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Recorded on Thursday, June 17, 2021 9:00am-11:15am EST ON24
The U.S. Army has spearheaded development efforts of new capabilities and truncated legacy programs, which will be integral to new concepts of operations and organizations. Moving forward, the service branch will continue to drive network modernization, invest in next-generation defense systems and spearhead development of new technologies.
During GovConWire’s Army: IT Management and Transformation Forum, notable federal and industry leaders will discuss The service branch’s IT reform, strategies and priorities, as well as technology management and transformation.
Featuring Raj Iyer, chief information officer with the U.S. Army, as the keynote speaker, join our event to learn more about the Army’s digital transformation, modernization and cybersecurity initiatives, in addition to how industry can help meet critical missions in 2021 and beyond.
Jason Brown is the CTO for Leidos’ Army and Mission Partners Division where he leads the development of technical strategy for Leidos’ Army portfolio in areas of networks, cloud, cyber, and AL/ML. Jason has over 23 years experience in DoD IT systems. He joined Leidos in 2013 as the Chief Technology Officer for the Army ITA-ETM program in the Pentagon and later served as the Chief Engineer for USACE AIES-NG program. Prior to joining Leidos, Jason was a DA Civilian serving as the Chief Technology Officer for 5th Signal Command in Europe. He holds degrees in Philosophy (BA) from the University of Georgia, Computer Science (BS) from University of Maryland University College, and Systems Engineering (MS) from George Washington University.
As the Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at Novetta, Ryan Fairchild leads strategic and operational initiatives driving cloud engineering solutions, entity analytics, and agile software development for Defense, Intelligence Community, and Federal Law Enforcement customers. Fairchild brings 17 years of experience in the Defense and Intelligence industries. Most recently as VP for the Ground Applications Department within CACI’s NSIS Sector and Advanced Solutions Group, he drove application transition to cloud-based architectures and focused on DevSecOps and UX/Design System administration for the customer enterprise.
Mr. Leonel Garciga was selected for appointment as US Army Chief Information Officer (CIO) in July 2023. As CIO, Mr. Garciga is the principal adviser to the Secretary of the Army on information resource management (IRM) and information technology (IT) and the effect of IRM and IT on warfighting capabilities. He sets the strategic direction for and oversees the execution of policies and programs for IRM and IT, including managing an integrated IT architecture, information sharing policy, cybersecurity policy and cybersecurity program management, managing the life cycle of IT resource management processes, and ensuring the synchronization of the information enterprise. Mr. Garciga is a career civil servant with a diverse background in acquisition, engineering, intelligence, and information technology having served in these roles across the Department of the Defense and Intelligence Community since 2003. Prior to his role as US Army CIO, Mr. Garciga served as the Director, Army Intelligence Community Information Management, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2). He provided operational, technical and security expertise and oversight of Army Intelligence Community’s information management and information technology capabilities across the Army. He was the strategic manager and integrator of intelligence information technology and data systems with Joint, Intelligence Community and National systems, serving as the Army’s Intelligence Community Chief Information Officer. Mr. Garciga is a recognized subject matter expert in digital transformation, secure software development (DevSecOps) and data analytics. Previously serving in several roles redefining software acquisition for the Department of Defense and operationalizing data analytics capabilities at scale across the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. He also served as the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) – Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) as the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Advisor on technology to the DTRA director. Prior to working at DTRA, Mr. Garciga served as the Joint IED Defeat Organization Deputy Chief Information Officer, USJFCOM Joint Transformation Command – Intelligence (JTC-I) as an Intelligence Analyst/Information Technology Specialist and started his career as a Mechanical Engineer at the Navy Engineering Logistics Office. Mr. Garciga has a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology, graduate work in Organizational Management, is a certified Information Technology security professional, and a graduate of Naval Nuclear Power School. Mr. Garciga’s awards include Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, Army Superior Civilian Service Award, Commander’s Award for Civilian Service (x3), Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism and 2018 DoD-CIO Team Award. Mr. Garciga is a U.S. Navy veteran earning his submarine warfare pin aboard the USS Memphis SSN-691. He currently resides in northern Virginia with his wife Linda and his two daughters.
