2026 Participants
Frank J. Bisignano
Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration and Chief Executive Officer of the Internal Revenue Service
Frank J. Bisignano is the first Chief Executive Officer of the Internal Revenue Service, managing an agency that collected approximately $5.1 trillion in tax revenue in Fiscal Year 2024 – revenue that consistently generates about 96% of the funding that supports the federal government’s operations each year.
Mr. Bisignano brings to this role extensive leadership experience from several decades in the financial services sector. Widely recognized for his expertise in operational management and technology innovation, Mr. Bisignano has consistently driven growth, improved customer service and led complex organizations through modernization and digital transformation.
Prior to his government service, Mr. Bisignano was CEO of Fiserv, the world’s largest financial services and payment technology company. Before Fiserv, Mr. Bisignano was the Chairman and CEO of First Data, where he transformed the 43-year-old company into a technology innovator, industry collaborator and commerce enabler for the 21st century.
Mr. Bisignano started his career on Wall Street, and was the youngest Senior Vice President of Shearson Lehman/American Express at age 25. He later became the co-Chief Operating Officer for J.P. Morgan Chase and the CEO of its Mortgage Banking unit. He also held several roles at Citigroup, and was with Citigroup on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked New York’s World Trade Center. In the aftermath of the attacks, he led the relocation of more than 16,000 displaced Citigroup employees, and he became a founding member and board leader of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Alongside his duties as IRS CEO, Mr. Bisignano will continue to serve as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, a position he assumed in May 2025. He has taken swift action to transform that agency into a premier service organization that delivers best-in-class service to the American people.
As IRS CEO, Mr. Bisignano will work to advance the IRS mission by sharpening its focus on three priorities: improving collections, safeguarding privacy and enhancing customer service. These goals will guide how the agency delivers better outcomes for hardworking taxpayers, and strengthen the IRS for the future.
Sessions featuring Frank J. Bisignano:
- VIP Fireside Chat
Gregory Barbaccia
Federal Chief Information Officer, Office of Management and Budget
Gregory Barbaccia serves as the United States Federal Chief Information Officer, overseeing the implementation of secure, reliable, and high-performing technology across the Federal government. Prior to joining the White House, Gregory served in multiple leadership positions in the commercial technology sector where he executed robust information security strategies and implemented advanced analytics and security solutions at scale. Gregory is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and is a US Army Intelligence Veteran, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sessions featuring Gregory Barbaccia:
- Fireside chat: The future of tech talent in government
- Welcome address
- Keynote Address
Scott Kupor
Director, U.S. Office for Personnel Management
Scott Kupor was sworn in as Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on July 14, 2025. In this role, Kupor leads the Trump Administration’s efforts to build a high-performing, accountable, and mission-driven workforce that upholds the trust of every American taxpayer. He brings nearly three decades of executive leadership and investment experience in the technology industry to the federal workforce.
Before joining OPM, Kupor served as a managing partner at Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm he helped build from its inception in 2009 into one of the largest in the United States, managing more than $45 billion in assets. He previously held senior leadership roles at a pioneering web hosting company acquired by Hewlett Packard (HP), where he led the company’s global support organization, a one-billion-dollar business within HP’s software division.
An advocate for efficient and transparent capital markets, Kupor is a former Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association and has testified before Congress and federal regulatory bodies on issues related to economic growth and innovation. He has also served on several nonprofit boards, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and has taught entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Kupor earned his B.A. and J.D. from Stanford University. He is originally from Houston, TX and is happily married to his wife, Laura with whom he has three daughters.
Sessions featuring Scott Kupor:
- VIP Fireside Chat
- Fireside chat: The future of tech talent in government
Amy Gleason
Acting Administrator, U.S. DOGE Service (USDS) and Strategic Advisor, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Amy Gleason is the Acting Administrator of the U.S. DOGE Service and Strategic Advisor to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where she leads national initiatives to modernize healthcare technology and improve data interoperability. Previously, she served as Chief Product Officer at Russell Street Ventures, where she led digital health innovation at Main Street Health and CareBridge. Amy also served with the U.S. Digital Service at the White House, where she created the national COVID-19 database and led major efforts such as the Pandemic Ready Interoperable Modernization Effort (PRIME) and Data at the Point of Care. She began her career in nursing and has spent her career advancing healthcare through technology. Amy brings a deeply personal perspective to her work, shaped by her experience as a caregiver to her daughter, who was diagnosed with a rare disease at age 11.
Sessions featuring Amy Gleason:
- Streamlining government to reduce bureaucracy and empower civil servants
- Keynote Address
Michael Lynch
Deputy Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration
Michael Lynch is a seasoned leader who has served in senior executive roles at Eli Lilly, SpaceX and multiple high-growth technology companies. Prior to joining GSA in January 2025 as a senior advisor in the Office of the Administrator, Mike was the CEO of Zedsen, a UK-based medical technology business utilizing AI for early-stage cancer detection. He has an undergraduate degree in political science from Wabash College, and holds graduate degrees from Indiana University and the London School of Economics. Lynch was previously delegated the responsibilities of the GSA deputy administrator from March through July 2025.
Sessions featuring Michael Lynch:
- Fireside Chat: Implementing AI in Government
- The AI opportunity: how to create better services for the American people
Jay Anderson
Director, Global Public Sector, WordPress VIP
Jay Anderson is the Director of Global Public Sector at WordPress VIP, where he leads the Public Sector go-to-market strategy. He works closely with government agencies to modernize digital experiences through secure, scalable, and compliant platforms that improve accessibility, constituent engagement, and mission delivery.
Jay brings deep expertise in public sector AI, big data & analytics, cybersecurity and enterprise technology, having spent more than 20 years helping government agencies navigate evolving security requirements, compliance mandates, and modernization initiatives. His background spans Federal Civilian, Defense, Intelligence, and SLED markets, with extensive experience aligning technology solutions to complex procurement environments and government mission outcomes.
Prior to WordPress VIP, Jay held senior leadership roles at SolarWinds, OPSWAT and TD SYNNEX supporting public sector cybersecurity initiatives focused on protecting critical infrastructure. While at SolarWinds, he played a critical role in rebuilding and restoring the Federal public sector business following the 2020 “Sunburst” cyberattack incident. During a period of heightened scrutiny and industry disruption, he helped create the “Secure by Design” focus on supply chain initiative, re-establish trust with Federal customers and partners, repositioned the organization’s public sector engagement strategy, and rebuilt pipeline momentum across civilian and defense agencies.
Zimronn Andrews
Mission Barbados Control Centre Office of the Head of Public Service, Barbados
Biography to be added shortly.
Chase Ausley
Director at the U.S. DOGE Service and Senior Advisor at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Chase Ausley is a Director at the U.S. DOGE Service and Senior Advisor at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he focuses on modernizing federal health and human services technology infrastructure, interoperability, and digital experience initiatives.
Prior to federal service, Chase held leadership roles across healthcare and enterprise technology organizations including CareBridge, Elevance Health, Optum, SAP Concur, and The Advisory Board Company. His work has focused on building and scaling digital products, interoperability platforms, workflow automation, and consumer-facing healthcare technology solutions.
At CMS and the U.S. DOGE Service, Chase works on initiatives focused on healthcare data exchange, API modernization, provider and patient access infrastructure, and reducing administrative burden across the healthcare ecosystem.
