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 late Donna Livingston, for whom a scholarship was named following her tragic passing.
Keynote speaker George Forbes, director of digital operations, chief information officer and chief digital officer, Operations Enterprise, U.S. Air Force, emphasized that the value of AI is directly tied to data quality. He underscored the need for converged, accessible data and described a vision where concepts move to production in just 180 days through Software-as-a-Service and Anything-as-a-Service models. Forbes framed curated data as foundational to mission-ready, responsive AI.
A panel moderated by GovExec's David DiMolfetta then brought diverse perspectives to the stage:
• Cheryl Ingstad, deputy director, Digital Platforms & Developer Ecosystem, Defense Innovation Unit, discussed initiatives, like the Digital On-ramp, which aim to scale commercial innovation across the U.S. Department of Defense. She stressed the importance of centralized, interoperable data platforms.
• Jimmy "Rev" Jones, program element monitor, program manager, Special Programs, U.S. Air Force, spotlighted the gap between AI's promise and daily use. Many military personnel still don't use AI tools regularly. He called for efforts to address fundamental business process challenges with AI.
• Stuart Wagner, chief data and artificial intelligence officer, U.S. Navy, detailed efforts to inventory and prioritize AI projects, including sea-based hackathons. He called for better mechanisms to evaluate nondeterministic AI algorithms and reiterated the centrality of data quality.
• Juliet Calvin, chief of staff, Joint Staff J-6, Chief Statistics Analytics and AI, U.S. Marine Corps, shared optimism about contract vehicles enabling accessible, curated data. She noted AI's rapid adoption at the service and combatant command levels and emphasized that secure information sharing can be a strategic advantage.
The event closed with thanks to underwriter HashiCorp, AI luncheon sponsor MSM Technology, and all partners and volunteers who made it possible.
The chapter's AI luncheon reinforced the essential role of collaboration, cultural transformation and data integrity in accelerating meaningful AI innovation across defense and intelligence.
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At the May event, panelists, speakers and board members pose for a photo. Pictured (l-r) are Cheryl Ingstad, panelist; Jon Jumento, board member; Jimmy "Rev" Jones, panelist; Stuart Wagner, panelist; David DiMolfetta, moderator; Amy Whittington, event lead; Becci DeFrank, chapter president; Emily Wolfteich, speaker; George Forbes, keynote speaker; Col. Juliet Calvin - panelist; and Shaleen Braley, board member. |
