Ms. Garwood was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a teenager she moved to Pottstown PA with family attending Owen J Roberts high school for 1 year before returning to Philadelphia. There she attended University City and later Overbrook High School graduating in 1977. After graduating she studied at Philadelphia Community College pursuing a degree in General Studies. In 1982 she followed one of her passions enrolling in Wilford Academy of Cosmetology becoming a teacher. She taught there for few years before working in several beauty salons. While working in a salon, a young lady would come to the salon dressed in her military uniform to get her hair done, and that sparked Ms. Garwood’s interest in joining the military.

Ms. Garwood joined the United States Army in 1990 training as a Telecommunications Technician. During her fifteen years’ service she performed installation, customer service, maintenance, troubleshooting and quality control for various analog and digital secure and non-secure telecommunication systems and projects. SSG Garwood planned, configured, directed, integrated and supervised installation, operation, maintenance and management of telecommunications cable and wire systems in command and control networks. She was stationed at various locations worldwide including Camp Carol Korea, Ft Huachuca AZ, Ft Sill OK, Mannheim Germany, Kuwait, and Bosnia- Herzegovina.

After retiring she joined her husband in Sierra Vista, AZ. She worked with several companies supporting the government and military. Ms. Garwood worked in the CONUS-TNOSC Help Desk, NETCOM Crisis Action Center, and NETCOM Headquarters Commandant Information Technology Service Desk. These positions enabled her to refine and hone her technical and personnel skills interacting with people ranging from the military commanders, senior civilians, to the newest soldier or employee in the organization. Ms. Garwood was devastated when she was terminated at contract completion. To prevent that from happening to her again she channeled her energy starting her own business.
Ms. Garwood founded Z4 Enterprises (Z4E) in 2007. Z4E is an SBA 8(a) certified, economically disadvantaged woman, and Veteran Administration registered service disabled-veteran owned small business, headquartered in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Z4E specializes in providing engineering and professional services in the support of acquisition professionals for the full spectrum of a systems life cycle. These services are focused on command, control, computers, communications, and security employed for the systems being procured. In 2016 Ms. Garwood had an opportunity to diversify her business by teaming with a local security company for an armed guard services contract for the Bureau of Reclamation.

Ms. Garwood’s dedication and perseverance resulted in success with Z4 Enterprises successfully performing on the following contracts:

• United States Army Electronic Proving Ground (USAEPG) Scientific & Engineering Support 
• United StatesBureau of Reclamation Davis Dam Armed Security Guard Support
• USAICOE Military Intelligence Profession Bulletin and Doctrinal Publications
• USAICOE Training Developer for MI Company Collective Training for the Military Intelligence
• Division/Corps G2/ACE Training Development

Additionally, Ms. Garwood is active supporter of community and professional organizations including University of Arizona South Board, Southwest Buffalo Soldiers Association, National Classified Managers society of Industrial Security Professionals, AFCEA, ITEA, and various other charitable events.