Sessions featuring Chase Ausley:
- The AI opportunity: how to create better services for the American people
Shaun Barry
Global Director Risk Fraud & Compliance Division, SAS
Shaun Barry is a renowned expert in fraud and integrity, with a specific focus on government. Shaun has worked for and with federal, state, and local governments around the world for over twenty (20) years to foster innovative and efficient business processes through technology. He specializes in tax & revenue, healthcare, social benefits, and motor vehicle functions. Shaun holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Public Policy degree from Duke University.
Sessions featuring Shaun Barry:
- How to tackle the fraud threat government faces
Lee Becker
Senior Vice President for Public Sector and Healthcare, Medallia
Lee Becker is a senior vice president for public sector and healthcare at Medallia, where he helps government and healthcare organizations improve service delivery, strengthen trust, and drive measurable operational and business improvements.
Lee has more than two decades of experience leading transformation across public sector and healthcare. He previously served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he helped establish the Veterans Experience Office and co-led the White House Cross-Agency Priority Goal on Customer Experience to improve service delivery across government.
His work has spanned contact center modernization, digital transformation, disability claims and appeals modernization, military casualty management, and programs supporting traumatic brain injury and mental health care for service members, Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors.
Lee also serves as a board member for the American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council and the Industry Chair for the Customer Experience Community of Interest, advisor to the Public Service Leadership Academy, and Chaplain for the American Legion. He holds a Master of Science in Management from The Catholic University of America and a Bachelor’s degree in Management from American Military University.
Sessions featuring Lee Becker:
- Data-driven delivery: How to make better use of insights in government
Sonny Bhagowalia
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Information and Technology and Chief Information Officer U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Department of Homeland Security
At U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mr. Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia currently holds the Senior Executive Service position of Assistant Commissioner (AC), Office of Information and Technology (OIT) and CBP Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Mr. Bhagowalia has over 40 years of senior technical, managerial, and executive leadership experience in private industry, the U.S. Government, and state government. Mr. Bhagowalia has spent over 26 of those years in senior executive capacity, including over 22 years as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and one year as a Senior Level (SL) in the Federal Government, and three years as a Senior Executive in State Government. He has served in key CIO leadership roles at five government agencies: Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, State of Hawaii, U.S. Department of Treasury and CBP, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He also served in senior executive leadership roles as a Deputy Associate Administrator for Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies at General Services Administration, and as a Program Management Executive/Assistant Director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Bhagowalia also served for 14 years in Industry at Boeing, a Fortune 30 company, ultimately serving for five years in senior technical leadership roles as a Chief Engineer/Manager and as an honorary Senior Principal Engineer in the Boeing Company.
He has used his knowledge of IT/Information Resource Management (IRM), cybersecurity, and business process re-engineering to transform and secure organizations, and has helped the Federal CIO/CTO to roll out foundational White House Government-wide initiatives such as Open Data, Federal Cloud, FedRAMP, and the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative.
Mr. Bhagowalia has received over 50 awards from the U.S. Government and Industry, including a rare distinction of two Presidential Rank Awards for Meritorious Executive Service; three Federal 100 Awards; four Golden Gov Executive of the Year awards (including three in a row); two Wash100 awards; State Gov Executive of the Year; Government CIO of the Year; Government Innovator of the Year; NASA Silver Snoopy; NASA Award of Merit; Asian American Chamber of Commerce Elite Titan; Service to the Citizen; and the White House Champion of Change. He led the team that won the Chief Information Officer 100 award for data.gov; and “Best of the Web” State Portal award from Center for Digital Government (CDG) for Hawaii.gov. He was inducted into the Boeing Technical Excellence Fellowship Program in 2014, recognizing the top one percent of engineers and scientists in the Boeing Company; the 2014 Federal Enterprise Architecture Certification Institute Hall of Fame; and the 2015 National Defense University IRM College Hall of Fame.
Mr. Bhagowalia has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) and a Master of Science (MS) Degree in EE from Louisiana State University, and an MS in IRM from Syracuse University. He is also a twice-distinguished graduate from the National Defense University, U.S. Department of Defense, with an IRM Diploma and Federal CIO Certificate.
Sessions featuring Sonny Bhagowalia:
- How AI is driving better government
Amy Bontrager
Director, US DOGE Service GSA OPM and Trade Portfolio
Amy Bontrager is a senior public sector leader with experience driving mission-focused transformation across government, military, and nonprofit organizations. She currently serves as a Director at USDS within the Executive Office of the President, overseeing the GSA, OPM, & Trade portfolio. She leads cross-functional teams supporting high-impact modernization and emerging AI initiatives across federal agencies.
Amy’s work focuses on workforce transformation, digital service delivery, and operational strategy helping agencies turn complex policy and mission challenges into actionable technology and delivery solutions. She has led rapid discovery efforts, executive-level modernization initiatives, and AI literacy programs designed to prepare leaders and organizations for the next generation of public service.
Prior to USDS, Amy held leadership roles at Blue Star Families, and Department of Defense, where she built programs supporting federal leaders, veterans, military spouses, and workforce development at scale. She is also an advocate for people-centered innovation, leadership development, and modernizing how government delivers for the public.
Sessions featuring Amy Bontrager:
- Workforce of the future: reskilling for a digital, sustainable public service
Greg Boone
Customer Success Director, Public Sector, WordPress VIP
Greg Boone leads Customer Success for WordPress VIP’s public sector accounts, overseeing a $7M portfolio that includes flagship government organizations such as NASA, The White House, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In his role, Greg has guided delivery strategy for VIP’s government customers, helping teams launch, monitor, and secure high-impact digital experiences. He brings deep expertise in WordPress, compliance, and digital operations at scale, and is a key advisor on civic technology and customer experience.
Sessions featuring Greg Boone:
- How technology can modernize government at all levels
Donna Cadogan
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, Barbados
Mrs. Donna Cadogan has been a career civil servant in the Barbados Public Service for the past 33 years and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Management from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. She and joined the Ministry of Tourism as Permanent Secretary in January, 2015 having worked in several ministries including those with portfolio responsibility for trade, commerce, international business, transport and works, agriculture, energy, labour, the Attorney General’s Chambers and home affairs.
She has responsibility for the administration of the tourism and travel sector and the development of the civil aviation sector according to the Standards and Recommended Practices established by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Mrs. Cadogan is also charged with oversight of the agencies responsible for tourism product development; tourism marketing the islands lone international airport and its major Conference Centre; the leading tourism attraction on the island – Harrisons Cave and the operation of a number of Government-owned hotels, including the Hilton Barbados Resort.
Mrs. Cadogan is a Director of the Boards of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.; Hotel and Resorts Limited; Grantley Adams International Airport Inc.; Needhams Point Development Inc. and Caribbean International Airways Limited.
She is committed to transforming Barbados into the leading small island tourism destination through the implementation of the recommendations of the Barbados Tourism Master Plan which seeks to capitalize on the uniqueness of the Barbados Tourism Product and by ensuring that sustainable tourism goals are fully incorporated into the development agenda of the sector. Her aim is also to enhance the sectors contribution to socio-economic growth through increased the development of new approaches to the engagement of the Barbadians in tourism; infrastructural investment; the development of the aviation and cruise industries, the expansion of existing source markets and the creation of new markets in Africa, Europe and Latin America.
Hartley Caldwell
Chief Information Officer, U.S Small Business Administration
Hartley Caldwell serves as SBA’s Chief Information Officer and Chief AI Officer, overseeing the agency’s technology strategy and operations. In this role, he manages all IT functions across SBA and chairs the Business Technology Investment Council, which evaluates and selects major technology investments.
Caldwell leads the agency’s efforts to adopt and utilize artificial intelligence in a safe, secure, and responsible manner, ensuring AI technologies are deployed in alignment with federal policy and in service of SBA’s mission.
