Senior FOIA Analyst and Privacy Expert
Resume:
KAREN SHAW
FOIA Analyst
Washington, DC, *****
240-***-**** ********@*****.***
SUMMARY Dynamic Senior FOIA Analyst/Senior Paralegal with over 20 years of dedicated experience in managing complex FOIA\Privacy requests for various federal agencies. Proficient in executing document reviews and applying legal exemptions while ensuring compliance with regulations. Successfully supervised a team and processed high volumes of requests and Appeals, achieving consistency and thoroughness. Armed with a Juris Doctor degree, expertise in legal research, significant Appeals experience and a commitment to enhancing transparency and accountability. Ready to deliver unparalleled support to Federal Agencies and State Governments, leveraging skills to streamline FOIA and Privacy operations effectively. WORK EXPERIENCE
01/2026- 05/2026 DHS Acting Privacy Officer/HIPAA Consultant. (Contractor with Midtown) Washington, DC
Drafted HIPAA compliant policies and procedures, agency wide non-disclosure Agreements and incident reporting plan.
Designed checklist for incident reporting and responded to any breech of confidential information.
Consulted with outside firm conducting agency wide risk assessment plan. 01/2024 – 09/2024 FOIA Team Lead, Food and Drug Administration CDRH/ Brillient Corporation
(Contractor)
Washington, DC
Trained new staff members and delegated work assignments while ensuring compliance with deadlines and page count requirements.
Verified the accuracy of data entered in FOIA express and the client's internal system.
Conducted initial quality control reviews of documents processed by the team.
Ensured adherence to agency protocols and incorporated subject matter expert (SME) and legal recommendations.
Assessed, requested, and collected applicable fees for services rendered.
Compiled and submitted weekly and monthly reports for both the client and the contracting agency.
02/2023 –09/2023 Senior FOIA Analyst/Paralegal, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Washington, DC Panum (Contractor)
Processed incoming FOIA and Privacy Act requests efficiently and accurately.
Requested relevant documents from various program offices to fulfill requests.
Redacted sensitive information in accordance with agency protocols, utilizing appropriate exemptions.
Drafted responses and prepared documentation for FOIA and Privacy Act requests, coordinating proposed information disclosures across multiple agency entities.
Conducted first-level reviews of documents prepared for litigation purposes.
Identified interests of other agencies and collaborated with SMEs, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and external agencies to ensure compliance.
Maintained consistency with prior releases and eliminated duplicate information.
Prepared appeals, gathered relevant documents, monitored court actions and coordinated with Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA’s) and district personnel. Maintained court procedure and timeline calendars.
03/2018 – 10/2019 Senior FOIA Analyst/Paralegal, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Washington, DC Xentity (Contractor)
Managed both simple and complex FOIA requests across various record types, including exhibits, investigative files, disciplinary actions, and civil complaint.
Managed incoming mail, acknowledged receipt, scanned into appropriate databases, compiled and prepared documents for Appeal packages for SEC Attorneys
Redacted privileged or confidential information as required and ensured compliance with applicable statutory exemptions.
Applied various exemptions such as (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), (b)(7)(C), (b)(7) (A), and (c)(1) exclusion to safeguard sensitive information. Drafted FOIA determination letters with accompanying responsive documents, ensuring timely dispatch to requesters.
Utilized numerous databases for comprehensive research, including but not limited to NRSI, Corp Fin, EDGAR, and IRIS.
Facilitated liaison activities with SEC local and regional offices to gather responsive documents for review.
Notified requesters when fees exceeded established thresholds in FOIA requests.
Provided required processing updates to requesters and branch chiefs regarding their assigned requests.
05/2017 – 01/2018 Senior FOIA Analyst, Department of Education/Robert Half (Consultant) Washington, DC
Processed incoming and backlogged FOIA requests, both manually and using FOIAXpress platforms.
Reviewed various documents, including emails, leases, design plans, blueprints, and construction contracts, for relevance and compliance.
Applied pertinent FOIA exemptions, performing necessary redactions and communicating with requesters as required.
Handled correspondence including acknowledgment letters, fee assessments, submitter communications, and final agency responses.
06/2016 – 10/2016 Senior FOIA Analyst, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Axiom Corporation Washington, DC
(Contractor)
Processed backlogged FOIA requests electronically through FOIAXpress. Reviewed diverse documentation including emails, medical reports, environmental studies, and law enforcement records for responsiveness and content accuracy.
