Soraya Correa

Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Homeland Security

Correa has been chief procurement officer for the Department of Homeland Security since 2015, spearheading efforts to improve how its 1,400 employees find new solutions. Among those initiatives are the Acquisition Innovations in Motion framework and the Education, Development, Growth, and Excellence mentoring program. “Mentoring provides a unique opportunity for individuals to learn, share experiences, and adapt to new situations and it creates great opportunities for expanding our networks beyond the immediate organizations where we work,” Correa said. Federal compliance and oversight can be “frustrating and intimidating” to new recruits, she added. “Leaders have to inspire and motivate their teams to develop an appreciation for — in lieu of a resistance to — the oversight and compliance reviews, data calls and activities that are going to happen,” Correa said.