Caldwell brings to SBA an extensive background in financial technology and digital transformation, having held senior CIO and technology leadership positions at Fiserv, Citi Fintech, First Data Corporation, and E*TRADE Financial. His private sector career spans retail banking, digital payments, open banking, cloud platforms, and enterprise IT — giving him a strong foundation to drive modernization across SBA’s technology portfolio.
He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Georgia and an M.B.A. from Wake Forest University School of Business.
Shantrell (Nikki) Collier
Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Information Resources Management and Chief Information Officer, US Department of Justice (Subject to final approvals)
Dr. Shantrell (Nikki) Collier is the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Information Resources Management and Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to rejoining JMD in October 2022, she served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—responsible for a multi-million-dollar technology and cyber operating and maintenance budget in support of 13 geographically facilities, 15 research ships, nine aircraft, and the uncrewed systems program. Prior to her role as CIO, Dr. Collier served as the Acting Deputy Director, Service Delivery Staff, the DOJ Office of the Chief Information Officer. She was the Project Lead for the Department’s move to Microsoft 365; she managed various contracts totaling $23 million and oversaw the migration of 120,000 email accounts to the cloud to consolidate 23 disparate email systems. In 2017, she was recognized for her efforts as an “Unsung Hero” by the Women in Technology. Dr. Collier served 22-years in the United States Army holding various senior leadership positions in information technology and cyber operations retiring in 2015 at the Army’s highest enlisted rank—Sergeant Major. For seven years, she traveled worldwide as a Vice Presidential and First Lady Communications Officer at the White House Communications Agency. Dr. Collier holds a Doctor of Business Administration Degree from Trident University International (2022). She also received a Project Management certificate from Syracuse University and an Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation v4 certification.
Sessions featuring Shantrell (Nikki) Collier:
- Data-driven delivery: How to make better use of insights in government
Kevin Cunnington
Expert Advisor for Global Government Forum, and former Director General of the UK Government Digital Service
Kevin was Director General of the International Government Service and Digital Envoy for the UK from August 2019, until April 2021. Prior to that, he was the Director General of the Government Digital Service from August 2016 to July 2019. Kevin left the UK Civil Service in April 2021.
Kevin has led a variety of large scale, and global, digital transformation programmes. He spent his early career in programming and IT consultancy. More recently he was the Global Head of Online for Vodafone Group and Business Transformation Group Director General at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Kevin now advises Global Government Forum, and leads the Global Government Digital Leaders’ Study.
Sessions featuring Kevin Cunnington:
- Keynote address – Future-proofing government digital capability
- Workforce of the future: reskilling for a digital, sustainable public service
Kelly L. DeGraff
Deputy Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
As the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Kelly L. DeGraff leads enterprise financial management for the federal government’s human capital agency. Her portfolio spans budget, finance, performance, execution, financial analysis, internal controls, and stewardship of approximately $1 trillion in earned benefits funds that support federal retirement, health, and life insurance programs.
Ms. DeGraff’s leadership focuses on strengthening OPM’s financial management posture, improving institutional credibility, and delivering clearer decision support for senior leaders. She is leading the modernization of OPM’s financial management operating model by strengthening governance, clarifying roles, documenting core processes, cross-training staff, and reducing dependency on informal knowledge and single points of failure. Before becoming Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Ms. DeGraff served as Associate Chief Financial Officer for Budget and Performance at OPM. In that role, she led Budget Office modernization and advanced agency performance reporting.
Ms. DeGraff has built her career leading complex federal programs through high-stakes operational change. Before joining the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, she served as Deputy Associate Director for the Federal Executive Boards at OPM, where she managed strategic partnerships and led nationwide policy coordination and streamlining efforts across all federal agencies.
At the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she held several senior leadership roles, including Deputy Assistant Administrator, Acting, for the National Preparedness Directorate, with executive oversight of seven national programs and two federal training institutions, and Assistant Administrator, Acting, for the Fund Management Directorate, with responsibility for more than $100 billion in funds. She also served as Director of Insurance and Mitigation Readiness, where she led restructuring of a geographically dispersed workforce of 1,800 through change management and stakeholder engagement.
Earlier in her career, Ms. DeGraff served as Director of Disaster Services at AmeriCorps and as a senior advisor to the White House. She helped launch national service and resilience initiatives, including the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, FEMA Corps, and Resilience AmeriCorps, and led the design and implementation of a $27 million Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration roadmap.
Ms. DeGraff is a member of the Senior Executive Service. She is a Yale Global Executive Fellow and a Harvard Senior Executive Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy. Her honors include the 2023 Robert M. Tobias Achievement Award from American University and the 2016 President’s Award for Public Service and Civic Engagement. She was also a finalist for the 2014 Partnership for Public Service Samuel J. Heyman Award.
Brian Epley
Chief Information Officer, Department of Commerce, United States of America
Brian Epley serves as the Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce. He is responsible for leading business transformation and IT strategy for new digital capabilities, streamlining current operations and improving overall efficiencies and performance of Commerce’s IT ecosystem — all with the goal of enabling the Commerce mission to achieve excellence and innovation with our partners and stakeholders.
Brian is a seasoned leader with more than 25 years’ experience across public and private sectors. Throughout his career he has distinguished himself as an entrepreneur and innovative change leader with the unique ability to deliver strategic value-add outcomes.
Brian previously served as the Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer with the U.S. Department of Energy (2022-24), where he led the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and formation of the OCIO’s strategic direction for the protection and modernization of IT, cybersecurity, data usage, and digitization to serve the Department’s mission.
Brian previously served in key executive leadership positions with the Environmental Protection Agency (2016-22) including Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Deputy CIO, and Chief Technology Officer for the Office of Environmental Information. Brian led many strategic initiatives transforming Enterprise IT Shared Services improving the value of IT. Prior federal and state government roles include:
- Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 Technical Director for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information and Technology, and
- IT Services Director serving the Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Governor [for 3 terms], and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency.
Brian also held various leadership roles in the private sector at the Computer Sciences Corporation, Northrop Grumman, North Highland Worldwide Consulting, and as the founding President of InterSolve-IT; focused on enterprise transformation, research and development, IT, and enterprise operations. Brian’s private sector experience spans the Consulting, Healthcare, Hospitality, Retail, and Transportation industries.
Brian serves on the American Council for Technology Executive Committee and previously served on the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business Society Board of Directors and Virginia State University IT Advisory Council Board of Directors. Brian received the Department of Veterans Affairs honor award for, “Getting to Green” on the President’s Management Agenda of Human Capital and the “Top 40 Under 40 Award” for service in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Brian holds a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems, from the Virginia Commonwealth University. Brian was also selected and worked as a Ph.D. candidate for Information Security Assurance at George Mason University’s Volgenau School of Engineering and Computing.
Sessions featuring Brian Epley:
- How technology can modernize government at all levels
Erica Evans
Director of Operations and Finance, U.S. DOGE Service (USDS)
Erica Evans is the Director of Operations and Finance at the United States DOGE Service within the White House, where she leads the operational strategies, internal infrastructure, and resources necessary to drive high impact digital service delivery across the federal government. She previously served in the US Digital Service as a Procurement Expert and Director of Operations through its transition to the US DOGE Service.
Erica has been in the federal acquisition space for the majority of her career, serving as lead Contracting Officer on a major cybersecurity portfolio after learning the ropes in the DHS Acquisition Professional Career Program. As a member of the inaugural class of USDS’s Digital IT Professional program in 2015, she drank the kool-aid on modernizing government technology and transferred over the DHS Digital Service to work at a number of components directing more than a billion dollars into stronger vendor partnerships through thoughtful source selection strategies. In 2020 she joined the Digital Service proper at the White House to work with a wider variety of agencies and projects. While there she led the discovery work on the White House’s “Facing a Financial Shock” Life Experience launching ongoing work to increase access to our key social safety net benefits, and later the initial USDS work for Online Passport Renewals, which successfully launched September 2024.
Sessions featuring Erica Evans:
- How to spend every dollar well: Prioritizing IT investments amid constrained budgets
Justin Fanelli
Chief Technology Officer, Department of the Navy, United States
Mr. Justin Fanelli is the 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 various national Science and Technology agencies and advisory boards inside and outside of government.
Within Dept of Navy roles, Mr Fanelli’s team has recently been recognized for transforming modern service delivery including multi-billion dollars savings 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 DOD Chief Systems Engineer for Command and Control (C2).
Outside of the office, Mr. Fanelli has most recently taught graduate courses at Georgetown University. He has lectured at a dozen other universities including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Dartmouth 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 Award, 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 Fed100, two time Defense50 and FedHealth100 honoree. He lives in Arlington, VA and loves book recommendations.
Kathleen Featheringham
Vice President and AI Accelerator, Maximus
Kathleen is a leader focused on large scale responsible technology transformation for our client’s most critical and sensitive mission areas. She is leading the development and expansion of Maximus’ AI and Advanced Analytics portfolio within Federal Technology Consulting Services. An expert in AI, data science, strategy, and change management, Kathleen has more than 20 years of experience working with clients across the Federal Government.
She focuses on the convergence of mission and AI with a special emphasis on the human elements of adoption. This includes working with organizations on responsibly thinking about data as an asset, the evolution of the technical architecture to eliminate continual redesign, the evolution of human roles to allow more time for critical thinking and building ethical AI controls and measures into the fabric of an organization.
Prior to joining Maximus, she served as a Director at Booz Allen Hamilton leading highly technical cross-functional teams through transformation. She established and scaled Booz Allen’s AI strategy and training capabilities, that center on empowering organizations to grow their ability to harness analytics for data-driven decision making. She was a founding member of the team that developed Booz Allen’s award-winning Data Science 5K Challenge program, which focused on upskilling the firm’s data science workforce to help clients use data in new ways. Booz Allen’s artificial intelligence (AI) practice. Kathleen led the development of the firm’s AI governance and risk management procedures and operating practices as a part of the development of Booz Allen’s Responsible AI efforts.
Kathleen has an M.S. in intelligence analysis from Mercyhurst College and a B.S. in business administration from Georgetown University. She holds a Change Management Advanced Practitioner certification from Georgetown and a Psychology of Leadership graduate certificate from Cornell University.
Sessions featuring Kathleen Featheringham:
- How AI is driving better government
Luz Felix
Director of Digital Transformation and Technology, Superintendence of Health and Occupational Risks, Dominican Republic
Luz del Carmen Félix is Director of Digital Transformation and Technology at the Superintendence of Health and Occupational Risks (SISALRIL) of the Dominican Republic, where she has led institutional modernization efforts that earned SISALRIL first place in the national ICT Use and Electronic Government Implementation Index (iTICge) in 2024. This achievement completed a unique milestone: three consecutive first-place rankings across three different public institutions between 2022 and 2024, a record unmatched in the Dominican public sector.
With over 15 years of experience in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and public sector technology management, Luz has led the development of more than 40 technology projects with direct impact on institutional efficiency and citizen services. She previously served as Director of ICT at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), where she oversaw the development of the National Resource Planning System, the International Cooperation System, and the Presidential Initiatives Performance Monitoring System, and led the ministry to first place in the iTICge in 2022. She subsequently held the same directorial role at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, implementing digital services including online authorizations, a climate change tracking portal, and a geographic information system, earning first place in the iTICge in 2023.
Luz is an active leader within the Project Management Institute, serving as Director of the ICT Community and member of the Nominations and Elections Committee of the PMI Dominican Republic Chapter, and as international volunteer for the PMI Madrid PDIS Social Impact Projects initiative. She teaches at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and conducts research on data governance and artificial intelligence applied to the public sector. She has represented the Dominican Republic at international forums including the Caribbean Digital Summit 2024, the Digital Public Infrastructure annual gathering in Brazil 2025, public innovation events in Peru and Guatemala, and the ITU Digital Transformation in Social Security Workshop in Kenya 2026.
She holds a degree in Computer Systems Engineering from Universidad APEC and master’s degrees in Senior Management (INTEC), Auditing and Computer Security (UASD), ICT for Teaching (UASD), and High Public Management (PUCMM in collaboration with INSP, France, 2025). She is currently a doctoral candidate in Business Administration with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence at BIU, and holds PMP® and ITIL® certifications.
Amy Fenstermacher
Partner/Principal, Government & Public Sector, EY
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Amy Fenstermacher:
- How to spend every dollar well: Prioritizing IT investments amid constrained budgets
Jonathan Finch
Director, Digital Experience, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
Jonathan Finch currently serves as the Director of Digital Experience within the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He helped draft and now leads the government-wide implementation of OMB’s flagship policy on delivering a digital-first public experience. Throughout his career which has spanned both the private and public sectors, Jonathan has helped organizations of all sizes rethink how they engage with and serve their customers. Prior to joining the government, Jonathan worked at Deloitte Consulting, where he served as an advisor to C-suite executives on a range of topics. Jonathan holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University.
Polly Hall
Executive Lead, Practitioner Workstream Office of Governmentwide Policy, U.S. General Services Administration (Subject to final approvals)
Polly Hall is recognized for her executive and operational leadership in federal procurement and acquisition innovation. As a digital acquisition certified contracting professional with specialized expertise in AI acquisition, she brings extensive experience in both FAR-based and non-FAR based acquisitions, including Other Transaction Authority and Commercial Solutions Opening authority-based awards. Polly led the Department of Homeland Security’s Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL) during its formative years, demonstrating her ability to build transformative acquisition capabilities from the ground up.
Polly is currently detailed to the General Services Administration where she is serving as the Executive Lead for the Practitioner Workstream that supports the implementation of the Executive Order on Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, or the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul. Polly is known for advancing government-wide priority initiatives and leading change, where her vision and influence have resulted in stronger, more agile procurement practices. She is widely regarded for pioneering new acquisition approaches, fostering a culture of innovation, and empowering acquisition professionals.
Polly is Co-President of the Federal Innovation Council, where she collaborates with thought leaders to drive improved results in federal service delivery. In addition to her government work, Polly shares her knowledge and passion for procurement as a faculty associate in supply chain management at Arizona State University.
Stewart Hamilton
Chief Digital Information Officer, Government Commercial Agency, United Kingdom
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Stewart Hamilton:
- How to tackle the fraud threat government faces
Hubert Han
Senior Tech Policy Advisor, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Singapore
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Hubert Han:
- Using technology to drive government efficiency
Kevin Hennecken
Senior Advisor to the Director, U.S. Office for Personnel Management
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Kevin Hennecken:
- Workforce of the future: reskilling for a digital, sustainable public service
Brian Hewitt
Data Acquisition, Research, and Analytics Branch Manager, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, United States
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Brian Hewitt:
- Data-driven delivery: How to make better use of insights in government
Jeneen Iwugo
Acting Director of the Center for Program Integrity, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, United States
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Jeneen Iwugo:
- How to tackle the fraud threat government faces
Kaydee James
Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, U.S. Department of War
Kaydee James is a senior operations and workforce leader currently serving as the Chief of Staff at the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office within the Department of War. She formally served as the Chief of Staff of U.S. DOGE Service for the Executive Office of the President.
Ms. James supports the planning and execution of the CDAO’s technology programs War Data Platform, Maven Smart Systems, and its pace setting projects, manages day- to-day staff operations, and coordinates internal policy and business processes, including budgeting, contracting, manpower, and organizational governance. She oversees stakeholder engagement and communications across government partners, the DoW, and the commercial technology sector.
Previously, Ms. James held leadership roles at Meta (Reality Labs) and Salesforce, where she led global, cross- functional teams supporting billion-dollar technology portfolios. Her work focused on aligning workforce strategy with mission priorities, improving execution through data-driven decision-making, and implementing technology-enabled process improvements that delivered significant cost savings and cycle-time reductions. Across roles, she is known for having a trust -based leadership style and a consistent ability to align multiple stakeholders in support of complex technology and innovation objectives.
Sessions featuring Kaydee James:
- Workforce of the future: reskilling for a digital, sustainable public service
Amy Jones
US Public Sector AI Lead, EY
Amy Jones is the US Public Sector AI Lead at EY, where she helps government organizations adopt AI and emerging technologies to improve mission outcomes and service delivery. She leads multidisciplinary teams focused on building innovative, practical technology solutions, bringing together strategy, engineering, data science and responsible AI practices to help agencies modernize with confidence.
Amy’s work includes projects that make government data more accessible and to build scalable analytics ecosystems and decision-making. Amy was named a 2024 WashingtonExec Pinnacle Awards finalist for Artificial Intelligence Executive of the Year.
Sessions featuring Amy Jones:
- Using technology to drive government efficiency
Abhiram Karuppur
Senior Advisor – U.S. Investment Accelerator, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
Biography to be added shortly.
Emilee Lehenbauer
Vice President of Federal, Qualtrics
Emilee Lehenbauer is a leader in experience management and public sector innovation at Qualtrics, where she partners with government and mission-driven organizations to transform how they serve their communities. She leads the Qualtrics Federal team in working with government agencies to translate customer and employee feedback into actionable strategies that drive trust, engagement, and measurable impact.
Prior to her work at Qualtrics, Emilee led corporate fundraising and development for the United Services Organizations, supporting members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families during active duty service – from enlistment to transition back to civilian life. Emilee also spent three years living and working in Korea as a Fulbright Scholar, an experience that deepened her commitment to cross-cultural collaboration and human-centered problem solving. She brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology, research, and public impact, helping organizations build more responsive and effective experiences for the people they serve.
Sessions featuring Emilee Lehenbauer:
- Streamlining government to reduce bureaucracy and empower civil servants
Aaron Lemon-Strauss
Executive Director of the FAFSA Program, Federal Student Aid, United States
Aaron Lemon-Strauss is the Executive Director of the FAFSA Program at Federal Student Aid. This new role brings together responsibility for all aspects of the FAFSA program to support stronger outcomes for students, counselors, financial aid administrators, and all other stakeholders who rely on the FAFSA. Aaron has spent 20 years in digital product development in education, including leadership across the non-profit, for-profit, and now public sectors. He most recently served as Chief Product Officer for Stride, having previously been Vice President for College Access Products at College Board.
Sessions featuring Aaron Lemon-Strauss:
- How to tackle the fraud threat government faces
Jodi Leo
Chief Delivery Officer, Nava
Jodi Leo is the Chief Delivery Officer at Nava, a public benefit corporation which emerged from the effort to help rebuild HealthCare.gov after its troubled launch. Nava exists to address some of the most complex challenges in the public sector and works to make government services simple, effective, and accessible to all. The company’s portfolio spans several projects in the U.S. including Medicare, Veterans Affairs, unemployment benefits, and paid family leave. Nava has helped tens of millions of people enroll in critical programs, streamlined processes to save decades of labor years, and saved government agencies hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jodi is responsible for marshaling the company’s core capabilities in engineering, design, project, program, and product management to deliver better, simpler public services to all people. She has spent the last 10 years establishing highly effective organizations, helping them scale, cultivating leadership, and articulating a vision for the future. Previously, Jodi spent 15 years deep in the delivery environment with users, teams, and stakeholders. She shipped improved user experiences and achieved numerous industry awards, improved regulations, plus earned two patents and a challenge coin from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Digital Services team. Jodi is a professor at the School of Visual Arts Masters Interaction Design, where she trains future digital services talent, and is a critic at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Monika Małowiecka
Deputy Director of the Digital Transformation Department at the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Poland
Monika is a Polish attorney-at-law and legal advisor specializing in the law of modern technologies, digital governance, and the regulatory frameworks of digital transformation. She serves as Deputy Director at the Department of Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Digital Affairs, where she contributes to shaping legal and policy solutions supporting the development of digital public services and the responsible use of emerging technologies in public administration.
She is the author of numerous books and professional publications devoted to technology law, including issues related to digitalization of public administration, intellectual property, and the legal aspects of innovative technologies. Monika Małowiecka is also a recognized trainer and speaker, delivering specialized trainings and lectures on the legal and regulatory challenges of digital transformation and the information society.
Throughout her professional career, she has collaborated with the presidents (mayors) of the twelve largest Polish cities, supporting initiatives related to smart cities, digital governance, and the implementation of modern technological solutions in the public sector.
Combining legal expertise with practical experience in public policy and digital innovation, she actively contributes to national discussions on the future of technology regulation and the development of a modern digital state.
Gulsanna Mamediieva
Adviser to the Vice Prime Minister for Innovations, Development of Education, Science & Technologies — Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Currently Gulsanna is CEO at Digitality. GovTech Center of Excellence, Brussel`s-based nonprofit aimed to enhance digital transformation of the public sector. She is also Fellow at Better Governance Lab, Tech and Public Policy Program and Adjunct Professor at the McCourt School for Public Policy, Georgetown University. Gulsanna also serves as Adviser to the Vice Prime Minister for Innovations, Development of Education, Science & Technologies — Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. Previously she led the strategic planning, European and NATO integration of Ukraine’s digital sector as Director General for European and NATO integration at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine in 2019-2023.
Yehoud Marciano
Director of Digital Services Unit, Head of Digital Innovation and Implementation, Israel
As the Director of Digital Services at the National Digital Agency of Israel, I lead a dynamic organization responsible for developing and implementing digital solutions that serve citizens, businesses, and government offices across the nation. In my role, I oversee the strategic development and execution of digital products within the Cloud Technologies and Cyber Division.
My responsibilities encompass:
- Strategic leadership of multiple product teams developing citizen-facing digital services
- Implementation of unified development frameworks based on cutting-edge methodologies
- Management of cross-functional teams following Agile practices and principles
- Orchestration of collaborative efforts between government agencies and industry partners
- Development of inclusive digital solutions catering to diverse population segments
In leading this transformative initiative, I focus on fostering innovation while ensuring accessibility and efficiency in government digital services. My approach emphasizes cross-ministerial collaboration and the adoption of modern technological practices to enhance public sector digital transformation.
Katie McGuiness
Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Katie McGuiness serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), bringing more than 20 years of distinguished Federal financial management experience. In this capacity, Katie provides executive leadership and oversight for one of the largest trust funds in the Federal government, ensuring the fiscal integrity of earned benefit programs that support the Federal workforce and its retirees.
Katie is responsible for the strategic direction and execution of OPM’s financial management portfolio, encompassing budget formulation and execution, financial operations, statutory and regulatory compliance, fiscal reporting, and enterprise financial systems. Her leadership ensures that OPM maintains the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and stewardship of public resources.