Applied appropriate FOIA exemptions and executed necessary document redactions.
Managed processing of up to 500 pages daily, maintaining compliance with agency standards. 07/2013 – 06/2015 Senior FOIA Analyst, (HRSA) Data Federal (Contractor) Washington, DC
Led a team of four attorneys in managing FOIA requests, both backlogged and current.
Prepared Privacy Disclosure Notices (PDN) and facilitated response processing.
Engaged in effective communication with requesters, clients, senior staff, and program directors to clarify requests and provide comprehensive responses.
Trained and supervised new staff members, directed project workflows, and ensured timely task completion.
Developed policies and procedures, standardized response language, and oversaw the reorganization of the FOIA Office.
Compiled monthly, quarterly, and annual reports detailing FOIA activity. 10/2012 – 04/2013 Senior FOIA Analyst, Department of Veterans Affairs (Contractor w/Parker Tide) Washington, DC
Processed incoming and backlogged FOIA requests using both manual and electronic systems
(FOIAXpress).
Reviewed documents, emails, leases, designs, blueprints, and construction contracts, ensuring compliance with responsiveness and content requirements.
Applied relevant FOIA exemptions, performed redactions, and managed communication with requesters concerning their inquiries.
Handled acknowledgment letters, fees assessments, submitter letters, and final agency response documentation.
10/2010 – 04/2011 FOIA Specialist (Contractor Fed Consulting), Export Import Bank of Washington, DC The United States
Managed the processing of incoming FOIA requests using both manual methods and electronic systems (FOIAXpress).
Reviewed documents and emails related to loans, business practices, environmental assessments, social impacts, and due diligence to ensure compliance with FOIA standards.
Applied relevant exemptions and prepared comprehensive responses for requesters.
Participated in a comprehensive project focused on document retention, destruction, and storage initiatives.
Reviewed documents for content suitability based on guidelines for retention or destruction.
Coded and prepared documents for offsite storage at Green Mountain, as well as on-site retention.
Organized and boxed in-house retained files for relocation to a new facility. 07/2010 – 08/2010 Document Reviewer (Contractor Kelly Law Registry), Du Pont Chemical Deleware
Conducted detailed reviews of government correspondence, hazardous material invoices, chemical inventories, OSHA regulations, personnel incident reports, and discovery documents related to various lawsuits.
Coded and entered pertinent data into spreadsheets for population of an electronic database. 10/2009 – 04/2010 Supervising Senior FOIA Analyst (Contractor Aspen of DC), United States Riverdale, MD Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Invest
Managed a team of three, overseeing activities related to Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Biotechnology Regulatory Services programs.
Reviewed agency matters and applied legal exemptions to information gathered concerning alleged violations of agriculture health and animal welfare regulations. 02/2009 – 08/2009 Supervising FOIA\Paralegal Attorney Advisor/ Information Disclosure Washington, DC Specialist, Contractor Pat Taylor and Associates (Treasury Department)
Engaged in disclosure team reviews of sensitive documents related to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), economic recovery initiatives, bank bailouts, and auto industry stabilization efforts.
Developed and applied legal theories supporting agency determinations in federal court documentation; provided legal recommendations addressing interpretations of statutes, FOIA, and Privacy Act regulations.
Reviewed initial decisions regarding records requests under FOIA/PA; prepared decision memoranda and recommended appropriate responses for the Office of the General Counsel.
Worked directly with Eastern District of NY Assistant US attorneys on Tarp appeals. Created and managed a Vaughn index for the produced documents, facilitating organization and compliance. 07/2005 – 07/2009 Legal Consultant, Envisions Management Consulting, LLC Rockville, MD
Drafted employee nondisclosure agreements and evaluated subcontractor agreements for approval.
Conducted in-depth research on the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) and its implications concerning Virginia State laws as part of an independent evaluation of the state's program.
Drafted comprehensive risk management and quality assurance plans for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health's Electronic Medical Records initiative. 01/2008 – 07/2008 Senior Paralegal General Counsel's Office, Washington Suburban Sanitary Silver Springs, MD Commission
Executed diverse tasks including drafting Maryland Circuit Court complaints, 30-day dunning letters, and write-off memorandums. Conducted detailed research and drafted memorandums supporting various practice groups in Employment Law, Labor Law, Environmental Law, Contract Law, Bid Protest Responsiveness, and other legal domains. Prepared exhibits and discovery documents for hearings and appeals, along with responses to interrogatories.
