Speakers

Mr. George Matook is the Program Manager (PM) for the Measuring and Advancing Soldier Tactical Readiness and Effectiveness (MASTRE) science and technology (S&T) program, led by the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM SC). Mr. Matook is responsible for all aspects of planning, organizing, and executing the largest human performance S&T program in DoD history. MASTR-E is a five-year (FY20-FY24), $100M effort to understand and improve warfighter capability by measuring, predicting, and enhancing human performance. The program built a broad coalition of thirty-eight organizations with over one hundred scientists and engineers across the services, the Department of Energy, industry, and academia.

From 2017-2019, Mr. Matook served as the Deputy Director of the Soldier Performance Optimization Directorate (SPOD) at DEVCOM SC. In that role, he helped organize and establish SPOD as a new directorate within the Soldier Center, overseeing with the Director $250M in core S&T funding over the Program Objective Memorandum (POM). Mr. Matook generated and managed internal and external relationships. In this role, he was responsible for the career development and supervision of a team of seven (7) operations employees up to a GS-13 grade level.

Prior to serving as the Deputy Director, Mr. Matook worked in the field of aerial delivery S&T including both parachutes and helicopter sling load. He served as the Executive Officer to the Director, formulating goals, policies, and objectives for the directorate. Mr. Matook built and defended the directorate’s POM during a dramatic shift in Army priorities. This time also included a detail to the DEVCOM SC Director (SES) as a senior leader shadowing assignment. At the start of his career, Mr. Matook was a project engineer, leading Army and US Transportation Command helicopter sling load and US Air Force airdrop mission planning efforts, as well as assisting with a variety of other projects.

Mr. Matook earned a Master of Science in Management from Emmanuel College, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Aerospace from WPI (with High Distinction). He is a graduate of the Army’s Civilian Education System Advanced Course, the Acquisition Leadership Challenge Program, and a member of the Army Acquisition Corps. Mr. Matook was named the Army S&T Professional of the Year for 2022 by the Army Acquisition Executive. He is a recipient of the Civilian Service Achievement Medal and the Initiative Award for Creativity and Innovation from the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board.

Sonya Rahmani is a Chief Technologist at Booz Allen Hamilton leading the Warfighter Performance efforts within Booz Allen’s Digital Battlespace team. The Warfighter Performance team is focused on innovative wearable solutions that optimize performance through increased situational awareness, agility, and decision-making support. As part of her role, she leads technical delivery of operationalized and scalable solutions inclusive of emerging technologies for application in the military domain.

She was recently recognized as a Women of Color STEM Awardee in 2020 for her career achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Sonya has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and M.S. in Systems Engineering with over 20 years’ experience supporting complex development and integration projects across DOD and DHS spanning SDLC lifecycle activities.

George Jackson is VP of events at GovExec – the largest and most-influential media company in the public sector marketplace. He joined the company in 2020 to enhance the scale of their events and audience experiences. In 2021, George launched GovExec TV (streaming video content) and received the company’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, part of their first-annual Icon Awards.

George graduated from The Ohio State University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in English. In 2006, he earned his master’s in broadcast journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park.

George spent the first five years of his journalism career at WJHL-TV in Johnson City Tenn. – beginning as an overnight producer for the station’s 6 a.m. broadcast. He advanced to lead on-air reporter for WJHL’s 11 p.m. newscast.

As a reporter, George examined the earnings of two non-profit hospital systems, felony charges filed against a local sheriff, predatory paving companies, a health benefits backlog for local veterans, and a series of cold-case murder investigations. He received an honorable mention for Best TV Reporter in the 2011 Tennessee AP Broadcast awards and won a Best Investigative Reporting award from Media General in 2010.

George joined DC’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV in 2012 to produce Capital Insider, which won him an Emmy award. One year later, he developed and recorded the pilot episode of Government Matters – a program about the business of government. It debuted as a weekly show on Sunday, August 4th of 2013. George led Government Matters through September of 2020, expanded its reach to a daily worldwide audience, and produced its first feature-length documentary The Dawn of Generation AI.

George is from Toledo, Ohio. He lives with his wife, twin daughters, and a pair of rescue dogs in Northern Virginia.