Kevin Heald is the Senior Vice President of Information Exploitation at Novetta with 23 years of experience leading initiatives. He joined Novetta in 2012 as the Program Manager for a data-focused innovation lab supporting Defense and Intelligence Community customers. Over the course of 8 years, Kevin has expanded his portfolio of work into a division focused on applying technology to solve the most complex challenges facing a diverse set of customers including Defense, Intelligence Community, and Federal Law Enforcement. This includes data analytics, AI/ML, cloud enablement, sensor fusion, cyber-security, and DevSecOps solutions.
John Howell currently serves as the assistant program executive officer for networks, cyber and services at PEO EIS, where he oversees network modernization, defensive cyber operations and enterprise solutions. Most recently, he was the PEO Soldier lead for Adaptive Squad Architecture, which is a line of effort under the Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System project. Howell took the ASA lead role after serving for 28 months as the project director for Soldier Systems & Integration, where his responsibilities included managing several of the integration functions across PEO Soldier, Soldier Power, Tactical Communications and Protective System and the Soldier Enhancement Program. Before his tenure at PEO Soldier, Howell was assigned as product director for Enterprise Content Collaboration and Messaging. In this position, he was responsible for Army Knowledge Online, the Army’s enterprise email, the Army’s Unified Capabilities acquisition and several other enterprise services. Previously, Howell was the product director for Enterprise Email. In this role, he worked to provide 1.4 million Army users with state-of-the-art messaging, both classified and unclassified, that allowed access to email from any location, a complete global address list, calendar sharing/management and improved messaging security posture across the enterprise. Prior to becoming a government Civilian, Howell served 23 years on active duty in the Army in a variety of assignments, including 10 years as an Army Acquisition officer. During this time, he served as product manager for Defense Message System at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Previously, he was also assigned as the acting product manager for Area Processing Centers. Howell earned a Bachelor of Arts in geology and mathematics from Pomona College and a Master of Science in industrial engineering from New Mexico State University. His military training includes: Operations Research and Systems Analysis Military Applications Course, Command and General Staff College and Program Managers’ Course. Howell is a member of the Army Acquisition Corps and is Level III certified in Program Management and Level II certified in Science and Technology Management and Contracting. His personal and unit awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Ranger Tab and Airborne Wings.
Dr. Raj G. Iyer was selected for the Senior Executive Service in November 2020 and assumed the position as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Information Technology Reform in the Office of the Secretary of the Army. As CIO, Dr. Iyer serves as the principal advisor to and directs all matters representing the Secretary of the Army relating to Information Management/ Information Technology (IM/IT). He sets the strategic direction and oversees the execution of policies and programs for IM/IT including managing an integrated IT architecture, enterprise data management, cybersecurity, and cloud management. He oversees the capital planning and execution of $18 billion portfolio for implementation of an enterprise IM/IT programs that deliver a responsive, effective, secure, collaborative and trusted environment of communication, information and technological superiority for the Army and its joint and allied nation partners. Dr. Iyer previously served as the Managing Director for Government and Public Services and Senior Manager, Technology Strategy, Defense, and National Security for Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia. Prior to his role at Deloitte, Dr. Iyer served as the Senior Technology Advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland; Director, Information Services Design and Development Group, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore, Maryland; Chief Technology Officer and Acting Deputy CIO, Army Materiel Command, Huntsville, Alabama; Director for Data Management, US Army Tank and Automotive Armaments Command, Warren, Michigan; Program Manager for Product Lifecycle Management, US Army Tank Automotive R&D Center, Warren, Michigan; Chief Technology Officer and Vice President for Product Development, Imagecom Inc., Arlington, Texas; Reasearch Associate, Automation and Robotics Research Institute, Ft. Worth, Texas; and Systems Engineer, FlightSafety International Inc., Hurst, Texas. Dr. Iyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from India’s National Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas, a MBA from the Ross School or Business, University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas. He is Acquisition Corps certified, a Project Management Professional (PMP), and Lean Six Sigma (Black Belt). His top civilian awards and professional achievements include the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the International William Conroy Standards Professional Award. He has published dozens of peer reviewed papers and articles worldwide. Dr. Iyer also co-founded a venture capital funded startup company focused on developing web-based enterprise software products for design collaboration in the engineering supply chain.
