The Critical Mass is proud to be listed in the new WorkWithUSAID Partner Directory. As the chosen implementer for several US Government and international organizations, we look forward to supporting USAID and partner organizations in their mission to promote and demonstrate democractic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. Find us here: https://workwithusaid.org/directory/the-critical-mass-llc

Our team at The Critical Mass is starting a newsletter where we share insights and lessons learned ranging from digital engagement for international development and capacity building professionals; tips on monitoring and evaluation in post-COVID world; and entrepreneurship in the GovCon space. Read this article and subscribe to our LinkedIn Newsletter here. The Critical Mass, LLC uses several digital marketing methods to connect with partners and sector professionals. We’d like to share some lessons, tips, and start a conversation on how professional services contractors and implementing partners like ourselves can continue to grow in spite of the challenges we’ve faced. In this series: TCM’s top lessons learned Reviews and information about tech tools we use In this post: Top 3 lessons about building a digitally engaging brand in government contracting In Spring 2020, with a handful of projects stalled due to COVID uncertainties, we were in a situation that caused our entire industry to reevaluate key aspects of the critical value we provide: Maintaining relationships with and on behalf of sponsors and foreign partners Serving as the connection between Subject Matter Experts and those willing to fund capacity building and security assistance projects Virtually delivering training and programming in a way that maintains the same outcomes for training recipients while respecting the important Monitoring & Evaluation requirements of sponsoring agencies like the Department of State In spite of these challenges, TCM made a commitment to deliver the same quality of programming and service to sponsors, beneficiaries, and all stakeholders in between. We think we’ve done quite well, and even believe that because of the pivot COVID forced us to undertake, we’re delivering at an even higher level than before. Below we share some major takeaways from this experience. Lesson 1: Close The Gap Between Marketing and Actively Engaged Ops It’s common for larger companies to have siloed business units and dedicated teams who manage Social Media accounts. Sometimes they’re even outsourced. The benefits: Clear roles and responsibilities with experts focusing on what they do best. At TCM, the managers of our Social Media accounts actively participate in Business Development and Project Delivery and Operations. This provides several opportunities: Messaging themes, relevant hashtags, or key account handles used on posts intended as project updates, contract wins, or strategic messaging can be crafted by experts of a project with the most visibility of the current environment reflected online. Example: In a recent engagement, our team was following several partner nation Twitter accounts posting up-to-date information on a specific agency’s evidence collection and judicial wins - topics directly aligned with our active project. Awareness of these by the project team allowed TCM to learn about local nation partner capabilities, what they perceived to be their most valuable capabilities from a PR perspective, and seek out and post relevant and on-brand content. Lesson 2: Empower Your Team Some employees of government contractors do not use Social Media. That is fine, especially in security-conscious environments. But if you look into your organization, you might find a handful who not only actively use it, but are also so interested in their professional sector of focus that they follow threads from industry professionals and use it to stay current on key trends and regulatory updates. TCM is fortunate to have a team who does this. We encourage our team to follow TCM accounts, like and share content, and act as brand ambassadors. On multiple occasions, we’ve received project ideas, built relationships with new SMES, and received news updates - all through Social Media direct messages - that have influenced our approach to a project or upcoming proposal. Additionally, for many starting out and growing their careers, displaying a genuine interest in a specific sector by way of online activity backed by an established company can support their professional growth. It can open doors not only for the company, but more importantly for the employee who we all should support, whether it’s at our company or another. As implementing partners and stewards of US Government tax dollars, we need good people in this industry and the more engaged and knowledgeable they are, the better. Lesson 3: Virtually Join The Conversation Where Your Community Engages While a surprising number of larger contractors do not have a robust Social Media presence, TCM has learned that an even larger amount of US Government and partner nation policy and decision-makers do. If someone with active project knowledge is not running your accounts, you might be missing out. One easy approach is to search for hashtags relevant to your industry or key policy events across Social Media platforms. Follow the hashtag on Twitter. Or consider following specific Twitter Lists others have already made. For example, TCM is attending the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA) Warsaw Conrerence this week, and we made a list with all the featured companies and panelists who are active on Twitter. Another approach can be to look for Slack communities in your industry of focus. We’re proud to support Arms Control Wonk on a monthly basis through their Patreon page, and TCM employees are individually members of various other Slack communities such as the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum. In Future Articles: Free or low-cost marketing tools like LinkTree, Bit.ly, Canva Publishing and tracking engagement on Issuu Engagement tips on the main Social Media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Tips for enhancing your Monitoring & Evaluation experience through MS Forms, QR codes, and other digital tools Engaging in multiple languages and hasty translation via TCM’s preferred free service Interested in learning more about TCM? Visit us here. Want to work for us? Tell us more about yourself here. Need a WOSB or SDVOSB with our skillset and interested in having your company partner or team with TCM on a proposal or active project? Submit your information here.

