NCMA Nexus Agenda

Ms. Michelle Currier serves as the Chief Learning Officer for the National Contract Management Association leading education, training, and innovative practices for the Association. Prior to joining NCMA, she served as Professor of Contract Management at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU). Ms. Currier brings a wealth of real-world experience from her 46-year career, having served with distinction as a Contracting Officer, Division Chief, Deputy Director Small Business and Director of Contracts at the Naval Research Laboratory, Military Sealift Command, Small Business Administration, Naval Sea Systems Command, and the Army Contracting Command. Ms. Currier has received numerous DAU awards and recognitions, including inductee Hall of Fall, Frank J. Anderson, Jr. Leadership Award, Faculty of the Year, and Distinguished Teacher Designation. Ms. Currier was awarded the Army Superior Civilian Service Medal and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Award. Ms. Currier was recognized by Inside Business as one of the Top 25 Women in Business in Hampton Roads. Ms. Currier is a recognized speaker coach for TEDxDAU events. Ms. Currier is a Past National President of the NCMA (2001-2002) and an NCMA Fellow. NCMA has recognized Michelle with the Alvis D. Keen Honorary Life Member Award, the Charles A. Dana Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Fellow Award, the NCMA Education Award, National Achievement Award and NCMA Volunteer of the Year 2017. Ms. Currier is a frequent presenter at industry and government events and currently serves on the NCMA Board of Advisors. She is a Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) mentor and faculty member.

Anu Desai is a Consultant at Gapingvoid Culture Design Group, specializing in creating human-centered digital, spatial, and cultural experiences. She transforms insights from diverse disciplines and research methodologies into actionable solutions and compelling narratives, with a focus on behavior change, design, and business objectives. Previously, Anu served as an Innovation Strategist at Gensler, leading projects in UX research, service and product design, futures thinking, and culture strategy. She has collaborated with organizations such as the International Rescue Committee and co:collective, advancing their design strategy and research efforts. Her design foundation includes work as an architectural designer at Gensler, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, and SB Architects. Anu was also part of the winning team for Ragdale Ring 2022, building a performance venue as an artist-in-residence on the historic estate. Anu holds a B.Arch from Syracuse University, where she received the Faculty Best Thesis: James A. Britton Memorial Award. Her academic honors include the Alfred Kaskel Endowed Fellowship, Ralph T. Walker Travel Prize, Crown Wise-Marcus Research Award, and Peter J. Moore Travel Prize.

Mr. Pete Guinto is the Senior Technical Advisor for Contract Pricing, within Price, Cost and Finance (PCF) at Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD (A&S)). He is responsible for contract pricing matters throughout Department of Defense (DoD) enterprise, in support of the Department’s 30,000 contracting professionals who spend over $300 Billion annually to bring world-class capability to the warfighter. Mr. Guinto formulates and oversees complex, DoD-wide pricing, profit, and contract financing policies and strategies supporting major defense acquisitions for the Department. As DoD’s senior advisor for acquisition and procurement negotiation strategies on major defense acquisition programs, he provides business advice and negotiation expertise, partners with the Components to pilot Defense-wide improvements and leverage best practices in pricing and contracting, and fosters opportunities for the DoD workforce to continuously grow its pricing skills. Prior to assuming his current position as a Highly Qualified Expert in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he served in a senior executive leadership position in private industry providing commercial clients with advice around regulatory and statutory compliance with ever changing supply chain regulations. Earlier, he held various positions within the U.S. Air Force, serving as a Contracting Officer, Price Analyst, and Program Manager with DoD assignments at WrightPatterson (twice), the Pentagon, and Randolph Air Force Base. He served as a negotiator or clearance official of ~$14B in Government Contracts spanning systems such as the F-15, F-22, F16, MQ-9, RQ-4, C-17, C-130, KC-46 and several classified systems, smaller systems and subsystems. Mr. Guinto also served as the Chief of Market Intelligence for the COVID Acquisition task forces for the Air Force, DoD (Joint Acquisition Taskforce) and part of the national supply chain task force led by FEMA. Mr. Guinto is a Government Acquisition Leader with professional experience in Law, Respiratory Therapy and Firefighting. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Juris Doctor degree from University of Akron in Ohio.

Mr. Justin Fanelli is the Acting CTO for the Dept of Navy and the Technical Director (TD) of PEO Digital. As CTO, his office is laser focused on measurably improving technology-driven mission outcomes within the Dept of Navy. As TD, his Program Executive Office is expediting the performant, secure transformation of enterprise information technology infrastructure. Central to both of these roles is unleashing the private-public mesh to innovate faster with higher value on investment outcomes than ever before seen. He currently serves as an Advisor for Advanced Research Project Agency – Health (ARPA-H), the NIST AI Safety Institute and various S&T advisory boards. Within Dept of Navy roles, Mr Fanelli’s team has recently been recognized for transforming modern service delivery including multi-billion dollars savings and avoidance and leap ahead impacts with the Etter Award. Within Defense Healthcare, Mr. Fanelli’s teams delivered the first one-stop data enterprise for revolutionized healthcare and research outcomes. Previous roles for Mr. Fanelli have included Chief Data Architect for Defense Health, Technical Director for Navy Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education (MPTE), Executive Lead for Navy's Digital Transformation in 5G and DevSecOps, Service Chiefs Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), Principal Engineer for Navy Enterprise Business Systems, and Chief Systems Engineer for Command and Control (C2). Outside of the office, Mr. Fanelli currently teaches graduate courses at Georgetown University. He has lectured at a dozen other universities including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Darmouth and Penn. He advises on innovation and recently gave a TED talk on innovation adoption; ask him about what the Innovation Adoption Kit can do for you. He holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, a Masters degree in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Senior Executive Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is certified in Lean Six Sigma, Agile Development, GIAC Security Leadership, Defense Acquisition University Engineering and Program Management, has served as Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Technology (MCOT) Board Member, North Catholic High School Alumni Association President, currently serves as an advisor to National Science Foundation startups, a partner at NextGen Ventures, volunteer and speaker at TechImpact, AFCEA and is a member of the Cosmos Club. Recent awards include National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation, Civilian Exemplary Achievement Award, Secretary of the Navy’s Innovation Award, Project Management Institute's Project of the Year, Federal Health IT Innovation Award and he is a two time Defense50 and FedHealth 100 honoree. He lives in Arlington, VA and loves book recommendations.

Tim Lo is a professional career coach and co-founder of Your Next Jump. Tim is from Fishkill, New York and went to school at Carnegie Mellon for both his undergraduate and master’s degrees. Tim has over a decade of experience in business strategy and process improvement. He has worked for several top-tier international consulting firms and has been involved in the hiring of many new team members. He volunteers as a mentor to many recent grads and moonlights as a serial entrepreneur. Tim is a PARW/CC certified resume writer and professional career coach. In 2020, he and a friend started Your Next Story, a non-profit organization that provides employment preparation and placement for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Chris Robinson serves as a Strategy and Engagement Specialist for the Office of Information Technology Category, an office within the U.S. General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service. In this role, he leads outreach and marketing efforts in support of GSA’s governmentwide technology acquisition vehicles, which are pre-negotiated contracts designed to lower procurement costs and accelerate national priorities. Additionally, Chris develops and maintains enterprise intelligence applications that help his office prepare, analyze, and publish information with greater efficiency. Chris joined GSA in 2019 and quickly adapted to the unique field of government-to-government and government-to-industry engagement. Chris’ clients include the executives, subject matter experts, and program teams that make and manage the contracts. Chris’ team is tasked with keeping government, industry, and the general public informed of significant acquisition actions, such as the launch of a new contract vehicle. Chris manages the day-to-day communications activities of the Office of Enterprise Technology Solutions, which oversees GSA’s telecommunications and network services contracts. One of his major responsibilities is helping GSA sustain clear and consistent updates throughout the governmentwide transition off the expiring Networx, WITS 3, and Local Telecommunications contracts and on to Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions, which will support the telecommunications needs of the federal government until 2032. In addition to EIS, Chris orchestrates campaigns promoting the Complex Commercial SATCOM Solutions 3 contract, and three subcategories of the Multiple Award Schedule covering enterprise mobility (517312), commercial satellite communications (517410), and geospatial earth observation solutions (541370GEO). Chris is closely involved in efforts to identify emerging technologies and communicate early best practices to help stakeholders prepare for them. In 2022, he guided the publication of GSA’s Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology. In 2023, he helped research and produce GSA’s Generative AI and Specialized Computing Infrastructure Acquisition Resource Guide. He also designed and developed the webpage that hosts the guide and currently serves as its product owner. In 2024, he helped organize GSA’s first public event promoting post-quantum cryptography. He is an active member of the governmentwide AI Community of Practice and related working groups. Before joining GSA, Chris was a front-end web developer and digital consultant serving membership-based organizations and small businesses. He helped start and served on the boards of multiple nonprofit organizations, primarily in communications and management roles. Early in his career, he worked as a legislative fellow for a congressional office and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Jamaica, where he helped community groups plan, fund, and implement local development projects. He holds a BA in Psychology from Rollins College and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mr. Ken Carkhuff reported as the DAU Small Business Learning Director in August 2019. He is responsible for leading the life cycle activities of assigned Small Business Professional (SBP) learning assets. He also serves as a professor for all four instructor-led SBP courses. He was the first DoD acquisition professional to earn the new DoD Small Business Professional Credential in May 2021. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership) program at Liberty University. Mr. Carkhuff served as an Acquisition Program Manager in the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs (SAF/SB) from April 2019 to August 2019. He was responsible for policy updates and implementation, coordinating and conducting a subcontracting compliance assessment of selected Air Force contracting squadrons, and outreach to Industry. Mr. Carkhuff served as Deputy Associate Director of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) and the Small Business Professional for NAVAIR Headquarters from October 2012 to March 2019. In this capacity, he worked with all the aviation program offices to maximize small business opportunities. He also served as the NAVAIR Mentor-Protégé Program, Program Manager. Additionally, he served as the acting Associate Director of the NAVAIR OSBP from August to October of 2015. He also served as the Small Business Deputy for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River from February 2008 to September 2012. Mr. Carkhuff completed a NAVAIR Leadership Development Program (NLDP) rotation in PMA-299 (H-60 Program Office) as part of Team SEAHAWK. He served as the Air Vehicle System and Production Integrated Program Team Co-Lead and as the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Strategic Planner where he was responsible for the production and delivery of domestic and FMS MH-60R helicopters. Prior to joining NAVAIR, he served as a Division Manager/NAVAIR Programs Manager for a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. In this capacity, he managed several programs with a combined total contract value exceeding $25M that supported four Acquisition Category 1 programs. Mr. Carkhuff is a retired naval officer and former SH-60B helicopter pilot with over 2500 flight hours. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy (BS, Physical Science), the Naval War College (MA, National Security and Strategic Studies), the Naval Postgraduate School (MS, Contract Management) and Liberty University (EdS, Educational Leadership). He is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps. He is a certified DoD Contracting Professional and Program Manager (Advanced). He is a 2018 graduate of the U.S. Navy Insights into Industry Management Course at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. He is a 2017 graduate of NLDP, NAVAIR’s flagship leadership program. He was a member of the NAVAIR OSBP Team that received the Department of the Navy’s inaugural Small Business Team Award. He served as Chairperson of the DoD Mid-Atlantic Regional Council from July 2018 – December 2019. He is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an academic honor society for top business school students.

