Breaking the Mold
Designed to commemorate DEA’s 50th anniversary in 2023, this exhibit celebrates the extraordinary women of DEA and inspires young women to consider exciting and rewarding careers with the agency. While the physical exhibit is no longer installed, this online version ensures that its vital message continues into the future.
Women had limited roles in law enforcement in the decades before DEA’s formation.
By 1973, there were some female agents and intelligence analysts, but they were by far the minority. Leadership roles for women were even fewer. It took hard work and determination to make DEA more equitable and gender diverse. We honor three who broke the mold to help make DEA’s workforce as diverse as it is today.
Click each name and watch the video below to learn more.
Curator’s tour of the DEA Museum’s 2023 “Breaking the Mold” exhibit. Breaking the Mold celebrates the extraordinary women of DEA and highlights the careers of Mary Buckley, Karen Tandy, and Kim McClung, first in their roles at the agency.