Ms. Karen A. Pica: BIOGRAPHY
Ms. Pica joined the Federal Acquisition Institute as Acting Director in April 2006, formally joining the team as Director in June 2006. She brings with her over 15 years of workforce development experience, which will help her support FAI's mission of developing and delivering programs designed to enhance the capabilities of the Federal acquisition workforce. Prior to her work with FAI, Ms. Pica worked briefly for the Department of Defense, Defense Acquisition University, as a senior management analyst. In this role, she assisted with DAUs development of a competency management approach for the acquisition workforce, implementation of the DAU-FAI partnership, and outreach efforts. Ms. Pica came to DAU in November 2005 from her position at the Department of Homeland Security, where she had the privilege of serving as the first Director for the Acquisition Workforce Program.
Ms. Pica entered Federal Civil Service in November 1990 as an employee of the Department of the Army, where she gained experience in military family services and crisis intervention. Ms. Pica accepted a position with the United States Coast Guard in December 1992, becoming the first Employee Assistance Program Coordinator in the new Coast Guard Work-Life program. In this capacity, Karen developed and delivered life skills training and assistance programs covering topics ranging from stress and financial management to suicide prevention and sexual assault awareness. In 1996, Ms. Pica moved into a new position as the Training & Education Manager with the Coast Guard Maintenance & Logistics Command, Atlantic in Norfolk, VA, where she served as principal advisor to the Atlantic Area Commander on training and education issues. In this position, she initiated and reengineered programs and processes which improved training delivery and resource allocation. She also collaborated on the development of an on-site university program to deliver college courses for agency employees desiring to further their career opportunities. In October 1999, Ms. Pica accepted a promotion to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC, where she managed the Acquisition Training & Education Program and helped transition the Coast Guard into the Department of Homeland Security.
Ms. Pica is a two-time recipient of the Coast Guard Commander's Award for Civilian Service and a 2002 graduate of the USDA Executive Potential Program.
Ms. Pica holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Michigan and a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in National Security from Troy State University. Ms. Pica is currently finishing her doctoral studies at Virginia Polytechnic and State University.