Ms. Lopez is the Operations Chief Technology Officer for the Leidos Defense Enterprise IT & Cyber Solutions organization. Ms. Lopez influences and directs technology innovation programs for Enterprise IT and Cybersecurity. She develops short-, mid- and long-term technology and program-specific strategic plans for the corporation and advises on how to achieve them tactically. Ms. Lopez’s knowledge and experience inform Leidos’ professional services offerings in software integration, systems deployment, and operations management services for Enterprise Management, Cloud Solutions and Cybersecurity. She provides value added solutions architecture support to Leidos’ business development and capture management organizations tailored to customer needs, including design, development, engineering, integration, accreditation, deployment and operations. She has supported projects for U.S. DoD and Intelligence Community agencies in IT modernization, cloud hosting, model-based systems engineering, data analytics, augmented intelligence and machine learning. Ms. Lopez has a Master’s of Science in Operations Research and a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Engineering and a diverse background in software integration, systems deployment, and operations management for Enterprise Management, Cloud and IT Solutions. She has served in technical leadership roles in Leidos, SAIC, Engility, AT&T and Telcordia Technologies over a 37 year career in IT and Telecommunications networks management. She has managed technical teams that successfully delivered innovative professional services support to international network service providers, the U.S. government, all major U.S. telecommunications carriers, leading network equipment vendors, and Fortune 500 enterprises. She has lead geographically dispersed teams to provide value-added solutions architecture support to customers in the U.S., Europe, and Middle East.
Mr. Paul B. Puckett III was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and assumed his duties as the Director of the Enterprise Cloud Management Office at the Headquarters, Department of the Army, Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6 in November 2019. As the Enterprise Cloud Management Office Director, Mr. Puckett serves as the principal advisor to the CIO/G-6 and other Senior Army Leaders on the Army’s Cloud strategy. He is responsible for assisting in the development of strategy, use, and optimization of Cloud resources, including the areas of cybersecurity, data protection, commercial capabilities, and ensuring network support to the current and future Army force. He will also develop Armywide planning and assist with execution of Cloud planning, migration, operation, and incorporation of advanced services and capabilities across the Army’s four information mission areas of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and Data Protection. Just prior to joining the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Puckett was the Federal Chief Technology Officer at a cloud native services provider where he focused on advising Department of Defense and other Federal Agencies on how to enhance their mission effectiveness through the adoption of leading-edge open source technology and modern software automation capabilities. Prior to that experience, Mr. Puckett performed in a number of roles as a civil servant with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). As the NGA’s cloud integration lead, he helped design, build and accredit the agency’s Unclassified Cloud environment. He was the advisor to senior leadership for technical enhancements and agency priorities related to infrastructure and application modernization, and led the agency in developing an enhanced ability to accept and deploy new applications and services, while simultaneously incorporating high levels of security. Before his service with NGA, Mr. Puckett again was in a support role with private industry, providing lead engineering expertise for servers and network systems, and systems administrator training for the Joint IED Defeat Office, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Department of State. Mr. Puckett holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Management Information Systems from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
9:00am - 9:05am EST
Opening Remarks
9:05am - 9:40am EST
Keynote Address- Dr. Raj Iyer, CIO, U.S. Army
9:40am - 10:40am EST
Panel Discussion
10:40am - 10:45am EST
Closing Remarks
