Scaling sustainable talent strategies & building leadership pipelines
SynergyUSA strengthened hiring, retention, and leadership development to elevate women’s executive representation across DHS law enforcement agencies.
By law, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must hire enough female officers to conduct same-gender pat-downs at airport checkpoints. While women made up over 40% of entry-level TSOs, by 2014 they held less than 25% of leadership roles. This disparity limited career advancement and visibility for women in security operations, leaving many without clear pathways to leadership.
Under the leadership of SynergyUSA Founder Kimberly Walton, TSA achieved two goals:
Advancing the representation of women employees at TSA, especially at managerial and supervisory levels
Ensuring operational readiness and policy compliance by optimizing staffing for same-gender pat-down protocols
How we utilized the following tools to strengthen hiring, retention, and leadership development:
Leadership Development & Empowerment: We launched “Women Executives at TSA,” an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that elevated women's voices through town halls featuring industry leaders like National Football League (NFL) Security Chief Cathy Lanier and former U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Elaine Duke.
Mentorship & Networking: We spearheaded “Why Not You,” a traveling panel of women executives that delivered career insights, flash mentoring, and advancement strategies directly to frontline TSA employees.
Data Analytics: We designed and implemented a comprehensive data strategy—surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, and benchmarking—to assess hiring, retention, and advancement practices at TSA, uncover barriers to leadership, and identify areas for improvement.
Cross-Divisional Collaboration: We mobilized women and allied employees across airports and field offices nationwide to actively discuss, address, and drive solutions for workplace challenges impacting their careers and experiences.
Results Achieved:
Between FY2015 and FY2019, female representation at TSA rose significantly, reaching 40.67% overall—43% at entry-level, 23.35% in management, and 32.49% in executive roles. The program’s proven success was scaled across DHS law enforcement agencies, amplifying impact. This growth in women leaders earned Ms. Walton the 2015 DHS Secretarial Award for Excellence in Diversity.
“Kim is a pillar of the TSA community, serving as President of our Women Executives at TSA, an employee advocacy group devoted to developing future leaders.”
“Kim is recognized agency wide for her contribution and commitment to mentorship, her approachability and her passion for and commitment to our important transportation security mission.”
- David Pekoske, TSA Administrator