Speakers

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Natalie Alms is a staff writer at FCW covering federal technology policy, service delivery, customer experience and the government's tech workforce. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University and has written for the Salisbury (N.C.) Post. Connect with Natalie on Twitter at @AlmsNatalie.

Michael R. Anderson serves as the Chief Strategist, Public Sector at Informatica, LLC. In this role he leads strategic activities supporting the U.S. public sector - across federal, state, local
government, higher education, and national defense - and focuses on assisting organizations to successfully build a data-driven culture with leading edge technology capabilities.

His industry experience includes public sector work at Dell-RSA and Dell-EMC. Mike also served on active duty in the U.S. Army for 25 years, retiring as a Colonel. Mike holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from The American University.

A technology writer and editor for more than 40 years, Armstrong served on the launch team for FCW in 1987 and has served in both editorial and business roles in the intervening years. She served as President of Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology from September 1999 until August 2002 when she returned to FCW as publisher and then as President of the 1105 Government Information Group. She was part of the team that created the Federal 100 in 1990 and has been involved in its selection and celebration ever since, except for two of the years she was at CIT.

Ms. Aronson serves as the Chief Information Officer and Chief Data Officer for the National Science Foundation. As an innovative and gifted creative thinker, strategist, and artist, Ms. Aronson is highly skilled at linking mission and strategy to IT and Data tools, which enables the Foundation to manage the full lifecycle of proposals and awards. She acts as the executive thought leader defining NSF's data strategy and roadmap. Ms. Aronson also serves as NSF's Senior Agency Official for Privacy, the senior executive with agency-wide responsibility and accountability for the Foundation's privacy program. Ms. Aronson has a strong interest in innovating for the workforce of the future through technology and serves as a Chair of the CIO Council's Workforce Committee. Ms. Aronson is currently focused on improving data literacy throughout the government and serves as the Federal Sponsor for the Federal-wide data science and analytics training pilot.

Ms. Aronson was recognized as one of FedScoop’s Best Bosses in Federal IT in 2019 and 2020, Top Women in Technology for 2018, and, was recognized in 2013 as one of the FCW Fed 100 for her mastery of innovation and for her ability to effectively engage her staff around a common vision for cutting-edge IT in support of NSF-funded cutting-edge research. Prior to her time at NSF, Ms. Aronson served as the Director for the Office of Management Operations for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency. She holds a Business degree from Duke University and is committed to lifelong learning.

Ryan Korn serves as Sr. Cloud Architect and Product Manager at the Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce. A 2022 Fed 100 winner, he is working to modernize the bureau’s applications and data ecosystem in support of the U.S. export control regime targeting Russia, China, and other actors. Ryan previously served in several roles at the U.S. Small Business Administration, including Product Manager for multiple COVID relief initiatives and as a Presidential Management Fellow. He holds a Master of Education with a focus in Social Entrepreneurship from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from American University.

Will LaForest is Field CTO Americas and Public Sector for Confluent. In his current position, Mr. LaForest works with customers across a broad spectrum industries and government enabling them to realize the benefits of a data in motion architecture with event streaming. He is passionate about data technology innovation and has spent 26 years helping customers wrangle data at massive scale. His technical career spans diverse areas from software engineering, NoSQL, data science, cloud computing, machine learning, and building statistical visualization software but began with code slinging at DARPA as a teenager.  Mr. LaForest holds degrees in mathematics and physics from the University of Virginia.

Dave Lopez serves as a Supervisory Data Scientist with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).  In this role, he uses his experience in data management, data analysis, and data science as he works with the team to support agency mission, goals, and strategic objectives.  Prior to his role with GSA, he served 14 years at the U.S. Forest Service as a Supervisory Program Analyst for Procurement and Property Services (PPS) and Human Resources Management (HRM) providing vision and leadership into the demanding and evolving world of analytics.  Dave values data science to support organizational mission to assist with better decision making, but also emphasizes the importance of the entire ecosystem of data science teams.  Dave holds a Master of Art in Education, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Trident University.  Dave is a U.S. Navy Veteran and served one tour in Iraq in 2007 as a fleet marine force hospital corpsman.  

