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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 04/23/2025
In April, the chapter had the honor of hosting Katie Arrington, previously performing the duties of the Department of Defense (DOD) chief information officer, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. Addressing a packed audience of industry and government leaders, Arrington delivered a clear and urgent message: the Department-and its partners-must break from the status quo to secure tomorrow's mission against today's rapidly evolving threats.Arrington outlined several critical priorities shaping the DOD's future technology posture. She emphasized that zero trust is mandatory, not optional, with full compliance expected by 2027. Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) must be embraced as a cultural shift, not just a compliance checklist. Legacy processes like Risk Management Framework and traditional authority to operate are being replaced by real-time monitoring platforms like EMAS, powered by AI tools. New initiatives such as SWIFT (Software Fast Trac ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/14/2025
The May luncheon showcased the meaningful conversations and collaborations the chapter fosters. Titled "Navigating the Future of AI Is Now - Harnessing Opportunities and Addressing Challenges in DOD and Intelligence," the event convened leaders from industry, military and government to explore the fast-moving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI).GovTribe's Emily Wolfteich opened the program with a data-rich overview of AI activity across government, noting a clear push to scale AI through interoperable solutions, stronger leadership and increased industry engagement. She highlighted recent contract awards as signals of the government's commitment to embedding AI across all domains. Chapter President Becci DeFrank reaffirmed the chapter's commitment to STEM education, celebrating that the chapter has awarded over $2.9 million in scholarships since 1989. She introduced Chapter Vice President of STEM Jon Jumento, who recognized this year's recipients and honored the ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/13/2025
In May, the chapter hosted the 18th Annual Military IT & Cyber Leadership Awards Banquet at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The event honored 18 outstanding officers and enlisted service members from across the Department of Defense for their exceptional contributions to advancing military information technology and cyber operations.• U.S. Army Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eugy W. Zermeno • U.S. Army Enlisted Awardee: Sgt. Jaime Flores • U.S. Marine Corps Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Huck • U.S. Marine Corps Enlisted Awardee: Staff Sgt. Alec M. Durbin • U.S. Navy Officer Awardee: Lt. Marley Rakow • U.S. Navy Enlisted Awardee: ITC Shane Callaghan • U.S. Air Force Officer Awardee: Maj. Matthew G. Darby • U.S. Air Force Enlisted Awardee: Master Sgt. Duane Bailey • U.S. Coast Guard Officer Awardee: Lt. Kent H. Altobelli • U.S. Coast Guard Enlisted Awardee: Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Ayers • U.S Sp ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 03/20/2025
The chapter's March Luncheon, "DoD Acquisition - Navigating Defense Procurement," was a standout success, thanks to the leadership of Daniel Thomas and the dedicated team behind the event.Keynote Insights and Procurement Trends: The event opened with David Hutchins of GovTribe, who delivered a data-rich presentation on defense procurement trends. He outlined the top funding types by service branch and spotlighted key contracting vehicles-most notably OASIS and SeaPort-NxG-as leaders in today's procurement environment. Cyber Readiness and Standardization: Khoi Nguyen, CISSP-ISSAP, PMP and command acquisition executive for U.S. Cyber Command, delivered a powerful keynote on the urgent need to fund cyber initiatives. He emphasized the role of the Joint Cyber Warfighting Architecture (JCWA) in enabling coordinated cyber defense and offered a forward-looking perspective on JCWA NextGen, which promises to drive even greater standardization and impact across military ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 02/27/2025
The February chapter luncheon led by Indira Rice Donegan brought together industry leaders to explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, focusing on the critical framework of zero-trust (ZT) defense. The event featured a series of insightful discussions that highlighted the journey toward implementing effective ZT strategies.Randy Resnick, senior advisor for the Zero Trust Office at the Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Information Officer (CIO), delivered a compelling keynote address that emphasized the importance of collaboration in developing actionable ZT architectures. His insights underscored how collective efforts can significantly enhance cybersecurity measures across various sectors. DoD is at the forefront of ZT solutions, setting a benchmark that other federal civilian agencies aspire to replicate. This leadership role is crucial for establishing robust standards in a rapidly changing cyber environment. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Ben Koo ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 12/12/2024
The chapter's 2024 Winter Gala, held under the mesmerizing theme of Fire and Ice, proved to be nothing short of extraordinary. The event brought together more than 1,500 guests, including 292 senior government leaders, for an unforgettable evening that perfectly blended the fierce, passionate energy of fire with the serene, majestic allure of ice.The gala highlighted two powerful elements that resonate deeply within both government and industry: Fire, symbolizing the ardor and relentless drive with which we pursue innovation and greatness, and Ice, representing the cool, steely precision by which we deliver results and achieve success. As guests mingled and celebrated, the powerful contrast of these elements set the tone for a night of reflection on our shared achievements and aspirations. A true testament to the strength of the AFCEA community, the gala was made possible by the dedication and efforts of a 50-plus member volunteer committee. Their tireless work ensure ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 01/16/2025