Interested in joining TCM? Submit your interest via our Recruiting Page. Want to partner on or propose a project? Connect with us here. The Critical Mass, LLC is fortunate to have Anne Teppel joining our team. Anne serves as Director of Compliance and Performance at The Critical Mass, bringing over 15 years of multidisciplinary experience from both governmental and non-governmental organizations combining international law, military operations, policy making, organizational development, human resources, and management. ​ Prior to joining The Critical Mass Anne served as Head of Department (acting) at the Danish Ministry of Defense where she took part in shaping major policy initiatives while also contributing to the internal development of the ministry as an organization and of its leadership. ​ Anne previously served as a military legal advisor to the Danish Armed Forces and did so for more than 7 years, starting at the Military Police and later moving on to the Danish Special Operations Command. In this role she served as an advisor to the senior levels of the Danish military, at home as well as on several multinational deployments to the Middle East and Africa. She proudly continues to serve the Danish Special Operations Command as a reserve officer. ​ Anne started her career specializing in refugee and human rights law working with the Danish immigration authorities and later the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. ​ Anne holds a Bachelor of Laws from Copenhagen University and a Master of Laws from Hong Kong University and Copenhagen University. In addition to Danish, Anne speaks fluent professional English and has a working knowledge of Norwegian, Swedish, and German.

Interested in joining TCM? Submit your interest via our Recruiting Page. Want to partner on or propose a project? Connect with us here. The Critical Mass, LLC is fortunate to have Ms. Mariya Chukhnova joining our team. Mariya Chukhnova serves as Project Coordinator at The Critical Mass. Before joining TCM, Mariya worked as Project Manager at Sovereign Ventures, a management consulting company that specializes in fighting systemic corruption in developing democracies by using innovative solutions. At Sovereign Ventures, she was responsible for developing and managing projects, monitoring and reporting results, researching and analyzing critical materials, and communicating with partners. Prior to that, she worked as Office Manager and Assistant to a Senior Director at the Community Impact at Columbia University, an NYC-based non-profit organization. She assisted during the grant proposal research and writing processes, maintained various databases, and communicated with partners. In addition, she was responsible for annual professional development training for over 100 student employees. Mariya is also Ukrainian Interpreter for The Providencia Group, an organization that provides human services to various government agencies. As a Ukrainian Interpreter, she assists Ukrainian minors at refugee centers and provides interpretation services to case managers. The program for Ukrainian minor refugees is run by the Office for Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the United States. Additionally, Mariya serves as a United Nations representative of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women Organizations. Mariya obtained her bachelor’s degree in Slavic Studies at the School of General Studies at Columbia University and a master’s degree in Regional Studies (Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe) with a focus on Ukraine-Russia relations at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University in the City of New York. She is a 2020 recipient of the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Fellowship from Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Mariya is a tri-lingual Ukraine-native professional with strong regional expertise. She was born and raised in Lutsk, Ukraine, and immigrated to the United States in 2007.

TCM is attending The International Stability Operations Associations (ISOA) Warsaw Conference in Poland from September 13-15th. "Ukraine and the Changing Landscape of Europe"

The Critical Mass's EXBS External Liaison, Mr. Nidal Abu Sammour, joined partners with the Department of State Export Control and Related Border Security Program, INTERPOL, and other international organizations in Amman, Jordan this past week to discuss important joint counterterrorism and border security initiatives.

TCM EXBS (Export Control and Related Border Security Program) External Liaison supported ongoing operations in Jordan with U.S. Department of State partners. Notably, coordination for upcoming Iraqi Border Guard Forces training at KASOTC (King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre)with support from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol instructors, in addition to meetings with the Jordanian Explosives Handling Unit to plan for future training. #Amman #Jordan #INTERPOL #StateDepartment #Counterterrorism #Conference #EXBS