Dr. Luke currently serves as the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She has over 15 years of experience in driving technology innovation across a number of sectors, including banking and finance, cybersecurity, national security, biotech, and academia.

Prior to joining the SEC, Dr. Luke spent several years as a senior executive in the banking industry. As the Senior Vice President and Head of AI at US Bank, in addition to leading AI-driven technology development, she created strategy that established a framework for governance and oversight of AI technologies and policies to guide the fair, ethical, and responsible use of AI. At Capital One, Dr. Luke spearheaded the creation of a patented first-in-banking application of AI/ML to predict customer intent and needs in real-time, and also led the development of an AI/ML application platform with proactive compliance, bias, and ethical checks built-in. In previous roles, Dr. Luke provided technical oversight of data science and ML-driven cybersecurity capabilities at DARPA and in the commercial sector.

Dr. Luke received her Ph.D. in theoretical physics from George Mason University. She is a recognized thought leader in AI/ML and emerging digital technologies, having presented at over 40 keynotes, lecture series, and presentations. Dr. Luke was also invited to testify as an expert on applications of AI/ML technology in the banking industry to both the Congressional Technology Accountability Caucus and the House Finance Committee.

Adam Mazmanian is executive editor of FCW. Before joining the editing team in 2015, Mazmanian was an FCW staff writer covering Congress, governmentwide technology policy and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to joining FCW, Mazmanian was technology correspondent for National Journal and served in a variety of editorial roles at B2B news service SmartBrief. Mazmanian has contributed reviews and articles to the Washington Post, the Washington City Paper, Newsday, New York Press, Architect Magazine and other publications.

Robin E. McWhorter is the Data Management Division Chief in the Office of the Chief Data Officer at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Her division is responsible for developing the USCIS Data Strategy, enterprise-wide data governance and data sharing policies, data standards development and implementation, and data quality analysis, monitoring, and improvement.

Prior to joining USCIS in early 2020, Ms. McWhorter served in the U.S. Department of State for over 15 years. During her time there she served as Acting Director of the Office of Passport Integrity; Internal Controls, Assistant Director of the Washington Passport Agency, Chief of Special Projects; Passport Data Sharing, Chief of Passport Internal Controls, and as a Press Officer in the Spokesperson’s Office. She also served in Charleston, SC and on detail assignments to New York, NY and U.S. Consulate General Istanbul.

Ms. McWhorter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the University of North Florida, a Master of Public Administration degree from George Mason University, and a Certificate in Data Science Principles and Practice from the University of California, Berkeley’s Executive Education Program. She is also a graduate of the Executive Potential Program at the Center for Leadership and Management at Graduate School USA.

Brian Merrick started his career as a commissioned officer in the US Army in 1996. In 2005, he left the Army and worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a financial management consultant and an IT project manager working with private industry and the Federal government. In 2008, Brian joined the Department of State working for the Bureau of Information Resource Management as the Deputy Manager for the IT Cost Center Working Capital Fund supporting the Department’s desktop computing operations. Brian then became the Deputy Executive Director for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in 2010 providing management support, including HR, financial, procurement, IT and general services.

In 2012, he became the Director of the Office of Digital in the Bureau of International Information Programs, which provides cloud-based web solutions, and interactive digital programing to 275 embassies. In 2014, Brian became the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Foreign Operations in the Bureau of Information Resource Management supporting global IT infrastructure operations. He then served as the Director of the Office of Innovative Infrastructure providing wireless and cloud based products and services across the Department. Brian is currently the Director of the Cloud Program Management Office, working to modernize IT across the enterprise.

Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Wright State University and a Master of Science in Leadership from Olin Business School, Washington University. In addition, he holds certifications as a Project Management Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Information Security Manager, Federal IT Security Institute Manager, Certified Defense Financial Manager and Certified Government Financial Manager.

Brigadier General John M. Olson is the Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Space Operations, Headquarters United States Space Force and the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer for the Department of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He assists and advises the Chief of Space Operations with responsibility to organize, train, and equip space forces, develop and acquire military space systems, and conduct space operations to advance and protect U.S. and allied interests. General Olson is the Space Force lead for Joint All Domain Command and Control and the Advanced Battle Management System.  As the first Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer for the Department of the Air Force, he leads both Air Force and Space Force data and AI initiatives in technology, innovation, personnel, mobility, logistics, maintenance, and energy. General Olson also flies as an Airborne Emergency Action Officer aboard the Looking Glass Airborne Nuclear Command Post leading strategic deterrence missions.

General Olson has five engineering degrees including graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and earning master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Illinois and the University of Tennessee, and a Doctorate in Systems Engineering from Auburn University. General Olson has held numerous air, space, cyber, acquisition, test, weapons, political-military, intelligence, and technology command, staff, and leadership roles at all levels. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, a freefall parachutist, and a former European and Eurasian Foreign Area Officer. Gen. Olson deployed to Southwest Asia, supporting air and space operations for operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and New Dawn in Iraq, Odyssey Dawn in Libya, and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. The General transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 2004 after joining NASA, where he served as a Senior Executive Service leader in several civil space leadership roles for nearly a decade, earning the Presidential Rank Award.  In his industry capacity, he served as a CEO, President, Vice President, and General Manager in both public and private corporations for 9 years, following 25 years of federal civil service culminating as the Assistant Director for Space and Aeronautics in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Prior to his current assignment, General Olson served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 16th Air Force, Air Forces Cyber, and Joint Forces Headquarters-Cyber at Joint Base San Antonio leading 49,100 Airmen responsible for Information Warfare.    

EDUCATION

1992 Bachelor of Science degrees in both engineering sciences and mechanical engineering, German minor, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

1993 Master of Science in materials science and engineering (advanced composites), University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

1997 French Language and Russian for Astronauts courses, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.

1998 U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Flight Test Engineer course, Edwards AFB, Calif.

1999 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2001 Master of Science in aviation systems (avionics and human factors), University of Tennessee, Tenn.

2001 Joint Special Operations School, European & Eurasian Foreign Area Officer courses, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

2002 Air Command and Staff College (by seminar), Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2003 Doctorate of Philosophy in industrial and systems engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.

2005 Harvard Senior Executive Fellows program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

2006 Defense Systems Management College and Program Management Officers course, Ft. Belvoir, Va.

2008 Air War College (by correspondence), Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2018 Executive Leadership Program, University of North Carolina, Keenan-Flagler Graduate School of Business, Chapel Hill, N.C.

2019 Systems Acquisition Management Course (ACQ404), Defense Acquisition University, Ft. Belvoir, Va.

2019 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C

2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Va.

