Directions to WID National Office (NDIA Headquarters)

Mission

Women In Defense (WID), A National Security Organization, an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association, cultivates and supports the advancement and recognition of women in all aspects of national security. A non-profit organization, WID was established to provide women a formal environment for professional growth through networking, education, and career development.

The association resides with the National Defense Industrial Association, 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 400, Arlington, VA  22201-3061.

Leadership

Incorporated in 1985, Women In Defense is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. Appointed committees carry out the association's mission. WID has chapters throughout the United States. Women In Defense is an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), which represents all facets of the defense and technology industrial base and serves all military services. This affiliation gives WID members a source for defense industry information, increased networking opportunities and professional contacts, and an expanded scope of informative programs.

2007-2008 National Board of Directors

President * **
Susan W. Ebner
Special Counsel
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
1776 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006-2333
(202) 452-7995; Fax (202) 452-7989
ebnersw@bipc.com

Vice President * **
Margaret A. DiVirgilio
General Manager & Treasurer
Concurrent Technologies Corporation
100 CTC Drive
Johnstown, PA  15904-1935
(814) 269-2448; Fax (814) 269-2620
divirgim@ctc.com

Secretary * **
Eileen Giglio
ADUS of Defense for Strategic Plans
Department of Defense
3600 Defense Pentagon
Room 2B137
Washington, DC 20301-0005
(703) 681-5929 X46; Fax (703) 695-2760
eileen.giglio@osd.mil

Treasurer * **
Ann Elise Sauer
Vice President Washington Operations
Lockheed Martin Corporation
1550 Crystal Drive Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22202-4127
(703) 413-5796; (703) 416-2195
ann.e.sauer@lmco.com

HORIZONS Scholarship Fund
Director* **
Ella Schiralli
Manager, Federal Government Markets
3M
1425 K St NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 414-3024; Fax (202) 414-3028
eschiralli@mmm.com

Immediate Past President **
Jane M. Walter
Senior Associate
Booz Allen Hamilton
46950 Bradley Blvd.
Lexington Park, MD 20653-2222
(301)862-7058, Fax (301)862-1967
walter_jane@bah.com

Historian **
Carole Sue Coupland
President
Coupland Consulting Services
8227 Brittainy Drive
Annandale, VA 22003-2308
(703)560-6498
CSRCCOUP@aol.com

