Speakers
Lindsay Abbott
Chief, Technical Readiness Transformation Office
U.S. Coast Guard
Lindsay Abbott
Chief, Technical Readiness Transformation Office
U.S. Coast Guard
Pending Agency Approval
Rebecca Bond
Director, E-Gov Travel Service Office of Travel, Employee Relocation, and Transportation
Federal Acquisition Service, GSA
Rebecca Bond
Director, E-Gov Travel Service Office of Travel, Employee Relocation, and Transportation
Federal Acquisition Service, GSA
Rebecca began her career with GSA in 2003. She has held multiple operational and leadership positions within the agency in the Offices of GSA Fleet, GSA Global Supply, the National Response Framework ESF-7 Emergency Management and now the Center for Travel, Employee Relocation and Transportation.
Rebecca has worked with GSA’s Center for Travel and Transportation Management Office for the last 14 years serving, first, as the Transportation Freight Branch Chief and now as the Director of E-Gov Travel Services (ETS2) overseeing the E-Gov customer relationship management process and supplier marketplace for federal travel stakeholders. Rebecca is an integral part of the transition to GO.gov and also oversees GSA’s OneGov Rideshare Solution with Uber.
Kim Brandt
Deputy Administrator
CMS
Kim Brandt
Deputy Administrator
CMS
Kim Brandt is CMS’ Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer. Previously, she was a Partner at the Washington, D.C.-based policy firm Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC, where she provided strategic advice on a broad array of healthcare regulatory, enforcement, and policy matters. She also served as an Advisor to the private equity firm Enhanced Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm focused on healthcare, and held board positions at two of its portfolio companies.
Kim has held multiple senior executive positions in government, including serving as Principal Deputy Administrator for Policy and Operations during the first Trump Administration. In that role she oversaw all activities necessary for the operation and management of CMS’ $1.4T budget in addition to leading efforts to reform the Physician Self-referral regulations and develop the first CMS interoperability rule. Kim previously served as Chief Oversight Counsel and General Counsel on the staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee where she led multiple healthcare investigations, the investigation into IRS political targeting and oversaw the political nominations process. Before joining the Finance Committee staff, Kim was a Senior Counsel at Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C. Her previous government service includes serving as the CMS Director of the Medicare Program Integrity Group and working at the HHS Office of Inspector General as a Senior Counsel and Director of External Affairs. Kim has a JD with a concentration in health law and an MA in legislative affairs.
Joe Chapa
Director, Innovation
USAF
Joe Chapa
Director, Innovation
USAF
Joseph Chapa is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford. His areas of expertise include just war theory, military ethics, and especially the ethics of remote weapons and the ethics of artificial intelligence. He is a senior pilot with more than 1,400 pilot and instructor pilot hours. He previously served as the Department of the Air Force’s first Chief Responsible AI Ethics Officer. In his current role, he leads the innovation team in the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Strategic Studies Group.
Pending Agency Approval
Anil Chaudhry
Senior Advisor, AI
Department of Transportation, DC Government
Anil Chaudhry
Senior Advisor, AI
Department of Transportation, DC Government
Pending Agency Approval
Bob Costello
CIO
CISA
Bob Costello
CIO
CISA
Robert (Bob) Costello is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). As the CIO, he leads the Agency’s efforts to develop, deploy, secure, and support technology solutions for the agency.
Prior to this, he was a Public Sector Civilian Strategic Advisor at World Wide Technology. In this role, he engaged with federal government customers to identify and solve their most complex challenges, leveraging his extensive federal agency experience to develop and deliver innovative solutions that meet their needs and serve their mission.
Bob brings a wealth of experience serving over 13 years at DHS, both at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. He also served as the Senior Executive Service as the Executive Director (XD) of the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Enterprise Networks and Technology Support Directorate (ENTSD) at CBP, as well as serving concurrently in the role of Acting XD of the Border Enforcement and Management Systems Directorate. During his tenure in ENTSD, he oversaw the modernization of the largest data network in DHS, improved connectivity to cloud service providers, and dramatically increased the agency’s usage of mobility platforms. He also oversaw the agency’s movement to the TIC 3.0 framework and implemented zero trust solutions at the network level. He led the operations of the agency’s land mobile radio network, the National Law Enforcement Communications Center, and maintenance of the non-intrusive inspection systems utilized at all ports of entry. He also directed all software development for the U.S. Border Patrol, and all of the agency’s mission support systems, moving over 100 applications to a SECDEVOPS development methodology. He was also heavily involved in implementing IT solutions for COVID-19, redesigning remote access solutions and deploying several new applications.
Earlier in his career, Costello served as the Deputy Executive Director (DXD) and acting XD for OIT’s Field Support Directorate (FSD) supporting information technology, radio systems, and enforcement technologies worldwide, as well as worked at ICE as the Director of Network Engineering overseeing networks worldwide and implementing solutions for mobility and datacenter migrations, e-discovery, and collaboration solutions. Costello is a nine-year veteran of the U.S Air Force and U.S. Air Force Reserves. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Fordham University and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and Project Management Professional.
Mae DeVincentis
Former Vice Director
Defense Logistics Agency
Mae DeVincentis
Former Vice Director
Defense Logistics Agency
Mae is an executive consultant, helping public and private organizations improve their business strategies and operational effectiveness. Since 2012, she has served over 40 government and commercial clients through her company, Maxwell Associates, LLC.
A former senior DoD Executive, she is a recognized expert in the operations and management of business organizations, with specific expertise in information technology, cyber security, logistics and supply chain management, as well as federal and defense acquisition and contracting.
She served in multiple C-level executive positions for the Defense Logistics Agency, including Vice Director, Director of Logistics, Chief Information Officer, and Program Executive Officer. She pioneered logistics reforms that saved DOD billions of dollars across multiple supply chains by cutting layers of management and physical inventory.
Mae received both her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degrees in business administration from Temple University. She currently serves as the Chair of the DLA Foundation, a charity aimed at providing scholarships to family members of DLA employees.
Steve Hawkes
Director of IT
City of Charlottesville
Steve Hawkes
Director of IT
City of Charlottesville
Steve Hawkes has been the Director of Information Technology for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, since 2021. He has led the city's digital transformation, promoting a Cloud-first, collaborative environment using Microsoft 365 tools and AI. Recently, Steve was part of the core team that completed the City’s SAP S4/Hana upgrade project, a significant initiative that began in 2019 and culminated in a successful go-live in September 2025.
Steve oversees a team of twenty staff members and manages a budget exceeding four million dollars. He has played a crucial role in developing the city's Incident Response Plan for Cybersecurity Incidents and contributes to the City Council's strategic planning efforts.
Before his current role, Steve served as the Applications Manager, where he managed the full lifecycle of various software applications, acted as a Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator, and led the design and implementation of the city's new website. His leadership has earned his team several prestigious awards, including three Commonwealth of Virginia technology awards and a National award. He also created the City’s Data Analysis Group and is a core team member of the City’s Innovation Team (iTeam).
