diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index b89c2e07b..4a89badc2 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -8,23 +8,23 @@
 # NOTE: Must be placed last to ensure enforcement over all other rules
 
 # Protection Rules for Github Configuration Files and Actions Workflows
-/.github/                                       @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
-/.github/workflows/                             @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+/.github/                                       @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
+/.github/workflows/                             @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
 
 # Codacy Tool Configurations
-/config/                                        @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
-.remarkrc                                       @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+/config/                                        @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+.remarkrc                                       @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
 
 # Self-protection for root CODEOWNERS files (this file should not exist and should definitely require approval)
-/CODEOWNERS                                     @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
+/CODEOWNERS                                     @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
 
 # Protect the repository root files
-/README.md                                      @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
-**/LICENSE                                      @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
+/README.md                                      @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+**/LICENSE                                      @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers
 
 # CodeCov configuration
-**/codecov.yml                                  @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+**/codecov.yml                                  @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
 
 # Git Ignore definitions
-**/.gitignore                                   @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
-**/.gitignore.*                                 @hashgraph/release-engineering @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+**/.gitignore                                   @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
+**/.gitignore.*                                 @hashgraph/devops-ci @hashgraph/release-engineering-managers @hashgraph/hedera-sdk @hashgraph/hedera-sdk-js-maintainers
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_release.yaml b/.github/workflows/publish_release.yaml
index efccdbe82..56f92445e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_release.yaml
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Calculate Proto Subpackage Publish Arguments
         id: proto-publish
         working-directory: packages/proto
-        if: ${{ steps.validate-release.outputs.proto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
+        if: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.proto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
         run: |
           PUBLISH_ARGS="--access public --no-git-checks"
           [[ "${{ github.event.inputs.dry-run-enabled }}" == "true" ]] && PUBLISH_ARGS="${PUBLISH_ARGS} --dry-run"
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Calculate Crypto Subpackage Publish Arguments
         id: crypto-publish
         working-directory: packages/cryptography
-        if: ${{ steps.validate-release.outputs.crypto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
+        if: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.crypto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
         run: |
           PUBLISH_ARGS="--access public --no-git-checks"
           [[ "${{ github.event.inputs.dry-run-enabled }}" == "true" ]] && PUBLISH_ARGS="${PUBLISH_ARGS} --dry-run"
@@ -341,26 +341,26 @@ jobs:
         env:
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
         working-directory: packages/proto
-        if: ${{ steps.validate-release.outputs.proto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
-        run: task -v publish -- ${{ steps.proto-publish.outputs.args }}
+        if: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.proto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
+        run: task -v publish -- ${{ needs.proto-publish.outputs.args }}
 
       - name: Publish Cryptography Release
         env:
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
         working-directory: packages/cryptography
-        if: ${{ steps.validate-release.outputs.crypto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
-        run: task -v publish -- ${{ steps.crypto-publish.outputs.args }}
+        if: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.crypto-publish-required == 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
+        run: task -v publish -- ${{ needs.crypto-publish.outputs.args }}
 
       - name: Publish SDK Release
         env:
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
-        run: task -v publish -- ${{ steps.sdk-publish.outputs.args }}
+        run: task -v publish -- ${{ needs.sdk-publish.outputs.args }}
 
       - name: Generate Github Release
         uses: ncipollo/release-action@2c591bcc8ecdcd2db72b97d6147f871fcd833ba5 # v1.14.0
         if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dry-run-enabled != 'true' && !cancelled() && !failure() }}
         with:
-          tag: ${{ steps.validate-release.outputs.tag }}
+          tag: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.tag }}
           prerelease: ${{ needs.validate-release.outputs.prerelease == 'true' }}
           draft: false
           generateReleaseNotes: true