Ryan Novak, Acquisition Outcome Lead from the MITRE Corporation and AI Lead for Acquisition Innovation Center, has earned 2 MBAs, MS in Strategic Purchasing, an MS in Project Management, and is DAWIA III Contracting certified. He has authored the Challenge-Based Acquisition Handbook, taught the approach to 500+ staff at MITRE, Industry, and the Government, and helped numerous agencies employ innovative acquisition approaches. Former USAF Contracting Officer with 28 years of leadership experience in the areas of innovation, contracting, acquisition, negotiation, strategic purchasing, consulting, and project and program management. Published author, speaker, and practitioner on innovative acquisition approaches and solutions. Helped achieve strategic program and acquisition successes for the DoD, Civilian Agencies, and the IC across the board. Ryan led the start-up on iCAMS, numerous AI in Acquisition prototyping efforts, has held an unlimited CO warrant, and completed both the Executive Strategy Program at Oxford and the Accelerated Management Program from Yale University.

Kelly Osvold's goal is to empower individuals to master the art of crafting Performance Work Statements (PWS), transforming complexity into clarity and instilling confidence in every project. From her hometown of Texarkana, TX, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas A&M-Texarkana and was awarded a Master of Science in Project Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With years of experience in government service and writing PWSs, she is passionate about making government contracting more efficient, impactful, and accessible. She is part of the Civilian Services Acquisition Workshop (CSAW) Team, which specializes in guiding professionals to achieve excellence in PWS development. Her unique skill set includes wordsmithing, strategic phrasing, and helping others find the right words to achieve their objectives. Outside of work, she enjoys sewing, traveling, and rockhounding, including the thrill of hunting for Blue Topaz in Mason County Texas or diamonds in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Whether exploring the intricacies of language or the treasures of the earth, she is always looking for ways to uncover hidden potential and value.

Jonathan Evans (he/him) is the Program Manager and Senior Facilitator for the Civilian Services Acquisition Workshops (CSAWs) Program. The CSAW Program is designed to maximize Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA) across government through the delivery of CSAWs - a facilitated requirements development workshop built around a specific acquisition and its multi-functional integrated project/procurement team (IPT). The workshop facilitates the team through the PBA process from beginning to end. Since 2019, Jonathan has effectively facilitated 34 workshops and affected well over $30 billion in estimated spend. As an acquisition professional and former 1102, Jonathan manages the government-wide playbook for PBA, called the Steps to Performance-Based Acquisition (SPBA), on buy.gsa.gov/spba. He regularly researches acquisition innovations and applications of PBA in order to effectively coach and mentor acquisition teams to grow their PBA maturity. As a facilitator, Jonathan has facilitated large and small group sessions on a variety of topics, including: requirements development, acquisition planning, project planning, strategic planning, human capital strategic planning, organizational culture and values, employee engagement, customer and industry engagement strategy, and team building. Mr. Evans has Bachelors degrees in Economics and Leadership Development from the University of Washington and maintains a FAC-C Level III (Professional) and FAC-COR Level III certification, as well as a Master Business Analyst Certification from George Washington University. He received a Master Human Capital Strategist Certification from the Human Capital Institute and has received advanced training and coaching in facilitation from Leadership Strategies, Inc. Jonathan is also a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) through the Scrum Alliance.

Marsha Lindquist is an experienced pricing strategist & contracts professional. In her groundbreaking #1 Amazon Best Selling book, Secrets of Strategic Pricing for Government Contractors Marsha Lindquist delivers the wisdom of strategic pricing for Federal proposals. Marsha has built a tradition of quality consulting for Government contractors for over 30 years. She has wide-ranging experience with Government contracting firms–mostly scientific & high-technology companies. Marsha is adept in persuasive pricing that wins & is masterful in authoring customer-focused winning pricing strategies. Clients describe her as tenacious and a true pro. Ms. Lindquist has achieved the distinguished titles of NCMA Fellow, APMP Fellows & APMP Professional (CPP) as well as Future of Pricing Honoree by ProPricer. Marsha can be often seen hiking with her dog Ziva a young Australian Shepherd with lots of energy.

Eric Crusius is a partner at Holland & Knight who focuses his practice on a wide range of government contract (GovCon) matters, including bid protests, claims and disputes, compliance issues and sub-prime issues. Mr. Crusius has extensive experience in government contract litigation, including successfully prosecuting and intervening in numerous bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC), U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), boards of contract appeals and other federal agencies. He counsels clients regarding the Service Contract Act (SCA) and other labor issues, domestic preferences, export controls, cybersecurity, subcontracting and teaming agreements, and compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other agency regulatory requirements such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS). Mr. Crusius also represents contractors in investigations, suspension and debarment proceedings, and in federal and state courts. He also supports the firm's corporate practice and performs due diligence and compliance reviews for acquisitions and sales of entities and business units in the defense and civilian space. Mr. Crusius also draws on his previous experience representing internet-based companies across the globe and focuses on cybersecurity issues particular to government contractors, including counseling contractors regarding cybersecurity compliance obligations, specialized breach response requirements required by various federal agencies (including the DOD), and certifications such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). He is an industry thought leader with respect to these issues having appeared on Government Matters, Federal News Network and featured at conferences to provide insight to the greater contractor community.

Alexis Bonnell is the Chief Information Officer and Director of the Digital Capabilities Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. She is responsible to develop and execute the AFRL Information Technology strategy, leading the strategic development of highly advanced next generation technologies and platforms for AFRL. Her focus includes catalyzing the discovery, development, and integration of warfighting technologies for air, space, and cyberspace forces via digital capabilities, IT infrastructure and technological innovation across the lab’s operations and culture. She was one of the first employees of the Internet Trade Association, contributing to the early development and growth of the digital landscape. She has served in challenging environments, including warzones with the United Nations to support over $1B of critical DOD operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and many other operational theaters. She has contributed to dual-use technology and innovation culture across the DOD Innovation community including: AFWERX, AFRL, Kessel Run, NavalX, Marine Innovation Unit, Army Futures Command, DIU, Army Software Factory, DARPA and more. Prior to her current position, she was the Emerging Technology Evangelist at Google, driving the use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cyber security/zero trust, API First, Big Data, Cloud Computing, and others to drive efficiency and innovation within government organizations, including tackling digital transformation in defense, healthcare, education, COVID response, natural disasters, supply chain, system/process modernization, hybrid workforce and more. Bonnell co-founded the Global Development Lab, the premier innovation lab of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), leveraging Global Allied Nation partnerships in Science, Technology, and Innovation, reviewing over 25,000 game changing innovations and technologies, funding 1,200 of them. She served as USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer, receiving the first 10/10 for innovation in the Results for America Rankings. She was named in the Fed 100 in 2020. She also assisted with major platform and technology transitions, drove hybrid work adoption, countering malign nation initiatives and global cyber security programming.

Ms. Laura Cooper has a key role in driving data and analytics implementation across the defense acquisition (not procurement) community. Her years in the private sector gave her experience leveraging data for organizational strategy, risk management, and strategic communication. She applies those and other skills, working with partners across the Department, to expand data use for senior leader insight and decision making.

Patricia (Patty) Houchin is a seasoned expert in government acquisition, policies, and program management with over 15 years of experience driving strategic change and optimizing business practices within the public sector. Throughout her career, Patty has demonstrated a strong ability to navigate complex acquisition processes, lead organizational transformations, and establish programs that deliver results. Her expertise spans the full acquisition lifecycle, including policy development, process improvement, and program execution. She has a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams to streamline operations, implement best practices, and ensure compliance with evolving government regulations. Patty’s leadership has been instrumental in establishing high-impact acquisition programs that support critical mission objectives and drive efficiency. A strategic thinker with a hands-on approach, Patty has consistently excelled in fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within acquisition teams. Her deep understanding of federal acquisition systems and her ability to lead change initiatives has made her a trusted advisor to senior leadership in both government and private sector organizations.

