Alexis Bonnell

Partnership Manager for the U.S. National Labs Partnership, OpenAI

Alexis is the Partnership Manager for the U.S. National Labs Partnership at OpenAI, focused on leveraging Frontier AI to drive scientific discovery and advance national security. Previous to this role, Alexis was the Chief Information Officer and Director of the Digital Capability Directorate of the Air Force Research Lab, the premier science and discovery lab serving the Air Force and Space Force. While CIO, she launched the largest scalable Generative AI Research Platform and Tool in DOD, and trained more than 35,000 people to use AI. Alexis was one of the founding members of the Internet’s original Trade Association, served as a Chief Profit Officer for companies transitioning to a digital existence, and applied her communications, project management, innovation, and technology application skills in over 20 warzones, global disasters, and major transformation projects for the United Nations.  At USAID she was the Chief Innovation Officer and the Chief of Applied Innovation & Acceleration, tackling the critical challenge of innovation adoption and institutionalization. Alexis served as Google’s Emerging Technology Evangelist for Public Sector and Strategic Business Executive, where she worked with State, Local, Federal, DOD, and International Governments to apply emerging technologies like AI to public sector challenges, including the COVID response. She dedicates her time to helping public servants leverage technology to catalyze their missions, solving the world’s toughest challenges.

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Ricco A. Jones

Founder, Paragon Solutions Group

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Gloria Fenwick

CEO and President, Fusion Advanced Technology

Gloria Fenwick is the CEO and President of Fusion Advanced Technology, a women-owned, minority-owned, SBA-certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that provides specialized services to the federal government and Maryland agencies. With a distinguished 40-year career dedicated to public service, Gloria began her professional journey in the U.S. Army, where she served for 20 years before retiring. She then continued her service with the federal government for another two decades, bringing her leadership and expertise to the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.
Throughout her career, Gloria has worked alongside key agencies such as the NSA, FBI, and U.S. Cyber Command, earning a reputation for technical proficiency, professionalism, business acumen, and an unwavering commitment to national security. She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Strategic Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University, further enhancing her extensive knowledge and expertise in leadership and organizational expertise.
Under Gloria’s leadership, Fusion Advanced Technology has become a trusted cybersecurity partner, focused on bridging diverse talent with innovative solutions. The company prides itself on cultivating strong, transparent, and lasting relationships with clients, working collaboratively to deliver tailored, optimal solutions that meet their unique needs and challenges.

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Young Bang

Operating Executive
The Carlyle Group

Young J. Bang is currently Managing Director of DSQ, LLC. He provides strategic advisory services to both large and small business in the Commercial, Federal and International markets in Technology, Growth, and the Industrial Base.

Previously, Young was appointed as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology) on 8 March 2022. As the Principal Deputy, Mr. Bang advises the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology and Army leadership on all matters relating to Army acquisition.

Prior to joining ASA(ALT), Young served at the C Suite or EVP level at multiple large and mid size companies leading P&L, building business and growth and product development across services and product companies. He has broad experience in M&A on both buy and sell side and has used his knowledge of addressable markets to guide the growth in existing, adjacent and new markets/capabilities. His extensive experience spans commercial and federal consulting covering technology, healthcare, telecom and strategy. From a technology perspective, he has deep expertise in Cutting Edge Technology like Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber, Extended Reality (XR) and Digital Transformation (Modern Software Development, Big Data, Cloud) to drive growth across multiple markets from Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint, Intelligence, Health (Federal and Commercial), DHS, DoJ, DoT and DoS. Mr. Bang has worked in product development in hardware and software, cyber, data and AI as well as startups during the dotcom period. Prior to that Mr. Bang served in the Army in various leadership positions across Ft Bragg, Korea and Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

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Greg Giddens

Co-Founder and Partner, Potomac Ridge Consulting

Greg is a co-founder and partner at Potomac Ridge Consulting. Prior to joining the private sector, Greg was in the federal service for more than 36 years, with over 16 years as an executive. His last federal position was the Chief Acquisition Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Greg began his career at DoD and then served in DHS at the headquarters level and in the United States Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection. Greg is a Strategic Advisor to Government Executives (SAGE) for the Partnership for Public Service, a Fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration, and a member of National Contract Management Association’s Board of Advisors. He has received several awards including the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award and two FED100 awards. Greg holds a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, a Master of Business Administration from Georgia College, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He has supported U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and U.S. Department of Commerce public procurement reform efforts with Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Indonesia, Nepal, Colombia,and others.

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Polly Hall

Executive Lead for the Practitioner Workstream
General Services Administration

Polly Hall is recognized for her deep expertise and strategic leadership in federal procurement and acquisition innovation. 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 priority initiatives and leading change at the Department of Homeland Security, 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. As Co-President of the Federal Innovation Council, she drives collaboration and transformation across government, bringing together 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.
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Tapasvi Kaza

Chief Technology Officer
VivSoft Technologies

Tapasvi Kaza is the CTO of VivSoft Technologies, where he leads innovation strategy and productized solutions for federal agencies. With over 20 years of experience, he has delivered mission-critical systems leveraging AI/ML, Zero Trust, blockchain, and secure DevSecOps practices.

Tapasvi has successfully advanced multiple SBIR efforts from Phase I through STRATFI and has led two OTA projects. He also spearheaded the productization of ENBUILD—VivSoft’s AI/ML DevSecOps accelerator—now awardable via the Platform One Solutions Marketplace and Tradewinds.

He supports digital transformation across the Department of Defense, including the U.S. Air Force and NORAD/NORTHCOM, and previously led DevSecOps platform delivery for USTRANSCOM at Hitachi Vantara under a DIUx initiative.

Tapasvi holds an MBA from Georgetown University and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. He is a named inventor on several patents in cloud automation and secure pipelines.

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Kathryn Wetherby*

Acting Director Marketplace
IT Group/CCIIO
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services

*Invited to Speak

Kathryn (Kate) Wetherby joined CMS in 2016 and is the Acting Director for the Marketplace Innovation and Technology Group in the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). Kate has spent her federal career within Health and Human Services focused on health information technology and IT modernization. Prior to CMS she worked at SAMHSA focused on implementing HITECH, interoperability and standards development, and Meaningful Use. Prior to her federal government career her focus was on startups and small businesses in healthcare creating strategy, leading product lines, and reinventing corporate cultures.

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