Developed and delivered PowerPoint presentations on Administrative Mandamus to the County Attorney Work Group.
Facilitated responses to all FOIA, PIA, and due diligence inquiries submitted to the agency.
Drafted, reviewed, and edited agency policies and procedures. 08/2007 – 01/2008 Collections Paralegal, Palmer Legal Staffing Bethesda, MD
Initiated collection proceedings for delinquent commercial accounts, drafting final notice letters before litigation and court complaints for Circuit and District courts, as well as National Arbitration complaints. Established accounts with multiple collection agencies, preparing comprehensive debtor information files.
Coordinated service and proof of service affidavits with private process servers, law firms, and courts, including filing chapter 7 and chapter 11 proof of claim forms. 07/2007 – 07/2007 Contract Paralegal, Team Leader, Kelly Law Registry Washington, DC
Led a team of over 20 paralegals, ensuring quality control for a 1.2 million page document review for a significant corporate client.
Assisted attorneys in preparing privilege logs and managed bates inspection and review processes.
Implemented tracking logs for documents and discovery exhibits, ensuring efficient workflow.
Oversaw work assignments and evaluated team performance against project milestones. 11/2005 – 01/2006 HIPAA Consultant, Envisions Management Consulting, LLC (Contract w/ABSS) Silver Springs, MD
Drafted HIPAA-compliant IT security and privacy policies and procedures.
Conducted extensive research into electronic medical record requirements and the handling of protected health information in substance abuse and mental health settings. 10/2001 – 07/2005 Paralegal, Department of Health and Human Services Washington, DC
Served as a paralegal for the DHHS Office of the Secretary, delivering critical support to the Office of the General Counsel and Office of Civil Rights.
Gathered, analyzed, and documented inquiries (over 11,000 emails) from the public regarding the provisions of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Administrative Simplification provisions, including covered entities, security, privacy, and electronic data transactions. Assisted with the development of a comprehensive flowchart for the CMS website illustrating the key proponents of HIPAA.
Led the Administrative Simplification Practice Group (ASPG) consisting of 23 attorneys from various HHS divisions.
Drafted guidance memoranda for several federal agencies.
Developed clear flowcharts explaining the fundamental components of HIPAA for the CMS website.
Supported the OCR Privacy Team by preparing analytical and legal reports, flowcharts, and spreadsheets.
Facilitated the OCR Director's research activities on legislative history and preemption issues.
Acted as the Federal Register contact for HIPAA enforcement procedures and coordinated research activities for attorneys drafting proposed and final rules. 05/2001 – 09/2001 Legal Liaison, Pierce, Hamilton, and Stern (Collections) Bethesda, MD
Served as the primary contact for over 60 law firms across the United States, ensuring timely appearances of clients, attorneys, and rental property representatives at scheduled court dates.
Informed compliance staff and stakeholders about dispute resolutions and trial outcomes.
Provided legal consultation and support as necessary. 04/2000 – 06/2000 Paralegal/Office Manager, Law Office of Michael Fried
(Bankruptcy)
Rockville, MD
12/1999 – 04/2000 Legal Research Specialist, KPMG (Accounting) Washington, DC 02/1998 – 11/1998 Paralegal, Corporate Securities Washington, DC 07/1997 – 01/1998 Law Clerk, Law Office of Myron C. Smith Fairfax, VA 01/1996 – 01/1998 Paralegal Consultant, Banzet, Banzet & Thompson, PLLC Rockville, MD 10/1995 – 07/1997 Manager, Customer Satisfaction & Interim Law Clerk, Performance Systems International
Herndon, VA
06/1990 – 10/1995 Law Clerk, Law Offices of Fitzgerald and Smith Fairfax, VA EDUCATION
1988 – 1992
Howard University School of Law
Juris Doctor Washington, DC
1982 – 1986 Virginia State University
Bachelors of Arts, Political Science
Petersburg, VA
SKILLS FOIA Privacy Act
HIPAA FOIAXpress
NRSI Corp Fin
EDGAR IRIS
PowerPoint Leadership
Negotiation Problem Resolution
Interpersonal Communication Communication Skills
Training Quality Control
Team Leadership Research
Analysis Organization
Contact this candidate