Steve's earlier career includes roles as a Datawarehouse Architect/Software Engineer, where he designed and implemented database systems and developed numerous software applications.
Steve holds a Master of Science in Kinesiology from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a graduate of several leadership programs, including the University of Virginia’s Darden School LEAD program and the Charlottesville Executive Leadership Academy.
David Hinchman
Director, IT & Cybersecurity
U.S. Government Accountability Office
David Hinchman
Director, IT & Cybersecurity
U.S. Government Accountability Office
As a Senior Executive on GAO’s Information Technology and Cybersecurity team, Dave Hinchman oversees government-wide reviews of critical infrastructure cybersecurity, the federal cyber workforce, and cloud computing security. His multi-disciplinary teams primarily focus on emerging cybersecurity issues and how new technologies, including artificial intelligence, are being used by the federal government to better secure the resources vital to the delivery of citizen services. In addition, Dave leads work on IRS’s business systems modernization program, as well as other government-wide IT management and operations issues. He previously managed GAO’s reviews of federal data center optimization and border security technology. Prior to joining GAO in 2002, Dave worked for several private sector firms, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. Dave has a master’s degree in business administration from the Eller School of Management at the University of Arizona, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Vassar College.
Frank Hodo
Senior Program Manager, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Department of Agriculture
Frank Hodo
Senior Program Manager, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Department of Agriculture
Rafiu Ighile
CFO
Howard County
Rafiu Ighile
CFO
Howard County
Rafiu O. Ighile is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Maryland with an MBA who has more than 30 years of accounting experience in government, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Mr. Ighile is the Director of Finance for Howard County Government Maryland. Prior to that he was the Director of Finance and Administration for the City of Gaithersburg, where here oversaw the Finance, Budget and Procurement functions. Before joining the City of Gaithersburg, Ighile worked for Howard Public School System (HCPSS) as their Chief Financial Officer. While working as CFO for the Howard County Public School System, managed Finance, Budget, Benefits, and Technology functions. He previously served as the Deputy Director of Finance for Howard County Government where he established the Debt and Cash Management function for the County to effectively manage the debt issuance and investment portfolio. Mr. Ighile serves on the Executive Board of Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and the Maryland GFOA Board of Directors. He is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Maryland Association of CPAs. Rafiu and his spouse Eki have six daughters.
Pending Agency Approval
Mr. James Johnson
Program Executive Officer
DLA Information Operations
Mr. James Johnson
Program Executive Officer
DLA Information Operations
Mr. James Johnson was selected as the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on March 24, 2024.
As the PEO, Mr. Johnson is responsible for the management and oversight of DLA's Major Automated Information Systems programs. He is the corporate provider of acquisition management services and provides overall direction and guidance for the development, acquisition, testing, systems integration, product improvement, and fielding for assigned DLA programs. DLA’s portfolio also includes acquisition projects and programs, which Mr. Johnson manages on behalf of DOD wide sponsors.
Before being assigned as the PEO, Mr. Johnson’s most recent assignment was as the Director, Strategic Capabilities and Processes Office, responsible for leading the PEO’s strategic direction in achieving the DLA Digital-Business Transformation as well as managing the agency’s Business Capability Management process. In addition, Mr. Johnson was responsible for the review of the health of all programs within the PEO. Prior to his tenure as the Director of Strategic Capabilities and Processes Office, Mr. Johnson held a variety of increasingly responsible positions at DLA, including Portfolio Manager, Financial Management and Human Resources, responsible for the oversight, acquisition expertise and lifecycle sustainment of multiple programs and agency applications. Mr. Johnson has also held numerous Program Management positions, where he was responsible for the acquisition, development and lifecycle management of both DoD and DLA programs.
Mr. Johnson retired from the Marine Corps after serving for 22 years, where he held a variety of IT leadership billets. Mr. Johnson’s final tour was as the Protocol Officer, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. Upon his separation from the Marine Corps, Mr. Johnson worked as a Technical Integrator at SAIC in support of Marine Corps Systems Command. He entered federal civilian service in May 2009 as a procurement team lead with the Marine Corps System Command, where he was responsible for managing internet technology procurements for all operational Marine Corps units. Mr. Johnson was promoted in April 2010 as the Project Lead for the entire Marine Corps IT Procurement Process. In this role, he managed the Marine Corps Commercial Off-the-Shelf IT procurement process used by over 50 programs of record, and all stations, posts, and bases within the Marine Corps enterprise.
Mr. Johnson holds a Masters of Science degree in Information Systems Management from Colorado Technical University, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems from Campbell University, and is DAU certified at level three in Program Management. Mr. Johnson has received numerous awards to include the Navy Accommodation Medal (multiple awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal (multiple awards).
Honorable Joseph D. Kernan
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
Honorable Joseph D. Kernan
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
The Honorable Joseph D. Kernan, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy, retired, served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) from November 2017 through Nov. 10, 2020. He was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate in November 2017.
As the USD(I), Mr. Kernan was the principal intelligence, counterintelligence and security advisor to the Secretary of Defense (SecDef), and the SecDef’s principal representative to the Intelligence Community. He also was dual-hatted as the Director of Defense Intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and reported to the DNI in that capacity. He exercised authority, direction, and control on behalf of the SecDef over the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Defense Security Service. Mr. Kernan established policy and priorities; and oversaw the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, consisting of more than 110,000 component employees, and an annual budget of over $54B. This included the Military Intelligence Program, the Defense portion of the National Intelligence Program and the Battlespace Awareness portfolio.
Prior to serving as the USD(I), Mr. Kernan served in a variety of positions from 2013-2017, including: Board Director and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Marketing for SAP National Security Services; Advisor for JLM Companies; Chairman of NS2 Serves, a Non-profit training and employment program for veterans; and Board member for the National Navy SEAL Museum and The Mission Continues.
After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1977, Mr. Kernan served as a Surface Warfare Officer until 1981 and as Naval Special Warfare Officer until his military retirement in 2013. Over the course of his career, he commanded SEAL Team TWO, the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, the Naval Special Warfare Command, and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. He also served as Senior Military Assistant to former Defense Secretary Robert Gates and as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command.
Michelle Kerchner
Chief, Business Operations and Acquisition
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Michelle Kerchner
Chief, Business Operations and Acquisition
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Ms. Michelle M. Kerchner is a results-driven, civic-minded senior leader with proven expertise in guiding large, matrixed organizations through rapid technological change. She works in CBP’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT), leveraging deep experience in cross-organizational team management, strategic communications, and a commitment to the American Rule of Law to build effective coalitions while navigating political dynamics to advance mission-critical objectives. She empowers teams through autonomous work environments while maintaining executive accountability for transformational outcomes. Since 2022, Ms. Kerchner has served as the Chief of Staff and principal advisor to executive leadership for the Infrastructure Services and Support (ISS) comprising the entirety of CBP’s infrastructure organizations. In this role, Ms. Kerchner provides oversight and leads staff on issues affecting the administration and management across the three pillars of ISS as well as OIT and CBP ensuring mission success.
