Betty Nguyen Phillips, Information System Security Officer, U.S. Secret Service, Washington, DC

In 1971, Betty Nguyen Phillips and her family left their war torn country of Vietnam. Ms. Phillips’ father was offered a job with the Voice Of America in Washington, DC, and from there the family of six, including four children, began their journey to the United States. During her first three years in the United States, she became proficient in English and the customs of her new country.

In 1982, Ms. Phillips joined the U.S. Secret Service becoming the first Vietnamese-American hired by the Secret Service. During her 29 years with the agency she has held several mission-critical positions, including being the first Criminal Research Specialist and Investigative System Specialist in the Secret Service.

In November 2005, she was hired by the Security Engineering Section of the Resources Management Division as the first Information System Security Officer in the Secret Service. Her current position requires her to ensure the security of a number of applications in the agency, including the agency’s Financial and Procurement applications, Computer Aide Facility Management System, and the Learning Management System.

Ms. Phillips is now a six-year breast cancer survivor. She participates annually in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, not only for herself, but for her mother-in-law and sister who did not survive their own trials with breast cancer.

Ms. Phillips became a naturalized citizen in 1980.