As director of the technology sector at Buchanan & Edwards, Sean Crowley brings over 22 years of experience overseeing complex federal contracts to the role, leading a team of over 200 to deliver technology services to the government.
In fact, his career began in the federal space with the State Department, working on hands-on deployments to support consular and border security systems worldwide.
Before BE, Crowley was at DynCorp and Harris IT Services, managing complex State Department-supporting programs. He also led the development of the Deployment Management System, a platform that enhanced data-driven decision making at the State Department.
“Over time, I moved into program management, leading large-scale IT modernization efforts,” he told WashingtonExec. From there, he transitioned into solution architecture and capture leadership.
“What ultimately brought me to my role at BE was the combination of those experiences, understanding both delivery and capture, and building a strong track record of winning and managing complex federal programs,” Crowley added.
Below, Crowley shares more about how his international experiences shaped his career, his personal connection to BE’s mission, the growing impact of AI and automation in the federal space and more.
Why was this the path you chose, and how influential was it to your career?
Early in my career, I had the opportunity to see the world while supporting a critical national security mission. Deploying systems in dozens of countries showed me how directly technology shapes diplomacy and security, and it made the work feel meaningful. That combination of global exposure and mission impact set the trajectory for my career and kept me focused on roles where technology and mission come together.
Do you have a personal connection to the current mission you support? If so, please explain.
I absolutely have a personal connection to our missions. Having supported State, FBI and the Marine Corps, I have seen firsthand how these systems affect people, from faster visa processing to mobile recruiting tools. That personal connection is a big part of why I continue focusing on missions where technology has a direct impact.
What are your current top priorities and responsibilities? How do these relate to your company’s overall mission/growth strategy?
My top priorities are staying ahead of rapid technological change and helping our clients make smart, informed decisions about where to focus. That means evaluating new capabilities like AI, automation and advanced analytics, while also making sure the foundations are in place. Breaking down data silos, helping to establish data governance guardrails, and defining clear use cases are all critical steps that help agencies adopt new technology in ways that are practical, secure, and scalable.
For BE, this directly supports our strategy of being a trusted advisor. We grow by helping agencies embrace innovation responsibly, with solutions that reduce risk and truly support their mission.
Where do you and your team see growth opportunities in your current field or portfolio you support, or what do you anticipate to be your customers’ top pain points?
A lot of the growth we see is tied to AI, automation, and how agencies manage their data. One of the biggest pain points is that data often sits in silos. Teams work in isolation, and even when they have valuable information, it can be hard to share or trust it across the organization. That slows down decisions and creates uncertainty about what’s accurate. Good data governance is really the foundation for fixing that. When agencies have clear guardrails in place, they can be confident in the quality of their data, and that opens the door for better collaboration, analytics, and more effective use of tools like AI.
How are you and your team planning to address/prepare for these opportunities?
We’re focused on helping agencies prepare in practical ways, whether that’s embedding AI and automation into enterprise solutions, building modern data roadmaps, or making better use of the tools they already own. A lot of this is guided by BE’s Data 360 framework, which gives us a structured approach to challenges like silos, governance, use case development, etc. By addressing those fundamentals first, agencies are in a much stronger position to adopt new technology in ways that are secure, scalable, and mission-focused. We emphasize low-risk delivery and clear metrics, so customers can move forward with confidence that the solutions will deliver real results.
How important is mentorship and networking in GovCon? Were they influential to your career?
They have been extremely important. Early in my career, I had mentors who taught me how to navigate proposals, capture strategy, and large-scale delivery. Networking also created opportunities I would not have had otherwise. Now, I make a point of mentoring PMs and technical leads at BE to pass along what I have learned.
What is something most people don’t know about you personally?
I studied history in college. That background taught me how to look at context and communicate ideas clearly, which has been surprisingly valuable in capture and solution architecture. It helps me present technical solutions in a way that resonates with evaluators and decision-makers.