Mary Snavely-Dixon

Advisor

Former Director of the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower)

Mary Snavely-Dixon (AKA Mary Dixon) retired in 2017 as the Director of the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), a rapidly growing, high performing, operational support organization reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness). DMDC maintains the central repository of 55 million records for military, civilians, retirees, family members, and selected contractors. With a staff of over 1000, DMDC develops and maintains enterprise solutions for benefits and entitlements, identity management, decision support, and personnel security/assurance. DMDC’s mission directly impacts the security of DoD’s networks and facilities across the enterprise and the delivery of the right benefit to the right person at the right time.

From 1998 through 2004, Ms. Dixon directed the DoD Access Card Office where she managed the enterprise implementation of smart card technology, also know as the Common Access Card (CAC). The CAC program was the genesis of strong identity management, not just in the DoD, but across the Federal Government.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Dixon worked for the Navy in positions of increasing responsibility and as a senior analyst for Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 1977, she was appointed the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower) where she was responsible for military manpower, personnel, and training policy and issues within the Department of the Navy. Throughout her career Ms. Dixon has had laser focus on the mission and producing solutions that make a difference. Ms. Dixon currently serves as an advisor to Dignari, LLC, and as a Board member of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.