Geoffrey Sage is the Director of the Enterprise Service and Analysis Division within the NASA Office of Procurement. As the Director, Mr. Sage is responsible for senior executive leadership and oversight of the Office of Procurement enterprise E-Business systems and initiatives, the Enterprise Pricing Office, and special acquisition initiatives supporting the Chief Acquisition Officer, Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer, and Chief Program Management Officer. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Sage served as the NASA Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Supplement (NFS) Manager and Performance Management Lead for the NASA Office of Procurement. In his role as the NFS Manager, Mr. Sage served as the Agency's principal point of contact for agency procurement policy and guidance as promulgated in the NFS and related policy and guidance resources. He oversaw and managed the process for creating, maintaining, and ensuring the quality of the NFS and its related documents in addition to developing, maintaining, and implementing agency-wide procurement guidance, procedures, and regulations. In his role as the Performance Management Lead, Mr. Sage had oversight of the Office of Procurement E-Business systems and tools, which included enterprise-wide E-Business systems, data, and the development and maintenance of metrics and goals. Prior to joining the Headquarters staff, Mr. Sage served at the operational field level at NASA’s Langley Research Center, Kennedy Space Center, and Goddard Space Flight Center, supporting a wide range of major space systems and associated commodities from construction to space communications and satellite development programs and projects. Mr. Sage began his NASA career in 2003 as a member of the NASA Contracting Intern Program (NCIP). Mr. Sage earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his Master of Art degree in International Commerce and Policy from the George Mason University School of Public Policy in Arlington, Virginia. He holds a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) Certification. Mr. Sage has received numerous awards and is a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement and Silver Achievement Medals and the Elmer B. Staats Contracting Professional Excellence Award. Mr. Sage is married and has a son and a daughter.

Justin has worked with hundreds of COs and Program professionals to identify acquisition strategies, improve market research, and buy emerging technologies in more efficient ways. A former 1102, Justin has led teams of acquisition SMEs in consulting and teaching federal and DoD organizations, rewrite acquisition guides and policies, develop technology roadmaps for program offices, and build procurement packages for major systems, AI, and RPA products.

Loril Stephens, CPPM CF, is the Senior Manager of BDS Operations Government Property Management for Space & Launch and Missile & Weapon Systems for The Boeing Company, managing the FAR required outcomes over multiple site locations and programs. Ms. Stephens has held staff and management positions at aerospace government and commercial manufacturing organizations over the past few decades; within strong research and development programs, as well as higher education and state and local government throughout her career in Property Management. Her credentials include a Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Property Management; National Property Management Association (NPMA) Certified Professional Property Manager (CPPM) advanced certification, and recognition as a Consulting Fellow (CF). Ms. Stephens is an experienced NPMA instructor of property management courses and is a workshop presenter throughout the U.S and internationally. She is passionately focused on mentoring and providing professional development guidance to individuals in property management and related fields. In addition to mentoring within the NPMA and NDIA community. Ms. Stephens is a long-time active member of the National Property Management Association, and has held numerous positions at Chapter, Regional, and National levels. Ms. Stephens is currently serving as the Chair of the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) Government Property Systems Committee. She is a recipient of the NPMA National Carl Iannacone Tribute Award and the Western Region Property Person of the Year Award among other awards during her career in recognition of her dedication and contributions to the organizations of NPMA and NDIA.

Mr. Obermeyer leads DCMA’s effort to obtain a service provider FIAR audit for its role in managing approximately $115 billion in government contract property. Mr. Obermeyer joined the Defense Contract Management Agency on February 27, 2012. Prior to joining DCMA, he served with the TRICARE Management Activity, the Missile Defense Agency, and OUSD(AT&L)/DPAP in various senior contracting and policy positions. Mr. Obermeyer retired from the USAF in 2002 after serving more than twenty years as a Contracting Officer. He holds a Masters of National Security Strategies degree and a Senior Acquisition Course Certificate from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University; a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton; and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University. Mr. Obermeyer is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School Senior Executive Fellows Program. Mr. Obermeyer is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager and NCMA Fellow, former NCMA Board of Directors member, and is currently on the Board of Advisors and the Editorial Advisory Board.

Azza M. Jayaprakash serves as Counsel and Lead for Law, Regulations, and Policy for the Department of Defense (DoD) Intellectual Property (IP) Cadre, in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. Azza also serves as Associate General Counsel in the Acquisition & Logistics Division of the DoD Office of General Counsel. She provides counsel on laws, regulations, and policies relating to intellectual property, advises and assists DoD customers in the development of intellectual property strategies, and assist DoD customers in drafting and negotiating of IP license terms in contracts and other agreements. She is also a member of the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council's Patents, Data, and Copyrights Team. She previously held positions as a patent attorney and Division Chief in the Army Material Command Legal Center advising various Army program executive offices on technical data and software rights issues. Prior to her DoD career, Azza worked at private law firms doing patent prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and intellectual property litigation.

Wes Bennett is a former member of the Senior Executive Service and is currently the Vice President of Contracts at Booz Allen. He is an expert in acquisition and contract management with over 20 years experience in various contracting leadership roles within the government and private industry. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Legal Studies and a minor in Philosophy, and later earned a master's degree from Bellevue University in Acquisition and Contract Management. He has served in various roles in the Department of Defense, including the Senior Procurement Executive at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he received the Distinguished Civilian Award. He has also been awarded the Presidential Rank, Meritorious Executive Award, and several military medals for his contributions to national defense and the global war on terror. In addition to his professional achievements, Wes Bennett is an active member of the National Contract Management Association, where he previously served on the Board of Advisors and is currently serving on the Board of Directors. He is also an advocate for his local community coaching for various youth sports teams, such as wrestling, field hockey, and lacrosse.

Ms. Bonnie Evangelista is the Acting Deputy, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) for Acquisition Directorate, and one of the original founders of the Tradewinds initiative for the CDAO, leading efforts to design and build a rapid acquisition environment aimed to accelerate the pace of digital, analytics, and artificial intelligence delivery to the Department of Defense (DoD). In her previous role, she served as the Deputy Product Lead for Applied Cyber Technologies within Army Program Manager Defensive Cyber Operations (PM DCO), leading efforts to provide the infrastructure and environments necessary for defensive cyber innovation and integration in the Army. Evangelista is an experienced acquisition and procurement professional with expertise gained while supporting Federal civilian and DoD agencies for 16 years. She is fluent in Federal Government program management, acquisition life cycle, and cradle-to-grave contracting, and she is also known as master strategist for rapid acquisition, prototyping, and other transaction authority projects. Evangelista has dedicated most of her career to simplifying complex acquisition and contracting processes and transforming conventional procurement models and mind sets.

Mike Carroll serves as an Acquisition Program Manager at Join Strategic Technologies, leveraging over three decades of experience in the military and defense sector. His distinguished career includes executive leadership as Chief of Acquisition and Procurement at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, where he demonstrated exceptional financial stewardship and organizational leadership. His innovative sourcing strategies have led to remarkable cost savings increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the command. Prior to his current role, Carroll held senior positions at Airbus Helicopters and Heritage Health Solutions, where he managed a $700M+ contract portfolio and established strategic relationships with key federal agencies. His expertise spans GSA Schedules, ID/IQ contracts, and international defense procurement. Carroll’s impact extends beyond direct procurement, having authored influential articles on multiservice contracting initiatives and developed strategies that enhance operability between North American defense allies.

John Savicky is the Vice President of Procurement Research at Simplar. John received his PhD in Engineering from Arizona State University. John has over 20 years in procurement research, and has assisted numerous private, public, federal, and international organizations with procurement oversight, policy changes, RFP development, proposal evaluation, and post award advisory services. Over his 20-year career, he has personally provided procurement support services for over 1,500 projects ($5+ Billion).

Dr. Michael Schweitzer is a highly accomplished senior technical executive and advisor, currently serving the Department of the Navy’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) through Falconwood, Inc. With over 16 years of expertise in acquisition, business, and technology, he spearheads large-scale digital transformations across critical defense initiatives, enhancing the capabilities of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Dr. Schweitzer’s strategic leadership has driven innovation and agility, delivering transformative results for millions of users worldwide. As Senior Advisor to the Department of Navy’s CTO, Dr. Schweitzer and his team manage an IT architecture supporting over 2 million daily users. They established the World-class Alignment Metrics (WAM) framework, improving transparency between investments and mission outcomes, resulting in $2 Billion in new mission value returned to the Warfighter and taxpayer, and enhanced service delivery speeds by over 300%. By fostering partnerships with small businesses and venture capital firms, he increased small business engagement efficiency by 500%, saving six months in average award timelines. His strategic vision extends to expanding competencies by small businesses that support the DON, establishing six Centers of Excellence that foster innovations in areas like data science and cybersecurity. Dr. Schweitzer’s career spans roles such as Deputy Program Manager for MyNavy HR IT Solutions, where he accelerated deployment timelines by two months and achieved $80 million in cost savings. As a contract specialist, he streamlined acquisitions for enterprise technologies, enhancing Warfighter mission outcomes. Earlier in his career, as a Joint Fires Program Manager with the U.S. Army, he developed operationally transformative training and led multinational exercises to deter aggression. His technical acumen was honed further in Afghanistan where he trained the Afghan Uniformed Police an improved their effectiveness by 70% through improvements to survivability and lethality. Dr. Schweitzer holds a Doctor of Management in Organizational Development and Change from Colorado Technical University, where he was a Patriot Scholar. He also earned a Master’s in IT with a focus on project management and a Bachelor’s in Government Contracting and Acquisitions, graduating summa cum laude. Certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a SAFe Agilist, his expertise spans IT infrastructure, agile methodologies, and defense technologies. Dr. Schweitzer’s career exemplifies excellence in leadership, technical innovation, and dedication to advancing defense capabilities. His work continues to shape the future of technology for the Department of Defense and its Warfighters.

Jason Pickart is a visionary leader with a proven track record in strategic planning, change management, and acquisitions. As the Acting Deputy Customer Experience Officer for the Department of Defense, he spearheads efforts to enhance user experience and leads performance management of the Department’s IT advancement strategy, Fulcrum. His impact extends beyond Government service as an active member of multiple boards and committees.

With a master’s degree in Procurement and Acquisition Management and certifications including Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Jason has consistently driven transformative changes across organizations. He served as a Lead Contracting Officer for MHS GENESIS and the next Air Force One, while reshaping the competitive landscape of supersonic aircraft. His dynamic leadership style and ability to coach multifunctional teams make him a sought-after collaborator for solving complex challenges.