In January, Theresa Pines, chapter senior vice president, hosted a noteworthy luncheon featuring discussions on the upcoming strategy from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The event began with insights from Christie Bardo, executive vice president of Marketing Intelligence at GovExec, who highlighted that DISA has awarded a remarkable $37 billion in contracts over the past decade. Notably, small businesses received 17% of DISA's funding in the last year, indicating substantial opportunities for growth and collaboration.Bardo also emphasized that under the new administration, artificial intelligence initiatives and regulatory frameworks will play a crucial role in DISA's strategic direction. The luncheon progressed with Jennifer Grijalva from HashiCorp introducing the keynote speaker, DISA's Deputy Director Christopher Barnhurst. He addressed the current threat landscape, underscoring the necessity of public-private partnerships to effectively com ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 10/24/2024
The 2024 AFCEA DC Tech Summit, hosted on October 24 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel, has earned widespread acclaim for its innovative agenda and in-depth exploration of critical cybersecurity issues. The event centered on the challenges and opportunities arising from intensified global power competition, showcasing groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), zero-trust architectures and the integration of emerging technologies within defense operations.As cyber threats increasingly target the United States through influence campaigns, data breaches and attempts to penetrate government systems, the summit provided an essential platform for addressing these dangers. High-profile incidents like the SolarWinds hack and Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack underline the stakes involved, jeopardizing both national security and economic stability. Against this backdrop, the summit brought together leaders from government, military, academia and t ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/12/2024
The chapter's 2024-2025 Luncheon Series kicked off with a remarkable Multi-Cloud Luncheon that highlighted the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) multicloud road map, presented by James Cherry. His insights underscored the critical nature of the NGA's cloud strategy, emphasizing that it is fundamentally a data strategy. Ensuring the right data reaches the warfighter at the right time is not just a goal; it is a priority that shapes the NGA's approach to cloud infrastructure.The luncheon featured a panel discussion moderated by Kimberly Underwood, director of digital news media, AFCEA International, which proved to be a rich source of knowledge and perspective. Panelist Darek Kitlinski emphasized the importance of establishing landing zones and common shared services, which are essential for facilitating collaboration and efficiency in cloud operations. Lt. Hollie Parrish provided a valuable perspective on the role of FedRamp and Department of Defense sponso ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 07/19/2024
The chapter has announced its elected executive board for 2024-2025. Board members were carefully selected to uphold AFCEA values and to meet mission requirements through advancing information technology, communications and electronics capabilities.Becci DeFrank, federal sector AI leader at NVIDIA, will serve as chapter president for the 2024-2025 term. She will be supported by Kevin Griffith, senior director of federal sales at Snowflake, who will serve as chapter executive vice president, and Theresa Pines, senior director of mission support sales for Asc3nd Technologies, who will take on the chapter's senior vice president role. The chapter provides innovative programming that enables collaboration between military, government, industry and academia, aligning technology and strategy to meet mission requirements. The chapter largely focuses programming on the U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence community and homeland security in the National Capital Region. ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 07/10/2024
The chapter announced this year's awardees of its annual STEM Scholarship Program. A total of $77,000 in scholarships was awarded to 35 high school seniors throughout the Washington, D.C., region. Each of them received $2,200 to pursue STEM fields. The scholarship selection and awards process was led by Thelma Barker, director-senior client partner, Comcast Government Services.Each year, the chapter aims to promote higher education in the STEM fields of computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry and management information systems by awarding scholarships to local high school seniors. Since 1989, the chapter has awarded nearly 500 scholarships, totaling more than $2.9 million, to students from 125 area high schools attending over 85 different colleges. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievements, school and community leadership, financial need and letters of recommendation. |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/22/2024
In May, the chapter held its 17th Annual Military IT & Cyber Leadership Awards that recognized outstanding officers and enlisted service members across the services and the joint community for their significant contribution to the warfighter using information technology and cybersecurity. This event is a salute to the information technology and cybersecurity warfighters for their service and dedication and recognizes their contributions and sacrifices in defending our nation. The event was keynoted by Lt. Gen. William "Joe" Hartman, USA, deputy commander, U.S. Cyber Command.Recognition was given to 18 exceptional service men and women at the chapter's Military IT & Cyber Leadership Awards event. Each branch of the armed services-the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Space Force-had two awardees, one enlisted and one officer, from any location worldwide, nominated for their significant contributions over the past year. Special ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/01/2023
