CARSON, Calif. –
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, Jo Yu shares her story.
My name is Jo Yu, and this is “My DCMA.”
I am the contracts director at DCMA Carson. My job duties include managing the contract management office’s contracts workload according to our policies and procedures delivering high-quality products efficiently, supporting five contract teams to provide oversight and technical guidance as needed, and monitoring the continuity of contracting operations.
One of the great things about working at DCMA Carson is we have such a hard-working team of men and women committed to exceptional performance in everything we do. Although DCMA Carson is a newer CMO, the performance output is mature like a well-established primary CMO due to our team effort.
I have been part of the DCMA team since May 2010. I like working at here because I have always worked with teams of caring and talented professionals. DCMA is a workplace that values and actively seeks employees’ input and recommendations, and recognizes their achievements, which creates a sense of belonging.
DCMA is important to America’s warfighters because our contributions make an impact on the products that directly affect the safety of our military brothers and sisters on the front lines. Therefore, we have to continue to challenge ourselves to improve our flexibility, quality and efficiencies on acquisition processes.
As we recognized our 20th anniversary last year, I am excited about DCMA’s future, especially its critical COVID-19 role. Since early 2020, DCMA has been a part of Countermeasures Acceleration Group, formerly known as Operation Warp Speed, and Joint Acquisition Task Force Group, supporting major customers such as the Air Force, Army, and Human and Health Services to manage urgent pre-award surveys.
DCMA employees have participated in the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, COVID-19 testing production capability expansion contracts, N-95 and many other COVID-19 related high visibility contracts. My goal in 2022 is continue to put in my best effort to support DCMA headquarters, the Western Region, and our CMO in these mission critical roles.
Twenty years ago, I received my Master of Business Administration degree, and I was working as a senior financial analyst. I was considering attending medical school, but decided not to attend. Ten years later, I got this great opportunity to join DCMA.
There are so many positive changes that have happened at the agency in recent years. For example, the agency is getting ready to upgrade our tools to help our local CMOs manage the workload more affectively. Also, our headquarters’ contracts team has delivered a series of well-prepared meaningful trainings on many updated manuals and processes. In addition, the local resources developed and managed by the regions have significantly improved our way to track and standardize our work progress. As a DCMA teammate, our everyday participation effort is influencing more and more positive changes throughout the agency.
My favorite hobbies include oil painting, calligraphy, jogging and Zumba. These activities prepare me for a healthy mind and body to better support the mission. My future career goals include continuing to work with my teammates in the pursuit of excellence in achieving the agency’s strategic goals and providing useful training and guidance to our workforce.
Something unique about me is that I worked in the private industry for more than 10 years before joining DCMA, including working for Walt Disney Studios and Paramount Pictures. I have learned a lot throughout my career, which has better prepared me to support our customers in pre-award and post-award contract administration.