Artificial intelligence has moved from the realm of science fiction to bonafide disruptive ⏤ and transformative ⏤ technology. Don’t expect humanoids anytime soon, but the power of AI to enhance business and government is more about automation and streamlined processes than in bringing “The Terminator” to life. In fact, we already experience AI in various ways that improve human work, automate repetitive tasks and assist in making intelligent predictions.
The following executives are leading the AI charge. They include general managers, a chief data scientist, chief AI officers, CEOs and presidents in industry and government. What they all have in common is their drive to use AI to realize more efficiencies in government, while ensuring its safe and ethical use.
Aaron Wagner
Chief Strategy Officer, Integer Technologies LLC
Integer Technologies is applying its expertise in engineering, AI and first-principles thinking to accelerate the development and deployment of solutions in digital engineering, autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing.
Since Aaron Wagner joined as chief strategy officer, the company has been building on its unique model of partnering with university research labs across the country, working to bridge the “valley of death” between research and practical implementation.
In particular, Integer is building new multiplicative business and government partnerships to transform early-stage innovations into delivered solutions, especially those addressing acute challenges in autonomous systems and in manufacturing, logistics and sustainment.
Why Watch
Wagner and his team are intensely focused on scaling their ability to put research into action, particularly in enabling greater utility and effectiveness for autonomous systems and in expanding manufacturing capacity for defense industrial base priorities. They are leveraging digital engineering and decision support tools to create breakthrough solutions that lead to greater effectiveness, faster response times and more efficient operations for clients and partners. Across the board, they are focused on helping customers do more, faster and with solutions that are accurately targeting their key technical barriers.
“The most exciting innovations often emerge when we remove barriers between groundbreaking research and mission-critical operations,” Wagner said. “We are focused on being that catalyst, turning powerful ideas into impactful, applied AI-enabled solutions.”
Fun fact: Wagner’s work in AI-enabled hardware is shaped by his research on large carnivores in Africa, where he studied how intelligence, form and function evolve under competition and natural selection. That experience gave him a deep understanding of how intelligent systems interact with their environment, in both nature and technology.
Adita Karkera, Ph.D.
Chief Data Officer, Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Government and Public Services
Adita Karkera and her team have continued to leverage data and AI technologies to help transform government operations, making them more efficient, transparent and trusted. By automating and augmenting tasks, streamlining regulations and modernizing IT systems, they significantly improved service delivery, reduced costs and enhanced engagement, while protecting the rights of our citizens.
Why Watch
In 2025, Karkera and her team will be heavily focused on continuing to integrate AI technologies to optimize government operations and improve service delivery. By automating routine tasks, modernizing IT systems and enhancing fraud prevention measures, her team aims to create a more efficient and responsive public sector. This will enable government agencies to better meet mission demands, improve citizen engagement, and ensure effective use of resources, while establishing trust in AI systems.
Aleksandar Zelenovic
Chief Technology Officer, Spatial Front Inc
A few of Aleksandar Zelenovic’s recent achievements include rolling out one of the first generative AI solutions in the federal government, and integrating security, value-driven use cases and interesting tech.
At the same time, his SFI team built highly accurate AI models to support internal business development and marketing operations, providing game-changing solutions and a level of customization for business needs.
Zelenovic has been a key driver of AI innovation at SFI, and under his leadership, the company successfully supported a federal customer in developing its first generative AI implementation, marking a significant industry milestone, said Amy Gao, SFI CEO.
“Internally, Aleks spearheaded the creation of customer GPTs to streamline the company’s marketing processes,” she added. “In addition, Aleks actively champions AI adoption both internally through employee brownbags, R&D, and other channels, and externally in industry conferences such as ACT-IAC. Aleks’ vision and expertise continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI, making them a leader to watch in 2025.”
Zelenovic also helped lead the Government Innovation Disruptors Group, pushing boundaries on emerging tech and American University in shaping new AI leadership. “Watch out for AI-enhanced distributed ledger models (DLT) to influence the future of secure and intelligent automation,” he said.
Why Watch
Geospatial AI is moving from an abstract concept to solving real-world challenges across multiple federal agencies, and Zelenovic said his team is at the forefront of making that happen. SFI’s R&D lab is also pushing the boundaries with agentic AI models, building autonomous AI agents capable of adapting, learning and optimizing in real-time.
“And let’s not forget software development — AI is about to redefine how we build, test, and deploy solutions, making software engineering faster, smarter, and more intuitive than ever before,” Zelenovic said.
Fun fact: An avid soccer and basketball player, Zelenovic unexpectedly found himself coaching 10- and 11-year-olds in baseball—powered by AI. He uses AI models to analyze video, track stats, and optimize training plans, leading the team to the local championship.
Alex Adamczyk
Vice President of Advanced Analytics and AI, LMI
Under Alex Adamczyk’s leadership, LMI delivered AI-enabled platforms to address some of the federal government’s most pressing challenges across defense, civilian and intelligence sectors.
In 2024, Adamczyk spearheaded an LMI team that secured over $100 million in AI-centric work, offering digital solutions to streamline government acquisitions, accelerate policy management, automate help desk operations and more.
Simultaneously, Adamczyk drove the internal adoption of LMI’s generative AI platform, LIGER, significantly boosting the organization’s operational efficiency and accelerating the pace at which it meets customer needs.
