My DCMA showcases the Defense Contract Management Agency’s experienced and diverse workforce and highlights what being a part of the national defense team means to them. Today, Christina Ziccarelli shares her story.
My name is Christina Ziccarelli, and this is “My DCMA.” I serve as a supervisory quality assurance specialist based in Rochester, New York, overseeing a team that covers over 9,000 square miles, from the Pennsylvania border to Syracuse, New York, and halfway to Buffalo, New York.
I lead a team of 14 quality assurance specialists and lead specialists, managing a diverse workload that includes Acquisition Category I programs such as the Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit, or HMS, Radios, Manpack/Leader Radios, and the Army Combat Net Radio. We perform prime NASA work for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and Letters of Delegation work for Hypersonic Missile Tube Hatches for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Destroyer, which is first in its class. We also support the Missile Defense Agency on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, program as well foreign military sales, NATO support, and numerous aircraft and radar products with everything in between.
My primary responsibility is ensuring my team has the resources and skills to deliver exceptional quality assurance, while also supporting their professional growth and ensuring performance during times of transformation.
I joined DCMA nearly 12 years ago through the Keystone program, transitioning from the Air Force Reserves where I served as a medical logistician with the 914th Air Refueling Wing in Niagara Falls, New York. My background also includes clerical roles in Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital and Thompson Hospital.
What I enjoy most about working at DCMA is our unique mission. We have the critical responsibility to ensure products conform before delivery, using evolving techniques and processes. Quality is a field of constant change, which keeps the work engaging and allows us to continually learn and innovate. DCMA stands out because of its integration of various functional specialists and our ability to provide real-time feedback to our customers.
I chose a career in quality assurance because of the direct, hands-on interaction with products and the obligation to ensure only compliant products reach our warfighters. I’m passionate about continuous learning, and at DCMA, there’s always something new to discover.
DCMA plays a vital role for our warfighters by being the last line of defense before products are shipped. Our work directly impacts our warfighters so it’s a great responsibility to ensure the products they receive are ready for deployment.
Looking ahead, my career goals are to continue contributing to the mission and my contract management office, while maintaining and expanding my technical knowledge. I aim to add value wherever possible and volunteer for internal audit teams, hiring panels, etc.
On a personal note, I enjoy gardening, yard work, reading, and designing and producing crafted projects for personal and team building use. My husband Andrew, our four kids, and our chocolate lab keep me very busy and right now we have lacrosse or football practice every night with games coming up soon on the weekends.