Crystal Johnson

Mentorship Commitment Preference: Participate in short-term mentoring (connect only during scheduled LinkUp events). Crystal is available to meet both online and in-person. 

Industry: Federal Government

Employer: U.S. Department of State

Job Title: Contracting Officer

Areas Sharon is interested in mentoring: 

• Work-life Balance
• Resume Review
• Career Planning
• Networking Strategies
• Skill Development
• Leadership Growth
• Communication Skills
• Time Management
• Goal Setting and Motivation
• Graduate School Advice

Bio: 

Crystal Johnson is a federal Contracting Officer who specializes in IT and cybersecurity procurements. In her current role with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Acquisitions, Crystal supports major cybersecurity requirements and advises teams across multiple bureaus, translating mission needs into acquisition strategies that move requirements from planning to award in a compliant, practical way.

Previously, Crystal supported major DHS and DOT programs, including high-value identity and vetting initiatives at TSA and complex cost/price and IDIQ actions at the Federal Transit Administration and U.S. Coast Guard. Across these roles, Crystal has partnered closely with technical teams and industry, using market research, clear requirements, and strong stakeholder coordination to deliver effective outcomes.

Crystal’s work helps enable secure systems and services that support mission operations, with a focus on getting the acquisition strategy right so technical solutions can be delivered faster and with less risk.

Describe how you got your first job: 

For my first job, the “door opener” was an internship with the federal government that turned into a full-time role.

I started by applying for an internship opportunity and treated it like a real job from day one by showing up prepared, learning quickly, and asking for work that built trust. That performance led to an intern conversion into a federal Contract Specialist position with the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid (2016–2018). 

That early start mattered because it gave me hands-on exposure to federal contracting, helped me build credibility early, and created a clear pathway into IT-focused acquisition roles later in my career.

If you were starting your career today, what is the one piece of advice you would give yourself? 

If I were starting my career today, I would tell myself: build relationships early and learn the “why” behind the work, not just the steps.

In federal IT and cybersecurity contracting, the people who move fastest and grow the most are the ones who can sit with technical teams, ask strong questions, understand the mission problem, and then translate that into a clear acquisition strategy. That credibility with program offices, legal, finance, and industry opens doors to better projects, better mentorship, and stretch opportunities.

In what ways has your career path been unique or unconventional?

My career path has been unique because it started outside of federal contracting and technology. Early on, work as a Registered Behavior Technician built strengths in communication, professionalism, and working well under pressure. That was followed by an internship at the Fairfax County Courthouse, which provided early exposure to sociel services and how local government environments operate.

From there, the path shifted into federal service through a government internship that became a full-time role, and it has since progressed into IT and cybersecurity procurements across multiple agencies, including DHS and DOT, and now the Department of State’s Bureau of Global Acquisitions. That combination of human-centered experience, local government exposure, and cross-agency federal acquisition work has shaped an approach that is both people-focused and execution-driven.

What career paths have you explored or transitioned between? 

I have explored and transitioned between several paths before landing where I am now.

I started in a people-focused role as a Registered Behavior Technician, then pursued graduate school in criminology because the original goal was to build a career in that space. While on that path, I secured an internship with the federal government, and that opportunity shifted everything. The internship opened the door to full-time federal service and became the foundation for the career I have built since, including work across multiple agencies and leading major cybersecurity requirements today.

What skills or experiences have been most valuable in your career?

• Learning how to build relationships on purpose.
• Turning small chats into real opportunities: following up, offering help, volunteering for projects, and asking to be considered when something opens up.
• Finding mentors and sponsors early: connecting with people who can share context, give feedback, and pull me into rooms I would not have access to on my own.
• Building a reputation people remember: being reliable, responsive, and prepared so people feel confident bringing me onto important work.

These approaches have helped me create opportunities instead of waiting for them to show up.

Were you involved in any affinity groups during your time at Mason?

• Early Identification Program (EIP)

Crystal is open to participating in informational interviews