“Alex is leveraging AI technology and expertise at the critical intersection of rapid AI advancements, the imperative to successfully embrace the AI age, and the complex challenges facing the federal government. His leadership is helping agencies navigate this dynamic landscape with confidence,” said Keith Rodgers, LMI’s senior vice president of digital and analytic solutions.
Why Watch
Looking ahead, Adamczyk continues to lead LMI in advancing AI by developing and implementing generative AI solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges of government operations. These advancements leverage LMI’s extensive federal expertise and rapid-cycle innovation engine to ensure the secure, compliant and effective application of AI tools.
As federal agencies navigate increasingly complex environments, Adamczyk’s team will equip the government with cutting-edge analytic solutions to drive decision advantage and operational efficiency.
“We’re continuously innovating for our federal customers to keep them ahead of the curve,” Adamczyk said. “We invest our own R&D dollars to explore and develop emerging technologies for the government mission, and we put those technologies in the hands of our workforce to test, refine, and demonstrate their promise prior to customer application. I’ve been incredibly impressed with the solutions our teams have built with LIGER™ to solve customer challenges and help the government get the job done faster and better in a dynamic operating environment.”
Fun fact: By Adamczyk’s last semester of college, he had completed all his required classes, so he took golf, scuba diving, medieval history and “A History of the Cold War Through Spy Novels.”
Besma Abidi
Senior Director of Engineering, Empower AI
Besma Abidi recently led a team that launched a first-of-its-kind edge AI device that performs automatic target recognition of enemy vessels.
The U.S. Navy uses the AI and deep learning system to read hull numbers, classify vessels by type and generate threat alerts. Abidi’s team of engineers and data scientists designed the system of systems to ingest multi-spectral, ultra high-definition video feeds for a new level of visibility, then relays critical information to decision makers via satellite.
“Besma and her 30+ years of experience in computer science, AI/ML, and system integration has had an immediate impact on our ability to help the federal government deploy AI for maximum benefit,” said Jennifer Sample, chief technology officer at Empower AI. “Defense and civilian agencies all need cloud and on-premise support and she is showing them solutions that solve current and anticipated problems.”
Why Watch
Abidi’s team of engineers and data scientists is building a series of pre-built accelerators that enable federal agencies to adopt and expand their use of AI/ML. They encompass real-world use cases and the latest AI/ML technologies, such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Agentic RAG, Knowledge Graphs and Large Language Models. These low-code/no-code, ready-to-deploy applications embody high performance and responsible AI concepts for lower risk.
“Foundational knowledge and domain expertise are the twin pillars of successful AI/ML deployment, transforming raw data into actionable insights and ensuring that solutions are impactful, ultimately driving efficiency and mitigating risk,” Abidi said.
Fun fact: Abidi’s curiosity extends beyond technology to food. Since moving from Tunisia 36 years ago, she has explored the diverse cuisine of the U.S. While she enjoys experimenting with different dishes, her favorite remains Tunisian couscous, a dish with roots in the ancient Berber civilization dating back 2,200 years.
Bill Solms
Vice President of U.S. Federal Sales, Clearview AI
Bill Solms is particularly proud of Clearview AI’s recent successes with national security customers, which are kept confidential, but a major federal law enforcement customer used the company’s software to search available but unidentified facial images from years of unresolved child exploitation cases and developed about 750 credible new leads.
“We are happy to welcome Bill Solms as Vice President, U.S. Federal Sales,” said Jai-Sun Lee, Clearview AI chief revenue officer. “His deep experience and proven track record in navigating the complex federal market play a key role in driving our federal government strategy. We are excited with the significant contributions Bill continues to make at Clearview AI as we continue to scale our business and enhance our ability to advocate for and support our customers’ national security and law enforcement missions.”
Why Watch
Solms and his team will continue to focus on strengthening national security and reducing crime, fraud and risk to create safer communities. Their facial recognition platform equips government agencies to investigate threats, protect the nation, and secure critical infrastructure.
They support cases involving human trafficking, war crimes, fraud, child exploitation, drug and weapons trafficking, organized crime and national security threats. Clearview AI provides investigators with a powerful tool to improve case resolution and enhance security efforts.
“The tremendous value of AI is in how we can use it to deliver actionable results to previously unsolvable challenges,” Solms said. “It is about applying AI to produce better, faster and more efficient outcomes in a way that aligns with American legal, moral and ethical values. I am privileged to work with an incredible team at Clearview AI that delivers on that promise every day.”
Fun fact: Although Solms started his career as a soldier, one of his true passions is sailing. When he isn’t on the water, you can find him cheering loudly for Army football.
Debra Emmons
Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, The Aerospace Corp.
During the past year, Debra Emmons and her team successfully integrated AI and machine learning into mission-critical workflows for national security space. They facilitated a groundbreaking hackathon with Microsoft to demonstrate virtual assistant capabilities using Azure OpenAI, ensuring secure implementation for government environments.
Additionally, they launched Solution Accelerator, a pioneering initiative that streamlines rapid, mission-ready solutions for defense, civil and commercial space customers ⏤ many of the advanced concepts are integrating AI. These efforts have positioned The Aerospace Corp. at the forefront of AI-driven space innovation, accelerating mission success across various domains.
