Our employee spotlight shines a light on one employee at a time. We value diversity and inclusion and welcome diverse thinking. It takes a village — through collaboration, living safely and driving innovation we realize our goals and help our clients achieve mission success. Our mantra is people first, mission always. In May, we’ll focus on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Today’s Q&A is with Karina Vollmer, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer.
How did you come to join Amentum?
I joined Amentum through the acquisition of PAE in February 2022
What is your professional and personal background?
Professional:
I’ve been in the legal profession since 2005. I started my career in public interest law in the DC area, representing clients who have experienced human trafficking and/or domestic violence. I moved to the in-house global compliance field in 2011, while living in Singapore and working for Tata Communications. I stayed with Tata Communications after returning to the US, and eventually left that company to join legacy PAE in June 2018.
Personal:
I live in Northern VA with my husband, Derek, my two kids (Dewi and Desmond), and my dogs (Dasher and Soto).
My API background: My family is Indonesian, and I was fortunate to have grown up in Jakarta, Indonesia until I was 12 years old. I have 24 cousins in total and I’m grateful to have spent my childhood with them. When I had the opportunity to live and work in Singapore for five years, I enjoyed visiting with family in Indonesia often, as it was only a two-hour flight to Jakarta. Here in the US, I still feel connected to my Indonesian roots with the few close friends that I have in the Indonesian community.
Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.
I’m honored to be responsible for leading the success of Amentum’s ethics and compliance program. Ethics is at the heart of everything that we do at work – in the way we interact with each other, in the business decisions that we make, and in our strategy decisions for the future. The work our team does on a day-to-day basis makes an impact, whether it is providing guidance and training to employees on ethics, responding to ethics concerns that have been raised through the hotline, or holding ourselves accountable and taking corrective action where we identify gaps.
What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?
I’m grateful to have a career where I advocate in many different ways and in manners that impact clients’ lives. Through it all, at the end of the day, I’m most proud of the contributions I’ve made to creating an environment where all of my colleagues feel respected and engaged, regardless of whether they are a direct report, a peer, or a member of the leadership.
What do you enjoy about working for Amentum?
Having the opportunity to work alongside colleagues all over the world, from different backgrounds, and with different expertise. Everyone’s life experiences bring different perspectives and contributes to this rich environment that we work in.
What are you passionate about?
Living and loving life and the people in this life to the fullest.
What’s your career advice?
Never feel like you have to settle. If you want to see changes, advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak up.
What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?
Get plenty of sleep! It’s hard to get through the day safely without enough rest.
What’s the best invention in the world and why?
The airplane. Being able to see different parts of the world by hopping on a flight is pretty amazing.
Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?
I’m looking forward to getting to know my new colleagues at Amentum!
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you?
What a special time to celebrate the work and contributions of the API community at Amentum. I am proud to be part of this community and look forward to sharing my experiences and culture with you.