Ms. Kerchner’s extensive experience resulted in standing up Incident Command Centers (ICC) supporting critical moments in our nation’s history, the U.S. Government’s humanitarian rescue operation, Operation Allies Welcome and COVID-19. The ICCs ran on a 24x7 basis and were built upon a team of volunteer staff delivering the necessary skills to drive ever-changing technical, administrative, and operational needs.
Ms. Kerchner spearheaded the analysis, organizational design, and execution to create CBP’s first Cloud Service Brokerage. The new construct brings to bear the combination of legacy on-premises and Cloud skills sets to successfully transition CBP into the Cloud.
Ms. Kerchner is driving technological change through Proofs of Concept efforts that will bring additional capability to CBP’s national security mission as well as increased safety to CBP’s frontline officers as they complete the 24x7x365 mission.
Greg Koval
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Financial Management Systems
US Navy
Greg Koval
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Financial Management Systems
US Navy
Mr. Gregory G. Koval is a member of the Senior Executive Service, serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management Systems (DASN FMS). He is responsible for the portfolio management and resourcing of financial management systems for the Department of the Navy (DON). This role includes completing current legacy system migrations to Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), supporting both Navy General Fund and DON Working Capital Fund audit activities by implementing advanced analytics, and upgrading the DON’s financial management capabilities in the next generation ERP+ system.
Prior to becoming the DASN FMS, Mr. Koval was the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources (Resources), Headquarters Marine Corps, Pentagon. He served as the Senior Accounting, Audit, and Resources Advisor to the Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources, the Chief Financial Officer of the Marine Corps. Mr. Koval led the Marine Corps to a historic first unmodified audit opinion on the Marine Corps General Fund Financial Statements, establishing Marine Corps as the first Department of Defense Military Service to achieve this goal. His responsibilities included all aspects of financial operations from leading the full financial statement audit remediation strategy to the implementing a sustainable internal control environment; managing quarterly and annual financial reports; preparing the annual statement of assurance; and implementing financial system controls. Additionally, Mr. Koval developed and executed the strategy to stabilize the Marine Corps data and processes in the Defense Agencies Initiative (DAI) general ledger post migration while under full financial statement audit.
Previously, Mr. Koval served as the Deputy Director, Financial Operations, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller). As the DON’s Chief Accounting Officer, he was responsible for accounting and financial operations, including the oversight of the Financial Improvement and Audit Remediation (FIAR) program. He also served as the Acting DASN Financial Operations, during his tenure. Mr. Koval led remediation strategies that resulted in the downgrade of several audit material weaknesses for the Navy.
Mr. Koval was formerly the Deputy Director of the Marine Corps Fiscal Division, Programs and Resources, Headquarters Marine Corps. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Risk and Compliance Branch (including Audit Response and Remediation), Manager's Internal Control Program, Finance Branch, Accounting Branch, and Marine Corps Non-Appropriated Funds Audit Service. He developed the Marine Corps audit remediation strategy and worked successfully across business lines and process owners to improve financial statement audit results during his tenure.
Mr. Koval joined the civil service from the private sector, where he supported the Marine Corps and Navy FIAR programs for over a decade as a contractor. He provided business consulting services in all aspects of accounting, audit, and internal controls, including information technology. Prior to his contract work with the DON, Mr. Koval managed internal audit contractor teams at a civilian agency, helping components maintain unmodified audit opinions through the implementation of internal controls, the use of data analytics to quickly identify and resolve deficiencies, and a robust testing and assessment program to meet Office of Management and Budget Circular A-123 objectives. Mr. Koval began his career as an Operational Risk Consultant for a Big Five accounting firm, supporting internal control risk assessments, financial statement audits, and SAS-70 audits for private sector entities in the manufacturing, banking, and hospitality industries.
Mr. Koval is a Certified Information Systems Auditor and graduated with honors from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in Accounting and a B.A. in Economics. He received a DON Superior Civilian Service Award (2021), Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service (2024), and the DON Distinguished Civilian Service Award (2024).
Deepak Kundal
Chief Data Officer
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Deepak Kundal
Chief Data Officer
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Deepak Kundal serves as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Chief Data Officer, a corporate-level leadership role within the DDI Directorate. Named to the position in April 2019, Mr. Kundal is responsible for the agency’s overall data strategy, multi-fabric data analytical platforms and storage capabilities. He leads the technical analysis of data sources to determine the optimal implementation approach, including parsing and Federal Compliance Regulation for Title 13 Data.
Mr. Kundal joined NGA after more than 30 years of progressive data strategy and architecture experience in the private sector, working for companies such as EMC, Hewlett Packard and Talk America. Most recently, he was the principal data strategist for a private firm that created advanced analytics solutions, including augmented intelligence, machine learning and text analytics, for Fortune 500 customers. His work enabled the rapid ingestion of new datasets without extensive modeling, the scaling of large datasets while delivering performance and the tracking of data lineage to allow users to iteratively cleanse and process data.
In addition to general data leader competencies, Mr. Kundal’s experience includes leading technical aspects of strategy, process, governance, planning, execution and deployment. He has honed his expertise as a change champion to create and launch new nontraditional Information Technology Data competencies. The most important illustration of this core competency is his work as a pioneer in the field of innovative technology introductions, such as his successful efforts designing and establishing an analytical Big Data Shared Service (BDSS) through central delivery of analytical Data Cataloging, Data Provisioning and Data Management. Common wisdom dictated that the new technology introduction was doomed to fail - A handful saw it differently. He was among them.
Dr. Ed Mays
Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Infrastructure and Support Services & Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer
CBP
Dr. Ed Mays
Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Infrastructure and Support Services & Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer
CBP
At U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Dr. Edward J. Mays currently holds the Senior Executive Service position of Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), Infrastructure and Support Services (ISS), Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer (CEIO), and Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for the Office of Information and Technology.
Dr. Mays has over 30 years of experience in delivering IT business systems, applications, and infrastructure in the Marine Corps, industry, and the federal government. Dr. Mays (Colonel USMC, Ret.) served many years working with Information Technology (IT) and Software Development for logistics and intelligence programs supporting the U.S. Marine Corps operational forces. He created a major Marine Corps logistics system used in the Marine Corps for over 25 years and is a veteran of numerous combat actions across the globe. In 2008, Dr. Mays became the Director, Effects Based Operational Assessment for Multinational Forces, Al Anbar, Iraq, where he played a substantive role in the return of Anbar Province to the government of Iraq. He also served in the U.S. Operations in Afghanistan, delivering IT capability, and supporting the Afghan National Acquisition Agency.
Dr. Mays earned a Bachelor of Science from University of Florida and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology from the University of Southern California. Additionally, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science with a focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. He also obtained a Doctor of Information Technology from Capella University in 2020.
