Across the Federal sector, there’s constant talk of breaking down silos, promoting transparency, and fostering collaboration. But these leaders aren’t just talking the talk; they are living it. They are setting a powerful example of what it means to lead with purpose, inspiring their teams and peers to do the same. Their selfless commitment to improving how government and industry collaborate is reshaping the way we work together—not for personal gain, but for the betterment of the entire industry.
As we continue our mission to highlight leaders #doingitright, we are thrilled to celebrate these innovators who embrace bold strategies and forward-thinking approaches. They are driving a culture shift that prioritizes open communication, transparency, and collaboration within and between the Federal government and its industry partners, particularly across the Federal CItizen and Federal FInancial sector, including OPM, ITA, USPTO, GAO, EPA, DOL, DOE, Census, DOI, HUD, GSA, DOC, SBA, NARA, NOAA, Treasury, IRS, SEC, CFPB, BFS, CFTC and FDIC and related agencies. The 2025 honorees stand out not only for their leadership but for their commitment to creating a more collaborative future, ultimately delivering real, measurable impact for U.S. citizens, our Veterans and Warriors, business leaders, educators, seniors, caregivers, families, and children.
This year’s outstanding leaders – Part One – are:
- Gundeep Ahluwalia, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, NuAxis Innovations
- Susan An, Chief Executive Office, SoKat
- Poupak Afshar, Chief Executive Officer, Easy Dynamics
- Jonathan Alboum, Federal Chief Technology Officer and Principal Digital Strategist, ServiceNow
- Prasanna Amitabh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zenius Corporation
- Venu Ayala, President, Zen Strategics
- Jennifer Bonner, Chief Operating Officer, RIVA Solutions
- Carla Briceno, President, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Bixal
- Margarita Brose, Deputy Chief Data Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission
- Lisa Brown, Chief Customer Officer, Customer Value Partners
- Melvin Brown II, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of Personnel Management
- May Cheng, Acting Chief Information Officer, International Trade Administration
- Mitchell Cho, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FedWriters
- Jeffrey Cooper, Executive Vice President – FinTech, Chevo Consulting
- Kelly Michaud Cox, Deputy Director of Enterprise Infrastructure Delivery Office, US Patent and Trademark Office
- Monique Crewes, Deputy Director Office of Digital Services and Technical Infrastructure, Environmental Protection Agency
- Mike Deutsch, Chief Growth Officer, Alpha Omega
- Martha Dorris, Founder, Dorris Consulting International
- Brian Flood, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, DecisionPoint Corporation
- Jennifer Franks, Director, Center for Enhanced Cybersecurity, Government Accountability Office
- Lisa Fritsch, President and Chief Executive Officer, Agile5 Technologies
- Kiran Gullapalli, Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, Anika Systems
- Karl Hellmann, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Labor
- Steven Hernandez, Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Education
- Sharon Hinde-Grimm, Chief Executive Officer, Snowbird Agility
- Jamie Holcombe, Chief Information Officer, US Patent and Trademark Office
- Raymond Holder, Vice President, Digital Growth, Maximus
- Tony Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Oasys International
- A’ndrea Jones , Synergy Innovation Lab Founder, Performance Management, Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Ted Kaouk, PhD, Chief Data Officer & Director, Division of Data, Commodity Futures Trading Commission
- Luke Keller, Chief Information Officer, Census Bureau
- Beth Killoran, Chief Information Officer, Government Accountability Office
- Sanjay Koyani, Executive Director of IT Operations and Services, Department of Labor
- Brian Lacey, Chief Executive Officer, Mobomo
- Mariano Lopez, Chief Executive Office, Analytica
- Trisha Eknes Marcey, Vice President, Civil IT Division Manager, Leidos
- Tarrazzia Martin, Senior Advisor, Enterprise Technology Planning and Change Management, Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Tammy McChain, Chief Delivery Officer, Brillient
- Brett McLaren, Co-founder, Chief Strategy Officer, MetaPhase Consulting
- Laurie MacNamara, Chief Customer Officer and Director, Market Development and Partnerships Division, Technology Transformation Services, General Services Administration
- Calvin J Mitchell Jr, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisitions, Grants, and Risk Management, Department of Education
- Toney Mitchell, Deputy Associate Chief Information Officer, IT Strategy & Policy, Office of Personnel Management
- Chandan Mukhopadhyay, Founder and Board Chair, Synergy Business Innovation and Solutions
- Lisa Shea Mundt, Co-Founder, The Pulse of GovCon
- Ashley Nichols, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development, Highlight Technologies
- Pinakin Patel, Chief Executive Officer, IT Concepts
- Rish Patel, Chief Executive Officer, RP Professional Services
