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National Veterans Small Business Engagement

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November 7 - 9, 2023

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Kissimmee, Florida

VA Key Leaders Attending

Sharon Ridley

Executive Director
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

Kimberly Osborne

Deputy Executive Director
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

Sharon G. Ridley, MSW, LCSW is the Deputy Executive Director for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She is responsible for oversight of programs that promote small business participation in VA procurements, with special emphasis on Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses.

Prior to her position with OSDBU, Ms. Ridley served as the Executive Director, Network Support, leading initiatives to advance Secretary of Veterans Affairs priorities. Reporting directly to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and
Management of the largest integrated health care system in the nation ($70B budget, 1250 sites of care, and more than 300,000 employees). In this role she provided health care operations guidance and information on strategic initiatives to regional leadership including 18 Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) directors and 172 medical center directors.


Ms. Ridley previously served for 6 years as Chief Operating Officer in the Veterans Health Administration Procurement and Logistics Office, providing primary support to the chief officer, whose responsibilities included leadership and oversight to approximately 2,800 contracting and logistics professionals. She supervised a staff of 27 and provided oversight for budget and fiscal responsibilities (in excess of $308M), human resources, the Chicago-based Data Collection and Extraction Program, and many other management functions.


Past VA experiences included serving as a Health System Specialist in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management; as the Administrative Officer for the Geriatric Rehabilitative and Extended Care Center at VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, where she provided a broad range of administrative functions including consultation, support, resolution of staffing issues, and oversight and approval of the budget; as the Business Operations Manager for the VHA Employee Education System; an assignment in VA’s National Cemetery Administration headquarters; and as a psychiatric social worker at VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.


Before joining VA, Ms. Ridley served as Director, U.S. Navy Family Service Center, Sasebo, Japan. She provided a broad range of community services for a population of approximately 6,000 military service members and their families. Ms. Ridley directed programs for a multi-service organization, which included 13 core technical programs.


Ms. Ridley is a proven leader with a broad range of successful work experiences with Veterans, military members, civilians and contractors, across the country and internationally. She has over 22 years of experience leading clinical and administrative programs, both internal and external to the Federal government, at the national level and in the field.


She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Tuskegee University and a Master of Science degree in Social Work from Clark Atlanta University. She is licensed by the Florida Clinical Board of Social Work Examiners and is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute.

Ms. Kimberly Osborne was selected to serve as the Deputy Executive Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in May 2021. The experience she brings to bear ensures timely and efficient customer service. Ms. Osborne implements the Secretary’s four guiding principles of Advocacy, Access, Outcomes and Excellence through her oversight of VA small business programs.


Before coming to OSDBU, Ms. Osborne worked at the VA Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) where she applied her talents to an array of roles during her 26 years of service. As Deputy Vice Chairman, Ms. Osborne was an active member of the Board’s Senior Executive management team. 
In this role, she directly supervised hundreds of Veterans Law Judges, attorneys and professional administrative staff in issuing quality and timely Board decisions.


In 2006, Ms. Osborne was appointed by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson as a Veterans Law Judge, with the approval of President George W. Bush. Ms. Osborne’s responsibilities included presiding over hearings and independently reviewing, and issuing, appellate decisions for the Secretary of VA. As a Chief Veteran’s Law Judge in 2008, she managed a team of approximately 50 attorneys and judges in deciding appeals.


Ms. Osborne’s motivational leadership style is a blend of optimism and excellence, and this ethic permeates her ability to build highly productive teams which enhance the lives of Veterans. She is a proud recipient of the 2019 “Gears of Government Award,” which she received from VA Secretary Robert L. Wilkie. Her dedication to working with Veterans is rooted in gratitude for the sacrifices Veterans make. Ms. Osborne’s commitment to serving others defines her work at VA. Away from professional pursuits, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 28 years, her family and friends, as well as spending time volunteering at her church.


Ms. Osborne is an active member of the Virginia State Bar. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and later attained a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law.


CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
Deputy Executive Director, OSDBU	2021 - Present
Deputy Vice Chairman, BVA	2016- 2021
Chief Veterans Law Judge, BVA	2008- 2016
Veterans Law Judge, BVA	2006- 2008
Senior Counsel, BVA	2003- 2006
Counsel, BVA	1997- 2003
Associate Counsel, BVA	1994- 2003


EDUCATION
The Federal Executive Institute, Leadership for a Democratic Society, 2007.
Leadership VA 2003
Juris Doctorate 1993, Wake Forest University School of Law
Bachelor of Arts 1989, University of Maryland Baltimore County


AWARDS AND HONORS:
BVA Exceptional Performance Awards Recipient
BVA Special Contribution Awards Recipient


PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
Virginia Bar Association
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association

Warning

National Veterans Small Business Engagement

VA Key Leaders Attending

Sharon Ridley

Kimberly Osborne

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