The finalists for WashingtonExec’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards were announced Sept. 20, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 21.
Next is Kyle Tuberson, chief technology officer at ICF, and finalist in the Artificial Intelligence Executive of the Year, Public Company, category. Here, he talks about recent achievements, shares career advice and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2024?
Starting in January 2023 into 2024, we met several critical milestones that are driving innovation, operational efficiency, and market credibility across ICF to ensure we’re leveraging AI responsibly for internal improvements and delivering scalable, secure AI solutions for clients.
We developed a strategic framework for achieving our internal AI goals and for helping clients integrate safe, ethical GenAI technologies that align with their mission goals. We established an AI strategy, which encourages responsible AI use across ICF and ensures all employees have access to and understand how to use AI tools effectively. The strategy also promotes our longstanding expertise in AI, bolstered by our domain expertise in key markets.
We also launched a number of internal AI-driven projects including use cases in finance, HR onboarding, marketing, and proposal support. These improvements have led to significant operational efficiencies and accelerated workflows in these areas. And we mobilized a GenAI Center of Excellence to drive AI adoption through a federated model. Now our business GenAI leads in key areas, like health, climate, and transportation, ensure that AI initiatives are tailored to meet specific market needs but also align with our centralized governance structure and best practices.
In addition, we also set up a decision process for evaluating AI technologies, including an intake mechanism and activation points for legal and contractual review, ensuring responsible AI use aligns with our internal AI responsible use policy.
And we developed an AI platform and cognitive architecture that integrates cloud partnerships with Azure, Google, and AWS to support complex data sources, model training, governance, and human AI agent integrations. For example, ClimateSight®, our AWS cloud- and AI-enabled industry solution, allows climate analysts to engage large geospatial datasets to develop custom projections of climate and extreme weather hazard impacts for specific communities.
These efforts have accelerated growth in our AI/Gen AI business and increased employee adoption, and more and more we are including AI-components in our client projects. We’ve also evaluated 50+ AI tools, identifying those best suited for our workforce and clients’ needs. And 93% of ICF employees with access to specialized GenAI tools actively used them over the past month.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
We’re dedicated to developing pioneering solutions that address complex challenges and drive transformative change. We’ll continue to develop and expand our AI/GenAI capabilities, exploring new and innovative ways to apply these technologies to enhance our business operations. And integrate these solutions with our deep domain expertise and human-centered practices to accelerate our clients’ missions.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Big things can happen when you step outside of your comfort zone. Embrace tough challenges as opportunities for personal and professional growth, rather than dwelling on what could go wrong—some things likely will—but that’s how you learn and grow. Additionally, listen to and learn from those around you. You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to earn respect and be heard. Active listening helps you understand different perspectives, enabling you to contribute more thoughtfully to the collective conversation and find the best solution.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know?
A fun fact about me is that I grew up overseas, living in various countries every few years. This unique experience made me highly adaptable and resilient to change, as I had to constantly adjust to new cultures and languages. It also taught me the importance of finding common ground, a skill that has been invaluable in my executive leadership role, where collaboration and aligning diverse perspectives are key to driving successful outcomes.