2020 National Cybersecurity Policy and Technology Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

2020 Data Science for Data Leadership Executive Course, Washington, D.C.

2021 Emerging Technologies Executive Course, Arlington, Va.

2021 Globalism versus Sovereignty Executive Course, Arlington, Va.

2021 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. July 1992 - June 1993, Student, U.S. Air Force Academy Graduate School Program and Air Force Institute of Technology Civilian Institutions Program, University of Illinois-Urbana, Ill.
2. June 1993 - February 1995, Advanced Composites and Stealth Engineer, Aircraft Battle Damage Repair engineer and maintenance officer, Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan AFB, Calif.
3. February 1995 - May 1996, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese AFB, Texas
4. May 1996 - September 1997, Special Operations Test Director and Flight Test Engineer, Detachment 1, 46th Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. September 1997 - June 1998, Student, French Language Program and Russian Experimental Course, Defense Language Institute, Presidio, Monterey, Calif.
6. June 1998 - June 1999, Student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Class 98B, Edwards AFB, Calif.
7. June 1999 - July 2001, Chief, Airborne Test Branch and European & Eurasian Foreign Area Officer, Munitions Test Division, 46th Operations Group, 46th Test Wing, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
8. July 2001 - January 2002, Director of Test, Weapons Test Flight and European & Eurasian Foreign Area Officer, Munitions Test Division, 46th Operations Group, 46th Test Wing, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
9. January 2002 - July 2003, Flight Commander, Special Projects, Air to Air Joint Systems Program Office, 46th Operations Group, 46th Test Wing, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
10. July 2003 - June 2004, Chief, Test, Operations, and Programs Division, Space Vehicle Operations Directorate, Detachment 12, Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11. June 2004 - June 2006, Chief, Test and Operations Division, Space Test Program Washington Representative, Detachment 12, Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12. June 2006 - April 2011, Chief, Space Technology and Acquisition, National Security Space Office, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. April 2011 - April 2012, Space Situational Awareness Program Element Monitor, Space Control and Advanced Technology, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Space Acquisition, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. April 2012 - May 2012, Deputy Director, Technical Intelligence, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. May 2012 - August 2016, Director, Joint Reserve, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 2016 - August 2017, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to Air Force Program Executive Officer for Agile Combat Support, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. August 2017 – January 2019, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, and Air Force Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
18. January 2019 – October 2019, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 24th Air Force; Commander, Air Forces Cyber; and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
19. Oct 2019 – June 2021, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 16th Air Force; Commander, Air Forces Cyber; Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, and Commander, Service Cryptologic Component, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
20. June 2021 – present, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Space Operations, Headquarters United States Space Force, and Chief Data and AI Officer for the Department of the Air Force (Jan 2022 – Present), and Space Force Acting Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (June – Sep 2021), Headquarters United States Space Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. January 2002 - July 2003, Flight Commander, Special Projects, Air to Air Joint Systems Program Office, 46th Operations Group, 46th Test Wing, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, Fla., as a major
2. June 2006 - April 2011, Chief, Space Technology and Acquisition, National Security Space Office, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major and lieutenant colonel
3. June 2011 - October 2011, Chief, Diplomatic Clearances Officer, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia, as a lieutenant colonel
4. April 2012 - August 2016, Director, Joint Reserve, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
5. January 2019 – June 2021, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 24th and 16th Air Force; Commander Air Forces Cyber; Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, as a brigadier general
6. September 2020 – present, Airborne Emergency Action Officer, Looking Glass Airborne Nuclear Command Post, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a brigadier general

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
NASA Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Longevity Service Award with five oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device
Small Arms Expert Medal (pistol)
Air Force Training Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major Nov. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 2, 2007
Colonel May 1, 2012
Brigadier General Dec. 12, 2018

(Current as of February 2022)

Sean Plankey is the Director of Cyber Missions at DataRobot, the world’s leader in Trusted Artificial Intelligence. He leads DataRobot’s cybersecurity vertical including product and revenue.

Prior to DataRobot, Sean was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response at the U.S. Department of Energy. In this role he was directly responsible for the Sector Specific Agency role under Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD 21), and the Emergency Support Function #12 (ESF-12) for the Department of Energy, as defined by the National Response Framework.

Mr. Plankey served on the National Security Council as the Director for Maritime and Pacific Cybersecurity Policy, where he co-authored the National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan and multiple Presidential Directives on offensive cyberspace operations. He has also served as the Global Cyber Intelligence Advisor for BP plc, and as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for U.S. Navy Intelligence. He is a military veteran and graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He holds multiple professional cybersecurity and information technology certifications.

Chris Riotta is a staff writer at FCW covering government procurement and technology policy. Chris joined FCW after covering U.S. politics for three years at The Independent. He earned his master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he served as 2021 class president.

As the Chief Data Officer for the Department of the Navy (DON), Mr. Sasala leads the Department’s efforts on data management, information resources management, data governance, and Naval data policies. Mr. Sasala is responsible for implementing the OPEN Government Data Act, training the Naval workforce on data and data analytics, and making high quality, timely data available to decision-makers and warfighters. He advises and assists the SECNAV and UNSECNAV in the execution of their statutory responsibilities, establishes data priorities for the DON in support of the National Defense Strategy, and drives change through the Business Operations Plan and Data Strategy Implementation Plan. Mr. Sasala leads data transformation for the Department and works closely with the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) on DoD-wide data policies, tactics, and techniques to improve DON decision-making.

Mr. Sasala previously led data management activities in the business mission area at the Office of the Chief Management Officer (OCMO). In that capacity, he focused on optimizing business operations, streamlining defense business systems, and establishing enterprise-wide interoperability standards for Naval business systems.

