Kessel Run seeks talent everywhere

Kessel Run recently hired 11 government civilians from within its organization to key positions as part of its ongoing strategy to recognize and retain top talent.

By Kessel Run Public Affairs

BOSTON (May 16, 2023) – Kessel Run recently hired 11 government civilians from within its organization to key positions as part of its ongoing strategy to recognize and retain top talent.

In addition to bringing in more than 20 new employees onto the team from outside the organization, 7 Kessel Runners were promoted and 4 accepted a different position within the team in its latest hiring cycle. Some of the key promotions included deputy division chief, data science technical lead, and technical product managers.

“The ability to grow talent from within is invaluable to our organization, with the expertise they bring from the positions they’ve held,” said Leah Peterson, the Cyberspace Operations Support Senior Functional for Kessel Run. “Their perspectives internal to the organization help diversify thought across our product lines when we can retain and move talent within the organization.”

According to Peterson, Kessel Run external and internal hiring cycles occur two to four times a year depending on organizational needs. The hiring cycle opens to current Kessel Run employees in all categories prior to being advertised externally to bolster internal promotion and movement opportunities; while still seeking top talent from outside.

“All government civilians have the ability to apply to positions that become available,” Peterson said. “When we define a role for hire we will consider any and every candidate for it in order to zero in on the true best fit.”

Hiring employees within the organization is nothing new for Kessel Run. Last year, 35 Kessel Runners were promoted, or moved laterally within the organization. Additionally, 135 new employees joined the organization during that time.

“There is nothing more exciting for me than to see familiar and amazing talent that are crushing it in their current roles, moving up to greater roles of responsibility,” Peterson said.

Kessel Run encourages all employees to apply to different positions within Kessel Run as a means to increase their responsibility, enhance their skills, grow their understanding of the organization, or change their job entirely, according to Peterson.

“It's no secret some people may get bored doing the same job for years,” Peterson said. “The door is open and there will be opportunities for our employees to apply to different positions. It’s key to retention efforts.”

Hector Moreno, a portfolio lead engineer and one of the newly promoted Kessel Runners, attributed his success applying to a higher position based on support he received from the organization’s leadership and his desire to continue working in a job that supports the wellbeing of our country and the Air Force.

“I received so much support from my leadership and team,” Moreno said. “I wasn’t looking for monetary compensation when I came to Kessel Run. I understood early on that it was very unlikely that I would have a better opportunity in my career to have such a direct impact on the wellbeing of our country. There is so much opportunity at Kessel Run to do meaningful things.”

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Digital Directorate
HBB, Kessel Run
Media and Communications Engagement
Email: media@kr.af.mil

Kessel Run's LNO Program Brings Intense Customer Focus to the Field

Kessel Runners led a panel discussion on the importance of the liaison officer program and its connection to one of Kessel Run’s core values, Intense Customer Focus, during their recent “May the 4th” Celebrate Kessel Run cultural day.

BOSTON (MAY 4, 2023) – Former Kessel Run Liaison Officers lead a panel discussion on the importance of the liaison officer program and its connection to one of Kessel Run’s core values, Intense Customer Focus, during their recent “May the 4th” Celebrate Kessel Run cultural day. Liaison officers facilitate communication between the organization and Kessel Run All-Domain Operations Suite users at air operations centers. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

By Kessel Run Public Affairs

(BOSTON, May 4, 2023) – Kessel Runners led a panel discussion on the importance of the liaison officer program and its connection to one of Kessel Run’s core values, Intense Customer Focus, during their recent “May the 4th” Celebrate Kessel Run cultural day.

As representatives of Kessel Run, liaison officers deploy to air operations centers around the world to facilitate communication between the organization and Kessel Run All-Domain Operations Suite users. While on site, LNOs work side by side with AOC leaders and their Airmen who use KR software to develop the air tasking order.

“Nothing compares to being there on the ground, day to day, getting to know the users and a better understanding of the intricacies of their workflow,” said Kira Ivarsson, Operational Command and Control senior developer, who was an LNO for the 609th AOC at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. “It’s amazing to get their feedback, troubleshoot with them, work with them in deploying software, and address their pain points. I can’t speak highly enough of the mission impact of the LNO program.”

LNOs work on balancing the needs of users at all levels, whether that be with leadership, the AOC commander or the everyday user. They get the opportunity to sit face to face with our operational counterparts, understand their organizational structure and listen intently to their concerns.

“Instead of having it in your mind that there’s just ‘the warfighters’, or just the ‘609th AOC,’ you now know the users personally, so you’re not designing software systems for a hypothetical end user,” said 2nd Lt. Adrianna Wilder, OpsC2 product manager, who was an LNO for the 609th AOC at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. “You know their names, and their faces. You have established that relationship with them and it instills a motivation in you, in wanting to succeed for them, because you’ve seen their struggles and their dedication.”

LNOs believe building trust and rapport is pivotal in continuing to produce software that is the most beneficial to the warfighter. During the panel, Wilder also noted that being an LNO helped give her the best strategic picture of the program she’s had since working at Kessel Run.

Staff Sgt. David Ahn, OpsC2 engineering support, has been an LNO three times since working at Kessel Run, deploying to Qatar twice and to the 603rd AOC at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, once.