Why Watch
In 2025, Emmons is leading efforts to expand AI’s role in decision-making and predictive analytics to enhance mission resilience and operational efficiency. Her team’s efforts include developing generative AI techniques for anomaly detection in live telemetry data, integrating retrieval-augmented generation for document analysis, and advancing reinforcement learning for autonomous spacecraft operations.
She is driving space innovation by deploying AI responsibly and effectively. Her work turns AI from theory into practical tools that deliver real-world mission success for government and commercial partners.
“I truly feel excited and challenged every day working with some of the smartest minds in the space industry,” Emmons said. “As CTO, my passion lies in advancing cutting-edge research and ensuring our innovations don’t just stay in the lab but transition to solving our customers’ hardest problems. Leadership, to me, is about shaping strategic direction, fostering collaboration, and empowering teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Fun fact: Emmons is deeply committed to leadership development and helping teams reach their full potential. She spent years refining her approach by studying leadership philosophies and strategies, always seeking new ways to improve collaboration and performance. Comparing her role to an orchestra conductor, she excels at bringing together diverse expertise to solve complex challenges in aerospace and AI.
Geoffrey Schaefer
Vice President of AI Strategy and Governance, Leidos
Geoffrey Schaefer’s principal goal for 2025 is to build out a truly scaled AI governance program and set a new standard for managing large and complex AI ecosystems. This will be a major achievement for Schaefer because scale means something different at Leidos.
“We’re a massively global company with projects that span everything from energy grid optimization to airport security, so this enhanced governance work will be central to advancing our customers’ critical missions,” he said.
Leidos Chief AI Officer Ron Keesing called Schaefer “a tremendous addition to the Leidos team.”
“He’s already transforming our AI Governance practice and will play a leading role in guiding the execution of our AI strategy as we help our customers harness the transformative potential of AI,” Keesing added.
Why Watch
In 2025, Schaefer and his team are focused on building the next generation of AI governance tools for an agentic world. He believes current AI safety and governance methods won’t be enough to handle agentic AI’s complexity, and the nation must prepare now. While scaling AI governance, his priority is ensuring it remains future-proof.
“What will a Model Card actually solve when Agents can trigger other Agents to execute hundreds of individual tasks the human operator never even knows about?” Schaefer said. “Our standard playbook for AI Governance will not survive the transition to an Agent-driven world, so our Trusted Mission AI strategy is focused on reinventing governance to stay ahead of the technological curve. Reinvention equals relevance.”
Fun fact: Schaefer is a lifelong musician who once played in a Dream Theater cover band for progressive rock fans. He’s also passionate about wine and nearly earned his sommelier certification before shifting careers to AI in 2018.
Jay Meil
Vice President of AI and Data Analytics, SAIC
Over the past year, Jay Meil and his team were proud to advance Tenjin as a modular, open systems architecture designed to orchestrate the entire AI model lifecycle, from data ingestion to inference and dissemination.
Unlike rigid, siloed platforms, Tenjin provides the flexibility to integrate any model, any data source and any upstream or downstream system, ensuring interoperability across mission critical environments.
As a mission integrator, Meil and his team felt it was important for Tenjin to be a “model integrator.” Extensible, malleable and scalable, it acts as an AI command and control center, allowing users to seamlessly manage, deploy and operationalize AI models, whether natively built or imported from other tools. This capability ensures AI driven decision-making remains adaptive and mission ready.
“Jay empowers our full team to think boldly and strategically for how to integrate AI and machine learning to advance our customer missions,” said SAIC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Lauren Knausenberger. “His leadership is driving the SAIC mindset that we are not just adapting to the future of AI, but we are shaping it.”
Why Watch
As AI/ML systems become more ubiquitous and critical to decision-making and operations, adversaries are actively developing techniques to manipulate, degrade or deceive them. Meil is working to counter these threats by identifying and mitigating attacks across the AI lifecycle, from data poisoning and model corruption to adversarial inputs designed to mislead or disrupt missions.
Protecting these systems is critical to national security and essential to maintaining trust, operational effectiveness and superiority in the battlespace. Meil is working hard to ensure AI remains a force multiplier rather than a vulnerability.
“AI is not just a tool, it is a strategic imperative,” Meil said. “Our adversaries are exploiting its weaknesses, while harnessing its strengths, and the only way to stay ahead is through continued innovation and teams filled with extreme passion, relentless focus, and decisive execution.”
Fun fact: Outside of AI and technology, Meil is a proud single father of three. He spends his free time fishing in bays, oceans, rivers and streams, enjoying the freedom of open water. He also loves boating, camping, hiking and adventurous pursuits like diving with sharks.
Jen Shreckhise
Vice President, Data and AI Platform Leader, U.S. Federal Market, IBM
Over the past four years, IBM achieved over $3.5 billion in internal productivity gains by applying its own AI technology across the company — and that number continues to grow.
Jen Shreckhise’s primary goal this year is to accelerate the adoption and accessibility of AI tools within the federal government, helping agencies realize similar benefits. IBM has been actively collaborating with federal agencies at various stages of their AI journey, providing them with the platform, tools and foundational building blocks for a robust AI implementation.