In November, the chapter hosted a luncheon at the Army Navy Country Club to dine and discuss, "Digital Twins for Warfighting." The keynote speaker, Young J. Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army, Acquisition Logistics & Technology, introduced the crowd to ideas and concepts involved with building next-generation digital twins to strengthen warfighting capabilities. A deeper exploration of digital twin history, use cases, benefits and challenges were presented during the engaging panel discussion hosted by Col. Candice E. Frost, USA (Ret.). The panelists, all experts in numerous technological disciplines, included: Joseph T. Hays, Maj. Michael "Orbit" Nayak, USAF (Ret.), and Harry Wingo. The thought-provoking exchanges between the panelists, as well as the Q&A from the audience, clearly yielded a rewarding luncheon experience for all in attendance. Key takeaways: 1) Foreign nations are utilizing this technology today in an attempt to close the gap between their mili ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 08/05/2021 The chapter announced its newly elected executive board for 2021-2022. Board members were carefully selected to uphold AFCEA values and to meet mission requirements through advancing information technology, communications and electronics capabilities. Jimmie Adkins, vice president of sales at Hitachi Vantara Federal, will serve as chapter president for the 2021-2022 term. He will be supported by Nick Nilan, director of product development, Verizon, who will serve as chapter executive vice president; and Jessica Hersey, vice president, Capture Operations and Excellence, Leidos, who will serve as chapter senior vice president. The chapter has a rich history of innovative programming that enables collaboration between military, government, industry and academia, aligning technology and strategy to meet mission requirements. The chapter largely focuses on the U.S. Defense Department and intelligence community, as well as homeland security and defense and veteran health-rel ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 06/10/2021 The chapter has been recognized by AFCEA International as a 2021 Model Chapter, an award that recognizes chapters for their overall structure, program of activities and support to the association. Chapters of AFCEA International are eligible for the award as goals are met from the previous calendar year, such as increasing membership, raising more than $100,000 in scholarships and expanding STEM opportunities to students in the area. "We are so grateful to AFCEA International for recognizing the outstanding work and commitment of our members that led to the chapter's success in programming and philanthropy," said Jo Decker, chapter president. Despite a year in which all events were virtual, the chapter still accomplished educational and engaging events within the community and donated $100,000 in STEM scholarships in 2020. The chapter plans to donate $236,000 this year thanks to efforts from the board. |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/04/2021 In May, the chapter announced the 2021 awardees of its annual STEM Scholarship Program with a record-breaking $235,000 in STEM scholarships across 25 awardees. The grants were based on achievements in academics, school and community leadership, financial need and letters of recommendation. Jo Decker, chapter president, remarked, "This is the largest amount AFCEA DC has ever granted in scholarships. It is an honor to be able to give back to our community after such a difficult year. We want to be able to give these inspirational young adults the ability to further their education and empower them to become the leaders of tomorrow within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields." Scholarships will be used toward student college tuition as they pursue studies within the STEM fields. The following 2021 graduates from local high schools received scholarships: Vera Aburo, Silver Spring, Maryland; Yassin Alallaq, Arlington, Vi ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 08/20/2020 In August, the chapter announced its newly elected executive board for 2020-2021. Jo Decker, vice president of business winning and strategy at BAE Systems, who most recently served as executive vice president to the chapter, will serve as president for the 2020-2021 term. She will be supported by Jimmie Adkins, vice president of sales, Hitachi Vantara Federal, who will serve as executive vice president; and Nick Nilan, director of product development, Verizon, who will serve as senior vice president. AFCEA DC has a rich history of innovative programming that enables collaboration between military, government, industry and academia, aligning technology and strategy to meet mission requirements. The chapter largely focuses on the U.S. Defense Department and the intelligence community, as well as homeland security and health related offices (Department of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Military Health). "I have been involved with AFCEA DC over m ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/13/2019
Aaron Weis, the newly appointed U.S. Navy chief information officer, discussed his priorities and challenges during a fireside chat with Marjorie Censer, editor/fill-in host for Inside Defense/Government Matters. Among those priorities are cybersecurity, innovation, and the U.S. Defense Department's planned Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. The luncheon also included a panel, which featured Brian Burns, deputy chief information officer, U.S. Coast Guard; Joseph Salazar, director, Enterprise Policy Management, U.S. Navy; David Schiff, deputy director, NavalX Agility Cell; and James Trahan, deputy assistant chief of staff, G-3, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory/Futures Directorate. The panel explored the essential tools, technology and methods required for today's U.S. Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard workforce to be more agile, to move faster and to easily adapt to change in an increasingly complex digital world.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 03/14/2019