Jason’s passion lies in rolling up his sleeves and working alongside teams to achieve results. His dedication to excellence continues to shape industries and inspire professionals nationwide.

Melissa leads the Vulnerability Management team in the Office of the CIO. This includes overseeing the Hardening Configuration and Vulnerability Management/Remediation efforts. Her background in Cyber Operations, compliance and configuration, information security program transformation, data privacy and protection, business continuity/disaster recovery, incident response, vulnerability assessments, process design, policy development, and configuration compliance requirements for DOD Contractors, gives her not only the technical why's, but also the how's to ensure our systems are fully protected. It is this unique background which gives her the ability to quickly address what is the most secure configuration, and which patches are most important to be deployed quickly.

Catrina Lewis is an accomplished leader with a distinguished career in contracting, specializing in systems-level procurement and IT service awards for the Department of Defense (DoD). As a Supervising Contracting Officer at Maxwell Air Force Base (MAFB) Gunter Annex in Alabama, Catrina oversees a team of seven personnel, ensuring the successful execution of critical IT service contracts. She is known for her dedication to fostering collaboration. Catrina holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Strayer University and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Auburn University Montgomery. She is NCMA CFCM certified and holds a LEVEL II DAWIA certification. A passionate advocate for professional development, she graduated from the NCMA’s Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) 2024 Co-Hort. Notably, Catrina was recognized as the winner of the 2024 Air Force Materiel Command Professional Development Award. Beyond her professional role, Catrina serves as President of the NCMA River Region Chapter and President of the Auburn University Montgomery Alumni Board of Directors. Catrina exemplifies dedication, leadership, and service in both her career and community involvement.

Ms. Tran has over 24 years of experience holding various positions within DCAA and brings invaluable insight into navigating the complexities of contract audits and compliance. She and her team currently work with many small businesses to satisfy the audit requirements including pre- and post- award accounting systems, incurred cost submissions, provisional billing rates, etc. In addition to leading her team of supervisory auditors, audit quality personnel, and staff auditors, she is also responsible for the development of new auditors within their first year with the Agency. Ms. Tran graduated from University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance, and is Department of Defense Financial Management Level 3 Certified.

Ed Wilgus is an Acquisition Officer (Contractor), for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC). Mr. Wilgus had a distinguished 33-year federal career with both the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health. During his tenure as the NITAAC Deputy Director/Contracting Officer, Mr. Wilgus provided oversight for NITAAC’s three Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs): CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 Small Business and CIO-CS. Mr. Wilgus held a Level III FAC-C certification with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certification in Contracting. In his current role, Mr. Wilgus assists and guides Federal Agencies with their procurement of Information Technology (IT) products and services through the use of NITAAC GWACs. Mr. Wilgus is also a certified workplace mediator. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Marymount University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from East Carolina University.

Jason Pickart is a visionary leader with a proven track record in strategic planning, change management, and acquisitions. As the Acting Deputy Customer Experience Officer for the Department of Defense, he spearheads efforts to enhance user experience and leads performance management of the Department’s IT advancement strategy, Fulcrum. His impact extends beyond Government service as an active member of multiple boards and committees. With a master’s degree in Procurement and Acquisition Management and certifications including Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Jason has consistently driven transformative changes across organizations. He served as a Lead Contracting Officer for MHS GENESIS and the next Air Force One, while reshaping the competitive landscape of supersonic aircraft. His dynamic leadership style and ability to coach multifunctional teams make him a sought-after collaborator for solving complex challenges. Jason’s passion lies in rolling up his sleeves and working alongside teams to achieve results. His dedication to excellence continues to shape industries and inspire professionals nationwide.

Amie Matheson has 25 years of experience implementing and supporting CGI’s built-for-federal Enterprise Suite, Momentum, for numerous customers across the federal space. Ms. Matheson has partnered with the customers, working with each individually, to help drive each implementation and project to success. As a Momentum expert, Ms. Matheson has a passion for engaging with customers to find the right solutions for their organization and helping customers exceed their goals and expectations.

Cierra combines systems thinking with human-centered design to help leaders transform their organizations. A strategist and experience designer, she's led major change initiatives for the Air Force, U.S. Navy, international nonprofits and global retailers. Before entering the world of consulting, she led strategic partnerships and communications initiatives in the food and agriculture sector. At Gapingvoid, she serves as Managing Director, Experience overseeing client experience and delivery. She holds a BA in Commerce from Rhodes College and an MS in Engineering and Management from MIT. 

Geoff currently serves as Director of Federal Acquisition Solutions at Appian Corporation, where he drives innovation and efficiency in government contracting through low-code automation solutions.  In a career spanning several decades, Geoff has made significant contributions to the industry, including while leading an e-procurement marketplace, where his application of technology and process enabled transformative innovation. He has played a pivotal role in streamlining procurement operations, implementing innovative strategies, and fostering strategic partnerships to drive efficiency and cost savings for the federal government.

Katie Keller currently serves as a Professor of Contract Management at DAU (Defense Acquisition University) Midwest where she facilitates contracting certification courses, leads curriculum development efforts, and develops and facilitates customized training workshops to support Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition teams. Prior to joining DAU, Ms. Keller worked as a Department of the Army civilian for over 12 years in various acquisition roles. She has wide-ranging experience in item management, maintenance, requirements development, policy, program management, cost and price analysis, and as a Contracting Officer. She has a passion for learning and spreading knowledge. Throughout her career with the DoD, Ms. Keller has had the opportunity to participate on several acquisition teams in various functional roles and has real-world experience with interacting and collaborating from the requiring activity, program management, and contracting perspectives. She has seen first-hand the importance of shared goals to ensure acquisition and mission success.

Brian Lines, PhD, PE, FMP is a professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas. Dr. Lines helps owners tackle their most challenging projects & provides training in a variety of formats to improve the skillsets of procurement professionals internationally. Dr. Lines is also a volunteer instructor for the Center for Procurement Excellence (CPE) which offers many free training resources – check it out!

David Zhang is a Certified Federal Contract Manager with over fourteen years of specialized experience in the field of federal acquisition and program management. He has served as a Level III Contracting Officer’s with a $10 million warrant at the Department of Homeland Security. He also served as the lead contracts manager for the Oklahoma City Tornadoes disaster relief in 2013. Furthermore, David has successfully led multiple large Federal source selections. For example, he led the NOAALink Refresh contract valued up to $2.5 billion with over 50 proposals and received no protest as a result of effective project management of multiple teams and detailed documentation of the source selection process. David is one of the owners of A-Frame Solutions, providing acquisition support services to federal and private-sector clients. As one of the owners of A-Frame Solutions, he has built and managed multi-million-dollar nation-wide acquisition solutions company that helps clients achieve timely, effective and quality results through staff augmentation and building innovative acquisition automation tools Under A-Frame Solutions, David has supported the Acquisition and Grants office at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration as Subject Matter Expert, providing acquisition assistance for mission-critical procurements. In addition, he has designed, built, and maintained the Strategic Sourcing Acquisition Division’s internal website, which houses various acquisition tools such as source selection tool, acquisition tracker, task tracker, and contract review board scheduler.

Vince "Swath" Pecoraro is an acquisition management professional with a proven track record in the Department of Defense and the Air Force. As the Acquisition Management Division Chief at the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), he orchestrates a $15 billion recompete strategy for ADVANA and launched a $100 million+ Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. In the Air Force he was a founding member of both the Digital Transformation Office (DAF DTO) and AFWERX. He is known for his impactful leadership in agile contracting and transformative acquisition strategies regarding the other transaction agreements for the Light Attack Experimentation Campaign, the B-21 Raider Tech Development and Initial Production contracts, and the Open Mission System (OMS) Standard. He was once the most warranted procurement officer in the USAF and has contributed to multiple NCMA articles, The Experiment that Succeeded book, and many podcast interviews.

Dan Alves serves as Director of IT Risk & Compliance for GDIT in the Office of the CIO. In this role, Dan oversees Enterprise IT Risk Management, Cybersecurity Policy, IT Security Governance, IT Security and Supply Chain Management alignment, and GDIT’s response to key IT compliance matters such as the CMMC, IT Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404, Corporate IT internal audits, and DCMA and other audits. Dan has deep experience performing internal audit, financial audit integration, cyber assessment, compliance and information security program transformation, data privacy and protection, business continuity/disaster recovery, incident response, vulnerability assessments, process design, policy development, and SOX advisory services

Sally supports the World Commerce and Contracting global team in the pursuit of both the recognition of and excellence in Commercial and Contract Management. She is an experienced and accomplished commercial and contracts management professional, holding senior commercial positions at a range of corporate and multi-national organizations. After gaining an Honors degree in Law, Sally spent her time in the house in the corporate sector, where she worked globally in the Telecomms and IT industries, before establishing her own legal and commercial consultancy in 2007. Sally is passionate about enabling business efficiency and growth through contracting and commercial excellence; she understands the need for robust business operations to drive these efficiencies, together with the requirement for effective communication and collaboration at all times. Whether in contract development, negotiation, training or general communications, Sally has built a reputation for service excellence and responsiveness. Her focus is on the creation of positive and successful business relationships, constantly striving to ensure that businesses realize their true potential and value.

Ryan Connell is the Chief of Acquisition Experiments in the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO). In this role, he supports AI acquisition policy, AI experimentation, Tradewinds Solution Marketplace, and CDAOs organic contracting actions. Mr. Connell joined CDAO in 2024, previously supporting the congressionally mandated commercial acquisition cadre of experts in DoD. Ryan spent the last 8 years focused on DoD contract strategy for the integration of commercial technology, leveraging commercial business practices, and removing barriers to entry for nontraditional defense contractors. Mr. Connell has 15 years in Defense acquisition experience which includes cost estimating, pricing & negotiation, cost & compliance, commercial acquisition, and market-intelligence and tech scouting. Ryan has his MBA, DAWIA certifications in both contracting and program management, is on NCMA Boston’s Board of Directors, and leads NCMAs agile and innovation CoP.