While AI holds vast potential, IBM remains committed to a use case-driven approach, focusing on addressing specific, tangible challenges to create replicable building blocks that can scale and deliver quick, measurable value to agencies.
Vanessa Hunt, general manager of technology for IBM’s U.S. Federal Market, noted that Shreckhise consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, driving efforts to enhance technical expertise, increase client engagement and strengthen key business partnerships in the federal sector.
“Over the past year, Jen has played a pivotal role in driving AI adoption across federal agencies, building purpose-built solutions that address their unique needs,” Hunt added. “Her deep understanding of both technology and the federal landscape, combined with a relentless focus on delivering meaningful, results-driven AI solutions, has had a profound impact on our clients’ success and IBM’s growth. These reasons and her commitment to teamwork and collaboration make her a deserving candidate for the Top AI Execs to Watch 2025 award.”
Why Watch
For over a year, IBM has been very vocal about the need for smaller AI models and more accuracy, reasoning, trust and transparency when it comes to enterprise deployment of large language models. While IBM remains committed to open-source AI models, federal agencies can’t always rely on the most popular models, as they may not be fully trained on the unique needs of government operations or federal data.
IBM is focused on developing purpose-built, smaller open-source AI models that speak the “federal language” and operate in alignment with how agencies work. IBM’s goal is to ensure clients can build accurate, trustworthy and cost-effective AI solutions.
“I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible technical and cultural transformation happening at IBM through the application of our own AI technology internally,” Shreckhise said. “This experience has only strengthened my belief in the immense potential of AI to enhance the speed and accuracy of decisions, support the IT modernization process, combat cyber threats, and help reduce fraud, waste, and abuse. My team and I are excited to continue to collaborate with U.S. federal agencies, sharing our insights and creatively exploring new use cases that can help government work smarter.”
John Larson
Executive Vice President & Head of AI, Booz Allen Hamilton
John Larson’s biggest achievement is Booz Allen being ranked the No. 1 AI services provider to the federal government for the second year in a row.
“This success is supported by our growing footprint of 2,500 AI practitioners and the implementation of our AI Aware training, which provides employees with foundational AI knowledge,” he said.
Booz Allen has formed strategic technology partnerships with companies like Reality Defender, Latent AI, Hidden Layer and AWS to bring the best emerging technologies to the government and accelerate mission impact.
Under Larson’s leadership, Booz Allen’s AI team wasn’t just ranked the No. 1 AI services provider to the federal government for the second year in a row but also grew to over 2,500 AI practitioners, said Bill Vass, Booz Allen’s chief technology officer.
“His strategic vision has propelled Booz Allen to establish an innovative AI framework that systematically harvests learnings and deploys them into reusable frameworks called AI Stacks, ensuring reliable, repeatable, responsible, and secure commercial-grade AI solutions at scale,” Vass said. “John’s unwavering dedication has driven significant business growth, encompassing more than 200 AI service engagements with over 160 clients, securing several of the largest AI contracts across Defense, Civilian, and Intelligence agencies.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Larson and his team are heavily focused on physicalAI, agentic AI and AI economics and DeepSeek. PhysicalAI will create robust, real-world applications of AI that can operate in dynamic and complex environments while agentic AI represents a new paradigm where autonomous agents manage tasks independently, truly accelerating mission outcomes.
“AI Economics and DeepSeek caught everyone’s attention through the innovative approach to AI development, which emphasizes cost-efficiency and decentralization, and has the potential to transform the AI landscape and truly democratize AI,” Larson said.
Fun fact: Larson, an avid cyclist, hit a major milestone in 2024 by completing the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, one of the world’s toughest mountain bike races. The 100-mile course starts above 10,000 feet and climbs past 12,000 feet. Using data from smartwatches, smart bikes and e-trainers to optimize training, he finished in 11 hours and 31 minutes, earning the coveted Leadville Buckle.
Kathryn Kienast
Executive Vice President of Client Success, Allocore
In 2024, Kathryn Kienast said she was “incredibly excited” to join Allocore, a firm that uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to modernize federal loan, grant and fraud detection platforms.
Allocore’s AI tech capabilities play an important role in providing needed support and resources to Americans in their greatest times of need — including helping survivors of hurricanes and forest fires rebuild their homes and businesses.
“The chance to combine AI with powerful missions and government modernization was an opportunity I could not pass up,” Kienast said.
Bill Webner, Allocore CEO, said:
“We’re immeasurably lucky to have Kathryn on our leadership team at Allocore. Her domain expertise in AI, combined with her deep knowledge of federal credit, shared services, lending and grants programs make her an immense asset to our leadership team.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Kienast and her team are working to expand Allocore’s impact across the federal government by integrating AI-driven solutions into loan, grant and fraud detection systems. Allocore’s AI helps prevent over $1 billion in fraud annually and speeds up fund disbursement, ensuring government resources reach the right people faster. Powered by AI, Allocore’s platform drives rapid modernization, automation and efficiency, delivering greater mission impact.
“I am delighted to have been nominated amongst this group of incredible AI executives, and thankful for the opportunity to make an impact at a mission-driven organization like Allocore,” Kienast said.
Fun fact: Kienast’s goal is to run a half-marathon in each of the 50 states, with only five left to go. Recently, she used AI tools to help craft her training programs.