The chapter held their Cloud Luncheon in March. The event kicked off with a fireside chat with William E. Marion II, USAF, deputy chief, information dominance and deputy chief information officer at the Air Staff in Washington, D.C. The fireside chat, moderated by Dave Mihelcic, former chief of technology officer for Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) chief technology officer/president of DMMI LLC, was then followed by a panel comprised of John Dollen, U.S. Cyber Command, J-9; John Hale, chief of cloud services, DISA; and Ashley Mahan, acting director, General Services Administration, Secure Cloud Portfolio, FedRAMP. Panelists addressed challenges and successes with cloud adoption, migration and initiatives. In addition, the chapter presented a check to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, D.C., in the amount of $3,000. The donation will be used to purchase 3D printers and supplies.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 02/22/2019
The chapter held its annual U.S. Army luncheon in February. Panelists included Col. (P) Jeth Rey, USA, director of operations, G-3, U.S. Army Cyber Command; Col. Nora Marcos, USA, chief of staff, Network Cross-Functional Team; Col. Wade Johnston, USA, division chief, Network and Space Integration, chief information officer/G-6; and Col. Carl Young, USA, chief, Architecture and Data Division, chief information officer/G-6. The panel was moderated by Francis Rose, host of Government Matters. Our panelists shared their perspectives on how culture and technology are connected as leaders focus on improving military readiness. Chapter President Dina Flynn presented Homer Betts with the STEM Teacher of the Quarter Award. As the Phelps' Cisco Academy instructor, Betts gives his all to students on a daily basis. Betts holds a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry, a master's degree in computer engineering information from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a master's in system ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 02/16/2016
A panel of senior Air Force officials discussed where the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Enterprise is heading. Rapid advances in technology, operational requirements and sensing systems have made elasticity and agility key imperatives for the Air Force's ISR Enterprise. The panel discussed how Air Force ISR was incorporating open architecture and open mission systems to develop rapidly adaptable analytic and collection systems, and the increased focus on partnering with industry to enable agile acquisition. Discussion also focused on the Air Force's future analytical enterprise as well as the incorporation of data science and multi-domain battle space sensing to facilitate global operations at decision speed. Panelists included Dr. Camron Gorguinpour, director of transformational innovation, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisitions (SAF/AQ), USAF; Jon “Doc” Kimminau, Air Force analysis mission technical advisor for the deputy chief of staff, ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 01/21/2015 The chapter's Mobile Working Group Steering Committee sponsored the 5th Annual Mobile Technology Summit held on January 21, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The event focused on ROI for Mobile Insertion into the Department of Defense Enterprise and explored the implementation, security, management and deployment of mobile devices, applications, sensors and infrastructure. The summit featured keynote and breakout panel discussions from government and industry leaders in the mobile technology space. The chapter is continuing the dialogue on how government can capitalize on commercial innovation in mobility. Mobility must go beyond smartphones and tablets to equip the new work force. The U.S. government and industry are at a critical juncture in the development of the much-anticipated fifth generation, or 5G, mobile networks slated for rollout in five years, and are presented with opportunities to work in tandem to build in security measures to protect the ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 01/12/2016.jpg)
Jamie Wu was chosen as the chapter's AFCEAN of the month in January. Wu is responsible for Defense Department sales within Samsung Business. He leads the integration efforts of the Samsung product portfolio into the defense and intelligence agencies, while working with the wireless carriers, systems integrators, value added re-sellers and solutions partners. Wu has been in the mobility industry for over 15 years, working exclusively with the Department of Defense. Prior to joining Samsung, he worked at BlackBerry as the Navy and Marine Corps account manager. He's also worked for Good Technology in a similar capacity. Wu started his career working with Cingular/AT&T Government Solutions, where he spent almost 10 years working with the Department of Defense in the national capital region.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 02/11/2016
The chapter sponsored a sold-out Small Business DISA Procurement Program in February at Bloomberg Government in Washington, D.C. A moderated panel comprised of government and industry experts advised on capture strategies, proposal preparation and RFP content. The panel was moderated by Evelyn DePalma owner of EMD ProConsulting LLC. The last six years of her government career she spent dual-hatted as the director for procurement at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the chief of the Defense Information Systems Technology Contracting Office (DITCO). She was the senior procurement executive at DISA, the head of the contracting activity and the source selection authority for all competitive contracting actions over $10 million. Panelists included Michael Devine III, president and CEO of Agility Development Group; Douglas Packard, procurement services executive chief, Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization Defense Information Systems Agency; Sharon Jones, ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 01/12/2015.jpg)
