Jana DiCarlo

Jana DiCarlo is Chief of Staff based in Reston, Virginia. She launched her career in the printing industry in the 1980s before moving into sales of temporary employees, printing, and office products. By accident she became an executive assistant, supporting the general manager at the Hyatt Fairlakes in Fairfax, Virginia, and later advancing through roles at Woodward and Lothrop corporate headquarters. DiCarlo found her greatest professional fulfillment in administrative and chief of staff-like positions at government contracting firms, notably supporting a CEO at a British-owned company where she handled confidential matters and served as a key conduit to the executive team. She also worked at SAIC, SOSI, SI International, and Network Solutions, where her first CEO Jim Rutt taught her to value her contributions and negotiate appropriate compensation. DiCarlo holds a degree from a liberal arts college chosen for its equestrian studies program and competed on the intercollegiate horse showing team, experiences that built her resilience and emotional intelligence. Outside her professional roles she has volunteered with USO care packages, Cornerstones backpack stuffing, the Susan G. Komen Walk for Breast Cancer in memory of her mother, No Kid Hungry, and coached girls in horse shows, emphasizing values of confidentiality, transparency, loyalty, and a natural drive to assist others. She notes that while AI enhances efficiency in support roles, building relationships remains challenging in remote work environments due to lost nuance in digital communication.