Kristen Summers
Vice President & Technical Fellow, AI, ManTech
ManTech has built a team and a methodology to bring the right kind of data analytics or AI for each client challenge, from narrow models to cutting-edge generative AI and agentic methods.
“We’ve been building out a fantastic team of experts in ManTech’s Data and AI Practice, and I’m proud of the depth and breadth of capabilities in our technical team,” said Kristen Summers.
The team is also spreading AI understanding through all of ManTech with AI Fundamentals training that enables everyone in the company to help solve client problems with data analytics and AI.
“Kristen and her team bring together decades of experience solving client mission challenges using data, analytics, and AI solutions,” said Brandy Durham, ManTech vice president of its Data and AI practice. “Her focus on bringing the right technology to the table and understanding where clients have already made technological investments means ManTech’s Data and AI solutions drive both efficiency and effectiveness for our clients.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Summers and her team are focused on applying data analytics, data science and AI where they deliver the most practical value for government clients. They integrate AI early in workflows to maximize impact and tailor solutions to mission needs, ensuring technology adapts to users, not the other way around.
“I’m motivated by solving hard problems and making a difference in how people can do their jobs,” Summers said.
Fun fact: Summers is a cat person who ended up living with two dogs.
Liz Mannshardt
Vice President & Director, Statistics and Data Science Center, Westat
Liz Mannshardt is focused on leading the effort to modernize Westat’s approach to data governance, which will allow the company to better organize, manage and secure clients’ data assets and internal enterprise data assets.
Mannshardt is also working to develop implementation standards for enhanced data platform management to guarantee the effective and efficient use of information for data-driven decisions and outcomes. Her goals are to further enable and expand Westat’s suite of data analytics and AI capabilities to provide custom, scalable solutions to meet clients’ evolving needs.
“The scope and capabilities of AI are advancing rapidly, offering cross-disciplinary opportunities to drive innovation and deliver more efficient data solutions,” said Jeri Mulrow, Westat vice president and sector lead of data solutions. “Dr. Mannshardt and her team are at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring that Westat continues to provide the high-quality, reliable data and results our clients trust.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Mannshardt and her team are heavily focused on furthering machine learning/AI innovations for clients’ real-world needs, which includes real-time solutions for processing large, complex data.
From harnessing generative AI to identifying, combining and optimizing data assets, Mannshardt believes in the importance of continually enhancing human expertise and human-driven research in relation to AI and big data processing.
“Every decision impacting humans should involve human insight, and my team of experts is committed to effective and trusted AI solutions,” she said. “In today’s rapidly evolving data landscape, I’ve learned that having a team of highly skilled experts, united by a shared vision, is more important than ever. For my team, that vision is delivering high-quality, trusted data solutions that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
Fun fact: Mannshardt is strongly committed to mentoring and developing the upcoming generation of young statisticians and data science professionals. She helped build mentoring programs within her organization as well as with the American Statistical Association, the world’s largest professional society of statisticians and data scientists.
Mark Forman
Chief Strategy Officer, Amida Technology Solutions
Mark Forman is focused on helping Amida achieve another year of triple-digit million-dollar sales by expanding its presence across state and federal agencies with AI/ML and data management solutions.
Government healthcare and social services processes are inefficient, and AI/ML can dramatically improve cycle times, accuracy and costs — but only if enterprise data quality, security and interoperability are strengthened, Forman said. He sees graph technology as the key to this future, enabling the sophisticated data structures needed for next-generation government operations.
“Mark’s strategic vision and leadership in driving AI/ML adoption within government agencies are integral to Amida’s continued success. As our Chief Strategy Officer, Mark has been instrumental in identifying and addressing the key challenges of data quality, security, and interoperability,” said Amida CEO Peter Levin. “His focus on building strong data foundations has allowed us to position ourselves as a leader in the government modernization space. Mark’s ability to forge partnerships with State and Federal agencies that are ready to tackle these challenges head-on is setting us up for transformative success in 2025 and beyond. His work will not only accelerate AI readiness but also drive meaningful change in how government operates, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness at every level.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Forman and his team are focused on partnering with state and federal agencies that recognize both the transformative potential of AI/ML and the critical need to improve data quality, eliminate bias and build AI initiatives on a strong data foundation. The recent Federal Chief Data Officer survey confirmed that poor data quality is the biggest barrier to adoption of AI in government, and Amida is finding the agencies and leaders ready to tackle this challenge head-on. By understanding who is willing to drive both the technical and cultural shifts needed, they are positioning themselves to accelerate AI readiness and impact across government.
“Government modernization has to be about the use of AI/ML and related technology to measurably improve effectiveness and efficiency of government and cannot be about merely applying new technology to old ways of doing work,” Forman said.
Fun fact: As he’s gotten older, Forman has become an avid golfer, refining his swing for distance and accuracy while improving his putting. But tennis remains his true passion, and he has yet to join his friends in switching to pickleball.
Marshall Thames
Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation, ECS
Marshall Thames and his team recently deployed over 800 AI models for Defense Department agencies, multiple combatant commands, the Navy, the Army and key programs like the Maven Program, for which ECS has been the prime AI integrator for more than seven years.