Major General Cameron G. Holt (Ret) is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Exiger Government Solutions. Formerly, General Holt was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Washington, D.C. He was responsible for all aspects of contracting relating to the acquisition of weapon systems, logistics, and operational support for the Air Force and provides contingency contracting support to the geographic combatant commanders. He led a highly skilled staff of mission-focused business leaders supporting warfighters through $825 billion of Space, Global Power/Reach, and Information Dominance programs. He also oversaw the training, organizing, and equipping of a workforce of some 8,000 Contracting professionals that execute programs worth more than $65 billion annually.

Theresa Kinney, Senior Deputy Program Director for the NASA SEWP Program Office, leads the strategic direction, operations, and planning for SEWP, a premier Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) offering cutting-edge Information Technology, Communication and Audio Visual (ITC/AV) solutions and services to Federal Agencies. With over 20 years of experience at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and 3 years at NASA Headquarters, Ms. Kinney serves as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for the SEWP Program and holds key roles in ACT/IAC, NCMA, and ATARC. A Montana native, she graduated with honors from Strayer University and holds a Master's Certificate in Federal Contracting from George Washington University.

An international, cross-industry career that has moved from corporate management to extensive research, advisory and capability development services to public, private and third sector organisations. Tim has lived and worked in the UK, France (3 years) and United States (20 years), building an impressive research and entrepreneurial record, with demonstrated commitment to delivering social benefit. As Founder and President, World Commerce & Contracting (formerly International Association for Contract & Commercial Management), Tim has built a 72,000 member worldwide non-profit association which increasingly influences commercial policies and contracting practices in major corporations and governments. In September 2019, he was presented with the Financial Times ‘Market Shaper of the Year’ Award. Tim is also Professor and Chair, International Commercial & Contract Management, University of Leeds, School of Law, where he leads development of inter-disciplinary commercial programs. Prior to founding World Commerce & Contracting, Tim was on the Chairman’s staff at IBM Corporation and led the development of worldwide commercial processes and skills. His early career included management roles in banking, automotive and aerospace industries, where he led negotiations up to $1.5 billion in value. He has served in a

Maj. Gen. Alice W. Treviño serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C. She is responsible for all aspects of contracting relating to the acquisition of weapons systems, logistics, operational and enterprise efforts for the Air Force and provides contingency contracting support to the geographic combatant commanders. She leads a highly skilled staff of mission-focused business leaders and acquisition change agents to deliver $825 billion in United States Air Force and Space Force platforms. Additionally, she is the Contracting Functional Manager for nearly 9,000 professionals, who execute programs worth ~$99 billion annually for the Department of the Air Force. Maj. Gen. Treviño received her commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1993 and is a joint qualified officer with extensive deployment experience in support of combat, humanitarian and peacekeeping/enforcement operations to Croatia, Turkey, Oman, Kuwait and Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment, she was the Commander of the Air Force Installation Contracting Center. General Treviño has also served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Principal Military Assistant; an unlimited dollar warranted Procuring Contracting Officer for major defense programs; and the Senior Contracting Official-Afghanistan for U.S. Central Command. She has commanded two Air Force units at the squadron level, joint unitsat both the group and wing levels, and an Air Force unit at the wing level.

Mr. Steve Lahr is the Director of Program Management, Air Combat Command Acquisition and Management Integration Center (AMIC), Langley Air Force Base, VA. He is responsible for providing ACC with a unique cross-functional activity charged with program management of systems and services operated and maintained through large scale contracts (outsourced) supporting various CINCS and government agencies in multinational environments. Leadership responsibilities include cradle-to-grave program management and operations of weapon systems in support of MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft maintenance, A2 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and ACC/16th AF Cyber Operation’s portfolio, Global Prepositioned Materiel Storage, Combat Air Forces Contracted Air Support (ADAIR), AF Enterprise Contracted Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory (PMEL), Counter Narcotic & Stabilization Policy, Nellis Backshop, T-38 Aircraft Maintenance Programs, Aerial Targets, North Warning System, and other multi-functional programs. Mr. Lahr grew up in Bruce, Wisconsin and entered the Air Force in October 1981, retiring from active duty in September of 2004, starting his civil service career shortly thereafter. He has over 40 years of government service and is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Advanced Acquisition Certified in Lifecycle Logistics and Program Management.

Cynthia Ferreira is a distinguished Federal Strategic Advisor at Scaled Agile, Inc., renowned for her transformative leadership in adapting emerging technologies for mission-driven programs. She has served in leadership positions across public and private organizations, spearheading large-scale initiatives for Government agencies. Her experience includes various strategic and execution capabilities, from executive-level training and coaching to change management across complex technical systems. Notably, she has executed vital EPA architecture and modernization efforts and authored pioneering papers in Containerization, DevSecOps strategy, and API Frameworks. As a seasoned executive speaker, Cynthia's insights inspire excellence in teams, igniting a passion for successful, customer-centric transformations. She has made significant contributions to the field of Agile for Government through the publication of several white papers and workshops. These include the SAFe for Government series, which covers Agile Contracting with SAFe, Agile Roles and Responsibilities in Government, and guides for government leaders and mission owners.

Jess Bailey is the Director of Centralized Contracts at Geisinger overseeing contract operations and various contracting categories including product, equipment, pharmaceuticals, information technology, and purchase services. Throughout her career, Jess has built success through ability to build teams and drive change across multiple industries including healthcare, ed-tech, commercial construction, and real estate. Jess holds a Master of Business Administration from Baker University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kansas. Her spare time is spent with her husband and dogs or gardening.

Jonathan Burman has spent over 30 years driving purpose, productivity, and growth through leadership alignment and accountability. With extensive experience in Organizational Development, Human Resources, and Talent Management, he has worked with renowned companies like DuPont, Dropbox, Goldman Sachs, and Merck Pharmaceuticals. A firm believer in talent development as the key to business efficiency, Jonathan has created global leadership programs and designed 128 instructor-led and online training modules, including 3D Leadership© and JUICE Neuroscience of Influence©. Co-founder of The Best Workplace and a Performance Consultant at Emory University, he also holds certifications in Lean/Six Sigma, PMP, DiSC, and more. Outside the office, Jonathan actively volunteers with Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters, showing his commitment to empowering others, particularly children.

Cornelius Dowdell, also known as Neil, is a relatable and strategic HR consultant, facilitator, and talent strategist. He co-founded The Best Workplace and is passionate about helping corporations and startups invest in human capital. Neil has over two decades of experience working with Fortune 100 companies like The Home Depot, Porsche, Coca-Cola, Yamaha, and Delta Air Lines through his consulting firm, The Nelius Strategy. His expertise spans corporate learning, leadership development, and creating inclusive environments that foster continuous personal and professional growth. Neil's career began in federal service as a processing supervisor at a major passport facility, where he honed his Lean Six Sigma and project management skills. He later transitioned to higher education and corporate leadership roles, guiding organizations in talent management and leadership development. Cornelius holds a BA in Political Science and an MBA with a focus on Management and Leadership from Louisiana State University, along with several certifications in Lean Six Sigma and Everything DiSC. Building genuine relationships is central to Neil's work and personal life, where he believes emotional connections and shared experiences are key to success. His love of food and soul-driven experiences is a reflection of his commitment to fostering meaningful relationships.

Robyn Lauren Kopple Pfahl has an extensive career spanning over 20 years, specializing in government contracts across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management and a Juris Doctorate with certificates in Environmental Law and Native Hawaiian Law. Her unique blend of expertise has made her a sought-after leader in sustainable procurement programs for the past decade. Robyn approaches contract management with enthusiasm and collaboration, crafting creative, synergistic strategies that emphasize accountability and compliance. Currently based on a permaculture farm in Montana, she operates two firms—Pono Resolutions in Hawaii and Granite Law in Montana. Additionally, Robyn serves as the Executive Director of an international nonprofit headquartered in Hawaii, which facilitates connections and resources for sustainable global projects. Her experience in procurement extends to training and workshop development, where she shares her passion for using procurement as a tool to drive sustainable initiatives and ensure responsible use of taxpayer dollars. In her service to the state of Hawaii, she held various roles as a procurement expert, facilitator, and attorney, including as the state's first Farm to School Coordinator under the Department of Agriculture. In that role, she worked closely with farmers, distributors, schools, hospitals, and the Department of Defense, focusing on food security, economic stability, and cultural relevance through innovative procurement solutions.

Sarah Allen brings over 30 years of corporate and government executive leadership experience. As the founder of Green Door Finance, she addresses financial, contracting, and programmatic challenges to promote sustainable business practices. Sarah offers workshops on responsible program management and speaks on successful and sustainable contracts in the government sector. Her leadership spans the Space and Technology sector, working with federal and state departments like NASA, the Department of Defense, and the University of Hawaii. Sarah previously managed federal space-related programs with the Air Force Research Laboratory and U.S. Space Force, and led procurement for the Hawaii State Executive Branch as Chief Procurement Officer. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Sarah has also served as a Senior Advisor with ASI Government, assisting Pentagon contracts. She holds a Global Executive MBA, a Master’s in Acquisition Management, a Bachelor’s in Accounting, and PMP Certification. Her awards include Team of the Year, Superior Performer, and Hickam’s Very Important Patriot Award. Originally from South Africa, Sarah has worked across Africa, Europe, and the Pacific, but now calls Hawaii home, where the Aloha spirit inspires her life and work.