She represents OPM as an active member of the Chief Financial Officers Council (CFOC) as well as other financial industry affiliate organizations. In these roles, Katie collaborates with the Office of Management and Budget, interagency partners, and industry stakeholders to advance government-wide financial policy, improve reporting practices, and strengthen the effectiveness of Federal financial assistance.
Prior to her appointment at OPM, Katie served as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), where she supported the agency’s mission to protect the public from hazardous consumer products through sound financial oversight and programmatic support.
Katie is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting, and a minor in Leadership from the University of Richmond.
Emily Middleton
Interim Director General for Digital Transformation, Government Digital Service, United Kingdom
Emily Middleton is the Interim Director General for Digital Transformation within the Government Digital Service (GDS) at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). She is responsible for leading cross-government digital transformation, including the public sector adoption of AI, digital assurance and performance, and reforming service delivery, plus the digital foundations that enable transformation such as data, technical architecture and digital skills and capability.
Emily was previously a partner at the consultancy Public Digital. She set up the firm’s international practice, working with multilateral development banks, UN agencies and philanthropies. She has worked with governments around the world to develop digital strategies and to design, scale and reboot digital and data units.
Prior to joining Public Digital, Emily led the design of the London Office of Technology and Innovation. Earlier in her career, while at the Boston Consulting Group, she worked on digital strategy and transformation programmes in Europe and Southeast Asia. She has also worked for UNICEF Innovation and the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia.
Sessions featuring Emily Middleton:
- Fireside Chat: Implementing AI in Government
- How technology can modernize government at all levels
Daniel Morgan
Chief Product Technology Officer, OST / USMMA, U.S. Department of Transportation
Daniel Morgan is the Chief Product and Technology Officer for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) and United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
In this role, Daniel leads a digital factory delivering enterprise-wide products and capabilities while defining and executing DOT’s product strategy and roadmap. Additionally, he works closely with stakeholders to ensure IT investments directly support mission outcomes, emphasizing practical, user-centered solutions and outcome-driven technology adoption to promote efficient, mission-focused agency operations.
Daniel began his federal career in 2014 as the inaugural Vice-Chair of the Federal Chief Data, before assuming the mantle of DOT’s first Chief Data Officer. In both positions, he helped establish data as a strategic asset, building processes and tools that fostered a culture of informed, data-driven decision-making. Before joining DOT, he spent 15+ years as a management consultant in IT governance, enterprise architecture, human capital planning, and supply chain strategy & operations.
Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Sessions featuring Daniel Morgan:
- How to spend every dollar well: Prioritizing IT investments amid constrained budgets
Alison O’Mara
Program Manager, Federal Reserve Board, United States
Biography to be added shortly.
Maureen O’Prey
ITSS Knowledge Management & Customer Engagement, Comptroller of Maryland
Senior Knowledge Management and Communications leader with more than seven years’ experience driving enterprise‑level strategy within a state revenue agency. Track record of empowering external and internal stakeholders by implementing accessible, intuitive and scalable digital platforms and streamlined knowledge workflows. Directed agency‑wide Section 508 compliance initiatives to meet DOJ mandates, establishing sustainable governance and accessibility standards. Proven ability to align strategy, communications, and technology to improve stakeholder experience.
Ryan Oakes
Global Health and Public Services Industry Practice Chair, Accenture
Ryan Oakes is Accenture’s global Health and Public Services industry practices chair. He is also a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee.
In his more than 25 years at Accenture, Ryan has supported government and education clients in meeting their vital missions to educate, protect, nurture, and serve. His previous roles include leading the Global Public Sector, Global Human Services, and the North America Education practices.
Over his career he has worked with national, state, county and city governments, and universities around the world, helping them reimagine and redesign solutions for the digital age; design and implement complex, largescale and mission-critical solutions; and drive change across technology and service delivery.
Ryan also serves as a board member for the Business and Higher Education Forum, a non-profit focused on skilling diverse workforces in partnership between the business and education community. Ryan works with the NYC CEO Jobs Council to design and implement strategies for creating new pathways for underserved talent.
Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Government from Connecticut College.
Sessions featuring Ryan Oakes:
- The AI opportunity: how to create better services for the American people
Daniel Ortega Nieto
Lead Governance Specialist Program Manager, Public Sector Innovation & GovTech, World Bank
Is the Program Manager of the World Bank’s Public Sector Innovation and GovTech Program and Lead Governance Specialist. The Program provides direct support to operations worldwide and convenes key stakeholders to promote the use of foundational and frontier tools and technologies, with the goal of transforming how governments operate, deliver services, and interact with citizens.
Before this responsibility, Daniel was based in Jakarta, where he managed Indonesia’s Public Financial Management Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The Trust Fund provides technical assistance for budgeting, treasury, tax administration, civil service, data analytics, and accountability reforms. Previously, he led the public sector management operations in Brazil. During his tenure in Brasilia, he designed and led the Pro-Gestão Program, a US$1 billion credit line to improve fiscal and public financial management across Brazilian states. Daniel led the development of DeCODE, an evidence-based system that uses machine learning to leverage data to help anticipate and solve delivery challenges, and the Governance Risk Assessment System which uses artificial intelligence for extracting 200+ firm-level and agency-level corruption risk red-flags.
He has worked across regions and Governance issues, supporting projects and analytical work in Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, and Uruguay, among others. Before joining the World Bank, he was an advisor to the Mexican Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, a consultant to the Inter-American Bank, and the United States Ministry of Labor and the Agency for International Development. He has conducted research at Harvard and Sciences-Po universities.
Daniel graduated from El Colegio de México, holds a Master’s degree in Development Management from the London School of Economics (Chevening fellow), and holds a PhD in Public Policy and Government from Georgetown University (Fulbright fellow).
Philip Orumwense
Commercial Director, Government Commercial Agency, United Kingdom
Philip joined Crown Commercial Service as Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology in February 2021.
He is a strategic and hands-on commercial/procurement leader, Philip has a proven track record of achievements across multiple categories (Business Process Outsourcing, Technology and Digital Systems and Solutions, Financial Systems, Logistics and Record Storage, Travel Management, Professional Services, Contact and Service Centres). He has had a robust Commercial career across the Public Sector, Finance, Automotive, Rail, Road and Construction Industries.
Philip has responsibility for Common Goods and Services across Technology and Digital Categories of spend and manages over £10bn across several categories including Cloud and Digital, Networks, Software Cyber and AI, Digital Futures, and Technology Products and Services across central government, public and third sector (charities and social enterprises) organisations across the UK.
Prior to joining Crown Commercial Service Philip headed up the Information and Technology Commercial and Procurement Group at Highways England as the Commercial and Procurement Director. Prior to this he was the head of the Digital Platforms, Programmes and Applications Category at the Department for Work and Pensions where he was also the Commercial Director for the Universal Credit Programme.
Before joining the UK Public Service, Philip worked for Siemens where he had responsibilities for a multi-site and multi business commercial activities spanning the UK, Germany and elsewhere in Europe, South and North America across several industry sectors including: Automotive, Transportation (Rail, Civils, Communications, Electrification and Signalling) and Financial/Business Services.
Philip has an MA in Political Behaviour (Essex), an MBA in Business Strategy and Procurement Management (Birmingham) and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Aston Business School. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (FCIPS).
