In the highly competitive and evolving world of government contracting, companies need to stay ahead of the game and on top of the technology trends driving solutions to customers. But this innovation also needs to happen within and, considering how technology is reshaping the industry, the role of the chief information officer has never been more important.
These experts help build internal digital platforms, modernize internal IT infrastructure, adjust operating models, manage incoming innovation, and enhance processes with technology. These standards set the bar high for customer solutions and differentiate each organization from the next. Meet the CIOs with the management and IT knowledge to implement change from the inside out.
Alexandra Guenther
Senior Vice President & CIO, Leidos
Over the last year, Leidos’ corporate IT services was busy evaluating key capability improvements and AI-enabled data sources. Alexandra Guenther is proud of the team for rolling out the Moveworks’ digital employee assistant, a GenAI-driven conversational chatbot.
This assistant provides productivity-enhancing capability to Leidos’ nearly 50,000 employees around the globe – and that’s making the company’s smart employees even smarter.
“Lexy is a very focused and driven leader in Leidos,” said Steve Hull, president of Leidos’ digital modernization sector. “Her program and commercial background have translated into a driven approach to digital transformation within the Leidos enterprise. She collaborates extremely well across the business to drive outcomes in support of every mission. She is also very passionate about the mission of the Leidos customer and communities where we work; giving her time and expertise to support organizations across the landscape.”
Why Watch
As Leidos moves into a new era of strategic execution, Guenther’s team is heavily focused on driving outcomes in each of the global defense, intelligence, health, civil federal and commercial domains Leidos serves. Leveraging the connectedness of its systems, Leidos plans to design, curate and produce data products that allow for data-driven decisions at the speed of business. Efficient system processes, AI-ready data and continuous improvements will drive those successful outcomes in 2025 and beyond.
“You don’t always need to know your pathway to success,” Guenther said. “You do, however, need to be able to define success and have the courage to take the next best step on your way there.”
Fun fact: Growing up, Guenther was a diver for her school. Years later, she still takes any opportunity to go off a springboard in the summertime to have fun.
Carl Walser
Vice President of Information Technology & CIO, General Dynamics Mission Systems
In 2024, Carl Walser and his IT team successfully transitioned General Dynamics Mission Systems to a secure, hybrid multicloud environment that seamlessly supports its extensive enterprise services and multidisciplined engineering operations.
Through strategic resource management and comprehensive process optimization, the company realized increased capability, significant cost savings and operational efficiencies. As a cloud-ready, agile and forward-thinking organization, this success positions General Dynamics Mission Systems for continued growth in supporting customers and its dynamic missions with the right tools and enabling technologies.
“Carl has expertly managed and grown our IT capabilities through periods of massive change, spanning technologies, threats, mergers and COVID,” said Chris Brady, president of General Dynamics Mission Systems. “Bottom line: Carl’s forward-leaning, measured approach has allowed our team to deliver on our customer commitments thanks to our strong, resilient IT backbone.”
Why Watch
As disruptive technologies such as generative artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital twins become more critical in the industry, Walser is proud the IT organization has embraced how to not only use these technologies, but more importantly, how to use them to deliver game-changing solutions for the business.
For example, this year, the IT team partnered with the engineering organization to create internal, secure GenAI tools widely used across the business for code life-cycle assessment, writing assistance and summarization of large documents to enhance productivity.
“Our team is our most valuable resource, underpinning the entire General Dynamics Missions Systems enterprise,” Walser said. “While everyone has access to the same hardware, software, and service providers, our people uniquely understand our business and operations, and deliver solutions that drive success and increase our competitiveness. They are our secret sauce.”
Fun fact: Walser is a first-time grandfather. His grandson, Jake, just turned 6 months old.
David Shive
CIO, General Services Administration
Being the GSA CIO is one of the most rewarding achievements of David Shive’s professional career. “I love being a public servant who gets to work with the skilled tech workforce here in GSA IT,” he said.
While at GSA, Shive has seen major projects like zero trust architecture taken from concept to accomplishment across the agency and become an example for the federal government. Now, with the role of the CIO shifted from a service provider to a strategic partner in delivering products and services to customers, Shive and his team are exploring the pinnacle of innovation with technologies like AI that can deliver better value and savings for customer agencies.