Melissa Starinsky retired as a member of the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service.  Highlights of her 30-year career include:   Retired member (April 2021) of the Senior Executive Service at VA, DHHS, and GSA Head of the Contracting Activity for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2016-2021) – led execution of more than $9B annual discretionary contract and grant spend Chancellor/Vice-Chancellor of the Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy (2013-2015; 2008-2010) – responsible for training/certifying more than 40,000+ VA acquisition workforce members Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute (2015-2016) – led training and certification programs for entire civilian agency acquisition workforce Former President of the National Contract Management Association (2020-2021) Contract Specialist/Officer - more than 15 years of experience between 1989-2021 in multiple agencies; held a protest-free record and awarded contracts ranging from simplified acquisition to those exceeding $1B    She is currently the Managing Member of Starinsky Consulting, LLC, the Acquisition Workforce Committee Chair of the Procurement Roundtable, and serves on the NCMA Board of Advisors

Julie Knechtel is a Professor of Program Management at the Defense Acquisition University, Midwest Region, located in Kettering, Ohio. Julie is a leader in program management and strategic communication, leveraging her extensive experience within the Department of Defense, including her time as Material Leader for C-130 Sustainment at Robins AFB and Chief of Strategic Communication for Air Force Programs and Resources at the Pentagon. Julie is an engineer, analyst and fluent in strategic communication. Julie's leadership and expertise drive the advancement of program management practices within the defense acquisition community.

Roza Sheffield is a skilled government contracts litigator and counselor in Holland & Knight's Tysons office. Ms. Sheffield brings nearly 11 years of experience from her service in the Air Force Judge Advocate Corps (JAG). Her extensive background includes courtroom advocacy and providing strategic legal counsel on complex military and federal matters. With a proven track record of defending high-stakes government contracts and providing strategic legal counsel. As chief of the Field Support Branch and chief of contingency contracting, Ms. Sheffield led a team of attorneys providing legal guidance on a wide array of contract matters, including source selections, claims, terminations and fiscal law. She was also a key advisor on the Sentinel Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent program. In her role as the litigation team lead for the Air Force Acquisitions, Fiscal Law and Litigation Directorate, Ms. Sheffield managed a team defending more than $15 billion in contracts across the Air Force, Space Force and other commands. She successfully handled bid protests at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), defending more than $8 billion in mission-critical contracts. Ms. Sheffield also has extensive litigation experience with large aircraft procurement programs and foreign military sales contracts (FMS).

Keith Gibson, CFCM, is an expert in artificial intelligence strategy and acquisition. He began his career at 18, serving 11 years in the United States Air Force as a technology program manager and warranted contracting officer. Following his military service, Keith joined Goldman Sachs and later pursued a master’s degree in technology management at Columbia University, which he left to found his consulting firm, Runyara. As an early member of the Department of Defense's (DoD) Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), Keith played a pivotal role in the design and execution of Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) and Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) initiatives, including the groundbreaking Desert Guardian project. Keith later served as the acquisition lead for the DoD’s Generative AI Task Force, Task Force Lima, where his contributions shaped key recommendations to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. His work directly influenced the establishment of the Chief Digital and AI Office’s Generative AI Branch. Recognized for his innovative approach, Keith has been honored with the NCMA Top Professionals under 40 Award and the NCMA Innovation in Contracting Award. He continues to serve both public and private sector clients at the intersection of government and emerging technology.

Jeff spent 27 years of active duty and civil service time in the U.S. Air Force with 21 years in various acquisition program management and leadership roles. He has an MBA from Wright State University, holds the Project Management Professional credential, and has a passion for life long learning. After deferring his retirement with the USAF, he joined ASRC Federal and performs a variety of business development, capture management, and portfolio management activities in support of US Navy, Joint Activity, and Field Agency contracts and future pursuits. Jeff has been married for 29 years, has 4 children, and 1 grandchild. He loves family time, playing golf, and is an avid Washington Commanders fan.

Jonathan Mostowski is a distinguished expert in government acquisition and contracting. He currently serves as the President of Agile Acquisitions, LLC, a consulting firm he founded in November 2015. Mostowski specializes in delivering expertise for federal acquisitions to government agencies and industry His career includes significant roles such as: Senior Director of Contracts and Business Operations at Rebellion Defense Acquisition Strategist and Bureaucracy Hacker at the United States Digital Service Senior Contracting Officer and Agile SME at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Mostowski has been instrumental in shaping legislation, policies, and acquisition strategies at the U.S. Department of Defense and the United States Digital Service He co-authored "TechFar," the first federally published document on procuring Agile development services, and helped create the Digital Information Technology Acquisition Professional Training Program (DITAP). He is also the author of "Leading Agile Acquisitions" and a recipient of the "2023 Marquis Who's Who in America.

Lauren Wingate is a sales and marketing professional with over 20 years of experience working in business development and project/task management. She has spent the last 17 years working for five different government contracting firms between Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA providing cradle-to-grave, womb-to-tomb support. She currently is the Vice President for Strategic Development and Partnerships with TJFACT, a $50M SDVOSB firm which provides professional services to DoD and Civilian customer, both CONUS and OCONUS. Lauren brings a passion and consistent work ethic to everything she does, including serving as the President, as well as on various committee roles to include Communications and Strategic Alliances, for NCMA Atlanta. She has extensive experience forging and maintaining long-term relationships with both government and industry clients and associates. She has been a member of NCMA for 17 years and is honored to continue to volunteer and support an organization that has done so much for the contracting community. Lauren resides in Atlanta, GA where she spends her free time with her two (2) boys, teaching fitness classes, and traveling.

Catrina Lewis is an accomplished leader with a distinguished career in contracting, specializing in systems-level procurement and IT service awards for the Department of Defense (DoD). As a Supervising Contracting Officer at Maxwell Air Force Base (MAFB) Gunter Annex in Alabama, Catrina oversees a team of seven personnel, ensuring the successful execution of critical IT service contracts. She is known for her dedication to fostering collaboration. Catrina holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Strayer University and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Auburn University Montgomery. She is NCMA CFCM certified and holds a LEVEL II DAWIA certification. A passionate advocate for professional development, she graduated from the NCMA’s Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) 2024 Co-Hort. Notably, Catrina was recognized as the winner of the 2024 Air Force Materiel Command Professional Development Award. Beyond her professional role, Catrina serves as President of the NCMA River Region Chapter and President of the Auburn University Montgomery Alumni Board of Directors. Catrina exemplifies dedication, leadership, and service in both her career and community involvement.

Britney Jenkins, CFCM, is a distinguished contract management professional with over a decade of experience in the Department of Defense (DoD) unlimited contracting office. She specializes in contract management, policy formulation, and procurement execution, showcasing unparalleled expertise in her field. Her extensive knowledge is complemented by a Master's degree in Program Management from South University, reflecting her blend of academic excellence and practical application. Since joining NCMA in August 2022, Britney has demonstrated exceptional leadership by chartering the NCMA River Region chapter in July 2023, where she serves as President. Under her guidance, the chapter has evolved into a multifunctional training hub, focusing on small business development, professional growth, and creating a strong internship-to-employment pipeline. Britney's visionary leadership aims to elevate the contracting community, demonstrating her dedication to advancing the profession. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Britney is a proud mother and wife, committed to fostering positive relationships and connections. She holds several key certifications, including Certified Federal Contract Manager (NCMA), and holds both Level I and Level III Certified Acquisition Professional credentials in Program Management and Contracting, respectively.

Ally is a Procurement Manager with 13 years of experience at Sandia, where she has built a rewarding career in procurement. She began as a Subcontract Manager, developing a strong foundation in procurement and customer service. Ally then advanced to Pod Lead, where she honed her leadership skills by building a new team, repairing customer relationships, and implementing strategic agreements and training programs. When promoted to a Team Lead for Streamlined Acquisitions, Ally managed and mentored employees, improved team culture, and implemented efficiencies to reduce workload. Currently, she serves as a Procurement Manager, continuing to develop and bring out the best in others. She believes in building relationships based on trust and empathy, actively listening, and finding creative solutions. Born and raised in Albuquerque, NM, Ally now calls Austin, TX her home. Family is Ally's cornerstone, and she is inspired daily by her husband and their 3-year-old son. In her free time, Ally enjoys creative expression through art, prioritizes wellness and fitness, and loves exploring new places with her family.

Shaïna Saint-Lôt is an acting team lead with six years of procurement experience buying IT products and services for Sandia National Laboratories. She leads a team of 15+ buyers in high-volume procurements covering a wide variety of items. Her recent experience includes mentoring buyers, revising procurement policies and tools, and leading complex, high-visibility projects with lab-wide impacts. Shaïna is motivated by the challenge of thinking creatively to meet customer needs in compliance-driven situations. Her goal is to leverage her expertise to collaborate with customers and peers, driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and fostering knowledge share. Building unlikely relationships and developing others sustains her through inevitable challenges. If she is challenged to learn and grow while having fun and making friends, she’s happy. Living in New Mexico with roots in Haiti, Shaïna continuously draws on her values of community, diversity, honesty, and enjoyment as she navigates work and life. Passionate about uplifting communities, she dedicates time to giving back through volunteering, serving on boards, and leading community initiatives. Family is central to her life, and she cherishes moments spent with loved ones. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, savoring delicious cuisine, traveling, and watching international TV shows and films.

Daniel J. Finkenstadt, PhD, the sole proprietor of Wolf Stake Consulting LLC, has over 20 years of hands-on experience in defense, public procurement execution, research, and strategic management. He is one of the leading experts in functional uses of Generative AI for public procurement and executive strategy. Dr. Finkenstadt's expertise in public procurement is extensive; including market intelligence, acquisition innovation design, service performance management, and supply chain management research. He has published in multiple peer-reviewed outlets as well as leading managerial publications such as the Harvard Business Review and California Management Review - Insights. He has delivered courses and presentations to multiple military organizations and professional development organizations. He was also an assistant professor in defense management at the Naval Postgraduate School from 2020-2023 where he led the development and management of the Simulation and Ideation Lab for Applied Science (SILAS) that recently won the National Contract Management Association's Innovation in Contracting Award for 2023.

Dr. Kenneth Sullivan is a Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University. He specializes in advanced project delivery methods, procurement, solicitations, and contracts, team performance optimization, organizational assessment & transformation, workforce development, and AI impacts on business. His processes and tools have been implemented by over 180 organizations on projects valued at over $20 Billion including in all sectors of design, construction, & facilities management, as well as projects in IT, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and business services. Prof. Sullivan possesses a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, an MBA in Real Estate and Urban Economics, and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, all from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has authored over 200 peer reviewed publications, co-authored the book Managing the Profitable Construction Business and won numerous awards for his work and teaching.