The chapter kicked-off its 2016 breakfast series program with Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Operational Leadership Improving Ops Capability. The event was a huge success, attracting a crowd of more than 500. The chapter hosted DISA A-list panelists, including DISA's Tony Montemarano, executive deputy director, who moderated the panel discussion along with John Hickey, CIO, David Mihelcic, CTO and Alfred Rivera, director, development and business center. The panelists provided a snapshot into the agency's 2016 direction, top priorities, key initiatives and budget challenges while reinforcing its mission to foster better collaboration with joint warfighting forces and cyber command. DISA expects industry to be a part of the effort. Hickey said we are in a fight every day and are always looking at new levels of thought to combat insider threat combining big data analytics with a focus on automation and virtualization. According to Rivera, DISA needs more robust industry eng ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 12/10/2015
The chapter hosted its 40th annual winter gala in December. The marquee holiday event was held at a new location, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, which provided an intimate and historical setting. Nearly 500 guests, including senior members of government, military and industry, were regaled with a feast of savory dishes and cocktails, among a festive backdrop of carolers and Strolling Strings performing holiday classics.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/10/2015
Katie Webb was chosen as the chapter's AFCEAN of the month for November. Webb works for Northrop Grumman supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs in delivering innovative health systems and advanced analytics solutions. Webb and her team provide information services and solutions to help customers solve complex problems in benefits management systems, cybersecurity, health data integration and analytics. Webb has more than 10 years of experience supporting cyber, health and Defense Department customers. Before joining the Health Division, Katie supported more than $400 million in business in the Defense Enterprise Services and the Command and Control Divisions at Northrop Grumman. Her past experience also includes work for Global Professional Solutions, Nortel and Federal Resources Corporation. Her unique background includes support to customers across the spectrum, including the Japanese Ministry of Defense, Navy, Defense Information Systems Agency and Medical Commands. Webb ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/10/2015
Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn, director, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), spoke to a largely industry audience at a November event hosted by the chapter. He called on industry to help the Defense Department safeguard its networks. “We absolutely need industry with us. Otherwise, we can't function,” Gen. Lynn said. “I want to innovate with industry. I want to open our doors to greatness.” Based on what he has seen in his first 90 days as DISA's head, he identified three specific areas where working with private-sector partners could bolster the government networks. The first area is software-defined networks: “Imagine networks that would spin up, drop, spin up and drop, and now you're an adversary trying to get into a network that just dropped,” he said. “It's hard to launch persistent attacks on a software-defined network that's changing all the time. So I want to get to that point where we're developing something that's really hard to attack.” Second, Gen. Lynn said it would be help ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 11/04/2015
In November, the Young AFCEANs of the Washington, D.C., chapter drew a crowd at their fall networking event. A variety of young professionals from military and industry attended the social event in November. The social networking gathering was a chance for the Young AFCEANs to meet the board member who lead and run the great events and activities put on by the chapter. It was also an opportunity for the board to meet the young leaders poised to step up as the future of AFCEA within the chapter and AFCEA International. The chapter looks forward to building the Young AFCEAN community via a number of upcoming events this year, including a professional development event later this fall.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 10/08/2015
The chapter sponsored a Small-Business Breakfast in October on proposal development and source selection. The event featured Michael Devine, CEO of Agility Development Group and Army veteran. Devine's presentation, “What Really Matters,” focused on how companies can significantly increase their odds of winning contracts and provided attendees with a solid understanding of the source selection process.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 10/15/2015
In October, the chapter gave its quarterly science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teacher award Alfredo Rendon. Rendon has taught at the Cardozo Education Campus in the TransSTEM Academy since 2009. Cardozo serves a community of learners who come with many challenges. Nonetheless, Rendon is able to instill in his students that they can and must achieve despite their circumstances. His dedication and commitment to children have always been at the forefront of his profession. Rendon is an extremely skilled technician and instructor in engineering, electromechanical technology training and robotics technology. He assisted with the FIRST Robotics Competition and prepared students for the regional competition. Rendon was also instrumental in securing the school's recognition as a fully certified program through the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians. He has constantly shown the highest level of competency, professionalism and integrity while striv ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 10/15/2015