- Brian Peretti, Chief Technology Officer and Deputy Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer, Department of the Treasury
- Jamala Peyton, Executive Director, OSDBU, Department of Commerce
- Mahe Rangareddy, Chief Operating Officer, Alesig Consulting
- Douglas Robertson, Chief Technology Officer, Small Business Administration
- Dr. Tiina K.O. Rodrigue, EdD, Chief Information Security Officer, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Phil Sahady, President, Chevo Consulting
- James Saunders, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Personnel Management
- Jenifer Sessums, Chief Design Officer, Steampunk
- Anil Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, 22nd Century Technologies
- Rachel Sile, Senior Advisor to Chief Information Security Officer and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Department of the Interior
- Dave Singer, Chief Strategy Officer, ITC Federal
- Gurpreet Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Infotrend
- Vinay Vijay Singh, Chief Financial Officer and Chief AI Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Harrison Smith, Acquisition Innovation Advocate, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Susan Smoter, Vice President, Government Solutions, North America, Quantexa
- Karlene Stecchi, Executive Vice President, Tantus Technologies
- Keith Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, 2ndWave
- Pete Tseronis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dots and Bridges
- Rajiv Uppal, Chief Information Officer, Internal Revenue Service
- Venkat Veeramneni, Chief Executive Officer, Nuvitek
- Sudha Vijay Venkateswaran, Vice President, Alpha Omega
- Lisa Wetzel, President & Chief Executive Officer, Vikint
- Nicole Willis, Deputy Chief Information Officer, National Archives and Records Administration
- Andrea Wilson, Chief, Business Operations Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Mitchell Winans, Mitchell Winans, Head of Industry Partnerships, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Jeremy Wood, Chief, Enterprise Architecture Branch, Securities and Exchange Commission
- Mark Youman, Senior Vice President, ICF
- Drew Zachary, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Census Bureau
Congratulations to all of the honorees and thank you to all who participated in the process and watch for an additional list of awardees to be announced soon!
Identified below are Six Key Characteristics that Make up an Engage FedGov Leader
Exemplify Open Communication
Whether through speaking at events, sharing on open platforms such as LinkedIn, or writing executive insight pieces that offer advice and insight, the engaged leader shares their thought leadership and is open to making public what they know to serve the greater good.
Evidence of Mission Focus
An engaged leader understands their mission focus is not turned inward to their specific organization but instead looks outward, to their stakeholders. This means taking and receiving lessons learned from others serving the same or similar communities. It means finding ways to engage stakeholders, vendors, and potential partners, to drive collaborative solutions with the users’ needs in focus.
Execution as a Good Partner
Engaged leaders prefer not to do a power dance, across tables or in the public eye. Being open, transparent, and authentic in who they are and what they want to achieve, these leaders demonstrate they are good and reliable partners. Being a good partner, these leaders are clear in what they say, understand their role and the roles of those around them, and they execute according to that.
Engage with the Community
Whether through industry days, networking opportunities, written content or collaboration in working groups, the engaged leader is part of the discussion, attending events, and being accessible and available. The expression “a rising tide lifts many boats” reminds everyone of something engaged leaders know – that there are opportunities for everyone and we do better when we work together. Whether it is as a mentor, an advisor, a board member, or a panellist, these leaders are familiar names and faces.
Encourage Inclusivity
Leaders who see the bigger picture are often surrounded by people who represent that bigger picture. Engaged leaders surround themselves with people who support and challenge them, with people who come from diverse backgrounds and with varied experiences. Engaged leaders encourage discussion, not for its own sake, but because they want the ideas brought forth from their diverse and inclusive team.
Exemplify Innovation
Whether it is through technology, culture, mission or approach, leaders that succeed do not stand still. Innovation signifies life, implies thought and forward movement, and is critical as the world becomes increasingly complex and challenging. Engaged leaders understand this, ask for big ideas and seek solutions that are focused on driving their organizations forward.
#engagefedgov
Meet the 2025 Engage Fed Health 150: Driving Innovation Forward!
Meet the 2025 Engage National Security 100: Driving Innovation Forward!
Meet the 2024 Engage FedGov Honorees here.
Meet the 2023 Engage FedGov Honorees here.
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