Ceara Shaughnessy

• Oversees global workforce development and program management for 1.4K personnel, supporting the prevention of harmful behaviors and improved readiness for 2.9M personnel across the DoD.

• Advised senior leadership on science-based approaches to fostering healthy, high-performing teams and mitigating risks associated with hostile work environments

• Support enterprise-level evaluations at 67 high-risk installations and develop prevention tools and templates for the Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce.

• Engage regularly with Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO), Office of People Analytics, and other key agencies to synchronize enterprise prevention strategies.

• Served as subject matter expert for suicide prevention and interpersonal violence policy, shaping enterprise-wide prevention strategies for 700,000+ personnel.

• Applied behavioral science to address systemic barriers and support equity in workforce development.

• Developed strategic briefings and recommendations for top leadership, emphasizing risk mitigation strategies.

• Cultivated strong professional partnerships and stakeholder engagement across governmental and non-governmental organizations, driving synchronized information-sharing across institutional boundaries.

• Directed EO program for 3.5K personnel, managing the intake, investigation, and resolution of over 100 complaints involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

• Provided neutral consultation, mediations, and conflict resolution services with a 95% successful resolution rate.

• Conducted workplace climate assessments and interviews, using data analysis to brief stakeholders and drive leadership engagement and policy changes.

• Utilized qualitative and quantitative data to track program performance and provide data-driven recommendations, contributing to a 25% improvement in perceived workplace culture metrics.

• Developed and maintained the unit’s EO strategic plan, enhancing program alignment with organizational goals and diversity objectives.

• Senior advisor to 13 Program Managers supporting 92 global installation prevention teams, delivering operational guidance and strategic oversight for initiatives impacting over 700K personnel

• Piloted Air Force-wide postvention and lethal means safety initiatives.

• Authored the first Violence Prevention Desk Guide and standardized onboarding and continuing education curriculum for over 500 professionals, establishing baseline competencies and elevating programmatic excellence.

• Represented senior leaders at high-visibility forums, including DoD level meetings, national conferences, and interagency working groups, advocating for organizational priorities and advancing policy initiatives.

• Strategized and secured a $800K communications and marketing contract, building a global outreach strategy to amplify prevention messaging, enhance stakeholder engagement, and increase program awareness.

• Oversaw installation-wide violence and suicide prevention programs for 6,100 personnel.

• Provided leadership and supervision for a 30+ member team, focusing on interpersonal engagement and communication skills, conflict resolution skills, setting performance expectations, and prevention models to mitigate interpersonal and self-directed violence.

• Developed installation-wide strategies to enhance resilience, diversity, inclusion, and quality of life outcomes.

• Designed and implemented the annual training plan for violence prevention, delivering standardized, evidence-based education to military personnel and aligning content with agency established Prevention Framework.

I was brought on as an interim program director to develop an adolescent outpatient substance abuse program due to partnerships and relationships I had established within the community. Therapy Services, LLC provides outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for addictive and co-occurring disorders. I collaborated with the justice system to include drug court and home court to provide integrated family services. At the time, this program was the only adolescent outpatient group in the area. The services provided included: assessments, intakes, collaborative treatment planning and coordination of care, education, relapse prevention, crisis intervention, individual counseling, and group counseling for adolescents with mild substance use disorders.

• Led operational oversight of a university-affiliated counseling clinic, offering a hands-on training environment that aligned with competency-based education and adult professional development principles.

• Developed community-based support groups for trauma, TBI, reintegration, and substance abuse populations.

• Oversaw practicum and internship programs, integrating experiential learning with evidence-based supervision.

• Created and implemented a departmental gatekeeping and remediation policy, enhancing accountability and program standards through structured development plans.

• Developed a Clinical Supervision course and authored the Clinical Experiences Manual, improving learning outcomes and professional readiness among future counselors.

Progressive roles and program scope escalating in responsibilities.
• Flight Commander during Operation Lone Star (2021–2022), overseeing 60+ person team performing state/federal efforts along the Texas border.
• Director of Equal Opportunity for the 184th Air National Guard Wing (2019–2021), advising senior leaders, and fostering a culture of respect and accountability across 1,200+ personnel.
• Deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2015–2016) as Engineering & Installations Team Chief