*Officer    **Member of the Board of Directors

2007-2008 Board of Directors Biographies

	Susan Warshaw Ebner, Buchanan Ingersoll President Susan Warshaw Ebner serves as Special Counsel in the Washington, D.C., office of the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. A member of the firm's Government Contracts Section, Susan has practiced before the United States Court of Federal Claims, the General Accounting Office, various Boards of Contract Appeal, United States District and Appellate Courts, as well as state courts. Susan's government contracts experience includes working on matters involving federal agencies and bodies such as the Department of Defense (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps), the General Services Administration, the Department of Treasury and other agencies on matters including Iraq procurement, USAID, contracting, subcontracting and other strategic alliance agreements. She focuses on advising clients regarding technology solutions and services, research and development, intellectual property rights and licensing, Buy American Act/Trade Agreements Act, strategic alliances, standards of conduct and revolving door, as well as audit, investigation, claim, litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Susan is the chair of the D.C. Bar Government Contracts and Litigation Section Court and Board Practice Committee, and is a member of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims "Friends of the Court."
	Margaret A. DiVirgilio, Concurrent Technologies Corp. Vice President Margaret A. DiVirgilio is the General Manager & Treasurer for Concurrent Technologies Corporation. Her current responsibilities include corporate wide policy development and overall implementation for Administration functions including such areas as Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Financial Systems, and Contracts & Procurement. Her specific focus areas relate to assessing and maintaining adequate capital, ensuring financial performance, oversight of financial Statement Audit and required government filings, design of Company's compensation and Benefits Program and Compliance with Federal Contract regulations. Margaret is a member of an 11 person Executive Management Team. In addition to industry experience, Margaret brings experience from her tenure with the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Margaret received her B.A. degree in Business Administration from Seton Hill University and received her CPA Certification from the Commonwealth of Virginia . She currently serves on the NDIA Contract & Finance Committee.
	Ann Elise Sauer , Lockhead Martin Corp. Treasurer Ann Elise Saueris the Vice President, Programs and Budget, in the Washington Operations office of Lockheed Martin Corporation, where she advises the Corporation on all matters relating to the federal budget and manages all senior Executive Branch interactions with respect to the Corporation’s programs and pursuits. She also manages the Corporation’s Advanced Concepts team’s interaction with the government, particularly the Joint Customer community, and provides an interface for the architectural and capabilities focus of that organization within Washington Operations. Before joining Lockheed Martin Corporation, Ann worked in the U.S. Senate for 23 years. At the time she left the Senate, she was a senior aide to Senator John McCain (R-Arizona). From 1979 to 1993, Ann served on the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In 1993, prior to joining Senator McCain’s staff, she also served on special assignments as military legislative assistant to Senators John Warner (R-Virginia) and Bob Dole (R-Kansas). Ann also served on the Reagan Department of Defense Transition Team in November and December of 1980. Ann earned her Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Sciences from Georgetown University, specializing in International Relations. She also received an Associates of Arts Degree in Business from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio.
	K. Eileen Giglio, Department of Defense Secretary Ms. Giglio currently serves as Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategic Plans and Initiatives in the Office of Business Transformation. She continues to manage the former Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) Defense Acquisition Performance Assessment Project as Project liaison and manages the initiatives the DAPA Panel initiatives that were tasked by the Deputy Secretary of Defense to implement acquisition reform concepts. She formerly served as the Director, Special Projects in the Office of International Technology Security for the Under Secretary of Defense (OSD), Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L). She was responsible for a variety of projects to include technology security acquisition policy, the Militarily Critical Technologies List, the Wisconsin Project, a nano-technology initiative, high performance computer control parameters, outreach to industry and the supporting budgets. Prior to this assignment, she served as a Dual-Use Licensing Technology Security Analyst in OSD Policy in the Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) and managed the outreach to industry program for export controls. During the course of her career, Ms. Giglio has served at the White House, State Department, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and as a Defense Legislative Assistant to Representative Hal Daub (R-Nebraska). She was one of the original employees at the On-Site Inspection Agency, serving as Chief of Congressional Affairs and an Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty inspector. Her career has been dedicated to national security policy issues serving as a government liaison with the press, the Congress and industry. In addition, Ms. Giglio has been a volunteer to political campaigns for over 25 years and is an Election Official in the City of Alexandria. Ms. Giglio is a Senior Executive Fellow of Harvard University’s JFK School of Government. She graduated from the University of Nebraska with a major in Political Science and a minor in German. She was born in the Bronx, N.Y. and resides is Alexandria, Virginia with her husband Michael A. Giglio (Colonel, USAF ret.).
	Ella Schiralli 3M HORIZONS Scholarship Director Ella M. Schiralli joined the Security Systems Division (SS&PS) as a Manager, Federal Government Markets, in March 2005, after completing a Six Sigma Black Belt assignment in Corporate Marketing and Public Affairs department. Ella’s focus is on accelerating sales growth by cultivating key government and industry relationships and executing 3M’s capture strategy to win more federal government business. One example is the US VISIT program that designed to enhance US border security. Ella joined 3M in January 2001 as a National Market Manager in the Federal Systems Department. Ms. Schiralli has 20 years experience as a liaison between industry and the Federal government. Prior to joining 3M, Ms. Schiralli was a Government Contracts Advisor for the firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP and a Director of Government Relations for the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Ella serves on the Board of Directors for the Women In Military Service for America Foundation and the Board of Advisors for The Government Contractor, a publication of the West Group. Ms. Schiralli resides in Takoma Park, Maryland and has a BBA and EMBA from the George Washington University.
	Jane Walter, Booz Allen Hamilton Past President Ms. Walter, a Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, leads the Firm's Economic and Business Analysis Team in Lexington Park, MD, providing business process improvement and financial management solutions for the Naval Air Systems Command and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, both located at Patuxent River, MD. Ms. Walter leads a multi-talented team of consultants in a variety of tasking delivering products such as cost efficiency studies, organizational functional assessments, and program planning and scheduling tools. Ms. Walter is the Program Manager for several of Booz Allen's Blanket Purchase Agreements with NAVAIR for professional services support for Corporate Operations, the Business and Financial Management Community, and the Business Development Office. Ms. Walter received her B.A. degree in Spanish from Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, and her M.A. degree in American Government from Georgetown University, Washington, DC. Ms. Walter is certified by the Department of Defense as a Business Process Reengineering Practitioner, and has trained as a Six Sigma Greenbelt. Ms. Walter has worked with the Department of the Navy at both the Naval Air Systems Command and the Naval Sea Systems Command for over twenty years. Ms. Walter is active in the local business community as Executive Vice President of the Patuxent Partnership, a consortium of industry, academia and government in Southern Maryland. As a founding member of the local chapter of Women in Defense, Ms. Walter is on the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake Bay WID chapter, and she has served for the past year as President of the national board of Women in Defense.
	Carole Sue Coupland, Coupland Consulting Services Historian Carole Sue Coupland, a strong proponent and active member since October 1983, has served on numerous WID committees, as WID National President, and as President of the former Capital Chapter. Carole Sue's dedication membership growth and support to WID was rewarded when WID colleagues voted her the 1992 Distinguished Member of the Year. She retired from full-time employment with the Raytheon Company - it's legacy company, E-Systems - in 1998. Prior to E-Systems, Carole Sue was with Rockwell International for 16 years. Affiliation with FD Logistics kept her in touch with the export/import compliance and control business, and, she has her own Coupland Consulting Services and continued effort on WID activities.

