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Recorded on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 3:00pm-5:00pm EST Virtual, ON24
The global defense landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years — the rapid advancement of technology and the rise of information warfare have created an environment in which intelligence is paramount, and modernization is no longer an option, but a requirement.
Today, the Intelligence Community is pursuing cutting-edge technologies, IT infrastructure modernization and intelligence innovations to better support the U.S. military and ensure national security in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment. IT mission enablers like cloud and data have become key factors in the IC’s efforts to keep pace with adversaries and retain the nation’s competitive edge across all domains.
Join GovCon Wire Events for its Second Annual Defense and Intelligence IT Modernization Forum to hear from top Intelligence Community officials, government leaders and industry executives as they discuss the urgency behind the IC’s digital transformation and the future of intelligence in defense missions.
La’Naia Jones, chief information officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, will serve as keynote speaker for the forum and will share her insights as the overseer of the CIA’s IT systems and global communications networks.
Mr. Gary Buchanan is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Director of the Cybersecurity Office at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency based in Springfield, Virginia. Named to the position in February 2021, Mr. Buchanan is responsible for the tactical and strategic implementation of NGA’s cybersecurity program and oversees a $120 million-plus budget to protect and secure NGA's critical missions and information enterprise. Mr. Buchanan also serves as the Occupation Manager for the cybersecurity workforce, guiding the tradecraft for more than 120 civilian cybersecurity personnel. He leads a combined civilian, contractor, and military workforce of approximately 400 cyber professionals serving at multiple NGA operating locations across the country. Prior to this position, Mr. Buchanan served as chief of the cyber integration division, where he managed NGA’s external cyber reporting to the DOD and IC. He was also responsible for NGA’s cyber policy development, maintenance, and execution, the cyber web presence on the agency’s classified common operating environment (COE) and Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) networks, and cyber business intelligence. Mr. Buchanan has worked as a civilian in cybersecurity at NGA for ten years, including a five-year joint duty assignment with the National Reconnaissance Office. At both agencies, he served as a cyber-risk executive, balancing the mission needs of each agency with the cyber risks to determine whether or not existing and future IT systems were viable for implementation. Mr. Buchanan has more than 20 years of experience in information security and technology management conducting extensive interagency work across the Intelligence Community with duties including information assurance strategy, systems security engineering, policy and planning, vulnerability assessments, cyber defense, and risk management.
Mr. Ian A. Fowlie was appointed to the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service in September 2019 as the Chief, Enterprise IT Engineering in the DIA Chief Information Office. He is responsible for the designing, building and testing of enterprise applications, data, network, and end user services solutions for the Defense Intelligence Enterprise (DIE), Intelligence Community (IC), and International Partners. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Fowlie served as the Chief, CIO’s Digital Journey advising the DIA Chief Information Officer on strategic direction to meet future needs. Specifically, he focused on identifying and adopting best practices to enable the Agency’s digital transformation and shift to a data-centric enterprise. Previously, as the Deputy Chief, CIO Business Operations, Mr. Fowlie was responsible for the day-to-day oversight of CIO’s Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE), acquisition, and business intelligence capabilities and services supporting over 230,000 National and Defense Intelligence customers worldwide. Earlier, Mr. Fowlie served as the Chief, Enterprise Program and Project Management, where he oversaw the full lifecycle for mission and business applications. In his 1st DIA assignment, Mr. Fowlie served as the Chief, Data Integration and Management, overseeing Department of Defense Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS) data solutions and enterprise services that leverage and enhance the adoption of IC & DoD cloud architectures. Before joining DIA in 2015, Mr. Fowlie served as part of the Naval Intelligence community for 20 years. As the Director, Joint Production Office at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Mr. Fowlie led the complete transformation of ONI’s entire production and dissemination enterprise, moving ONI to a dynamic, knowledge model. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Fowlie served in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, where he directed a variety of intelligence and corporate business programs. Previously, Mr. Fowlie was the Operations Officer for the Collections Directorate, overseeing key functions ranging from technical collections to collection requirements to maritime sensors. Before his transition to civilian service in 2002, Mr. Fowlie also held a variety of assignments as a Naval Intelligence Officer. His tours of duty ranged from Carrier Air Wing NINE to the Joint Intelligence Center Pacific to ONI, where he served in various positions to include Collection Manager and International Programs.He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. Mr. Fowlie is a recipient of the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Medal (2015).