In 2016, Dr. Mays was selected as the Executive Director for the Enterprise Data Management and Engineering Division in OIT. In this role, he engineered cost effective, secure, and reliable IT solutions, and built the framework for Cloud computing at CBP.
In March 2022, Dr. Mays was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for OIT’s Infrastructure and Support Services organization which combined three infrastructure organizations under his purview. The organizations have an enterprise focus: Field Support
Directorate (FSD), Enterprise Infrastructure Operations Directorate (EIOD), and Enterprise Cloud Services Division (ECSD). The new organizational structure created internal efficiencies executed the new ECSD to complete CBP’s migration to the Cloud more affordably, effectively, and securely. Ultimately providing a modern, reliable IT infrastructure (Cloud, Networks, Mobility, etc.) and 24/7 year-round support services serve as the backbone for technology solutions that deliver critical capabilities at the speed of mission.
Dr. Mays also serves as the OIT Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE), aligning IT investments (digital services) across the overall IT Portfolio. He has served at levels allowing him to excel as
The Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer (CEIO), bringing IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, IT Service Delivery (automation focused – digital services delivery), Technology Business Management, and the Agile Methodology together in a synergistic manner to meet the complex CBP mission.
In January 2024, Dr. Mays was presented with the 2023 Federal 100 award, a prestigious honor awarded to leaders in the federal IT community to those who have made the greatest impact. He was selected from a panel of government and industry senior executives resulting from the difference he’s made in the way IT is used to advance vital government missions.
Katie McCulloch
Director, Business Integration Office
Department of the Interior
Katie McCulloch
Director, Business Integration Office
Department of the Interior
Carolyn Meza
Acting Executive Director, Office of Travel, Employee Relocation, and Transportation
Federal Acquisition Service
Carolyn Meza
Acting Executive Director, Office of Travel, Employee Relocation, and Transportation
Federal Acquisition Service
Carolyn Meza is Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Travel, Transportation and Logistics (TTL), Acting Executive Director of the Office of Travel, Employee Relocation, and Transportation, within the Federal Acquisition Service.
In these roles, Ms. Meza advises senior leaders on acquisition solutions for governmentwide fleets, air travel, hotel and rental cars, freight, employee relocation, and emergency acquisition programs.
She is responsible for the planning, implementation, and administration of over $4 billion of federal acquisitions at FAS and serves as the Governmentwide Category Executive for the ~$10.3 billion Travel Category where she leads Strategic Planning across the entire Federal government for efficient solutions.
The ~$7 billion Travel and Transportation program, for which Ms. Meza is currently the Acting Executive Director, maintains four Best-in-Class (BIC) contract solutions, including the popular City Pair air travel program and FedRooms, a governmentwide lodging contract. Smart buying in these programs creates over $2 billion annually in cost avoidance for the government.
Prior to moving to TTL in 2023, Carolyn served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Office of Enterprise Strategy Management. She has held many leadership roles, including Director for Category Management in the Office of Information Technology Category (ITC), Chief of Staff and Director of Business Operations in Technology Transformation Services (TTS), and Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Branch Chief for Events and Training. Before GSA, she worked at Booz Allen Hamilton where she managed a command and control software system for the Army Corps of Engineers. Meza has a BA degree in History from the University of Rochester. She lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband and their three children.
Lynn Moaney
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Lynn Moaney
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Ms. Moaney is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ms. Moaney leads the Chief Financial Office in “all financial management activities relating to the programs and operations of the agency.”
She has responsibility for the National Finance Center (NFC) which is a Center of Excellence and a Human Resources Center of Excellence for the Federal Government. Ms. Moaney serves as the comptroller for the USDA Working Capital Fund (WCF) and Shared Cost programs (SCPs) which includes formulating the $1B WCF budget and $33M SCP budget annually.
Ms. Moaney has direct management of approximately 1,300 of employees located at the Washington D.C headquarters and National Finance Center in New Orleans, LA, Fort Worth, TX, and Kansas City, MO. The USDA is one of the largest civilian agencies in the federal government with over 100,000 employees and over one-third of the non-taxable debt. The financial organization of the agency accounts for over $150 billion in program level funds and over $100 billion in loans. These programs support the areas of forestry and firefighting, farm commodity, food safety, agriculture development, foreign agriculture trade, domestic and foreign nutrition services, rural development, and agriculture research.
Ms. Moaney has over 30 years developing and maintaining financial standards at the USDA as the Deputy CFO and prior to that, the Associate CFO for Financial Policy and Planning (ACFO-FPP) and other Federal organizations. She has a proven record of leading organizational initiatives which includes the implementation of financial and administrative systems, budget formulation and execution, acquisitions, audit, risk management, shared services, policy development and financial operations support.
William Moore
Former Director and CEO
Defense Commissary Agency
William Moore
Former Director and CEO
Defense Commissary Agency
William F. (Bill) Moore served as the Defense Commissary Agency’s Director and Chief Executive Officer from August 3, 2020, until his retirement March 31, 2024 . As DeCA’s Director and CEO, Mr. Moore oversaw the operations of a global agency, with annual sales approaching $5 billion that employs more than 13,000 people at nearly 240 commissaries.
Son of an Army combat veteran, non-commissioned officer, Mr. Moore was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in October 2006. His prior assignment was the HQDA Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G4 (Tier 3), where he was responsible for Army logistics plans, policy and programs. In this role, he served as the Army's leading expert and foremost authority on logistics.
Previously, he served as the Deputy Chief of staff G-1/4 (Personnel, Logistics and Engineering), U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command (SES Tier 2). In this capacity, he was responsible for human resources, logistics, engineering, and integration of base support programs, while administering diversity, medical, safety, and history functions for a 4-Star global command.
Prior to that role, he served as the deputy to the Commanding General of the Army’s Combined Arms Support Command & Fort Lee (SES Tier 2), Virginia, where he oversaw a 5,000-person work force across 10 states with a combined budget of more than $350 million, leading Army sustainment capabilities development, along with the annual training and leader development of more than 180,000 soldiers, other service members and civilians.
In all, Mr. Moore’s experience spans more than 37 years serving our military and their families.
EDUCATION
- 2007-2019, Various senior executive courses at Harvard Kennedy School, the University of Virginia, and the University of North Carolina
- 2001, Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
- 1992, Master of Science, Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fla.
- 1982, Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
- 2016 - August 2020, Deputy Chief of Staff, G4, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.
- 2015 - 2016, Deputy Chief of Staff, G1/4 (Personnel, Logistics & Engineering), U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command, Fort Eustis, Va.
- 2006 - 2015, Deputy to the Commanding General, Army’s Combined Arms Support Command & Fort Lee, Fort Lee, Va.
- 1983 - 2006, Various engineering, logistics and leadership positions in the Headquarters, Department of the Army, the U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command, and the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command.
Sam Nandi
Director, Enterprise Applications
Fairfax County
Sam Nandi
Director, Enterprise Applications
Fairfax County
Pending Agency Approval
Adarryl Roberts
CIO
DLA
Adarryl Roberts
CIO
DLA
Mr. Adarryl M. Roberts was appointed to serve as the Director, DLA Information Operations (J6), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on August 2, 2023.