A Historical Perspective

Women In Defense began in the Fall of 1979 as the brainchild of seven dynamic women who met for dinner at the conclusion of a major trade association conference. At that time, they discussed the idea of starting an informal network to assist participants—especially women and thus the organizational name—in expanding their knowledge of national security issues and of the national defense community in which they participated.

No definitive action was taken as a result of that first meeting, nor were there any follow-on meetings for about a year. In the Fall of 1980, however, the group sponsored a get-acquainted dinner that approximately a dozen women attended. From then until February 1981, there was not much activity in the way of formal programs, but behind the scenes there was a great deal of action. During that time, the enlarged group devised an approach for organizing Women In Defense.

During those formative months, the early leaders gave a great deal of consideration to the purpose and mission of the organization. They agreed that the Women In Defense mission would have two parts:

1. To provide professional development opportunities
2. To provide a forum for the exchange of information and the expansion of contacts, thereby developing a network for the edification, support and sharing of common experiences.
Overall, the mission identified by the founders has held fast and remains in full force today.

At its inception, Women In Defense leaders set up the organization to operate loosely. They reasoned that this approach would significantly reduce the chances of Women In Defense becoming a political organization or a lobbying arm used for the purposes of a few, to the detriment of the majority interests. As a result, it was organized to depend on the volunteer efforts of its members to provide direction, to initiate and conduct activities, and to set the tone for the frequency and nature of programs.

In April 1981, the organization sponsored its first luncheon, featuring Mae Walterhouse of the Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. Walterhouse, quite fittingly, addressed the subject of networking and its importance to upwardly mobile women and men. This event generated enthusiasm for the organization.

The first membership list, boasting 47 names, was published in June 1981. A letter of introduction detailing Women In Defense to prospective new members was developed and planning of activities began in earnest. Events were typically business luncheons and breakfasts featuring senior level personnel from the administrative and legislative branches of government and industry.

