DCPAS Leadership Team
Mr. Jose Conejo
Deputy Director
Mr. Jose Conejo, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Director, Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service, Defense Human Resources Activity, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. In this capacity, Mr. Conejo is responsible for providing policy development, program management guidance, and advisory support for Human Resources operational functions and strategic programs for a workforce of more than 900,000 Department of Defense employees worldwide. Mr. Conejo’s portfolio spans the full spectrum of Human Capital Management, to include workforce planning, talent acquisition and management, development and sustainment, performance management, labor and employee relations, and leader development.
Ms. Sukeena Blair
Technical Director
Ms. Sukeena Blair serves as the Technical Director, Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS), Defense Human Resources Activity, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. In this capacity, Mrs. Blair is responsible for leading a multidisciplinary staff in developing, implementing, maintaining, and assuring the efficient and effective operation of civilian human resources policies, guidance, programs, legislative initiatives, and Executive Orders for a workforce of more than 900,000 Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees worldwide.
Mr. David Bacon
Director, Enterprise Solutions and Integration
Mr. David Bacon is the Director of Enterprise Solutions and Integration (ESI). He serves as the functional portfolio manager and system integrator for the Department of Defense’s Civilian Human Resources Management (CHRM) IT systems. Mr. Bacon also provides enterprise strategic solutions that support more than 900,000 defense employees worldwide through business process re-engineering, process improvement, and system integration.
Mr. Rocky Weaver
Director, Employment and Compensation
Mr. Rocky Weaver is responsible for the oversight of Classification, Compensation, Recruiting, Staffing, and Workforce Restructuring policies and programs for the Department of Defense. Rocky is responsible for a broad spectrum of civilian staffing policies and programs to include those relative to the employment of veterans, military spouses, dual status military technicians, as well as overseas employment and rotation. Additionally, he is responsible for DoD’s classification appeals program and oversees policy on civilian pay and leave, to include numerous pay flexibilities and incentives. In the area of workforce restructuring, he oversees DoD’s Priority Placement Program, provides workforce transition assistance to DoD commanders and managers, and provides oversight for the Department’s Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay and Voluntary Early Retirement Authority authorities, along with other workforce shaping tools.
Ms. Carly Hall
Director, Defense Executive Resources Management Office
Ms. Carly Hall serves as Director, Defense Executive Resources Management Office. In this capacity, she is responsible for policies and programs affecting the civilian Senior Executive workforce within the Military Departments, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Defense Agencies. Program and policies include talent management, development, performance management, workforce planning, staffing, compensation, and utilization.
Mr. James Buchman
Director, Talent Development
Mr. Jim Buchman serves as the Chief Learning Officer/Director of Talent Development and as Chief, DoD Leader Development Programs within the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS). In this capacity, he oversees planning and execution of the Department’s Career and Professional Development and Human Resources Functional Community portfolios, as well as its enterprise civilian leader development programs. The latter include the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program (DCELP), Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), Defense Senior Leader Development Program (DSLDP), White House Leadership Development Program (WHLDP), and Vanguard Senior Executive Development Program.
Ms. Taiwanna Smith
Director, Benefits, Wage and Nonappropriated Fund Policy
Ms. Taiwanna Smith serves as Director, Benefits, Wage, and Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) Policy. In this capacity, she supports 950,000 DOD Appropriated and NAF employees worldwide by facilitating the development and oversight of Human Resources benefits, work-life, wage, and NAF employment policy and vital programs to the civilian workforce. Ms. Smith has extensive Federal experience and has held a multitude of Human Resource leadership positions within DOD.
Ms. Laura “Lex” Stanley
Director, Labor and Employee Relations
Ms. Laura “Lex” Stanley serves as the Director, Labor & Employee Relations. She leads a senior Human Resources Specialists team that delivers innovative policies, advisory and consultative services, training, and operational support for the Department of Defense and its more than 900,000 civilian employees worldwide.
Melissa (Mel) Rubenstein
Director, Planning and Accountability
Ms. Melissa Rubenstein serves as Director, Workforce Planning and Accountability Line of Business in the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS). Her diverse portfolio covers strategic human capital and workforce planning, human capital data analytics, competency management, and an Independent Audit Program (IAP).