ECS developed its first autonomous, multi-modal surveillance UAV, which uses AI for navigation, sensing, fusion, exploitation and communication. Thames and his team also leveraged lessons learned for new customers and data domains — recently releasing ECS Pathfinder, for example, a cyber tool that leverages AI to help security leaders prioritize real-world risk and map risks to missions.
“Marshall has long played a pivotal role overseeing interoperability integration for the Maven Program, the Department of Defense’s most visible GEOINT AI program,” said ECS President John Heneghan. “He and his ECS team are helping to enhance military operations, combat the deluge of data, drive AI development and adoption, and operationalize AI for defense.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Thames and his team are cutting through AI hype to deliver real, measurable mission impact. They prioritize AI assurance, human-centered design and data mesh architectures to ensure ECS solutions are trustworthy, practical and powered by high-quality data. They’re also expanding ECS’ AI development environment, AI Innovation Lab, AI University and the next version of Atlas, the company’s in-house generative AI platform designed to boost team productivity.
“We’ll continue to push the boundaries of AI at the tactical edge. In future conflicts, the ability to operate AI systems in disconnected environments will be critical to maintaining decision superiority,” Thames said. “Our focus on this capability is essential because it ensures that U.S. forces can continue to make timely, informed decisions, even in the most challenging operational conditions.”
Fun fact: Thames has never lost a Super Bowl bet.
Melvin Greer
Fellow & Chief Data Scientist, Intel Corp.
Melvin Greer’s biggest recent achievement was working with key customers to develop the art and the risks of prompt engineering. Well-crafted Gen AI prompts can significantly influence the quality and relevance of Gen AI tools. Intel Corp. customers are now proficient in achieving advanced AI model capabilities with reduced risk.
“Impactful leaders, through integrity and unwavering perseverance in hard work, build a legacy that inspires future generations and leaves a positive impact on their families, communities and the world,” Greer said.
Why Watch
In 2025, Greer is heavily focused on developing the highest level of technical achievement and applying it to solve customers’ most challenging business problems. He’s keenly focused on expansion of technical leadership and innovation; maturing AI adoption strategies via notable technical distinction and sustained technical expertise; leadership and impact.
“Melvin is an indispensable advisor and senior technologist for Intel customers, executives, and sales teams who rely on his unique experience to navigate the waves of ever-changing business requirements,” said Lynn Comp, head of Intel Corp.’s Global AI Center of Excellence. “Melvin’s technical expertise at applying artificial intelligence to solving complex business problems not only advances the efforts of industry leaders but also significantly impacts AI practices and policies across academia and government.”
Fun fact: For Greer, supporting his wife and family fuels him with a profound sense of purpose, providing an unwavering foundation for all his endeavors. “Eating ice cream brings me pure joy and a moment of simple happiness. Exploring the dynamic world of global finance ignites my intellectual curiosity and provides a constant stream of opportunities for learning and innovation,” he said.
Rick Hubbard
Chief Engineer for Advanced Mission Solutions & Lead for the Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Lab, Core4ce
Rick Hubbard’s biggest achievement was establishing a cross-disciplinary team of researchers and scientists to tackle some of the most difficult AI problems facing the Defense Department and the intelligence community through the Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Lab.
One of his team’s major accomplishments was the development of an AI-enabled acquisition and contracting platform for the U.S. Air Force. This platform will enable the Air Force to acquire high-technology products at the speed of relevance and improve on their current average acquisition by years.
Why Watch
In 2025, Hubbard’s team is focused on advancing projects that will have an immediate effect on the overall readiness of warfighters so they can best meet the challenges of the future battlespace. This includes revolutionizing basic military training for the U.S. Space Force by incorporating technologies such as AI into exercises and course curricula to create Guardians trained and prepared for global conflicts in the 21st century.
Hubbard and his AAIM Lab team drive innovation across government programs that may seem unrelated but all rely on technology to boost efficiency and readiness, said Valerie Rossi, senior vice president of advanced mission solutions at Core4ce.
“From our storied materials research work to our recent wins in support of acquisition/contracting and military training – Rick and team have ensured our customer needs are met and that warfighters receive state-of-the-art support,” Rossi said. “Their work is exciting and we’re proud to tout it. Rick has built an exceptional team with a creative mindset—honestly, the possibilities are endless.”
Fun fact: Hubbard played collegiate rugby at Ohio State University and later joined the Columbus Castaways, a premier Division 3 and 4 men’s rugby team in Columbus, Ohio. He was part of the club’s first championship team.
Stuart Brown
Digital Leader, Guidehouse
A renowned technologist and thought leader, Stuart Brown joined Guidehouse in January, bringing over 27 years of transformative leadership experience across diverse industries to the firm. A versatile strategist and visionary, he has a proven history of delivering complex and large-scale business transformation initiatives.
At Guidehouse, he is spearheading how the firm will shape the future of tech-driven transformation. Brown’s ability to deliver complex, large-scale transformations — ranging from advanced customer service platforms to groundbreaking cloud innovations — is pivotal to advancing the firm’s mission.
“Stuart is an exemplary leader who puts people first, and his executive level of technical expertise makes him the perfect fit to lead our digital business into the future,” said John Saad, president of Guidehouse.
Why Watch
In 2025, Brown and his team will focus on enabling Guidehouse clients to harness data-driven strategies and advanced technology platforms while building ecosystem partner relationships and scalable cloud solutions. Artificial intelligence adoption is at the forefront of these efforts, which he sees as a cornerstone for delivering value and efficiency to Guidehouse clients.