Leaders within the Navy and the Marine Corps had an engaging discussion on collaboration and future information technology initiatives at a chapter breakfast in October at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. The Navy's deputy chief information officer, Janice Haith, said the service's long-term objective is to migrate at least 75 percent of its data from government-controlled data centers to commercially operated cloud platforms. Haith also said the Navy plans to use the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) contract to merge its existing cybersecurity infrastructure into the Defense Department's Joint Regional Security Stacks (JRSS). Unlike the Navy, the Marine Corps already owns and operates its entire network and mostly uses the NGEN contract for supplemental labor. Ken Bible, the Marine Corps' deputy chief information officer, said: “We've started to realize that there are some things we could do more like the Navy did in terms of using contractor services to support the [Marine C ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 09/25/2015
A panel of distinguished Army leaders discussed the future of Army information technology programs at the chapter breakfast in September at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. The speakers addressed information technology modernization, data center consolidation, cloud, netmod, UC and cybersecurity. A longer-term Army information technology strategy would help contractors plan their research and development investments, according to Chief Information Officer Lt. Gen. Robert Ferrell, USA. He floated software-defined networking and “self-healing” networks as types of capabilities the Army might explore. Gen. Ferrell made clear why more strategizing is needed. “Right now, we have so many disparate networks and too many vulnerabilities, too many backdoors that can get into our enterprise,” he said. “When you talk about the cyberthreat, we can't even see ourselves.” The chapter's breakfast series draws senior officers and professionals from across the Defense Department, armed services, intell ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 09/10/2015
The chapter announced its 2015-16 executive board in September. Tim Solms, general manager for Microsoft's Department of Defense business, will serve as president for the 2015-16 term. He will be supported by Executive Vice President Dean Economou, branch director for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) at CenturyLink, and Senior Vice President Nathan Jones, vice president for federal sales at Red Hat. The chapter has a proven track record of facilitating exemplary programming that fosters collaboration between government, academia and industry. The chapter's goals include increasing focus on programming that delivers diverse and disruptive technology, Solms said. “I look forward to working with Dean and Nathan. They bring valuable passion and insight to our leadership team,” he said. Other members of the executive board include Barbara Bridges, vice president of chapter operations (Empower Solutions); Corinne Combeau, vice president of communications (Vosago); Ron Ross, v ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 07/31/2015
The chapter produced its Health Summit, “Advancing Federal Health Care Through Health Analytics and Connected Devices,” in July at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. This event provided cross-agency dialogue between military and government executives, program managers and technical subject matter experts. In addition to showcasing health innovations, analytics and new technologies, the event focused on cybersecurity, a hot topic in the defense community. A cyber health security panel was the highlight of the day, providing a concrete perspective on the real-world challenges faced in this new battleground. |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 08/04/2015
In August, the Young AFCEANs of the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia chapters drew a crowd at their Summer Social networking event. A variety of young professionals from military and industry attended the Washington Nationals game on August 4; the Nationals hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks. Guests enjoyed meeting other young professionals and expanding their business network connections in a fun environment. The Young AFCEANs were pleased by the success of the this year's Summer Social, and the members are already planning future networking events. The Washington chapter looks forward to building the Young AFCEAN community via a number of upcoming events this year, including a professional development event later this fall.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 07/09/2015
In July, the Department of Defense chief information officer (CIO) hosted a Mobility Industry Day at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The chapter's Mobile Working Group (MWG) was tapped to help produce this noteworthy one-day event. The purpose of this unclassified conference was to facilitate conversation between industry mobility partners and Defense Department representatives. Security is imperative to the department as it moves toward greater use of mobile computing, but leaders there are taking a realistic and practical approach. “You're going to see a lot of headlines that say ‘secure mobility.' Blank that out. I want you to insert the words ‘secure enough mobility,'” Defense Department CIO Terry Halvorsen told a sold-out crowd. “What is secure enough?” The answer to this question, Halvorsen said, is something that the department and industry will have to determine. Speakers included Halvorsen; Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman, director, comman ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 06/21/2015 The chapter raised $15,000 through Cycle for STEM to go toward scholarships and grants. On Father's Day, participants rode the historic route along the Potomac River from LBJ Memorial Grove next to the Pentagon to Mount Vernon and back—a 30-mile trip. The funds raised enable the chapter's Education Foundation to provide scholarships to deserving students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and to award grants to superior high school teachers. Each year, to promote higher education in the STEM fields of computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry and management information systems, the chapter sponsors STEM scholarships for graduating high school seniors. Since May 1989, the chapter has awarded 360 scholarships, totaling more than $2.3 million, to students from 112 area high schools going to 71 U.S. colleges. |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 06/24/2015