Alicia Lyttle, also known as “The Queen of AI,” is a seasoned entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, AI enthusiast, and digital marketing expert with over 23 years of experience in the industry. Alicia has a diverse professional background, having previously held positions at esteemed organizations, including The White House, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and The City of New Orleans Mayor's Office. She later transitioned to the digital world, building a successful career as an entrepreneur, AI consultant, and digital marketing specialist. As a well-respected speaker and trainer, Alicia has traveled internationally to places such as Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and Nigeria, sharing her knowledge and expertise on leveraging the internet for business success. She is the Founder of Pow Social Media, a Digital Marketing Agency, and Monetized Marketing, a training, and marketing company she runs with her sister Lorette. In addition to her digital marketing ventures, Alicia is a successful real estate investor and co-owner of Protected Equity LLC. Alicia is a highly accomplished entrepreneur, having received numerous awards, including the MarCom Awards, the Ava Digital Awards, the Communicator Awards, The dotComm Awards, The Nation Builders Awards, Clickfunnels Two Comma Club Awards twice, and the prestigious The Traffic Sales and Profits Circle of Seven Award. She is also a regular contributor to Public Broadcasting Television, hosting a weekly segment called "The Digital JamPreneur," where she teaches entrepreneurs how to build their online empires. As a business owner and entrepreneur coach, Alicia is committed to helping other entrepreneurs succeed. She coaches individuals on leveraging the power of the internet and using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to grow and scale their businesses.

Ms. Shene Commodore, CPCM, Fellow is CEO & Founder of Commodore Consulting. Ms. Commodore has over 30 years of buying and selling experience in the government market. She has a unique blend of expertise leading global government business operations development, creating contract management training, grant management curriculum, and managing government contract projects for over 30 years. Ms. Commodore also enjoys teaching leadership development classes. She previously served as a National Board of Director for the National Contract Management Association, where she currently serves on the Board of Advisors. Ms. Commodore was recognized by Minority Enterprise Advocate Magazine as one of the 25 Influential Women In Business for her dedication to helping clients win government contracts. She is also the 2014 recipient of the Security Industry Association’s Government Policy award for her contribution & leadership to help SIA address the public policy challenges impacting the physical security industry. Commodore Consulting provides contract management, strategic planning, proposal writing, GSA services, & training to government agencies and businesses.

Dr. Jake Smithwick is the Director of Education with the Center for Procurement Excellence and is a professor at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Jake and his team have assisted hundreds of owners improve performance outcomes across thousands of projects ($15+ Billion of procured services in healthcare, insurance, construction, IT, auxiliary services, design, and more). His industry experience also includes six years in the US Air Force Reserve (civil engineering squadron).

Tyler S. Wallace, Ph.D., is a recognized leader in project management and innovative technology integration. He has led large-scale training and certification programs, modernizing curricula and incorporating Generative AI to enhance workforce development. With over 15 years of experience in government, healthcare, and academia, Dr. Wallace brings deep expertise and a strong track record of success. His experience delivering project management and Gen AI training—both domestically and internationally—enables him to engage diverse audiences and navigate cross-cultural complexities effectively.

He leads Scale Street Solutions, LLC, which provides AI training for the Federal Acquisition Workforce. In addition to his federal training work, he is an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, teaching graduate courses in organizational behavior and health technology.

Madison Harrell has over ten years of legal experience, starting as a paralegal specializing in state regulatory compliance and now serving in the federal contract management field. She currently works as a Contracts Manager supporting the Homeland and National Security division at Agile Defense. Her certifications include Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM), NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP), NALA Certified Paralegal (CP), and Florida Certified Paralegal (FCP). She is a graduate of the 2023-2024 Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) cohort with NCMA and was Distinguished Graduate. Madison currently serves as the Vice President of the Jacksonville Chapter of NCMA.

Lani Small is a Subcontracts Administrator Advisor, in GDIT Defense Agencies group, and has 15 years total experience in government contracting, with clients spanning from federal agencies to DoD to SLED. She earned the CFCM credential and attended NCMA World Congress 2023. She is an experienced trainer with years as a public school teacher, and is a trainer internally to GDIT. For today’s event, she pulls from her training in CMMC and experience with NIST/FAR/DFARS, and will address both the contracts/subcontracts perspective. Lani serves on the GDIT/GDMS Cybersecurity Working Group.

Ms. Shawn Moore serves as the Technical Programs Division Chief, for the Defense Contract Audit Agency, Western Region located in Anaheim, California. In this capacity she is the technical audit advisor to regional management and 15 regional field audit offices providing technical audit guidance, training, and advice in complex technical audit areas including Cost Accounting Standards, Contract Terminations, Equitable Price Adjustment Claims, Non-profit and Universities, and other Federal Acquisition Regulation cost principles interpretations. Ms. Moore has over 25 years of extensive audit and leadership experience throughout the Department of Defense providing audit and financial advisory services to Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force, and DoD Contract Officials improving acquisition processes, enhancing operational performance, and strengthening financial management decisions. Ms. Moore holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from University of Redlands, Redlands, Ca and a Bachelor of Accountancy Degree from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM. Her certifications include Certified Public Accounting in the state of California, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Defense Acquisition Auditor, and Department of Defense Financial Management Level 3 Certification.

Ms. Tran has over 24 years of experience holding various positions within DCAA and brings invaluable insight into navigating the complexities of contract audits and compliance. She and her team currently work with many small businesses to satisfy the audit requirements including pre- and post- award accounting systems, incurred cost submissions, provisional billing rates, etc. In addition to leading her team of supervisory auditors, audit quality personnel, and staff auditors, she is also responsible for the development of new auditors within their first year with the Agency. Ms. Tran graduated from University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance, and is Department of Defense Financial Management Level 3 Certified.

Kelley Kiernan is a professor of Cybersecurity and Information Protection at the DoD’s Defense Acquisition University. Kelley Kiernan is a cybersecurity and small business ecosystem leader, who applies her experience from Industry, NASA, Navy, Air Force and Space Force to pave the way for robust cybersecurity adoption in the acquisition ecosystem. Kelley is an engineer, scientist and an innovation expert. She is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and served as an Air Force officer where she was a recipient of the Air Medal. Kelley's champion leadership brings robust cybersecurity within the reach of everyone.

Mr. Ned Swanson is a Professor of Contract Management at the Defense Acquisition University’s Western Region in San Diego, CA. He joined DAU after ten years with the Department of the Navy as a civilian Contract Specialist at the Navy Engineering Logistics Office in San Diego. There, he provided acquisition support to various projects and programs as a contract negotiator and Procuring Contracting Officer. He has extensive experience in contracting and Program Office roles with Navy, Joint Service, and Foreign Military Sales systems-of-systems for Command & Control, information systems, and mission support services. Additionally, he has significant senior leadership experience in Operational Contract Support and contingency contracting.

Juliann Krogh is currently the Deputy Director of Contracts at the Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, VA. She manages an annual portfolio of $4.4 Billion with approximately 7,300 contract actions. Previously at MSC, she served as a leader in the Services and Ship Support Division. She directly managed a broad assortment of services with a divisional portfolio totaling of approximately $1.3 billion. Ms. Krogh has served in numerous contracting departments and made significant impacts in the improvement of federal contracting. As Navy Medicine East’s (NME) Small Business Professional, she assisted to 19 different Military Treatment Facilities as well as small businesses across the country, breaking competition barriers to facilitate greater small business participation in federal contracts. Further, as a direct result of her leadership, Ms. Krogh has realized millions of dollars in savings and streamlined many requirements within the Department of the Navy. Ms. Krogh has received numerous awards from Navy and Coast Guard organizations. The most notable being the BUMED Acquisition Professional of the Year FY15. A native of New York, Ms. Krogh graduated from Virginia Tech in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and in 2010 with a Master of Public Administration.

Udaya Patnaik is the Chief Innovation Officer for the Federal Acquisition Service Office of Information Technology Category (ITC), in the U.S. General Services Administration. ITC facilitates $38 billion in annual government spending. Udaya’s portfolio includes emerging technology, innovation and strategy. Before joining GSA, Udaya was the Director of the Office of Digital Innovation for the State of California and co-founded Jump Associates, a strategy and innovation consultancy. Udaya has served on nonprofit boards, lectured at academic institutions and co-authored guidebooks and courses on innovation, community development and infrastructure. Udaya holds a B.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.

Rebekah Anchondo manages the Deorbit Vehicle Management Office in the International Space Station (ISS) Program office at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. As manager, she leads the team responsible for integrated design, development, acceptance and operation of the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV). Ms. Anchondo previously served in the ISS Vehicle Office where she performed Private Astronaut Integration and Commercial Segment integration. She also served as the ISS Vehicle Configuration Lead in the ISS Systems Engineering and Integration Office. Ms. Anchondo received her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas and her M.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

Ashley Chaves is a Procurement Team Lead and Unlimited Warrant Contracting Officer for the International Space Station (ISS) and Commercial Low Earth Orbit Programs Procurement Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center. She leads a team of acquisition professionals who manage a portfolio of contracts which include the United States Deorbit Vehicle, International partners in support of ISS, Commercial Destination Development in Low Earth Orbit, and Private Astronaut Missions. She led the acquisition strategy for USDV and currently is the administering Contracting Officer for the $1 billion United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV). Prior to her current position, Chaves worked in the Exploration Systems Procurement Office supporting the Orion Program where she led the Orion Main Engine procurement, the primary propulsion system for NASA's Orion spacecraft. She also served as Contracting Officer for the Orion Production and Operations Contract and Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Contracts for the development and production of the Orion Spacecraft, which is NASA's spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to the Moon. She holds a BBA in Marketing from the University of Mississippi and an MBA from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Audrey Montgomery (CPCM) is a Procurement Team Lead In the International Space Station (ISS) Procurement Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. She currently leads a team of acquisition professionals in support of ISS research and integration, and was the Contracting Officer in charge of the ~$1B United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) Source Evaluation Board. Ms. Montgomery previously spent a significant time in procurement policy at Johnson Space Center as a source evaluation board and policy advisor for some of the Agency's most complex procurements. She has has also served as the Contracting Officer for other complex procurements, including the Research Engineering and Manufacturing Integration Services (REMIS) 2 and Lunar Terrain Vehicle. She holds a BA in Mathematics and an MBA from Texas Tech University.