Based in Tampa, Florida, Brown will also focus on growing Guidehouse’s footprint in the region, leveraging its thriving tech community, strong academic institutions and burgeoning innovation ecosystem.
“Continuous learning is going to be the fuel that drives the future. It’s always been the fuel that’s driven me,” Brown said.
Fun fact: Brown is an avid gamer who enjoys playing with friends. He’s also fascinated by space flight and regularly follows the latest advancements in space exploration. Living near the Kennedy Space Center, he frequently watches rocket launches.
Victor Foulk
Vice President of Emerging Technologies, CGI
Victor Foulk leads CGI Federal’s emerging technologies practice, guiding a team of engineers and scientists to drive innovation and efficiency for federal customers.
He launched and sustains enterprise-scale agentic AI platforms at CGI, along with an industry-leading R&D program for applied AI. His team evaluates emerging technologies to deliver real mission impact for government agencies.
A former federal executive and seasoned engineer, Foulk is a key figure in federal AI adoption. He combines deep technical expertise with strong leadership skills to help agencies integrate AI and institutionalize innovation.
Foulk leveraged his ability to understand government leaders’ challenges and align technology strategies to help agencies navigate a major shift in federal AI adoption. By driving meaningful discussions with agency leaders, he bridged the gap between innovation and real-world application, leading to actionable strategies that address resource limitations and ensure secure deployment of advanced technologies.
Why Watch
As agencies adopt more efficient ways of working, Foulk’s approach to technology investment and implementation is driving cost savings and better mission outcomes for federal clients. By fostering collaboration and accelerating emerging technologies, he and his team have built a foundation for groundbreaking innovation in federal IT.
In 2025, applied agentic AI will be critical to government missions, and CGI is leading with secure AI solutions designed for complex security environments. Foulk’s team is using AI to tackle major challenges in supply chain, logistics and asset management for defense and beyond. These solutions are also advancing the next generation of AI-assisted federal back-office operations alongside CGI’s federal financial offerings.
“We are optimizing around mission value through technology,” Foulk said. “That means organizational constructs, workforce structure, policy and procedure. Everything is being reshaped to optimize government efficiency. We’re focused on bringing the right technology and workforce enablement to bear to empower the optimized workforce and the optimized government.”
Lastly, as a catalyst for collaboration, Foulk will focus efforts in 2025 to build additional dynamic coalitions with academia, leading industry partners and other centers of expertise to further accelerate value for the federal government across the full spectrum of mission domains.
Fun fact: Foulk not only tolerates extreme heat, he actively seeks it out, growing his own peppers — the spiciest peppers he can find, including blistering hot Carolina Reapers and Trinidad Scorpions. So avid is he, that he even leverages AI and IoT to optimize his fiery crops!
Vy Truong
Chief Innovation Officer, MetroStar
One of Vy Truong’s biggest recent achievements was helping MetroStar’s team launch Modern Intelligent Development AI System, MetroStar’s AI-enabled solution for modernizing legacy code migration.
Developed in MetroStar’s Innovation Lab, MIDAS transforms outdated, mission-critical applications into modern, maintainable code. Leveraging cutting-edge Large Language Models and a human-in-the-loop approach reduces time and effort, improves code quality, minimizes errors, and ensures complete developer oversight and control.
Beyond MIDAS, Truong contributed to MetroStar’s innovation pipeline by being named in four recently awarded blockchain applications for drone patents that further advance the company’s AI-enabled solutions. Seeing his team’s hard work come to life has been incredibly rewarding.
Why Watch
In 2025, Truong and his team are focused on advancing AI-driven modernization through MIDAS and R&D into Command and Control of drones via blockchain technologies. The MetroStar Innovation Lab is expanding its capabilities, deepening its investments in AI and driving advancements in open systems, responsible AI and human-centered technology. Truong’s goal is to continue to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve — delivering real-world, scalable innovations that empower the people and agencies MetroStar serves.
“AI innovation isn’t just about building the next big thing — it’s about empowering teams to solve the right problems in the smartest way possible,” Truong said.
Fun fact: When Truong isn’t working, he’s outdoors. He enjoys skiing, snowboarding with his family, fishing and competing in shooting sports. One of his most memorable adventures was hiking 23 miles of the Machu Picchu trail. He has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for nine years and holds a brown belt. Lately, he’s been studying “AI for Defense and Intelligence” by Dr. Patrick Biltgen to stay sharp on the latest tech trends in national security.
Wole Moses
Chief AI Officer, Federal Civilian, Microsoft
Wole Moses is driving AI adoption in the U.S. federal government by ensuring agencies take a comprehensive approach. He understands that success requires more than just deploying technology—it demands alignment across policy, workforce readiness, governance and mission objectives to achieve meaningful and responsible outcomes.
A key part of his strategy is fostering collaboration among agency leaders. By connecting them, he helps agencies share experiences and best practices, ensuring AI initiatives are integrated into broader federal strategies rather than developed in isolation.
Moses provides federal leaders with a structured, step-by-step approach to AI implementation, guiding them on the latest AI capabilities, use cases and best practices in adoption and risk management. A frequent panelist at agency events, he leads discussions on AI governance, applications and evolving regulations.