Our Team at The Critical Mass understands that a post supporting LGBTQ+ during Pride Month is the least we can do. This article from Harvard Business Review, “Your Rainbow Logo Doesn’t Make You An Ally,” influenced our decision to ask employees to nominate charities for TCM to support. We are happy to contribute financially to the following charities supporting LGBTQ+ communities: - American Civil Liberties Union - RUSA LGBTQ+ - Hetrick-Martin Institute Learn more about the featured Progress Pride Flag from Daniel Quasar. Learn about the history of pride flags from the Victoria and Albert Museum (UK) “The arrow points to the right to show forward movement […] and illustrates that progress [towards inclusivity] still needs to be made". -Daniel Quasar From one flag reboot to another, the coloured stripes are imbued with different meanings. For Quasar, the light blue, pink and white stripes represent trans and non-binary individuals and the brown and black ones represent marginalised People of Colour (POC) communities. The black stripe has a double meaning as it is also intended for "those living with AIDS and the stigma and prejudice surrounding them, and those who have been lost to the disease". Quasar plays with the idea of a diverse community, and states that the fight for inclusivity needs to come from both within and outside the LGBTQ community – from all spheres of society: "This new design forces the viewer to reflect on their own feelings towards the original Pride flag and its meaning, as well as the differing opinions on who that flag really represents, while also bringing into clear focus the current needs within our community". -Daniel Quasar

Learn more about our partners below: Department of State - Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Export Control and Border Related Security Program Lousiana State University - NCBRT/ACE

We're extremely proud to recognize Tinatin for her commitment to TCM and our exciting growth! Learn more about her and our team here: https://www.thecriticalmass.com/meet-the-team

BPLAT – TCM, in partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), successfully held the first 2 implementations of dry runs for a partner-country's version of the Biodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool. The tool was designed by the national laboratories to use data visualization techniques (Sand Keys) to better outline the relevant biodefense agencies’ roles and responsibilities. Users can investigate links between the strategy goals, agencies, and responsibilities by moving their mouse over parts of the Sand Key visualizations. The TCM/PNNL team tested asynchronous and virtual delivery methods and successfully navigated both technical and linguistic difficulties to ensure smooth delivery of the BPLAT tool to the project audience. An open-source version of the tool is available here: Biodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool (pnnl.gov) #datavisualization #analysis #biodefense #PNNL #program #partners

GEC –In the midst of the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian state-affiliated and/or funded actors are increasing the Kremlin’s spread of disinformation, particularly pertaining to CBRN threats in Ukraine, the broader Eurasian region and beyond. To this end, TCM continues the dissemination campaign for its U.S. State Department Global Engagement Center-funded report, “Contaminated Trust: Public Health Disinformation and its Societal Impacts in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.” Over the past two months, TCM’s team has given talks and participated in panel discussions on security, disinformation, the Eurasian region, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at over 10 major universities, including the Harriman Institute at Columbia University, Davis Center at Harvard, Oxford University, American Councils in Tbilisi, Georgia, etc. On March 25, TCM presented research findings and methodology highlights from “Contaminated Trust,” the DoS-sponsored research conducted over the past year to a vibrant community of researchers and experts at The Global (Dis)Information Lab (GDIL) at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to this, on February 14, TCM alongside the WHO’s Infodemic Management leadership co-chaired a webinar on "Building Trust & Confidence in Public Health Institutions and the Health System,” which included perspectives from expert panelists from Georgia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. #Ukraine #Kazakhstan #Georgia #disinformation #information #Colombia #Harvard #WHO

On March 10, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chinese diplomats and PRC state media organizations repeated the Kremlin’s false claim that the Pentagon was financing biological and chemical weapons labs in Ukraine at news conferences in Beijing. Washington further claimed that Chinese actors were spreading this disinformation in articles and on official social media accounts.   To test Washington’s accusation that Chinese officials were spreading Russian disinformation, TCM’s in-house subject matter expert ran data analysis using Node XL and determined that as of March 21, posts with hashtags #biolabs and #Ukraine which had the highest visibility and interest on the platform originated in China. Our method was to use the query string of tweets from February 1 to March 15, 2022. We then ran macros in Excel on the query and input the information into Node XL. TCM determined the betweenness centrality of the twitter data, which measures the number of times a node lies on the shortest path between other nodes. Betweenness centrality can be used to find individuals who influence the flow around a system, and in social media, so-called “influencers.” For a Twitter user, high betweenness centrality typically a large number of retweets. High betweenness centrality may also indicate a large number of users tag you in their tweets (which is often what happens with singers and other celebrities). This centrality allows us to find the most interconnected and popular individuals on Twitter using #biolabs and #Ukraine. By following the betweenness centrality breadcrumbs, TCM found that the Twitter “influencer” in this pool of data is @SpokespersonCHN, a member of the People’s Republic of China. The impacts and reach of this disinformation “bandwagon” that the PRC is joining cannot be stemmed at the source alone as it continues to expand – building trust and authority of the entities they attempt to discredit is a critical activity.

