It is not every day that the Cape Fox Employee Spotlight Tinàa Award gets to be bestowed on an entire team, but that is what happened recently. On December 16, 2024, Cape Fox Federal Integrators (CFFI), LLC, a Cape Fox Corporation subsidiary, awarded their network team of seven individuals with the Cape Fox Employee Spotlight Tinàa Awards for their exceptional collaboration, expertise, and success. The Cape Fox Tinàa Award is presented to employees who demonstrate dedication, performance, dependability, productivity, and attitude. This time, CFFI is delighted to present it to their network team for exemplifying the unity a great team has and how it leads to success.
The seven individuals who make up the CFFI network team include:
- Ignacio Valadez (Team Lead – Sr Network Technician)
- Walt Lee (Sr Network Technician)
- Chelston Acoba (Sr Network Technician)
- Malik Harris (Sr Network Technician)
- Esteban Lara (Sr Network Technician)
- Trevonte Hamilton (Jr Network Technician)
- Brandon Pelaquin (Jr Network Technician)
The CFFI Network Team is responsible for providing daily network administration and access control to operations and testing and training personnel and students for networks and systems ranging in classification from unclassified to Top Secret SAP/SCI. They also support operations to provide mission connectivity between multiple locations, including FOLs, Air and Space Operations Centers (AOC), CONUS locations, and higher headquarters. In addition, they provide support, including building, installing, testing, and maintaining communications network software and hardware infrastructure for all systems required for operation and assume a zero/thin client or equivalent virtualized environment with an estimated 200 total users using 22 networks.
In September 2023, The network team was tasked with creating a stand-alone secure network for the LO ISR enterprise to conduct mission-essential operations supporting higher headquarters taskings. This network was built from the ground up to order, coordinate, and assemble all infrastructure, equipment, and network system components. Creating system pathways and security protocols, acquiring licenses and testing, and installing new network terminals in all designated areas across five separate units. In less than 12 months, the CFFI network team accomplished this task and had a fully functioning network; they also saved the government $139K by utilizing current CFFI manning instead of an outside specialized network contract for the build. Lastly, this new network increased LO ISR operational capabilities exponentially by adding 154 overall users, enhanced network stability, and provided flexibility for unit commanders to conduct operations across the entire enterprise.
Kimberly Kaufman, CFFI Program Manager and Site Lead, complimented her exceptional team, “I appreciate all of the hard work and commitment that the CFFI Network team has provided during my time as Site Lead and now as Program Manager. I can always count on their professionalism and expertise to get the job done, and knowing that allows me to focus my efforts in other areas that need my attention. They truly are the backbone of this contract, and I hope they know just how much we appreciate them.”
The CFFI Network Team continues to showcase their exceptional talent, experience, and professionalism by accomplishing any task given. This team truly represents what it is to be a TEAM as they all worked together and towards the unified vision and goal of creating this network. They take pride in their work and support each other while providing exceptional customer support. CFFI is delighted to honor this team and looks forward to what the future holds with their work!