As the Director, J6, Mr. Roberts is the DLA Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for coordinating and integrating policies, guidelines, procedures, and activities to ensure effective, efficient, and economical information technology (IT) planning, acquisition, and management in support of DLA and the Department of Defense (DOD) missions and objectives. He is responsible for the management and supervision of all DLA IT policies and planning, and investment management to include cyber resilience, technical architecture and infrastructure, emerging technology, research and development, data management, and IT acquisition program management throughout the Agency and DOD.
DLA is the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)’s logistics combat support agency, providing worldwide logistics support for the material and personnel readiness and sustainment of the Military Departments and the Unified Combatant Commands under conditions of peace and war. It also provides logistics support to other DOD components and certain Federal agencies, foreign governments, international organizations, and others as authorized.
Prior to his selection as CIO, Mr. Roberts was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and selected as the Program Executive Officer (PEO) DLA on November 4, 2019.
As the PEO, Mr. Roberts was instrumental in leading DLA’s Digital Business Transformation efforts to modernize, transform, and fundamentally change the way DLA provides value to our customers. He was the corporate provider of acquisition management services and provided overall direction and guidance for the development, acquisition, testing, systems integration, product improvement, and fielding for assigned DLA programs on behalf of DOD wide sponsors.
Before being appointed as the PEO, Mr. Roberts served as the Portfolio Manager, Enterprise Sourcing, Medical, and Contingency (ESMC), DLA Information Operations, Program Executive Office responsible for oversight and acquisition expertise across the life cycle in support of the DOD and DLA user communities for 16 programs and 35 applications. Prior to his tenure as the ESMC Portfolio Manager, Mr. Roberts held a variety of increasingly responsible positions at DLA, including Director of the Business Systems Center of Excellence (BSCoE) working with Industry IT Business System partners within DOD to look at innovative ways to develop and sustain business systems, and Program Manager of Wide Area Workflow (WAWF).
After graduating from Fayetteville State University, Mr. Roberts enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served as the equivalent to a civilian Contracting Officer for the 81st Contracting Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base. Upon separation from the Air Force, Mr. Roberts worked as a Functional Analyst Lead for contract writing at CACI, Inc. He then entered Federal service as a Procurement Analyst with Army Business Center for Acquisition Systems before transferring to the Business Transformation Agency in 2008 serving as DOD agency lead for Federal Procurement Data System Next Generation, and Deputy Program Manager of Federal Business Opportunities, and later Program Manager of WAWF.
Mr. Roberts holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management from Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC and he is DAU certified at level three in Contracting. Mr. Roberts awards include the Air Force Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Ribbon, Outstanding Unit Ribbon, and Air Force Squadron/Group Company Grade Officer of the Year.
Lara Sayer
Deputy Comptroller
Department of the Air Force
Lara Sayer
Deputy Comptroller
Department of the Air Force
Ms. Lara Sayer, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. She oversees the budgeting, cost estimating and financial operations of over $250 billion in annual resources that support Department of the Air Force priorities, in accordance with Congressional, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of the Air Force direction. Additionally, she is responsible for the professional development of over 13,000 military and civilian members of the Air Force financial management community.
Ms. Sayer began her federal career as a DAF Palace Acquire intern. She has more than 27 years of acquisition and financial management experience and has held positions of increased responsibility in the areas of budget execution and formulation, resource management and program control supporting the Air Force, Navy and United States Special Operations Command. She has served as the Comptroller for Commander, Navy Installations Command and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, as the Comptroller for the Office of Naval Research, and as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for USSOCOM. Additionally, she served as Executive Director of the bipartisan legislative commission on PPBE Reform. Her experience spans several appropriations and functional areas, including budget, earned value management, cost and acquisition. Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Sayer was the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison, where she was the department’s primary liaison to congressional members and staff serving on the House and Senate Appropriations and Budget Committees.
Natalie Buda Smith
Artificial Intelligence & Director of Digital Strategy
Library of Congress
Natalie Buda Smith
Artificial Intelligence & Director of Digital Strategy
Library of Congress
Jennifer Wagner
Assistant Director, Division of Data Analytics
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General
Jennifer Wagner
Assistant Director, Division of Data Analytics
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General
Steve Azzara
Vice President of Business Development
cBEYONData
Steve Azzara
Vice President of Business Development
cBEYONData
Bob Cohen
Director of Global
Mastercard
Bob Cohen
Director of Global
Mastercard
Bob Cohen is Director, B2B Partnerships and Embedded Finance, working in a division of Mastercard responsible for bringing the company’s existing assets; its global network, analytics, products and solutions to bear in areas outside of Mastercard’s traditional domain.
In his role, Bob is responsible for supporting partnerships for B2B, looking at new ways to create embedded user experiences for financial services and provide more value to the industry around data insights, payment digitization and working capital alternatives. Bob and the B2B Partnerships and Embedded Finance team partner with market leaders, and innovative organizations to combine expertise and complementary technologies to bring about industry wide transformative change to the B2B and payments industry.
Bob has 25 years’ experience working with companies solving Procure-to-Pay and B2B supply chain payment challenges.
Nick Coticchia
COO
Genesis Consulting
Nick Coticchia
COO
Genesis Consulting
Jessica Van Eerde
Chief of Operations & General Counsel
GovRamp
Jessica Van Eerde
Chief of Operations & General Counsel
GovRamp
Marco Estavam
Senior Presales Executive
Cognitus
Marco Estavam
Senior Presales Executive
Cognitus
Rahul Gupta
Director, Sales Acceleration & Chief of Staff - Public Sector
UiPath
Rahul Gupta
Director, Sales Acceleration & Chief of Staff - Public Sector
UiPath
Rich Gustafson
Managing Director
Deloitte
Rich Gustafson
Managing Director
Deloitte
Denis Gustin
Managing Director, Intelligent Spend
Cognitus
Denis Gustin
Managing Director, Intelligent Spend
Cognitus
Patrick Hughes
Senior Director, Industry Advisory - Public Sector
Icertis
Patrick Hughes
Senior Director, Industry Advisory - Public Sector
Icertis
Patrick Hughes is a retired active-duty Air Force officer and has spent 15 years in the Government contracting industry. During his Air Force career, he held a number of operational and contracting leadership assignments to include NATO, DCMA, US European Command, and the National Reconnaissance Office. As a defense contractor, Patrick supported numerous agencies across the federal enterprise and was the Director of Contracting at The MITRE Corporation where he was responsible for all buy/sell activity. Patrick holds a DAWIA Level III Certification in Contracting and is currently the Senior Director, Industry Advisory-Public Sector, for Icertis--a GenAI-enabled contract intelligence platform.
