Ms. Heather M. Sims provides Security Strategy, Planning and Collaboration support to the Chief Security Officer at the General Dynamics Corporate Headquarters in Reston, Virginia.   Her primary responsibility is to provide subject matter expertise for all security disciplines and insider threat guidance throughout the General Dyanmics companies worldwide. 

Ms. Sims is also the current Industry Spokesperson to the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC).  NISPPAC members advise on all matters concerning the policies of the National Industrial Security Program, including recommending changes.  The NISPPAC serves as a forum to discuss policy issues in dispute.

Prior to her arrival at GD in September 2017, Mrs. Heather Sims was the Assistant Deputy Director for Industrial Security Field Operations at the former Defense Security Service, now Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency located in Quantico, Virginia.  Mrs. Sims was responsible for the day-to-day field operations throughout the United States and was an instrumental liaison to other government agencies and cleared contractors .  Prior to assuming the role of Assistant Deputy Director, she was the St. Louis Field Office Chief, responsible for supporting approximately 700 facilities in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, and Iowa.  Mrs. Sims last role with DSS was a special Department of Defense project on behalf of the Secretary of Defense researching and preparing a Congressional response to The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 Section 951, ultimately bringing the personnel security investigation mission back to the department for the federal government.

Prior to her current position with DSS, Mrs. Sims was the Chief, Plans and Programs,

375 Security Forces Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.  Mrs. Sims provided supervision to over 27 staff personnel comprised of civilian, military and contractors.  She had program management oversight of the following;  Police Service, Installation Security, Physical Security, Electronic Security Systems, Policy and Plans, Installation Constable, Reports and Analysis and Information/Industrial/Personnel Security at an Air Force installation that was home to USTRANSCOM, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Air Force Communications Agency and three Air Force wings  Additionally,  Mrs. Sims was responsible for security oversight of 64 geographically separated units spread throughout the United States.

Mrs. Sims holds a Bachelor’s degree in Workforce Education and Development from the University Southern Illinois. She is also a graduate of the Excellence in Government Senior Fellows Program and the Federal Executive Institute as well as a recipient of the Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service award.  Mrs. Sims grew up in Pennsylvania and began her Air Force career in August 1989 as a Law Enforcement Specialist.  Following Law Enforcement technical training, she was assigned to various overseas and stateside assignments working a variety of law enforcement and security positions.  She lives in O’Fallon, Illinois with her husband John Sims and their three children.