Women’s History Month Spotlight: D’Ziana (Zena) Barnett, Defense Nuclear Security

How do you support NNSA?

I analyze data about our personnel and facility clearance processes to learn how our organization works and suggest changes to improve overall efficiency and solve operational problems. I also coordinate between our office and Human Resources partners, maintain internal websites with resources for employees, and participate in committees, groups, and teams with the aim of improving our programs and/or increasing staff morale.
 

What is your personal background, and how has that shaped you and your approach to your career?

I was raised in New Mexico, and our state takes pride in celebrating our multiculturalism. Growing up, my family encouraged curiosity and empathy. These elements have guided my approach to my career, interactions with coworkers, and personal relationships. I was also heavily involved in speech and debate in high school, which trained me to pay attention to detail, see all sides of an argument, and further developed my inherent personal values of fairness and judiciousness.
 

What did you study in school and how did it impact you personally and professionally?

I received my degree in Anthropology; Ethnology with a sub-track of linguistics and a minor of English. Through my study of cultures, specifically those in the Southwest, I have become particularly sensitive to the influence that culture, language, and socio-economic background can have on a group and individual. This has helped me remain culturally and personally sensitive, while communicating policy-based conclusions and decisions. In addition, my education has provided a basis of knowledge regarding the process of preserving cultural landmarks or items of significance when developing land for various uses.
 

What led you to a career in nuclear security?

Prior to coming to the NNSA, I was a Regional Director for a government program which provided financial assistance to families in need. While waiting for our husbands at the finish line of a ‘Go-Ruck’ event, I got into a conversation with a woman who worked for a contractor for NNSA, and we spoke about how despite the two of us working in different fields, both of our jobs required us to have a deep understanding of law, policy, regulation, and people. After I went home, I learned more about NNSA and its national security mission. I felt a strong pull towards that mission and felt my individual skill set might be of use to a team who made the world a safer place. Some months later, I applied, and the rest is history.
 

What is the best part about your job?

The best part of my job is having the flexibility to learn about a variety of different processes, teams, and organizations. I love to learn how people work, and how to make that work easier and more accurate.

What is your proudest accomplishment while working with NNSA?

I am most proud of my organization, which as a team was able to exceed all of our performance requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically changed how we were doing our work. We each contributed to process changes, some small and some large, to accomplish our mission.

Tell us something interesting about yourself.

As a child, my parents would send me back East to go to spend the summer with my Grandma Kathi for what she called “etiquette camp.” She worked as a court reporter and a judge’s assistant, and I would go to work with her and run odd errands for judges, court reporters, and lawyers. When I was about 12, I drafted an order to keep my parents out of my bedroom and somehow managed to convince a judge, two lawyers, and a filing clerk to sign it! (My mother was impressed, but not amused.)

Do you have any highlights from your time supporting NNSA?

I was recognized for creating a technical workaround enabling the Office of Personnel and Facility Clearances and Classification to meet the mission during the maximum telework posture during the COVID-19 pandemic. I also received an award for outstanding participation in a Clearance Action Tracking System initiative.

What advice would you have for anyone interested in a career in nuclear security?

My best advice would be to never sell yourself short and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. And: Enter Federal service as soon as the opportunity arises. It is the opportunity of a lifetime.

Who is someone that inspires you and why?

My grandmother inspires me. She taught me that I have a powerful voice, but that I should choose my battles. I have carried this through to my career, reminding myself not to sweat the small stuff and to save my energy for strategic “wins” that really mean something. She taught me to count my blessings. Today, I do my best to enjoy those small blessings, that great book, good baked good, or beautiful New Mexico sunset. As her health has declined, she has taught me how to love someone for who they are right in this moment, love who they used to be, and hold that love and mourning in your heart at the same time with joy for what you have been given.

How do you plan to celebrate/commemorate Women’s History Month?

I’m taking my children to visit their great grandmother, who influenced me so much as a girl.