The chapter sponsored a luncheon in June at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The event featured Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman, USA, director, command, control, communications and computers/cyber, J-6, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Bowman outlined several growing pains for the Defense Department's network modernization effort. He declared himself unhappy with progress on command and control of Department of Defense Information Networks (DoDIN) and with the Joint Regional Security Stacks (JRSS), a major cybersecurity initiative. Gen. Bowman also provided an update on Defense Department efforts to bring more command and control (C2) over networks. “We're seeing people push back,” Gen. Bowman said. The general said he was also worried that the Defense Information Systems Agency might have too much on its plate right now.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/28/2015
The eighth annual Spring Military IT Leadership Awards Dinner was held in May at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The evening included a keynote presentation by Adm. James “Sandy” Winnefeld Jr., USN, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a special ceremony to recognize the chapter's 2015 award winners. This elegant event salutes information technology warfighters for their service and dedication and recognizes the contributions and sacrifices they have made in defending the nation. The program recognizes 10 members (one enlisted member and one officer stationed anywhere in the world) from each of the U.S. armed services who were nominated for their contributions in calendar year 2014. Four additional awards were presented to service members (two officers, two enlisted) assigned to a joint billet during the time of their demonstrated leadership. Special consideration is given for decisive bravery. The winners of the eighth Spring Military IT Leadership Awa ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/29/2015
Leaders within the Marine Corps had an engaging discussion on extending the service's enterprise network during a May chapter luncheon. Before the panel discussion began, Brig. Gen. Kevin Nally, USMC, chief information officer, made a point of categorically rejecting how a top cyber official had characterized the Corps' enterprise network a day earlier. “The network is not a mess,” he said. “And I'll tell you for a fact—five years being in the job—I have never had a commander call me and complain about the network.” Panelists later discussed the growth and direction of their information technology initiatives. The service's goal is to give commanders a breadth of information technology options for responding to crises, from deploying a greater range of mobile devices to taking advantage of remote desktops. The Marine Corps wants its digital footprint to catch up to its physical one. Speakers included Col. Pete Dillon, USMC, Strategic Planning Division chief, Command, Control, Commun ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 05/29/2015
Rob Cordray, vice president and U.S. Army account executive at General Dynamics Information Technology, and Sarah Greenert, senior marketing analyst, business development, Defense Solutions Division, General Dynamics Information Technology, were chosen as the AFCEAN and Young AFCEAN, respectively, for May. Cordray joined the chapter's Military IT Leadership Awards Committee in August 2014 and has been engaged ever since. He helped plan and execute the Military IT Leadership Awards Dinner. Cordray's leadership directly contributed to the success of the dinner. Greenert joined AFCEA in August 2014 as well. She led crucial marketing efforts for the Military IT Leadership Awards Dinner and was instrumental in developing and implementing a strategy for outreach to key military leaders.
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 04/23/2015
The chapter presented a detailed discussion before a sold-out crowd on defense and military health initiatives within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense Health Agency and Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Interagency Program Office. The event was held in April at Northrop Grumman in McLean, Virginia, and hosted by the chapter's Young AFCEANS. Leaders from each government agency discussed their defense and military health goals and gave attendees a peek at what's on the horizon. They told industry that the government was looking for its help with mobile, infrastructure and cybersecurity. Panelists discussed how mobile health is an emerging growth area for the Defense Department and VA. Alan Constantian, Ph.D., assistant deputy chief information officer for product management, Department of Veterans Affairs, warned the audience that security challenges may arise “if we don't provide convenient solutions and tools.” Chris Miller, program executive officer, D ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 04/13/2015 Alfred Ortiz, support staff specialist with VOSAGO, and Casey McCarthy, capture manager with Kforce Government Solutions, were chosen as the AFCEAN and Young AFCEAN, respectively, for the month of April. Leilani Liverpool with Dunbar High School was chosen as the AFCEA STEM Teacher of the Quarter. Ortiz was instrumental in developing and implementing a strategy for outreach through social media and social networking, arranging for photographic coverage of meetings, symposia and social events. Ortiz has been one of the key contributors to the chapter's marketing strategy for 2014-2015 and the success of its implementation. McCarthy has been a participant in chapter luncheons and summits by volunteering her time wherever needed. She has taken an interest in the leadership aspect of the Young AFCEANs and has recently been elected the treasurer for the Young AFCEANs heading into the next year. Liverpool actively works to ensure the success of engineering students ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 04/13/2015
