Women in Defense, Army Aviation Association of America, a published author in the Army Aviation magazine and published author/presenter for the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference. Her civilian awards include the Military Intelligence Corps Knowlton Award, Department of the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Department of the Army Meritorious Service Medal, Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, and multiple Special Act Awards.