Rita Terrazas, Associate, Rome, New York
Rita Terrazas
Rita Terrazas joined Booz Allen Hamilton in 2000 to concentrate in software testing and task management for the defense industry. Before joining the firm, she conducted software testing and provided computer information systems engineering support at a technology firm.
Career at Booz Allen
Rita’s experiences at Booz Allen span a range of topics, challenges, and responsibilities. She explains, “I’ve been a tester and task lead in a multi-contractor group, performing installation, integration, and compliance testing of intelligence mission applications for DoD clients.”
Working with that team, says Rita, was a great experience. “When I started the project, I knew very little about the environment. But my test director at Booz Allen was a great mentor. She took me under her wing, teaching me about software testing and—more importantly—showing by example the skills of a great leader.”
Today, Rita formulates strategies to implement technical solutions using commercial and government off-the-shelf (COTS and GOTS) products to improve information assurance and address multi-level security domain requirements. She routinely works with teammates through the Network Information & Sharing Solutions/Systems Engineering, Integration, & Test (NISS/SEIT) to share information on functional interests. “It’s a great way to reach beyond geographic enclaves and practice what we preach, leveraging talent through technology.
“I’ve learned that listening to the client and understanding their true goals are important,” she adds. “Having knowledge of the industry that can link clients and resources in the firm is very useful as well.”
Work – Life Balance
In 2006, Rita received Booz Allen’s Values in Practice Award, which is given to staff who model the firm’s core values in their work, their interactions with clients and colleagues, and their personal conduct. She also received a 2005 Involvement & Impact Award, the firm’s highest recognition of employees whose volunteer efforts support Booz Allen’s commitment to community service.
One aspect about the firm that Rita especially values is that it both encourages and facilitates employee involvement in activities beyond client engagements. “The Booz Allen employee forums open up unlimited opportunities for interaction and self expression,” she says. “The satisfaction we get from participating in these groups feeds back into our work. I think Booz Allen engenders this culture because it’s a smart way to do business.”
And, through the firm, Rita has become involved in many volunteer activities that she considers important not only to her, but also to raise awareness in her four children. Her favorite is Girls Inc., a national affiliate of YWCA. “The organization empowers girls to be strong and smart, and ties in with the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism,” she explains. These issues are personal for Rita, whose husband and daughter are biracial. “In our area, Girls Inc. participants are largely from economically disadvantaged and ethnically diverse families. The kids are amazing and have touched my heart in a way I never imagined possible. Girls Inc. is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
Rita is also a member of the national organization Business and Professional Women, and is Booz Allen’s Board Diversity Initiative representative for the Washington Metro Defense Home Team. She is a regular participant in the firm’s Women’s Forum, Diversity Book Club, Cultural Cuisine Club, and other committees and clubs at Booz Allen and in the community. “I’m passionate for community service and honoring diversity,” she says.
She is also proud of her co-workers in upstate New York. “A few years ago, our office participated in a training course which helped us think about goals and motivators to enhance our careers. Using that momentum, my teammate Debra Nipe started a Workforce Leadership Council chapter here in Rome. Her dedication and integrity have inspired each staff member to become involved, uniting the office in an unprecedented fashion. We are a testament to the great accomplishments that can be achieved through teamwork.”
profile posted February 2007