TCM's Program Design and Research Manager, Arielle Mattes was happy to observe OPERATION WILD COYOTE by the City of Albuquerque's Office of Emergency Management. The operation was a mass-casualty response training at Isleta Amphitheater in Albuquerque, NM. The scenario: DJ "Wild Coyote" is performing to a sold out show when an explosion injures multiple in the crowd. Albuquerque's Emergency Management Services are quickly deployed to attend to the wounded and evacuate the rest of the crowd. In this live-training scenario, "players" simulate their injuries as the Fire Department and EMT's apply tourniquets and first aid while the Sherriff's department and police respond to the crime scene. Evaluations included the response methods and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) of the Fire Department, Sherriff's Department, Public Health services, and Albuquerque Police Department. The group was able to identify existing gaps in emergency management first response to a simulated exercise which is critical to ensure public safety." TCM's take-aways are: The importance of strategic communications in crisis response The need for comprehensive training in order to stay prepared for mass-casualty events The importance of sound and frequently revisited Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) and Incident Response Plans (IRPS) The need for frequent interagency communication and collaboration prior to and during such events TCM looks forward to incorporating these lessons into our client projects. We congratulate the City of Albuquerque's successful operation, and fully support the full-spectrum approach to responding to and mitigating these events.

The Critical Mass' Director of Policy & Strategy, Tinatin Japaridze will be giving a talk at the Foreign Press Association on March 2, 11am-12pm ET. In conversation with FPA's President, Ian Williams, Tinatin will discuss her forthcoming book, Stalin's Millennials: Nostalgia, Trauma, and Nationalism (Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield, March 2022) through the prism of the latest developments in Ukraine. To attend the event via Zoom, please register at https://bit.ly/TinatinFPA

In times of crisis and upheaval, there are some who write flowery posts and retweet content, and then there are those who act in a meaningful way and put their money where their mouth is. Yesterday TCM leadership decided to contribute to organizations aiding Ukrainian partners and friends impacted by the unprecedented Russian invasion. TCM employees selected preferred organizations and we are proud to contribute what we can on behalf of our valuable teammembers. We did the same during #BLM and will continue to support causes and organizations that reflect the values of our team and those who fight on behalf of security and democracy. Selected organizations are: International Rescue Committee International Committe of the Red Cross Army SOS Citizen's Initiative Razom Ukraine Voices of Children - Ukraine Please use this post to similarly contribute or find other meaningful organizations and do what you can. Every little bit helps. https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ways-to-help-ukraine-conflict/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/gabbyshacknai/2022/02/24/10-ways-to-help-the-people-of-ukraine-right-now/?sh=146d5165730f

In January 2022, TCM produced a 47-page Open Source report on the Kingdom of Morocco's chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (#CBRN) weapons of mass destruction terrorism (#WMDT) enterprise. Regional subject matter experts were interviewed between a half an hour to an hour, and a significant amount of open-source research was conducted. TCM uses open-source reports to support project planning and prime partners on the country of focuses' security enterprise to create holistic understanding of the program writ-large. #Monitor #Evaluate #Impact #Success #Morocco #January2021 #TCMProjectUpdates

In December 2021, TCM was invited to brief members of the European Union Delegations to Georgia and Ukraine, as well as the East StratCom Task Force (ESCTF), on significant findings from "Contaminated Trust." In addition, TCM and its Director of Policy and Strategy, Tinatin Japaridze, will be cohosting a webinar on February 14th with the Word Health Organization (#WHO). Discussion during the webinar will be focused on building trust and confidence in public health institutions and the health system. A registration link to the event can be found below! http://bit.ly/TCMFeb14 #Monitor #Evaluate #Success #publichealth #COVID19 #Trust #TCMProjectUpdates

In December of 2021, TCM’s “Contaminated Trust: Public Health Disinformation and its Societal Impacts in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine” was viewed by a significant number of readers. Many of which were reached through Social Media engagement. The report continues to spark conversation on Public Health disinformation campaigns originating from Russia. The full report can be found here: https://issuu.com/thecriticalmass/docs/contaminated_trust #Monitor #Evaluate #Success #TCMProjectUpdates #PublicHealth #Disinformation #Trust

In December, TCM trained #Iraq border security operational unit-level commander and civilian equivalent level operators on information sharing, tactical intelligence, inter-agency synchronization, joint operations, and task-force integration skills. This professional development and capacity-building initiative funded by the U.S. Department of State’s #EXBS, in coordination with the US Embassy in Baghdad, targeted mid-grade and junior leaders responsible for activating and practicing inter-agency activities in response to threats at a single border crossing point. #Monitor #Evaluate #MonthlyGoodNews #TCMProjectUpdates