JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Thirteen senior civilian leaders will participate in the Air Force Civilian Strategic Leader Program (CSLP) following screening and assessment by a 10-member selection board, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

CSLP is the Air Force's senior corporate career broadening program designed to further develop multi-skilled civilian employees in the GS-14 and GS-15 grades. This experiential assignment program allows participants an opportunity to work outside of their functional area of expertise for up to three years.

"The purpose of the program is to provide an avenue to develop our civilian workforce with corporate experience," said David Van Steenburg, the AFPC Force Renewal and Development Division chief. “The programs' success grows each year with many of the participants selected for higher levels of responsibility, to include senior executive service, upon graduating from the centrally managed program."

CSLP-selects will be matched to one of three interrelated areas designed to enhance overall development and management of a specific segment of the civilian strategic workforce. Those areas include installation level, with positions such as the deputy director of installation support; headquarters Air Force level, with positions such as program analyst and director's action group; and joint positions such as associate director of information and cyberspace policy, said Edward Vargas, the CSLP program co-manager.

CSLP has 60 worldwide enterprise positions, and selection for the program is very competitive, said Angela Cominetti, the CSLP program co-manager. Similar to the colonel command screening board, the CSLP board focused on selecting the most highly-qualified Airmen.

The board assessed each candidate for high-quality leadership performance, progressive supervisory experience and advanced education. Following the CSLP selection board, the Air Force chief of staff approved the list of selected candidates. These 13 individuals will be considered for positions at the installation, headquarters Air Force and joint levels.

Program participants and their current assignments include the following:

- Lee A. Conesa, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
- Raul Diaz, 50th Network Operations Group, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado
- Braden P. DeLauder, Headquarters Air Force Global Mobility, Pentagon
- Nader Hendizadeh, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- Nathan C. Herro, Headquarters United States Air Force in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
- Robert B. Hughes, 6th Civil Engineer Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida
- Richard Johnson, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- Cynthia Schurr, Headquarters Air Force Science, Technology, and Engineering Leadership Directorate, Pentagon
- Mark Secan Headquarters United States Air Force in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
- Ian Talbot, Headquarters Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Pentagon
- Mary Morfitt, Headquarters Air Force, Force Development Integration Division, Pentagon
- Jill Willinghan-Allen, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- Woodrow Wilson 45th Force Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, Florida

The Air Force will begin accepting applications for the 2016 CSLP program in February 2015, with nomination packages due to AFPC by May 1. Candidates must be nominated by their local leadership to be considered for the program.

For more information about CSLP and other civilian personnel opportunities, go to the myPers website, select "Search All Components" from the drop down menu, and enter "CSLP" in the search window.