NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
Defense Logistics Agency Human Resources conducted a hybrid graduation ceremony to recognize graduates of the Pathways to Career Excellence program at Defense Supply Center Columbus, Ohio, and Defense Distribution Center, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, June 1.
Brad Bunn, vice director, DLA, keynoted the PACE ceremony that recognized 53 graduates in Columbus, 23 in New Cumberland, and one participating remotely.
“This graduation stands as a powerful testament to the vibrant future that you all have, and the future of this agency. You've joined a world-class agency, and in my estimation, you've joined the best HR organization in the federal government, and that I've ever been affiliated with,” Bunn said. “Some of you came to us already part of the DLA team and chose to do something different, and to advance and grow with this opportunity. Others are brand new to the agency and have only been here. This is their first job with the Department of War with DLA, but whether you come from down the hall or across the country, you all represent the driving commitment that defines our overall DLA workforce.”
The PACE program is a structured, two-year developmental training program designed to prepare entry-level personnel for professional, administrative, and technological careers within the agency. Participants enter as full-time civil service employees and undergo a combination of formal instruction, rotational assignments and hands-on training to rapidly advance to higher positions within the agency.
“When I think about our core imperatives, the most critical component to that success is you. It's our people and the culture that we build that drives our strategic plan. It's our commitment to investing in talent with the right skill sets and a deep dedication to our mission. You all are the embodiment of that commitment,” Bunn said. “In fact, we're already seeing the impact of that investment. 12 of you have already been promoted even before walking across this stage, and I'm incredibly proud to say that 100% of this cohort has chosen to continue your careers here at DLA. Your experience, training, and unwavering dedication are precisely what we need to drive this agency forward.”
The 2026 DLA Human Resources PACE graduates are:
- Jeffery Aldridge
- Brandess Alexander
- Lavaughn Arizipe
- Tyler Aronson
- Melinda Avery
- Cedric Baldwin
- Keenan Binns
- Jalyn Black
- Madison Boughford
- Alexander Brudnicki
- Michael Comport
- Chad Darby
- Kaitlyn Debow
- Adam Delozier
- Kristen Dowd
- Martinique Eaddie
- Anthony Edwards
- Emma Erickson
- Kezia Evans
- Sarah Evans
- Alexandra Foreman
- Joshua Foster
- Robert Gadient
- Lauren Gausel
- Zachary Grafton
- Marla Guice
- Christina Hairston
- Charmaine Hall
- Atukuzwe Haonga
- Ismael Haynes
- Cachet Henderson
- Candace Hornung
- Averi Houck
- Tyler Huston
- Geoffery Jackson
- Justin Jones
- David Kadel
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- Mei Kallman
- Kendrik Kennemur
- Megan Krebs
- Victoria Lomman
- Juan Lopez-Conde
- Payton McCauley
- Jesime McCullough
- Kylie McGinnis
- Allyson McMullin
- Ashley Mitchell
- Skylar Moore
- Ashley Nieves
- Christopher Nossett
- Rachelle Prater
- Michelle Ream
- Latishia Riley
- Austin Roberts
- Timia Ross
- Casie Ross
- Andrew Ryan
- Roschel Schmigotzki
- Timothy Shankle
- Chelsea Shillott
- Leah Shorr
- Kristin Shultz
- Christine Slatzer
- Riley Smith
- Olivia Sprague
- Morgan Strejcek
- James Sullivan, III
- Matthew Todd
- Maria Walton-Gonzalez
- Haleigh Weddle
- Katrina Wellborn
- Emily Wright
- Elisabeth Yruegas
- Rui Zhang
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“As you step into that role that you're playing now and that you will play in the future, I encourage you to be bold, ask those tough questions, challenge the status quo, bring ideas and solutions to the table,” Bunn said. “We call ourselves the nation's logistics combat support agency, and that includes not just those who are doing the core mission work of procurement and acquisition of commodities and spare parts that go directly to our military service members and those units, it includes our HR, our finance, our IT, all of those enabling functions that really represent what makes this agency different from others. So, look around at your fellow graduates, you're a coalition of future leaders, a community of dedicated professionals. Learn from each other, rely on each other, get to know each other and continue to push each other to higher heights.”