At Microsoft, he ensures the company’s offerings align with government requirements while collaborating with federal industry partners for an integrated approach. His ability to engage effectively with both technical staff and senior agency leaders helps stakeholders navigate the complexities of AI. By integrating AI into agency missions with a systems-focused approach, he is shaping the future of AI adoption in the federal government.
“One of Wole’s key strengths is translating complex technology concepts into actionable strategies to drive modernization,” said Heidi Kobylski, U.S. federal civilian leader at Microsoft. “With over 25 years in the industry his experience and perspectives have been critical for Microsoft and for our customers.”
Why Watch
Microsoft is at the forefront of helping the federal government harness cutting-edge AI to boost productivity and develop tailored solutions for agency operations. Agencies are already seeing the benefits, using AI to modernize legacy applications, enhance customer service and extract insights from vast data sets. These efforts drive faster, better decision-making and create a more capable, responsive federal workforce.
“Living in this particular moment of incredible AI enabled possibilities is exhilarating, but as a father, I feel a deep responsibility to help shape a future where technology empowers and creates opportunities for the next generation,” Moses said.
Fun fact: Moses has a passion for travel and culture and outside of his personal travels integrated that passion into his 26 years at Microsoft through living in three countries and visiting 36 for work related trips.
Denise Johnson
Vice President of Health Research and Analytics, Battelle
Denise Johnson spearheads a team committed to advancing scientific endeavors that improve health outcomes, support quality patient care, and drive groundbreaking innovations in health and biomedical research. Her team is at the forefront of using AI and machine learning to craft innovative solutions for both government and commercial clients.
“Computational approaches are essential for the future of biomedical and health sciences, offering tools that enhance our understanding of complex biological systems, improve healthcare delivery, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes,” she said. “These technologies not only promise to increase the efficiency of research practices but also hold the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine and public health strategies. I’m proud to lead a team at the forefront of these advances.”
Johnson’s team is dedicated to advancing the safety and ethics of AI applications in health, reflecting Battelle’s 95-year legacy of safely applying science and technology for societal impact. The team has been focused on integrating cutting-edge AI assurance methods into health applications, with a focus on agentic AI and multiagent systems. In addition to supporting research, AI assurance techniques form the foundation for evaluating evidence to inform decision-making by policymakers and program implementers.
Greg Kimmel, general manager of the health business unit at Battelle, said:
“Denise is an exceptional leader. Her vision and dedication to integrating AI into health research are transforming the landscape of biomedical sciences. Her ability to inspire and guide her team towards innovative solutions is truly remarkable, and her work is setting new standards in the industry.”
Why Watch
Looking ahead to 2025, Johnson’s team is leveraging AI/ML to propel advancements in therapeutic solutions, public health, and medical device development. They are pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the delivery of gene therapy directly to specific organs, promising highly personalized medicine and potentially revolutionizing treatment protocols by nearly eliminating drug delivery side effects.
In medical device development, the team evolved from human-in-the-loop systems to AI-assisted loops, and is now advancing towards fully autonomous, closed-loop AI systems. In public health, they developed state-of-the-art computational toxicology models to assess human health risks.
Eric Forseter
Vice President of Public Sector, PagerDuty
Today, over 200 public sector entities — including federal agencies, local municipalities and higher education institutions — work with PagerDuty. Eric Forseter’s team is helping a major federal agency use AI to automate operations and deliver vital services more efficiently to millions of Americans.
Most citizens may not know PagerDuty by name, but those relying on this agency for critical health and economic services will feel its impact, Forseter said.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to advance this substantial digital transformation and help ensure the agency’s core services run smoothly and efficiently 24/7 for citizen’s benefit,” he added.
Jeremy Kmet, senior vice president of global field operations at PagerDuty, said:
“Eric brings deep expertise and a passion for driving change in the public sector at PagerDuty, helping agencies modernize digital operations to better serve citizens. With decades of executive IT experience, he is leading transformative initiatives powered by AI and automation, delivering meaningful impact across federal, state, and higher education institutions.”
Why Watch
In 2025, the PagerDuty Public Sector team is helping federal, state and local governments deliver secure, efficient digital services despite limited IT budgets, outdated systems and bureaucratic challenges.
Public sector incident managers face tens of thousands of daily alerts across siloed, outdated systems, making it hard to identify and fix problems quickly. Forseter’s goal is to keep mission-critical services running while equipping IT managers with tools to respond faster and strengthen their systems.
“Nothing motivates me more than the idea that PagerDuty digital operations solutions can meaningfully support today’s public sector IT managers, who are often asked to deliver so much public good with so few resources,” Forseter said. “A system crash in the public sector can mean people go without emergency healthcare, economic benefits, and other vital services, and incident managers nationwide are working past the point of fatigue to help keep those services running. My team comes to work every day to help avoid those crashes, prevent that fatigue, and deliver those services to people who need them.”
Fun fact: Forseter’s software career began unexpectedly in Australia when his coffee shop boss asked why he was making coffee instead of pursuing his career. After Forseter explained he was taking a year off before law school to travel, the boss invited him to join his software company, Visio (now Microsoft). Forseter never went to law school — he fell in love with technology and shifted his focus to improving the public sector.