Ravi Iyer
Senior SAP PSA
AWS
Ravi Iyer
Senior SAP PSA
AWS
Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Duke University 1980-2022
Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Duke University 1980-2022
Passionate, dynamic, inspiring, and coach of Duke University men’s basketball team who led Team USA to three Olympic gold medals, Mike Krzyzewski (known by fans as Coach K) is a master motivator – not only of teams, but of individuals and organizations, spurring them on to succeed beyond even their own expectations.
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball, FIBA, National Collegiate Basketball, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Halls of Fame, Coach K shows audiences how they, too, can compile winning numbers in both their professional and personal lives. Perhaps the most accomplished basketball coach in history, Coach K’s journey in the sport was unparalleled in many ways as he accumulated the following career milestones:
- Most NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Victories (1,202)
- Most Final Fours (13; five NCAA Championships, second all-time)
- Most Decades with Final Four Appearances (five; 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s)
- Most Olympic Gold Medals as a Head Coach (3; 2008, 2012, and 2016)
- Most World Championship Gold Medals as a Head Coach (2; 2010 and 2014)
- Most NCAA Tournament Victories (101)
- Most NCAA Tournament Appearances by a Coach (36)
- Most Games as No. 1 Team in the Country by a Coach (254)
- Most Weeks as No. 1 Team in the Country by a Coach (127)
- Most Seasons as No. 1 Team in the Country by a Coach (21)
- Most Atlantic Coast Conference Victories (535)
- Most ACC Tournament Championships (15)
- Most NBA Draft No. 1 Selections (4)
- Most NBA Draft Lottery Selections (29)
- Most NBA Draft First Round Selections (46)
- Most NBA Draft Selections (73)
Coach K maps out a clear game plan for achieving success—motivating, leading, and providing powerful strategies for building confidence, trust, communication and teamwork. Like any elite coach, he scouts your organization to discover how to best inspire and renew your people. He is the author of two New York Times best-sellers including Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success. His most recent book is The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team.
A 12-time National Coach of the Year, Sports Illustrated named Krzyzewski its Sportsman of the Year in 2011. Krzyzewski has been honored by USA Basketball seven times as the recipient or co-recipient of the USA Basketball National Coach of the Year Award. He is the only men’s coach to have won gold medals at the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup, while also possessing at least one NCAA Championship (he has five).
In addition to being a Co-Founder of the Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics, Krzyzewski serves as a Professor of the Practice of Leadership at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke. The Coach K Center at Duke has directly influenced the leadership development of more than 6,500 MBA students and executives since 2004. The Board Chair of the Emily Krzyzewski Center in Durham, N.C., Krzyzewski founded the center that has served more than 7,500 students since its inception in 2006.
Coach K has been on the Board of Directors at the V Foundation since the beginning in 1993. Annually in Napa Valley, he and his wife Mickie host the V Foundation Wine Celebration, an event that has raised tens of millions of dollars in the fight against cancer.
Alden Mills
Inc. 500 CEO, Entrepreneur, Best-Selling Author, Navy SEAL
Be Unstoppable
Alden Mills
Inc. 500 CEO, Entrepreneur, Best-Selling Author, Navy SEAL
Be Unstoppable
Alden Mills is on a mission to help 100 million people Be Unstoppable. With more than 40 years of experience failing and succeeding in a vast array of different environments from sports, military, and business to nonprofits and community action groups, he learned success is driven by one vital factor – leadership – of oneself and others.
The first person Alden learned to lead was himself. As a weak child with asthma, doctors insisted he limit physical activity and avoid sports. Instead, with the mindset instilled in him by his mother that “no one defines what you can and can’t do, but you,” he went on to become a National Collegiate Champion rower, earning Gold and Silver medals at the Olympic Festival, and a Navy SEAL who was top of his class. From a young age he amassed notebooks of invention drawings. One of those ideas became the wildly popular Perfect Pushup and today he holds over 40 patents worldwide.
As Alden achieved personal successes, he repeatedly grew into leadership positions. He became captain of his collegiate rowing team, was promoted three times to Navy SEAL platoon commander, and ranked #1 platoon commander each time. He turned a single invention into a global fitness powerhouse in over 70 countries with multiple products, leading Perfect Fitness to become the fastest-growing consumer product company in the country, with over $95 million in sales in just three years. He has since founded and served on multiple companies’ boards in retail hard goods, consumable products, and service-based businesses.
Along the way, Alden cultivated a methodology - Unstoppable Leadership – that develops people into congruent and authentic leaders who successfully build teams and create cultures that are unstoppable regardless of the situation, industry, or environment.
Today Alden Mills is known as one of the leading business thinkers in America and spends his time helping others learn and implement the three levels of Unstoppable Leadership. He is the bestselling author of Unstoppable Mindset, Unstoppable Teams, and Be Unstoppable. Through speaking, coaching, writing, board advisory, and teaching, Alden helps people acquire the mindset, tools, and actions required to accomplish more than they thought was possible.
Brad Purcell
Principal AI Strategist
Tricentis
Brad Purcell
Principal AI Strategist
Tricentis
Frank Ruff
Vice President, Solutions
cBEYONData
Frank Ruff
Vice President, Solutions
cBEYONData
Will Setiyawan
Global ERP Lead
Northrop Grumman
Will Setiyawan
Global ERP Lead
Northrop Grumman
Will is a senior director and currently lead the Global ERP organization for Northrop Grumman
Will has been with Northrop Grumman for 18 years where he recently led a successful go live of the S/4 transformation project that include business process transformation, data transformation and the technical upgrade from ECC to S/4.
Before joining Northrop Grumman, Will was a consultant for 11 years with both Accenture and Deloitte.
Will holds a master of science degree from University of Minnesota at Twin Cities and a bachelor of science degree from Iowa State University. Both are in Industrial Engineering.
Michalene Schechter
Director, SAP Platform Architect, Finance and Procurement Functions, Global IT
Accenture
Michalene Schechter
Director, SAP Platform Architect, Finance and Procurement Functions, Global IT
Accenture
Michalene is a Director in Accenture’s internal Global IT organization where she leads the product and capability strategy for Finance and Procurement Technology. In this role, Michalene collaborates across Global IT and Accenture Finance to create a value-led approach to transformation. She was the solution architect for Accenture’s internal journey to SAP S/4HANA. She is based in Washington, DC and holds a BS from Georgetown University.
Ryan Swyers
Senior Government Budget Specialist
cBEYONData
Ryan Swyers
Senior Government Budget Specialist
cBEYONData
Susan Wedge
Managing Partner, US Federal Market
IBM
Susan Wedge
Managing Partner, US Federal Market
IBM
Susan Wedge is the IBM Consulting Managing Partner for the U.S. Public & Federal Market leading a team of over 4,000 IBMers across the U.S. Government, Education, Life Sciences, and Healthcare industries. She has dedicated her career to serving her clients and the people they serve.
Ms. Wedge started her career as a consulting intern at American Management Systems where she transformed Federal clients’ financial operations with software solutions. Since joining IBM in 2002, she has expanded her focus, leading numerous teams in transforming of all aspects of her clients’ business.