Heather Gray is the vice president of business development for SAIC’s National Intelligence Community Business Unit within the National Security and Space Sector, leading a team of business development and capture management professionals. Gray has spent the last two decades navigating the intersection of IT, government contracting, business development and human capital management. She has led teams to win high-value opportunities and helped several organizations improve their business development processes and team dynamics. While much of her career has been focused on the Intelligence Community, she has also managed pursuits for DOD and Federal Civilian clients.
As the Agency’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Director of the Information Technology Enterprise (D/ITE), La’Naia J. Jones is responsible for all Agency IT systems and personnel, as well as the global communications network. Ms. Jones brings valuable leadership, technical expertise, knowledge, and global experience to the position. Most recently, Ms. Jones served as both the National Security Agency’s Deputy CIO and their Information Sharing and Safeguarding Executive. In those roles, she optimized NSA’s IT strategy for the CIO Inspector General and Policy, IT Accessibility, Chief Information Security Officer, and Chief Data Officer portfolios. With over 19 years of NSA experience in leadership and technical roles across several mission areas, Ms. Jones managed the oversight for IT investments and acquisition programs, ensuring the secure and keen use of IT across NSA. Prior to serving as NSA’s DCIO, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) designated Ms. Jones as the Acting CIO of the Intelligence Community (IC). As the Acting IC CIO, she led the modernization efforts to transform the IC Information Technology Enterprise (IC ITE) and other areas of the IC Information Environment (IC IE) through foundational cloud capabilities, data sharing, and cybersecurity. Throughout her career, Ms. Jones served four years in Tokyo, supported mission while deployed in various war zones, and visited many of the government’s global operating locations, providing broad technical expertise, background, and experience to ensure the security and protection of the IC IT landscape. Ms. Jones also designed and integrated collaborative infrastructures as well as strengthened foreign relationships and enhanced domestic partnerships through resolution of complex, multifaceted IT entanglements of technology organizations. Ms. Jones has a dual Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Maryland, Global Campus. Ms. Jones is a Maryland native, growing up throughout Anne Arundel County and currently residing in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Her wealth of valuable knowledge and experience is critical for ensuring that CIA harnesses rapidly evolving digital technology and strengthens key partnerships to advance our mission.
Ms. Renata Spinks currently serves as the Assistant IT Director/Deputy CIO IC4 and USMC CISO. Ms. Spinks was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in August 2021, having joined Executive Service as a Senior Leader in August 2018, serving at Marine Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER) as the nation’s first Cyber Technology Officer; where she focused on action based defensive operations and offensive cyber operations mission planning. Her federal career includes serving in the U.S. Treasury Department and the Department of Homeland Security while her private career includes serving as the CEO of her own consulting company. She is also a decorated combat veteran from the 28th Combat Support Hospital, U.S. Army 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Ms. Spinks highest level of education is a MS in Technology Management and is pursuing her Doctorate in Cybersecurity. Her awards are 2022 Fed100, 2022 Cyber Defender, 2021 Leading for Impact, State of NC 2021 HBCU Living Legend, and 2020 Stars and Stripes Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA) SES of the Year.
3:00pm - 3:05pm EST
Opening Remarks
3:05pm - 4:05pm EST
Panel: Gary Buchanan, Ian Fowlie, Renata Spinks
4:05pm - 4:55pm EST
Keynote: La'Naia Jones
4:55pm - 5:00pm EST
Closing Comments