Dale Partridge is an Executive Program Manager in the ManTech Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Division. Mr. Partridge is a certified Program Management professional with over 30 years acquisition experience. His experience spans PM leadership both as a federal employee and in the private sector. As a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III PM-IT, Dale led key Acquisition Category (ACAT) IA Major Automated Information System supporting programs ensuring National Security. In DHS as a federal civilian with a FAC-P/PM III Dale supported several key programs and managed the DHS classified Local Area Network (C-LAN) and the unclassified Local Area Network (A-LAN) bringing innovative approaches to support acquisition using the elasticity of the cloud and ensuring cyber security for the applications and data. Other key certifications to support IT activities include FinOps Practitioner, Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), and certified scrum master (CSM). He participated as a key contributor and team member supporting the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) update to the federal Program Manager description and activities to be used by PMs across the federal government. In industry he continued leading and overseeing large ACAT programs in DoD & DHS.

Patrick Hughes is a retired active-duty Air Force officer with 15 years in the Government contracting industry. During his Air Force career, he held a number of operational and contracting assignments to include NATO, Defense Contract Management Agency, US European Command, and the National Reconnaissance Office. As a defense contractor, Patrick's supported a number of agencies across the federal enterprise. He holds a DAWIA Level III Certification in Contracting. Patrick was the Director of Contracting at The MITRE Corporation where he was responsible for all buy/sell activity and is currently the Senior Director, Industry Advisory-public sector, for Icertis--a GenAI-enabled contract intelligence platform.

Alexander Mavroukakis serves as a Supervisory Contracting Officer and Division Director at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In this role, he oversees a portfolio exceeding $3 billion in contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, managing procurement operations and strategic planning across twelve domestic and global client offices. He is responsible for ensuring efficient acquisition processes and maintaining exemplary client satisfaction within USAID’s mission-critical programs. Prior to his current position, Alexander held senior roles at the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, where he led major contracting and industry engagement initiatives. He holds a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in International Business from the University of Maryland.

Chendra Conklin currently serves as an Acquisition Portfolio Manager/Senior Contracting Officer (CO) at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), as a senior staff advisor in the Office of Acquisitions and a consultant to the FRA program offices and acquisition community. Recently she spent time on the program side as a Senior IT Services COR in OCIO at the Department of Labor, as well as a Contract Program Manager at the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). Previously Chendra was a CO for 7½ years, including as part of the team that stood up the new contract shop at FirstNet. She is a strong proponent of acquisition innovation, and may work on that PMP certification this year.

Andrea Dame is Senior Program Manager of Defense Civilian Training Corps, within the Acquisition Innovation Research Center. She has a background in higher education, tech startup, and non-profit work. Her prior experience spans from leadership to curriculum development, with a specialization in learning experiences. She holds a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Leadership and is an ICF-certified coach with a specialization in positive psychology.

Karen DaPonte Thornton is a research fellow with the Acquisition Innovation Research Center, where she is part of the leadership team implementing the Defense Civilian Training Corps pilot, and a director on the Procurement Round Table, where she serves on the Acquisition Workforce committee. She previously served as Counsel on the staff of the Committee on Armed Services for the U.S. House of Representatives, where she was responsible for legislation and oversight related to acquisition policy and successfully negotiated hundreds of provisions in the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Before returning to public service, Ms. Thornton was director of the Government Procurement Law Program at GW Law, where she launched the Master of Studies in Law in Government Procurement degree for non-attorneys and the Government Procurement Law Concentration for JD students. Prior to her appointment as director, Ms. Thornton was a member of the GW Law Legal Research & Writing (now Fundamentals of Lawyering) faculty and taught first-year and upper-level courses. She began her legal career as an Army JAG officer and procurement attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel at Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has served in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina is the Chief Disruptor at REXOTA Solutions, LLC, a company in the DC-Metro area focusing on strategy, planning, pursuit, capture, management, and administration of Federal Contract/Agreement Awards. Dolores has over 10 years’ experience in federal, state, and international public procurement, specifically directing and managing strategic pursuits in collaboration with business development, proposal development, change management initiatives for Federal procurement acquisitions and served as a strategic partner in providing risk management support for Federal compliance contracts.

Nick Traboulay is a longtime NCMA member and CMLDP mentor and has been involved with sourcing & procurement business activities for over 15 years. His professional experience spans across contract management, sourcing, category management, supplier relationship management, strategic supplier partnerships, and negotiations. For the past 3 years Nick has focused on digital transformation initiatives for complex procurement and supply chain organizations in the aerospace & defense industry. He recently joined Ivalua, an industry leading source-to-pay technology platform to help more organizations develop better collaborative solutions across suppliers, procurement, finance, accounting, legal, and compliance.

Indy Vega, a Colombian immigrant, president, and CEO of CCI Group, is a leader in linguistic services and cultural solutions. Her company specializes in localization programs and global outreach, managing a diverse team of full-time employees and hundreds of contractors around the world. CCI Group brings unparalleled capabilities to empower communities, enhance sustainability, and strengthen the impact of their client's initiatives. As a self-made entrepreneur, Indy built her company from the ground up, leveraging support from programs like Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and SBA T.H.R.I.V.E. program, and others. Demonstrating her ongoing dedication to professional development, Indy is now set to embark on the NCMA Executive Leaders Program, further enhancing her expertise in contract management and leadership. Indy's industry leadership is evident through her role as chair of industry summits and as a panelist for small business associations. USAID Administrator Samantha Power recognized her contributions at the 15th Annual Small Business Conference. Named the 2022 North Florida District and State of Florida Minority Business Owner of the Year by the SBA, Indy is also part of the team establishing the NCMA Chapter in Puerto Rico. Her ongoing involvement in these initiatives demonstrates her dedication to professional development and industry growth.

My name is T.R. Richardson, and I am an impactful Speaker, Trainer, and Facilitator. I have traveled the nation empowering learners and attendees with the skills and tools they need to achieve their personal, professional, organizational goals and objectives. I studied Psychology, Business, and Leadership Development at Florida International University. To date, I have personally trained over 400,000+ youth and adults across the nation through a blend of in-person and virtual instructor-led trainings and facilitations. I possess a history of leadership in local government and municipalities as well, having facilitated meetings and trainings for the New York City Department of Health, the University of North Florida, Florida SBDC, USDA and the Miami-Dade County School District (just to name a few). I have a strong background identifying training needs, providing interventions, and measuring training effectiveness. I possess excellent communication and relationship building skills with the ability to prioritize, multi-task, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. I am an innovative and goal-oriented change agent known for achieving organizational growth through implementation of training and facilitation programs, creating world-class learning environments, and making the mission and the material make sense no matter your learning style or learning speed!

Jennifer (Jen) Hicks works for C6ISR contracts in the Rotary and Mission Systems business area of Lockheed Martin. She primarily supports international submarine programs. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Jen worked as an Associate Attorney and at the New York State Science and Technology Law Center as a Special Projects Consultant helping aspiring entrepreneurs bring their new technologies to the market. Jen received her Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 2018, her Master of Science in Organizational Management with a Specialization in Human Resource Management from Misericordia University in 2013, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ithaca College in 2012. Jen is currently pursuing a Master of Public Management (MPM) and graduate certificate in Public Sector Finance and Federal Acquisitions from the University of Maryland. Jen currently serves as the NCMA Leatherstocking Chapter President and graduated from the NCMA CMLDP class of 2023. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, biking, live music, and taking her dogs to the park.

Samantha (Sam) Netzband, CPCM, CFCM, CCCM, CCMA is a Contracts Manager at BAE Systems working in ES Contract Operations. She is passionate about learning and development and enjoys helping contracts professionals do their day-to-day work. Previously she served as a Principal Contracts Administrator in the I&S Sector. She also served a three-year term on the BAE Systems Inc. L&D Committee. Sam is an alumna of NCMA CMLDP and is currently Vice President of the NCMA Leatherstocking Chapter. Sam holds a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law, an M.A. Political Science from the Syracuse University Maxwell School, a B.A. Political Science from the Syracuse University College of Arts & Science, and a Certificate in Contracts Management from the UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Sam most recently was recognized with NCMA’s Advancing Professional Award at World Congress in Seattle. Sam is the President of the VVS Community Rotary Club. She is the founder and owner of two businesses, Wanderlust Writing and Knitting by Netzband. Her greatest passion is writing. She has written four books, which she is working on publishing soon. She is also the proud fur mom of one dog, Elliot, and five cats, Oscar, Bethany, Bob, Cleo, and Paulette.

Tim and his ASI team are at the forefront of innovative solutions to federal acquisition challenges. ASI Government is known for its many engagements with federal acquisition innovation by improving procurement organization effectiveness with innovations inPerformance-based Contracting, Category Management and more recently leading procurement automation using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Tim’s volunteer service is focused on better government organizations like ACT-IAC, professional associations like National Contract Management Association, and pertinent industry associations like the Professional Services Council. As a valued leader of these organizations, he brings the power of many volunteers to improving government through public-private partnerships. Through his volunteer work for ACT-IAC, he led the development of the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations now hosted at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Institute. He was recognized with a Fed 100 award for that work. Tim is seeking help harness the power of procurement to decarbonize the federal supply base as a founding member of the NCMA Climate and Sustainable Procurement Community of Practice to help implement the recent Climate Executive Orders 2021. He recently published Procurement Officials Are Leading Federal AI Adoption for the University of Pennsylvania’s “The Regulatory Review.”