Growth, however, compelled the leadership to consider incorporation. It seemed necessary to take this step since minimal dues were being collected to offset mailing expenses, and there were concerns about legal ramifications. A charter committee worked toward incorporation as a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization. Their mission was accomplished when the association was incorporated December 19, 1985, in the District of Columbia. The first annual meeting was held in January 1986, and the first slate of officers nominated and elected in accordance with the charter. 

WID established the HORIZONS Foundation as a separate, tax exempt non-profit organization in 1987, and its articles of organization were signed June 1988. This Foundation was designed to award scholarships to those pursuing higher education that would lead to a career in national defense and national security. Funding came from corporate and individual contributions and from fundraising activities.

With the downturn of the defense industry in the 1990s, Women In Defense re-examined its mission and charter and decided to expand its focus to include all aspects of national security, which would open membership to non-defense organizations. This expanded focus caused the organization to add to its name the phrase “A National Security Organization,” thus creating the current name.

During 1994, the organization’s leaders studied the benefits of becoming an affiliate of what was then called the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA) and undertook a restructuring of the organization’s infrastructure. In February 1995, the organization voted to accept the affiliation status with ADPA. WID remained a separate organization, retaining its charter, tax-exempt status, and board. As part of the restructuring efforts, a committee recommended that the geographic chapters and their separate boards that had been established be eliminated and replaced by a Regional Director.

In March 1997 ADPA merged with the National Security Industrial Association (NSIA) to form the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). All administrative functions were sponsored by NDIA staff and the Women In Defense Board of Directors.

A new century saw WID leaders looking beyond its traditional Washington, DC area roots. A farsighted NDIA chapter leader in the Midwest spearheaded creation of a WID chapter centered around Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois. After the Iowa-Illinois Chapter was established in 2001, other areas saw the value of a WID chapter in their communities. By late 2006, WID had nine chapters.

By March 2003, WID leaders realized that growth was the norm, and they recognized that a stronger alliance with NDIA would benefit WID and its members. Women In Defense was merged into NDIA June 1, 2004, retaining its board and bylaws, and it gained a seat on the NDIA board of directors.

In 2005, the WID national president was invited to Ottawa, Canada, where a group of women from defense industry, the military and government sought to emulate WID.

By the time of its 20th anniversary of incorporation, Women In Defense, A National Security Organization had about 900 members. (In early 1999, WID had about 300 members.) The development of chapters since 2001 fueled tremendous growth. Before the end of 2007, membership reached 1,500.

In connection with the 20th anniversary, we have compiled a list of founders and past presidents:

FOUNDERS OF WID
Margo Anderson
Karen Hopkins
Betty Kimmel
JoHanna Kinley
Diane Lafferman
Lillian Morris
Rebekah Nottingham

PAST PRESIDENTS OF WID
Margo Giordano Anderson, 1979-1982, Coordinator
Leslie Santacroce, 1983, Coordinator
JoHanna Kinley, 1984, Coordinator
Norma Anders, 1985, Coordinator
Diane Mikulis, 1986-1987, President
Nan Thornton, 1987-1988, President
Elizabeth Beggs McCrea, 1988-1989, President
Sue Sawyer, 1989-1990, President
Lynn Jeunette, 1990-1991, President
Ann Friel, 1991-1992, President
Linda Couture, 1992-1993, President
Judy Cavanaugh, 1993-1994, President
Sarah Jones-Chambers, 1994-1995, President
Carole Sue Coupland, 1995-1997, President
Sherri Bassham, 1997-1998, President
Ella Schiralli, 1998-2000, President
Judy Smith, 2000-2001, President
Norma Powell Byron, 2001-2003, President
Janice Menker, 2003-2004, President
Carolyn Becraft, 2004-2005, President

Bylaws of Women in Defense, A National Security Organization

Revised June 2007

View the WID Bylaws (PDF)

Contact Us

Women In Defense, A National Security Organization
2111 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 400
Arlington, Virginia 22201-3061
Telephone: (703) 247-2552 | Fax: (703) 522-1885
wid@ndia.org

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