When SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley is recognized at the Technology Good Scout Award Luncheon on Nov. 4, she’ll join a strong line of company leaders supporting its mission.
The recipient of the 2025 Technology Good Scout Award, Townes-Whitley joins the ranks of Dr. J. Robert Beyster, SAIC’s founder, who received the inaugural award years ago. This year, the award is renamed in memory of Mike Daniels, who was not only the former president of the Scouting America National Capital Area Council but also an SAIC executive.
“This award feels like a full-circle acknowledgment of SAIC’s support for the organization, which serves more than 31,000 boys and girls across the DMV to build future leaders,” Townes-Whitley said. “This recognition is a powerful moment for SAIC, for Scouting and for everyone who believes in developing the next generation of leaders.”
The annual event honors exceptional leaders from the Greater Washington, D.C., technology community whose personal and professional lives embody Scout values like integrity, service and leadership.
Guided by Duty
As the daughter of a now-retired 3-star general, Townes-Whitley said she was taught that duty to God and service to country were paramount.
“It was not a matter of if my siblings and I would serve, but how,” she said. “I didn’t join the military, but after graduating from Princeton, I spent three years in the Peace Corps in central Africa, teaching.”
In addition to serving in several executive leadership roles prior to SAIC, Townes-Whitley now serves as an independent director or trustee on five boards: Nasdaq, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Partnership for Public Service, Catalyst and the Princeton Faith & Work Initiative.
She guest lectures on technology ethics and entrepreneurism in the public sector at Stanford and Princeton universities.
With a bachelor’s degree in public policy and economics from Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs, Townes-Whitley has also received certifications from Wharton Executive Education, New York University and the Performance Management Institute.
Her numerous awards include: 2024 USA Today Women of the Year honoree, Washingtonian Tech Titans 2025, 2024 Women in Technology Lifetime Achievement Award, Fortune Most Powerful Women, Ideagen Global Leadership Award, Black Enterprise Top Executive, FedScoop 50 for Industry Leadership, and numerous others.
Scouting Connection
Townes-Whitley feels strongly that service and leadership experiences obtained through Scouting impart critical values and prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices throughout their lifetimes.
One of those ways is through the National Capital Area Council youth camps attended this summer by more than 6,100 boys and girls in the Washington, D.C., area. The camps focus on leadership, “future-ready knowledge” and the outdoors.
“Scouts engaged with critical disciplines like digital tech, electronics, engineering, inventing, nuclear science and robotics,” Townes-Whitley said. “It’s fair to say these experiences not only delivered on the NCAC’s promise of preparing each Scout for life, but also for the future of work.”
Townes-Whitley said there is strong alignment between the Scouting mission and her own leadership style.
“I place a high value on making a positive impact on society, and dedication to community service resonates deeply,” she said. “A leader shouldn’t merely guide his or her organization toward profitability but should strive to have a lasting, positive impact on the community and stakeholders.”
At SAIC, Townes-Whitley encourages teams to lean into the company’s rich history of philanthropy, taking active roles in volunteer initiatives that benefit society. The company’s biggest annual initiatives include the nonprofit Building Homes for Heroes and Feeding America. To date, SAIC has helped donate 20 homes and raised nearly $890,000 to support veterans and military. Feeding America is another organization SAIC has supported for the past 12 years, providing more than 28 million meals to people in need.
Leadership development is another significant overlap. Scouting is renowned for its robust programs designed to cultivate leadership skills among its members. Similarly, SAIC focuses on leadership development and upskilling to keep pace with tech trends, providing teams with the resources and opportunities to grow within the organization, she said.
“By fostering environments where people can build and refine their leadership capabilities, we ensure that our teams are equipped to innovate, inspire and guide effectively,” Townes-Whitley said. “We’re investing in reskilling programs, apprenticeship pipelines and development to make sure our people can grow into tomorrow’s mission leaders.”
Townes-Whitley advises anyone interested in a technology career to recognize that technology is ever-evolving, so lifelong learning is crucial.
“Pursue what you’re passionate about and be persistent,” she added.
The luncheon sold out last year, and participants are invited to register as soon as possible to ensure a seat. It will be at the Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia.