Dr. Laura M. Walden is the Director of the Enterprise Training and Engagement Directorate, Air Force Manpower Analysis Agency, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Dr. Walden oversees major mission training programs and community engagement for Manpower, Organization and Resources, AFMAA and Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Management. She develops and delivers enterprise training, education, and professional development to all manpower and management engineering officers, enlisted, and civilians.

The Enterprise Training Division executes manpower resident and virtual courses, providing military upgrade training to include advanced instruction such as the Manpower Staff Officer Course. Other courses meet talent development objectives for civilians, officers, and enlisted in the manpower profession and within force support. The Enterprise Engagement Division oversees manpower customer engagement for knowledge management, internal and external communications and collaboration. The engagement division also supports mission partners through collaborative outreach events to sustain a positive talent management pipeline and oversees the Guardian and Airmen Innovation Network program.

Dr. Walden entered the federal workforce after separating from the U.S. Army and completing her doctorate at the University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. She has worked in the Department of the Army, the Office of the Army Surgeon General, Department of the Navy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Office of the Chief Management Officer. She was the Deputy Director of the Manpower and Personnel (N1) Executive Agent Branch, with oversight of the Navy program and budget, setting the baseline assessment memorandum for budget and overseeing Navy Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education. Prior to her current position with the Department of the Air Force, Dr. Walden served as the Office of the Secretary of Defense Lead Analyst in the Office of the Chief Management Officer, responsible for the Human Resource Portfolio, the Defense Health Portfolio, Acquisition Level 1 Defense Business Systems, and Category Management.

EDUCATION

1994 Bachelor of General Studies in Mathematics and Chemistry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Ind.
1999 Masters of Health Systems Management, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, Texas
2004 Doctorate of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership and Adult Education, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas
2011 Senior Executive Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
2018 Master of National Security and Resource Strategy and Joint Land Air and Sea Systems, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2019 Graduate Defense Senior Leader Development Program, Alexandria, Va.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1994 - 1999, Medical Service Enlisted, U.S. Army
May 2000 - March 2002, Medical Office Manager, Cataract Laser Institute San Antonio, Texas
August 2001 - May 2002, Contract Analyst (contractor), Brooks Air Force Base Contracting Office, San Antonio, Texas
May 2002 - June 2004, Management Analyst, Directorate of Combat and Doctrine Development, Army Medical Department, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
May 2005 - April 2006, Program Analyst, Medical Reengineering Initiative Program Implementation Office, Army Office of the Surgeon General, Arlington, Va.
April 2006 - April 2007, Command Manager, Chemical Materials Agency, Army Materiel Command Fort Belvoir, Va.
April 2007 - October 2008, Unit Identification Code Program Manager, Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7, Arlington, Va.
October 2008 - February 2009, Force Structure Analyst, Secretary of the Army Inspector General, Arlington, Va.
February 2009 - April 2012, Deputy, Programming Branch, Equipping PEG, Headquarters, Department of the Army G-8, Arlington, Va.
April 2012 - March 2014, Chief, Manpower Documentation Branch, Headquarters, Army Medical Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas March 2014 - August 2015, Deputy Director, Executive Agent Branch, Department of the Navy, Navy Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education, Arlington, Va.
August 2015 - December 2016, Portfolio Lead, Human Resource and Defense Health, Office of the Chief Management Officer (OCMO), Washington, D.C.
December 2016 - August 2017, Lead, Acquisition Defense Business Systems, OCMO, Washington, D.C.
August 2017 - June 2018, Student, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
June 2018 - August 2018, Program Management Analyst, Portfolio Manager, OCMO, Washington, D.C.
August 2018 - August 2019, Lead Systems Analyst, Army Operational Test Command, Fort Hood, Texas
September - October 2019, Lead Office of Secretary of Defense Analyst, Category Management, OCMO (Transitional Assignment), Washington, D.C.
October 2019 - present, Director, Manpower Enterprise Training, Air Force Manpower Analysis Agency, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, Headquarters, Department of the Army G-8
Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, Army Operational Test Command
Honorary Admiral of the Texas Navy, commissioned by order of the Governor

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow
University of the Incarnate Word Alumni
National Defense Industry Association
Lifetime Member of Women In Defense

(Current as of August 2022)