Leidos Chief of Staff on Why a Successful Career Path Isn’t Always a Straight Line

Quiana Smith, chief of staff for Leidos Intelligence Group President Roy Stevens, will be a spotlight speaker during our Leidos Career and Collaboration Event on Jan. 31. Quiana will join us to talk about how diverse perspectives power collaboration, how to establish mentor relationships, and more. Event attendance is limited — register today.

We spoke with Quiana about her career path and how being open to new challenges has shaped her journey.

After obtaining a security clearance early in her career, Quiana was a systems engineer working as a government contractor for Lockheed Martin, and she joined Leidos as part of the merger in 2016. After steadily advancing in that role, Quiana moved into project management, taking on projects with increasing size and complexity, including several rooted in critical capability areas like software development and cybersecurity. After only two years, Quiana was promoted to deputy program manager, working on the planning, organization, development and delivery of capabilities aligned to customers’ missions.

For close to five years, she engaged with PMO support staff; with the program/customer; and across multiple leadership levels while ensuring the program ran within scope, on schedule and in accordance with budget constraints.

“The deputy program manager role was essential for me, both in terms of building and navigating relationships within and external to Leidos and honing skills outside of my comfort zone as a systems engineer,” Quiana says. “You’re leading multiple tasks, solving problems and making decisions under pressure with tight timelines.”

While she enjoyed the challenges and successes inherent to her deputy PM role, when Quiana became aware of the chief of staff position, she realized it was a unique opportunity to learn more about Leidos from a rare vantage point while leveraging myriad skills and experience from her previous roles.

“When I became chief of staff supporting Roy in 2021, it was a leap, a departure of sorts from what I was accustomed to, and I’m so glad I took a turn from the standard track — it has been and continues to be an incredible career move for me,” Quiana said. “I’m a facilitator and liaison between Roy and the Intelligence Group leadership team, making sure things are communicated clearly in both directions and that the group stays focused on priorities like growth areas, customer missions, and critical initiatives like hiring and employee engagement.” In the almost two years she’s been in the chief of staff role, Quiana says she’s gained a broader perspective — from institutional knowledge and business strategy standpoints when it comes to her career path.

“There are a lot of positive, impactful aspects to this role," she says, including Stevens becoming a mentor and offering his encouragement and support when it comes to Quiana and group employees taking advantage of professional development and other resources Leidos offers. “My perspective has totally changed, and that’s in large part thanks to Roy and his receptivity to my natural curiosity and drive when it comes to strategies and how things get done,“ she says. “We bounce ideas off each other every day, and he’s always willing to talk through how and why certain business decisions are made. That’s invaluable exposure, and it’s part of what’s enabled me to gain a better understanding of overall strategies and given me a new appreciation for how leaders think about overarching goals when it comes to people, programs and overall growth.“

When Quiana transitioned from program manager to chief of staff, it was an unanticipated move — especially for her. But she’s learned that those unplanned turns in your career path can actually build critical skills and relationships.

Quiana reiterates the value of diversity and collaboration, components she enjoys in her role with the Intelligence Group and sees most often realized when people welcome and encourage unique perspectives and actively include different views of the same challenges. “Take risks and get comfortable being uncomfortable. If something piques your interest, go for it. Learn from each new experience,“ she says. “Build your network, ask questions and keep learning.“

Have questions for Quiana? The virtual Leidos Career and Collaboration Event will take place Tuesday, Jan. 31 from noon to 2 p.m. ET. Register to attend.