Leaders within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) discussed their missions and the key programs they will focus on in 2015 during an April luncheon sponsored by the chapter. Panelists discussed how the use of innovation and technology is leading to efficiencies and better processes in support of DHS' overall mission. They discussed what innovation means to them in key areas including management, organizational change and process, technology and acquisition. The luncheon was held in April at the Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City.The speakers included: Adrian Gardner, Chief Information Officer with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Mark Schwartz, Chief Information Officer for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Stephen Rice, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Wolf Tombe, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The chapter's monthly luncheon series draws between 350-40 ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 04/02/2015
More than a dozen esteemed federal cybersecurity and information assurance officials took part in the 6th Annual Cybersecurity Technology Summit, sponsored by the chapter and held in April at the Capital Hilton. Considered the cybersecurity community's marquee event, which offers continuing education credits, a Technology Zoo competition and networking for the cybersecurity community, more than 600 thought leaders from numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense Department, the intelligence community, the White House, FBI, Department of Energy and others from industry, came out to the one-day summit. The event tackled strategies for addressing cyber intelligence, next-generation cyber operations and insider threat. Speakers also discussed the status of cyber work force development and issues impacting tomorrow's evolving threat environment. The summit featured keynotes, discussion panels and breakout sessions. The s ... READ MORE |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 03/19/2015 The chapter's Young AFCEANs were proud to support the 8th West Point Ethics and Leadership Conference held in March at George Mason University. This annually event brings together over 150 high school juniors from the capital area to discuss the leadership and ethical challenges they face every day under the guidance of cadets from the West Point Academy. This program is led by all volunteers, including Young AFCEANs, with a mission to provide a renewed focus on leadership, character and ethics within the community; create awareness about one's responsibilities as a leader; provide a long-term and local solution to assist schools in developing leadership and ethics programs; and assist in the development community youths. Keynote speakers included Gen. Robert Cone, USA (Ret.), former U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command commander, and Rear Adm. Leo Mackay, USN (Ret.), Lockheed Martin' vice president of ethics. |
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 03/16/2015
Richard Lum, vice president of information technology services at Advanced Technologies and Laboratories (ATL) International, and Brittany Cleveland, federal client relationship manager with Kforce Professional Staffing, were chosen as the AFCEAN and Young AFCEAN, respectively, for the month of March. Lum has participated in several planning committees for the chapter's Cyber Planning Committee. Cleveland supports the chapter by serving as a volunteer at the registration desk for monthly luncheons and symposiums. ATL International is a woman owned small business providing environmental management, nuclear laboratory management, health and safety consultation. Kforce has more than 60 field offices across the country. Cleveland maintains a portfolio of small, medium and large government integrators across civilian, Defense Department and intelligence agencies, providing key professional services support. Lum has been a "behind the scenes" contributor to chapter events. His ability to ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 03/16/2015
A panel of senior Air Force officials discussed where the Air Force is headed in cybersecurity and information technology initiatives at the March chapter luncheon. The panel discussed the challenges facing the service and some of the programs being developed to address those issues and to satisfy Air Force cyber and IT requirements. Brig. Gen. Sarah Zabel, USAF, the Air Force's director of cyberspace strategy and policy for the Office of Information Dominance and chief information officer, said cybersecurity and information technology solutions should be better integrated and not seen as separate programs and solutions. In addition to Zabel, who moderated the panel, other speakers included: Peter Kim, deputy director, Cyberspace Operations, U.S. Air Force; Maj. Joel Silk, USAF, chief, future cyber ISR capabilities, U.S. Air Force; and Jeff H. Stanley, associate deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for science, technology and engineering. The luncheon was held at the Ritz Car ... READ MORE
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WASHINGTON DC CHAPTER - 02/06/2015
Randy Clark, vice president of strategic programs for Oceus Networks, and Kate Friesing, field account manager for Citrix Systems Incorporated, were chosen as the AFCEAN and Young AFCEAN of the Month, respectively, for February. Clark served as co-chair of the chapter's Mobile Working Group (MWG) and the Mobility Summit held late last year at the Capital Hilton. Clark was instrumental in putting together a robust program in support of the government's many initiatives in the mobility space. His leadership, vision and focus helped make the event a success. Clark serves as the vice president of Oceus Networks, and he has more than 20 years of wireless communication experience from technical repair, sales and marketing, business development, and program management of wireless solutions. Clark is responsible for strategic programs across Oceus Networks' product lines and services. Friesing recently moved from Florida to D.C. and joined AFCEA in October 2014. She very quic ... READ MORE |
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