“The LNO program is where I’ve felt I’ve made the most impact across the greater DoD [Department of Defense] in terms of delivering value to the warfighter, moving the needle on making change at all levels and truly seeing that what we do here on a day to day basis is positively affecting the warfighter at the leading edge,” Ahn said.

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Digital Directorate
HBB, Kessel Run
Media and Communications Engagement
Email: media@kr.af.mil

Kessel Runners Go the Distance

Kessel Runners Kevin Doyle and Lara Dorsky are on the heels of participating in the 2023 Boston Marathon – giving a whole new meaning to the “run” in Kessel Runner.

By McKinnon Dziadaszek
Kessel Run Public Affairs

(BOSTON, May 2, 2023) – If there’s one thing we know about our Kessel Run teammates, it’s that they always go the extra mile.

That’s especially true for Kessel Runners Kevin Doyle and Lara Dorsky, who are on the heels of participating in the 2023 Boston Marathon – giving a whole new meaning to the “run” in Kessel Runner.

For Massachusetts native and WingC2 Program Manager Kevin Doyle, running his first Boston Marathon (and second career marathon) was a personal milestone that carried a lot of meaning. Doyle was selected to run as a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention charity team, an organization close to his heart, personally raising nearly $11,000 for the cause during the race.

Long distance running serves as a form of meditation for Doyle – simultaneously relieving stress and providing an avenue that has helped generate some of his best ideas and solutions he can apply back to his position at Kessel Run.

“I've participated in so many middle distance races and long distance relays, but nothing really compares to the excitement of a major marathon,” Doyle said. “I'm humbled and proud to wear the AFSP jersey for my first Boston Marathon. I'm also humbled by the support and encouragement my coworkers on C2IMERA and the entire Kessel Run team have shown me.”

New Yorker Lara Dorsky, Talent Operations Manager, is also no stranger to long distance running having participated in more than 50 marathons and placed 81st in her division in Boston, crossing the finish line in 2:53 (running an average pace of 6:36 per mile).

This year marked Dorsky’s seventh time running the Boston Marathon, and one of her most memorable yet, she said.

“I love the excitement and energy around major marathons like Boston,” Dorsky said. “The whole city seems to be involved in some way or another.”

Out of all of the incredible moments that are bound to happen over the course of 26.2 miles, nothing beat seeing her Kessel Run teammates cheering her on in the rain and greeting her at the finish line.

“The team culture we have at Kessel Run is unbelievable,” Dorsky said. “I’m so grateful to work alongside such thoughtful and dedicated people whose passion for Kessel Run’s mission and unique culture stretches well beyond the typical 9-5.”

There are a lot of parallels we could draw between accomplishing a marathon (let alone 50) and the commitment it takes to serve your country and community, both in and out of uniform. But our biggest takeaway is perseverance. Whether it’s running 26.2 miles in the pouring rain, or pushing the limits on what’s possible to support the warfighter, Kessel Runners will always be ready for the next challenge.

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Digital Directorate
HBB, Kessel Run
Media and Communications Engagement
Email: media@kr.af.mil

Kessel Run selects new deputy

Kessel Run has selected Jennifer McBee as its new deputy division chief. In her new role, she’ll help guide the organization in its mission to deliver warfighting software to deter and defeat adversaries in the digital age.

PACAF command chief visits Kessel Run

As Kessel Run continues to prioritize delivering robust applications for warfighters worldwide, the Pacific Air Forces’ command chief made a timely visit to the unit here, March 20, to meet Airmen and educate them on the current state of the Pacific Region.

By Richard Blumenstein
Kessel Run Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass., (March 23, 2023) – As Kessel Run continues to prioritize delivering robust applications for warfighters worldwide, the Pacific Air Forces’ command chief made a timely visit to the unit here, March 20, to meet Airmen and educate them on the current state of the Pacific Region.

Chief Master Sergeant David R. Wolfe visited as Kessel Run focuses on ensuring resilient operations of current capabilities, and enabling distributed command and control operations in the Pacific. During the visit, he explained the importance of rapidly advancing the Air Force’s capabilities in order to deter potential future conflicts and prevail in a potential major theater war.

“A free and open Indo-Pacific region. That's the command's bumper sticker," said Wolfe. "It's super important that the technology that you guys (Kessel Run) are developing for us has that perspective as a backdrop."

Wolfe said that cooperation with Allies and joint training across the Department of Defense is a key to deter conflicts and prepare forces in the massive Pacific area of responsibility.

“All of the operations happening throughout the Pacific are pre-coordinated joint operations with experimentation and capability development baked in,” Wolfe said.

According to Wolfe, the majority of the world's economy runs through the Pacific, and a significant portion of America's major trade partners are in the region.

“From Hollywood to Bollywood, from polar bears to penguins … that’s the size of our AOR (area of responsibility),” he said. “That’s pretty massive, right? The problem sets that you guys are working on here are influenced by that, and that’s why we need you.”

Kessel Run is a system program office organized as a scalable software factory to architect, manufacture and operate intuitively designed wing and operational level command and control systems to function effectively in highly contested environments.

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Digital Directorate
HBB, Kessel Run
Media and Communications Engagement
Email: media@kr.af.mil