Prior to her current role, she led IBM’s Federal Civilian, Health, and Defense portfolio where she was responsible for bringing innovative capabilities that deliver improved experiences and mission outcomes for the American citizen. She also previously led IBM’s Federal Strategy, Experience, and Process Transformation growth platforms where she oversaw the company’s market-specific offerings and talent across eleven practice areas including digital strategy, interactive experience, artificial intelligence, analytics, and intelligent automation.
Ms. Wedge, a 2018 Fed100 winner, is eminent across the industry authoring blogs and speaking at industry forums. She holds a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia and lives in Virginia with her husband and two children.
Moderator
Lloyd Burke
Solutions Vice President
SAP
Lloyd Burke
Solutions Vice President
SAP
Lloyd Burke Leads the SAP Americas AI Solution Advisory team. With 30 years in the software industry, Lloyd has seen transformation after transformation but the AI movement promises an opportunity to modernize and accelerate literally everything. Lloyd’s career started at Luke AFB as a 2nd Lieutenant (printing KPIs on a plotter) with stops at Deloitte and then Oracle through the Y2K boom. Lloyd has been helping enterprises modernize their systems, accelerate their business processes and envision their future with new technologies and systems throughout his career.
Moderator
Hunter Downey
National Vice President, RISE, AI, Data and Platform Solutions and Architecture
SAP NS2
Hunter Downey
National Vice President, RISE, AI, Data and Platform Solutions and Architecture
SAP NS2
As National Vice President of SAP NS2’s RISE, platform, AI and data cloud portfolio, Hunter Downey is responsible for developing and driving AI and cloud strategies for customers with advanced security requirements. He leads a team of experts focused on deploying private and multi-tenant cloud solutions, helping Public Sector customers adopt the SAP NS2 Cloud Solutions as a catalyst for enterprise transformation.
Since joining SAP in 2007, Hunter has overseen the delivery of ERP, Business Intelligence, HANA, AI and cloud architecture in collaboration with cloud hyperscalers (Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform). Hunter helps customers reimagine their operating models, accelerate cloud adoption, and drive value through continuous reinvention.
Through a collective of consultancy roles in application and technology areas, Hunter has over 24 years of experience working with Public Sector customers on a variety of solution deployments and is a recognized guest speaker at government and industry events.
Hunter holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from Miami University. He is married to his wife Preethy Downey and they have two kids, Nisha (17) and Rohan (15). They have lived in Northern Virginia since 2001.
Moderator
Bill Greeves
Industry Advisor
SAP
Bill Greeves
Industry Advisor
SAP
Bill Greeves is an Industry Advisor at SAP, supporting state and local government, education, and nonprofit clients in modernizing complex systems and transforming business operations. He brings over 20 years of public sector technology leadership experience, including eight years as CIO, Innovation Officer, and Deputy County Manager for Wake County, North Carolina. Recognized for his innovative leadership by Government Technology and Public CIO magazines, he is also co-author of the Social Media in the Public Sector Field Guide.
Moderator
Travis Hoadley
Industry Executive Advisor, Federal Civilian & Defense
SAP
Travis Hoadley
Industry Executive Advisor, Federal Civilian & Defense
SAP
Hi, I’m Travis Hoadley, an Industry Advisor for Federal Civilian and Defense, based in Washington, D.C. For over 15 years, I’ve led teams supporting federal workforces of over 50,000 employees and delivering complex human capital transformations.
Today, I combine my industry expertise with SAP technology solutions to help federal clients modernize their business operations and address critical talent management challenges.
If you’d like to learn more about how we might help you and your organization, please connect with me, and let’s talk.
Moderator
Michele Hovet
Vice President Industry Advisory, Regulated Industries
SAP
Michele Hovet
Vice President Industry Advisory, Regulated Industries
SAP
Michele has worked at SAP twice since 2014, she brings over 25 years of regulated industries technology leadership to SAP in her role as VP of Industry Advisory for Regulated Industries.
Michele's experience includes serving as Director of Digital Strategy for Salesforce, Innovation Director for KSM Consulting, Industry Value Advisor for SAP, Deputy City Manager and Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Arvada, Colorado.
As Arvada CIO and through amazing staff, the City of Arvada was recognized year-after-year as a top ten digital city. Michele was named a Top 25 Doer Dreamer and Driver by GovTech Magazine and was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change for Local Innovation.
Michele has visited 45 out of the 50 US state capitals and plans to get to all 50. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration from Fort Lewis College with undergraduate studies in Mathematics at Colorado State University.
When not working Michele enjoys living in Colorado and spending time with her family and her rescue horses.
Moderator
Larissa Kim
Director, Federal Programs
SAP Concur
Larissa Kim
Director, Federal Programs
SAP Concur
Moderator
Frank Konkel
Editor-in-Chief
GovExec
Frank Konkel
Editor-in-Chief
GovExec
Moderator
Brian Laird
Executive Advisor, Public Sector | Former CFO, NAVSUP
SAP
Brian Laird
Executive Advisor, Public Sector | Former CFO, NAVSUP
SAP
Mr. Laird served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP). As such, he was responsible for the budgeting, execution, and solvency of a $9.5B Navy Working Capital Fund, as well as another ~$2.2B in Appropriated Funds. He is also the Senior Accountable Officer (SAO) for ensuring the auditability of NAVSUP’s ~$46B inventory of supply material.
Prior to this role, Mr. Laird was NAVSUP’s Chief Information Officer (CIO). In that position, he served as the Navy’s lead for supply chain automation, technology exploitation, data analytics, and cyber protection. He provided authoritative top-level managerial and technical advice to Navy’s senior executives on all Information Technology (IT) matters. He also led IT-related strategic planning, investment control, workforce shaping, and resource management efforts.
Prior to NAVSUP, Mr. Laird was a member of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) where he served as the organization’s principal advisor for integrating long-range Storage & Distribution capabilities into Combatant Command (CCMD) and Military Service plans. He led coordination efforts across CCMD staffs and developed logistics support annexes, enabling DLA operations across all phases of full spectrum operations.
Mr. Laird also spent more than a decade with the United States Army. As a commissioned officer, he served in both command and staff roles and led multiple units through DoD Transformation initiatives. He oversaw the training, readiness, deployment, safety, and overall well-being of all personnel under his command.
Mr. Laird earned an MBA in 2005 and holds both Project Management Professional (PMP) and Six Sigma Black-Belt certificates. He also holds DAWIA certifications in Life Cycle Logistics, Program Management, and Information Technology. He received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2016.