Sessions featuring Philip Orumwense:
- How to spend every dollar well: Prioritizing IT investments amid constrained budgets
Kaschit Pandya
Chief Information Officer, the Internal Revenue Service, United States
Kaschit Pandya is Chief Information Officer at the Internal Revenue Service, where he leads the technology organization supporting the U.S. tax system. In a typical year, the IRS processes roughly 140 million individual tax returns during the annual filing season and collects more than $5 trillion in federal revenue. Under his leadership, IRS IT is advancing the agency’s transformation into a more modern digital agency that improves taxpayer service, strengthens collections, and supports secure, efficient operations.
Kaschit brings more than a decade of IRS technology leadership experience across infrastructure, operations, filing season delivery, and enterprise modernization. Before joining the IRS in 2013, he spent 15 years in the private sector focused on IT operations, systems architecture, and technology consulting. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Stony Brook University and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Sessions featuring Kaschit Pandya:
- How technology can modernize government at all levels
Janet Pence
Director of Experience, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Janet Pence has worked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and its predecessor agency U.S. Customs Service, for more than 40 years. She established and currently leads the Customer Experience Division within the Office of the Commissioner where she directs agency-wide human-centered design initiatives focused on both employee and customer experience. Previously, she served as the Chief of Staff in the Office of Information and Technology for 15 years, where she served as advisor and chief administrative officer for three Chief Information Officers, supporting programs such as software development, network designs, cloud computing, digital transformation and applied technology.
Ms. Pence also served as Division Director providing nationwide technical support to private sector trade partners. She created the CBP Trade Support Network, connecting over 500 industry members and 20 federal agencies to improve the movement of commercial goods. She also held Chief of Staff roles in CBP’s Offices of Trade and Human Resources. Prior to these roles, she spent several years helping design and implement the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)—the system used to process commercial importations into the United States—led integrated product teams focused on targeting and analysis, entry summary and revenue, and established an innovative subscription-based communication system that remains central to CBP’s engagement with private industry on matters related to international trade.
Ms. Pence earned a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree from the George Washington University and holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Muhlenberg College. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and three children.
Pavan Pidugu
Chief Digital & Information Officer, U.S. Department of Transportation
Pavan Pidugu was sworn in as Chief Digital & Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Transportation on February 18, 2025. Pavan is a visionary and results-driven leader with over a decade of experience in carrying out technological innovations in the retail industry for global players such as Target, NCR, and Walmart, prior to joining the federal Government in 2020. Pavan is a transformational leader who believes technology alone will not solve anything, but instituting People and Processes with Technology does its wonders, and he is an expert in integrating all three facets of transformation. Pavan has led the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency within the Department of Transportation, as the Chief Technology Officer, where he radically transformed how technology is developed and delivered in a federal institution. Pavan has built a strong reputation in innovation and leadership in technology and received many awards, including the World 100 Technology Leaders 2024 award for his contributions to the technology landscape.
With more than 20 years of experience technology and leadership, Pavan pioneered innovative tech solutions for large retailers and achieved millions of dollars in revenue and cost savings for businesses. A few of his accomplishments include:
Defining an outcome-oriented digital strategy and roadmap for FMCSA to serve carriers, commercial vehicle drivers, and law enforcement agencies to enforce safety in CMV transportation.
Led transformation of Walmart’s digital customer and omnichannel experience in the stores internationally and championed transforming “Ways of Working” by instituting design thinking and product management principles in technology development.
Driving change with a comprehensive thought process and fact-based decision-making while managing the delivery of new capabilities for a global point-of-Sale system at Walmart.
Launching an offshore IT development center in India that grew from 5 to 500 employees in two years at Target.
Developing omnichannel product roadmaps and implementing strategic solutions for NCR’s retail customers.
Pavan constantly seeks to add technology-driven business value and guide companies to be future-proof with people and processes. Pavan strongly believes in aligning technology strategy with business priorities and growing the next generation of leaders.
Elsa Pilichowski
Director for Public Governance, OECD
As Director for Public Governance at the OECD, she leads the Organisation’s efforts to support the modernisation of governments for greater prosperity, with a view to strengthening trust in institutions. She manages the Directorate’s policy work on key governance issues such as budgeting, digital and open government, public procurement and infrastructure governance, better regulation, public sector integrity, information integrity, public employment, and furthering access to justice. She has spearheaded the OECD Reinforcing Democracy Initiative and the Government Unstuck Agenda.
In parallel, she has recently led the organisational and business transformation of the corporate communications function as Acting Director of Communications.
Previously, she held several positions within the Organisation, including Acting Director of the Council and Executive Committee Secretariat, Advisor and then Counsellor in the Office of the Secretary-General, Deputy Head of the Eurasia Programme, and policy analyst in the Public Governance Directorate leading work in a range of governance areas.
Before joining the OECD in 2000, Ms Pilichowski held positions in the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Region Vice President’s Office and at the World Bank Institute.
A French and Canadian national, Ms Pilichowski holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Sciences Po in Paris (1994) and a Master’s degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University in Washington D.C. (1997).
Sessions featuring Elsa Pilichowski:
- How AI is driving better government
Christine Rebuck
Director of Citizen Services, the Executive office of the Governor, Florida
Christine Rebuck has served as the Director of Citizen Services in the Executive Office of the Governor in Florida since 2021, where she oversees constituent communication and reporting. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Christine worked for over 20 years in local government in central Florida holding management roles in elections and public utilities.
Christine holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and lives in the Tallahassee area with her husband.
Ankur Saini
Chief Product and Technology Officer, FMCSA / MARAD / PHMSA, U.S. Department of Transportation
Ankur Saini is the Chief Product and Technology Officer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA), Maritime Administration (MARAD), and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
With over 20 years’ experience in digital transformation, enterprise architecture, and data strategy, Ankur oversees the agency’s $100M technology portfolio, ensuring that mission-critical IT systems are secure, modern, and user-friendly. He partners with program teams, agency leaders, and stakeholders to deliver practical, sustainable technology solutions that reduce complexity and improve operational effectiveness. His work spans initiatives from multi-million-dollar software development and IT infrastructure programs to modernized registration and fraud-prevention platforms (such as FMCSA’s Motus and TotalShield).
Prior to joining FMCSA, Ankur led program management roles at the General Services Administration, managing modernization of the GSA Real Estate Exchange (G-REX) and driving digital transformation for the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
Due in significant part to Ankur’s tireless efforts, FMCSA was recognized as one of CIO 100’s “Top 100 U.S. Technology Innovators” three years in a row (2023-2025); Ankur personally received the FMCSA Administrator’s Employee of the Year (2023) and the US DOT Secretary’s Silver Medal for “outstanding leadership in digital transformation and public safety impact.”
Ankur holds an MBA from the RH Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.
Sessions featuring Ankur Saini:
- Data-driven delivery: How to make better use of insights in government
Isabel-Rioja Scott
Director of AI Workforce Enablement, U.S. Department of State
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Isabel-Rioja Scott:
- How AI is driving better government
David Shive
Chief Information Officer, U.S. General Services Administration
David Shive is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the U.S. General Services Administration where he delivers technology solutions to support agency and administration strategic objectives and priorities.
As the CIO, he oversees a $700 million IT budget for over 50,000 devices, 400 locations, and 15,000 people. David has obtained a 4.17 out of 5 satisfaction score across GSA’s IT apps and tools and increased the IT Service Desk scores to 90% satisfaction.
David also serves as the Vice-Chair for the Federal CIO Council where he defines government-wide strategies for digital transformation, cybersecurity, and customer experience.
Additionally, David is one of 7 voting board members on the The Technology Modernization Board. The board is helping transform technology across the government and evaluates project proposals submitted for funding in accordance with the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act. David brings his technical expertise in information technology development to the board.