Prior to joining the Department of the Navy, Mr. Sasala served as Director of Operations and Architecture for U.S. Army CIO/G-6 and the Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Army. He led data governance and analytics across the Army, was responsible for the implementation and migration to cloud computing solutions, and developed segment and systems architectures for the Army. Mr. Sasala was also the Chief Technology Officer for the Joint Service Provider and the U.S. Army Information Technology Agency (ITA) where he was responsible for the modernization of Pentagon information technology solutions.

Mr. Sasala began his career as a student trainee at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). After graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, he returned to NRL and pursued his Master of Science in Telecommunication and Computers. While serving at NRL, Mr. Sasala led a variety of mission critical projects including advance research and development in public key cryptography, software-defined agile cryptography and key management, and the modernization of strategic communication solutions for nuclear command and control systems.

After leaving NRL, Mr. Sasala joined the private sector where he supported a number of clients as a government consultant. His many roles include Chief Architect for the All-Source Analytics Environment, Chief Architect and technical advisor for the Analytic Transformation (AT) program, and Program Manager for various initiatives within the defense and intelligence spaces. Additionally, Mr. Sasala spent almost two years developing cutting-edge data and training solutions at the Internet startup targeting the public educational market.

In 2014 Mr. Sasala received the Bold Award for Innovation, recognizing his creative problem-solving, technical acumen, ambition, and persistence. In 2015, Mr. Sasala was named a “Fed 100” honoring the top 100 contributors across Federal, state, and local governments.

Nicholas Speece is the technical leader for the Snowflake Federal team. His vast experience of more than 20 years covers the areas of cyber security, enterprise data center hardware and software, software development, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. He is a ten-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a dedicated technologist.

Bill Sullivan is Vice President and General Manager for Denodo’s Federal business.  With more than 20 years of leading the delivery of trusted government solutions for some of America’s most admired companies, Bill’s career has been dedicated to partnering with government leaders to support their mission delivery by securely managing and maximizing the value of their data and helping them leverage new capabilities to improve services.

Bill Washburn is MarkLogic’s Federal Chief Program Officer (CPO) leading MarkLogic’s major federal program efforts, to include Prime contract wins with USAF ABMS, and JAIC’s DRAID programs. Bill provides US Defense, Intelligence and Civil Government clients with a vision and strategy for their data challenges and partners with them for success.

Prior to MarkLogic, Bill worked at Informatica Federal Operations Corp, the US subsidiary (FOCI Compliant) of Informatica Inc. He led the company as the President and pursued Data Management and Quality business with the federal government in the Intelligence Community and National Security sectors. In addition, Bill also spent 15 years in executive roles with large and small services companies like SAIC, CSC, Octo and Perspecta (now Peraton), where he focused on Analytics, Systems Engineering,and Integration efforts in the Intelligence Community, Homeland Security, and Defense Department.

In addition, Bill held positions as an Engineer, Developer, and a Program Manager in large and small companies, supporting broad customer sets with dynamic solutions. He led large development teams, building enterprise-wide solutions for the IC and ran IT and Communications Operations Centers for large worldwide secure federal enterprises with a focus on communications and IT sustainability. Prior to joining the private sector, Bill served 10 years in the US Army with assignments at the White House Communications Agency (WHCA), 25 th Infantry Division and others.

Bill earned a technical degree from Strayer University (Washington DC) while working full time, graduating Cum Laude in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Bill also holds a Project Management Certificate from George Washington University School of Business.

Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for FCW and Defense Systems, covering defense and cybersecurity.

Prior to joining FCW, Williams was the tech reporter for ThinkProgress, where she covered everything from internet culture to national security issues. In past positions, Williams covered health care, politics and crime for various publications, including The Seattle Times.

Williams graduated with a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware. She can be contacted at lwilliams@fcw.com, or follow her on Twitter @lalaurenista.

Kristen Wilson is the Deputy Director of the Government-wide PMO for Category Management, based in GSA's Office of Strategy Management and in partnership with the Office of Management and Budget.  A proud data and policy enthusiast, she directs Category Management program work streams focused on data, analytics, and the Acquisition Gateway.  Prior to joining GSA, Kristen was the President of a small economically disadvantaged woman-owned business specializing in analytics and business intelligence services for Federal clients for 10 years.

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Syracuse University and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.