Moderator
Greg Rietzke
Chief Business Officer & Head of Market Development
SAP
Greg Rietzke
Chief Business Officer & Head of Market Development
SAP
Currently Head of Market Development within SAP, responsible for long term business growth for Regulated Industries across the United States (Federal Govt, State & Local Government, Defense & Security, Aerospace, Utilities). Over 32 years' experience working for SAP, with a strong background Aerospace & Defense, Operations, Sales Management, Direct Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Product Management, and Professional Services. Summary careers within SAP include the following:
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Chief Operating Officer
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Executive Sales Management
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Digital Transformation Experience with On Premise & Cloud Migration/Deployment models, SaaS
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Extensive Account Management / Commercial Sales for Largest Aerospace & Defense clients - Industry Business Development lead for Aerospace & Defense
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Sales Operations (Transformation Programs, Business Planning, Strategic Initiatives)
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Solution Management (Go to Market, Field Sales)
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Experienced Technical Presales with domain expertise in Project Management, Financials, and ERP - SAP Solution Expertise with RISE, S/4HANA, ECC, R/3, and R/2 with 30 years of SAP
Moderator
Steve Risseeuw
National Vice President, State, Local, Education & Healthcare, U.S. Public Services
SAP
Steve Risseeuw
National Vice President, State, Local, Education & Healthcare, U.S. Public Services
SAP
Steve Risseeuw is SAP’s National Vice President for the State, Local, Education, and Healthcare business sectors supporting customers in the United States. In this role, he is responsible for the breadth of SAP commercial, public sector, education, and healthcare-oriented software and cloud solutions. Steve was named to this position in January 2022 after leading SAP’s Defense business and then supporting State, Local, and Education customers for several years. Before moving into sales leadership at SAP, Steve spent several years leading SAP’s United States Army team.
With a focus on strategy, sales, and business development, Steve ensures resources from across the company are invested and aligned to ensure SAP delivers on its purpose of helping the world run better and improving people's lives. The special customers he supports have a unique orientation - taking care of citizens/residents, students, and patients.
Prior to joining SAP, Steve spent eight years at Oracle, where he was primarily responsible for building the company’s application and technology business within the U.S. Air Force. After Oracle, he spent 3 years at a small biometric start-up supporting the Department of Homeland Security.
Steve has more than 25 years of IT industry experience, focused on Defense, Public Security, Civil Agencies, and most recently State & Local and Higher Education. He is a graduate of Lehigh University and holds an MBA from the University of Oklahoma. He served 4 years in the United States Air Force, where he specialized in jet engine overhaul and logistics.
He is the proud father of three kids (two boys and one girl) and lives with his wife Regina in Northern Virginia.
Moderator
David Robinson
President and Chief Revenue Officer, Cloud ERP
SAP
David Robinson
President and Chief Revenue Officer, Cloud ERP
SAP
Moderator
Corina Sanchez
Director, Public Sector Practice Management
SAP Concur
Corina Sanchez
Director, Public Sector Practice Management
SAP Concur
Moderator
Sonja Simon
Chief Financial Officer Americas
SAP
Sonja Simon
Chief Financial Officer Americas
SAP
Moderator
Fred Spitz
Senior Data Strategist - N.A. Solution Advisor
SAP
Fred Spitz
Senior Data Strategist - N.A. Solution Advisor
SAP
Moderator
Leslie Casson Stevens
Industry Executive Advisor
SAP
Leslie Casson Stevens
Industry Executive Advisor
SAP
Leslie Casson Stevens has been engaged in government financial management for over 30 years. As an auditor, she led the audits of large local government organizations and publicly traded corporations. She spent nearly a decade implementing financial management systems at several US Federal government agencies and consulting on organizational and financial management challenges. Leslie was responsible for enterprise-wide accounting and financial reporting operations and financial management systems while serving as the Comptroller of the Smithsonian Institution.
Leslie joined SAP in 1998, on the team that extended the SAP core financial management functionality to accommodate the requirements of US Federal government accounting and reporting. Today, she is SAP’s Industry Executive Advisor for the US Federal market.
Moderator
Dr. Tom Tibbett
Principal AI Strategy Advisor
SAP
Dr. Tom Tibbett
Principal AI Strategy Advisor
SAP
Dr. Tom Tibbett is Principal AI Strategy Advisor at SAP, guiding organizations toward secure, impactful AI at scale. He holds a PhD in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Texas A&M University, focusing on Applied Statistics. As a former Data Science for Social Good Fellow, Tom advocates for tactical-practical uses of AI—making organizations efficient and improving people’s lives.
With a background as a professor, Tom has developed AI courses, mentored brilliant minds, and published extensively across scientific fields. He has combined that knowledge with SAP expertise for a decade, tackling complexities for regulated customers. Tom’s focus is empowering public servants on AI in an accessible way that everyone can understand.
Steve Van der Werf
Senior Solutions Consultant
SAP Concur
Steve Van der Werf
Senior Solutions Consultant
SAP Concur
Moderator
Kent Warren
National Vice President, Federal
SAP
Kent Warren
National Vice President, Federal
SAP
As the Regional Vice President of SAP Federal, Kent Warren holds a pivotal role. His responsibilities span across U.S. government departments and agencies, including the Defense Industrial Bases Aerospace and Defense contractors.
During its formation, Mr. Warren joined SAP Federal in 1998. He participated in the U.S. Department of Defense's early supply chain transformations, learning from crucial Federal executives like Frank Lotts (Defense Logistics Agency deputy director), Mae DeVincentis (Deputy Director of DLA), and General Chuck Mahan (Army AMC Commander).
In the mid-2000s, Mr. Warren and Bob Butler (SAP NS2 Board) were tasked with establishing SAP Government Support and Services, now SAP NS2. SAP Federal and SAP NS2 are critical for customers' access to our products and services.
Mr. Warren's leadership journey took a brief detour when he left SAP to join the federal systems integrator community. At ManTech International, he led a business unit responsible for cyber solutions, enabling customers to proactively respond to threats using AI and Machine Learning.
A prosperous federal industry journey empowers Mr. Warren's return to SAP across products and services, where he and his team focus on the customers' mission while helping them deliver positive business outcomes daily.
Kent Warren graduated from Radford University and served on the Radford University Foundation Board of Directors. He and his wife, Jenny, have two children.
Moderator
Aaron Wasserman
Senior Director of Government Affairs (National Security & Procurement Policy)
SAP Concur
Aaron Wasserman
Senior Director of Government Affairs (National Security & Procurement Policy)
SAP Concur
Moderator
Charlene Wilcox
Senior Solutions Consultant
SAP Concur
Charlene Wilcox
Senior Solutions Consultant
SAP Concur
Charlene Wilcox is a senior solution advisor for SAP Concur helping organizations optimize spend management and modernize operations. She brings deep expertise in digital transformation to deliver efficiency, transparency, and better outcomes.
Moderator
Rich Zaremba
Chief Customer Officer
SAP NS2
Rich Zaremba
Chief Customer Officer
SAP NS2
Rich is the Chief Customer Officer for SAP NS2 responsible for customer success across the
SAP NS2 Secure Cloud portfolio. Rich has been with SAP for 19 years, 10 years with SAP
supporting Supply Chain transformation globally with SCM/APO and the last 9 years in SAP
NS2 supporting our US Regulated Customers in various leadership positions including as the
Vice President of Customer Success and Head of Premium Engagements.