David is also one of three Joint Authorization Board (JAB) Members for FedRAMP along with DOD and DHS. The JAB serves as the primary governance board and provides provisional joint authorizations of FedRAMP packages submitted by Cloud Service Providers. He provides a critical voice for civilian agencies during the authorization process.
Before joining GSA, David served as the CIO for the District of Columbia government. He also worked in the private sector, consulting state and local, federal, and international government organizations on implementing large, customer-centric technology solutions. He is the recipient of numerous sector awards recognizing leadership in technology management and transformation.
He holds an undergraduate degree in physics from California State University, Fresno; a master’s degree in research meteorology from the University of Maryland College Park; and a post-graduate management certificate from the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School of Industrial Management.
Sessions featuring David Shive:
- How AI is driving better government
Anika Shuttleworth
Chief Information Officer, ICT Authority, Jamaica
Mrs. Anika C. D. Shuttleworth is a powerhouse in Jamaica’s digital transformation landscape. She currently serves as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Authority. She brings over 24 years of experience, with a career grounded in strategy, innovation and national development.
Before stepping into her role as CIO, she served as Chief Executive Officer of eGov Jamaica Limited, where she led key digital initiatives that strengthened public sector efficiency and advanced digital transformation. Her career reflects a steady rise through impactful leadership roles, including Senior Director of the Business Solutions Services (BSS) Division and Department Head positions spanning Research and Innovation, as well as Business and Product Development and Strategic Planning.
Mrs. Shuttleworth’s depth and versatility are reflected in her academic and professional achievements. She is a Professionally Accredited Director and a certified Scrum Product Owner, holding a Master of Science in Computer-Based Management Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of the West Indies, Mona. She is also a KOICA Fellow in eGovernment for CARICOM countries and holds certifications in Project Management, Lean Six Sigma, Strategic and Corporate Planning and Budget Management.
Throughout her career, she has consistently delivered results across strategic management, business and product development, project execution, software engineering and quality management. Her work is driven by a sincere commitment to service excellence and the empowerment of the next generation of leaders and innovators. She shows up in classrooms, on stages, and in mentorship spaces from basic schools to universities, meeting young people where they are and reminding them of what is possible.
Mrs. Shuttleworth’s service extends far beyond the boardroom. As an ordained Pastor, she openly shares her Christian faith and serves with a deep love for the Lord. Ask her though, and she will tell you that her greatest accomplishments are the ones that do not appear on any résumé: those of wife and mother.
Eric Sidle
Chief Information Officer, US Department of Housing and Urban Development
Biography to be added shortly.
Sessions featuring Eric Sidle:
- How to tackle the fraud threat government faces
Adam Starr
CIO, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Adam Starr is Chief Information Officer and Senior Advisor to the Director at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where he is transforming the digital infrastructure that supports the federal workforce from first job application through retirement. He leads the technology organization delivering products to every federal agency — including USAJOBS (6M+ active profiles, 900M+ annual visits) and the federal retirement system supporting 3 million annuitants.
Before OPM, Adam led AI at Proofpoint, where his models processed billions of emails daily to protect organizations around the world. His work sat at the intersection of machine learning, cybersecurity, and organizational transformation.
Adam holds a B.A. in Pure Mathematics from Pomona College (Phi Beta Kappa) and an MBA from Stanford University. His Erdős number is 2.
Sessions featuring Adam Starr:
- How technology can modernize government at all levels
Monica Taylor
Practitioner's Workstream of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, U.S. General Services Administration
Monica Taylor is currently detailed to support the Practitioner’s Workstream of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul at the General Services Administration where she informs learning strategies and contributes to major governmentwide non-regulatory resources such as the FAR Companion, Category Management Buying Guide, and Practitioner Albums. Monica is actively creating practical, high-impact training and resources to enable federal acquisition professionals to adopt, test, and apply the RFO regulatory and nonregulatory guidance. Monica is a Senior Innovation Coach within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL) where sheworks directly with procurement teams across federal agencies, providing strategic guidance and assistance in implementing innovative contract methods. Prior to joining the PIL, Monica worked as a Contracting Officer at the US Department of Agriculture and the Government Accountability Office. Monica led and administered procurements with high visibility such as the USDA GSA SmartPay 3 and Farmers.gov implementation and also served as the Contracting Officer for the implementation of the GAO Electronic Protest Docketing System. Monica has held significant contracting authority, managing large portfolios and supporting initiatives across various government agencies. Monica received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from South Carolina State University and received a Master of Public Administration from Villanova University. In her spare time, Monica enjoys traveling and hosting events with friends.
Sessions featuring Monica Taylor:
- How to spend every dollar well: Prioritizing IT investments amid constrained budgets
Mark Vermeer
Director, Digital Government, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Netherlands
As the director of Digital Government, Mr Mark Vermeer is responsible for a digital government that works on a value-driven and open basis for all citizens and businesses. This work includes the promotion of a transparent and open government, a digital identity, the control of citizens over their digital lives, and the accessibility and innovation of digital public services.
Mark Vermeer previously worked in diverse positions at the Municipality of Rotterdam, including as the Director of innovation, information and research and as the Chief Information Officer. Mark Vermeer holds a Master of Science in Econometrics from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and a PhD from the Faculty of Computer Science of the University of Twente.
Sessions featuring Mark Vermeer:
- Data-driven delivery: How to make better use of insights in government
Katarzyna Zajkowska
Director of the Digital Transformation Department at the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Poland
Katarzyna is a leader of Poland’s digital strategy and transformation. Katarzyna and her department develops digital services centered around key life events of citizens, helping public administration go fully paperless. Her responsibilities cover developing and maintaining key public registries and systems, including identification register. She also oversees Poland’s largest public software house, ensuring the nation’s IT software and infrastructure is built for the future.
Throughout her career, she has been a driving force in reshaping Poland’s digital landscape. Her favorite project to date belongs to standardizing digital communication between citizens, legal persons and the State through electronic delivery services. Currently, she is focused on bringing modern digital identity to every smartphone through the mObywatel (mCitizen) app—Poland’s flagship product. Alongside this initiative, she orchestrates a dynamic portfolio of over 40 active digital projects.
Katarzyna is a firm believer that for digital services to by truly effective, they must be simple, intuitive and clearly communicated to the people they serve.
Sessions featuring Katarzyna Zajkowska:
- Streamlining government to reduce bureaucracy and empower civil servants
Dawn Zimmer
Chief Information Officer, Department of Energy
Dawn Zimmer was appointed in November 2025 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, she leads DOE’s enterprise information technology and cybersecurity initiatives, ensuring that DOE’s systems are secure, efficient, and innovative. Dawn plays a pivotal role in aligning DOE’s IT modernization efforts with its broader mission priorities, including transformative technology programs that advance U.S. energy security and innovation.
With over 25 years of experience and a proven track record of excellence across government, academia, and the private sector, Ms. Zimmer brings a deep understanding of how to build and sustain high-performing technology organizations. Before joining DOE, she served as Executive Director of IT Engagement & Experience at Virginia Tech, where she led university-wide initiatives to enhance digital service delivery and user experience. Her federal experience includes senior leadership roles at the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Justice, where she advanced enterprise IT modernization, strengthened cybersecurity resilience, and established user-centered service frameworks.
She is widely recognized for her strategic vision, collaborative leadership style, and ability to bridge technology and mission objectives.
Sessions featuring Dawn Zimmer:
- Workforce of the future: reskilling for a digital, sustainable public service