Citizant, a leading provider of data, technical, and strategic consulting services to federal agencies, has promoted Dr. James Lawrence to a new leadership role as Director of Strategic Solutions focused on developing innovative, AI-based solutions to increase government efficiency and productivity in delivering public services.
In his new role, Dr. Lawrence will lead Citizant’s efforts and partnerships to use leading-edge AI/ML solutions including large language models, generative AI, agentic AI, self-service capabilities, and intelligent automation to help federal customers streamline, optimize, and accelerate their operations.
Dr. Lawrence has nearly 30 years of advanced systems architecture, engineering, and development experience in web, client/server, and cloud-based systems in both industry and government. Since joining Citizant in 2023, he has researched and developed AI-based solutions for federal financial regulators and commercial customers, as well as in-house AI solutions to streamline and automate vital corporate functions.
“This new role is a unique opportunity for me to shape innovative, mission-driven systems like AI-powered, self-service capabilities that reduce operational costs, enhance the customer experience, and allow federal agencies to scale operations without proportionally increasing their workforce,” said Dr. Lawrence. “It’s about turning complex challenges into scalable solutions that drive performance and fuel future growth.”
“There is literally no easy way to summarize the breadth of knowledge, deep insights, and boundless enthusiasm that James Lawrence brings to Citizant and our customers,” said Alba M. Alemán, Citizant’s CEO. “James is a strategic force multiplier. He will lead Citizant’s charge in partnering with federal agencies on AI and developing a new generation of solutions to address our government’s unprecedented opportunities. His leadership will help agencies improve and streamline internal workflows, data management, and citizen-facing services.”
Dr. Lawrence has led Agile software development and system integration efforts for multiple defense hardware systems, automated manufacturing system design, and bio-medical and diagnostic device development. He is a subject matter expert for Generative AI courses and an evaluator for advanced Java, software development, and AI courses at Western Governors University.
- Before joining Citizant, Dr. Lawrence led cloud and AI platform development for Proto AI, which uses AI to optimize online customer journeys.
- He worked for Microsoft as a senior cloud solution architect and Azure Technical Trainer (ATT) for commercial and government accounts.
- He was co-founder of Drone Control Systems, which developed the Local Area Drone Dispatch and Authorization System (LADDAS), an integrated hardware/software solution that used cellular communications data to collect drone positioning data to reduce the possibility of drones entering restricted airspaces.
Dr. James Lawrence earned his Ph. D in Education and Instructional Design from Liberty University. He also earned his B.S. in computer science and holds three master’s degrees in the fields of computer science (Nova Southeastern University), business administration, and cybersecurity & information assurance (both at Western Governors University). His list of four dozen professional certifications includes certified Program Management Professional, Scrum Master, Product Owner, Innovation Associate, Ethical Hacker, and a dozen Microsoft platform and training certifications.
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