“It’s an exciting time for federal IT,” he said. “We’re focused on turning good to better, and better to best because we’re all public servants, and that’s why we’re here. At GSA specifically, we put lots of time and attention into making incremental improvements, investing incrementally, whether that’s dollars or time or people — into doing things just a little bit better every year. And in the end, you know, you’ve done a lot better.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Shive and his team are heavily focused on:
Tech modernization: Making digital services simpler, more accessible, more equitable and more secure while maintaining core requirements like protecting national security, government assets and personal privacy. With digital tools and data to improve the delivery of public value, Shive and his team will use themselves as a proving ground and then scale those outcomes.
Artificial intelligence: Now that Shive and his team have piloted a few projects, they are moving into deeper exploration informed by previous disruptive technologies, and focusing on a discreet number of projects to invest their resources.
Cybersecurity: GSA is moving from traditional work models and work roles in favor of more team-based approaches to cyber including DevSecOps and Ongoing Authorizations. This strategy is to prioritize — never compromise — on what matters.
“David is a collaborative leader who sparks innovation and excitement on his team and leads by example every day,” said Katy Kale, GSA deputy administrator. “He has established a diverse, high-impact team that successfully tackles major technology challenges. As a result, his team consistently ranks as one of the top IT organizations to work for across government. David is a visionary leader who implements innovative ideas, inspires others, and delivers lasting results.”
Derrick Pledger
Chief Digital and Information Officer, Maximus
Derrick Pledger stepped into a new role at Maximus in 2024, and the results from his first year with the company have been remarkable.
In January, Maximus tapped Pledger to become the company’s first chief digital and information officer to drive growth through innovative modernization solutions and enterprise IT strategies that deliver seamless customer experience and service delivery.
Those goals came together in the spring when Maximus launched the Total Experience Management solution for federal agencies. Maximus TXM is designed with cloud-based modular, flexible and scalable technology to create a digital contact center for agencies that interact with the public and deliver services on a daily basis.
“TXM is helping the federal government reimagine and redefine how they offer services and improve the end-user experience,” Pledger said. “We’re already seeing the impact of TXM through new contract wins and expanded partnerships with agencies, and we’re anticipating that to accelerate in 2025.”
One example of TXM’s impact is with a new customer, the U.S. Postal Service. The Office of Personnel Management named Maximus as the Contact Center Services Provider for the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program which provides health insurance to eligible Postal Service employees, annuitants and their eligible family members starting in 2025. Maximus is creating an enhanced customer service platform dedicated to assisting eligible individuals in accessing multiple health insurance benefits.
Why Watch
Pledger’s impact on Maximus goes beyond technology, and into the development of the company’s workforce and leadership.
After joining Maximus, Pledger created a new chief technology officer role and recruited Mike Raker, a respected executive with deep experience across federal agencies, to continue pushing what’s possible with emerging technologies.
“There’s enormous potential for federal agencies through transformative technologies, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, and Maximus is a great position to implement these technologies to bolster the performance of federal agencies and improve the customer experience,” Pledger said. “Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we are excited because we know there’s much more we can do to help our customers meet their missions, improve communication, collaboration, security, decision-making, service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness.”
To that end, another company initiative Pledger started is the AI/ML Accelerator organization, which puts an emphasis on implementation and AI adoption across health, civilian and defense agencies. Maximus is currently working with a defense agency and several civilian agencies on setting up frameworks to deploy “Secure AI with a Purpose” as opposed to leveraging AI capabilities just for AI sake.
John B. Owens II
Senior Vice-President of Consulting Delivery, Federal Solutions Group, CGI
John B. Owens II has driven key advancements in CGI’s IT environment and security. Under his leadership, CGI expanded its services to include specialized teams for cyberattack simulations and defenses that rigorously test for vulnerabilities and strengthen security.
CGI now also offers certified forensics capabilities, enabling precise investigation and response to cyber incidents.
In 2024, Owens led the Federal Solutions Group to secure FedRAMP approval for the Sunflower asset management cloud solution, ensuring CGI can deliver secure, compliant cloud services to federal clients. He also oversaw the technology update of Momentum 8.2, CGI’s leading budget, financial and acquisition management software. This version now includes AI-driven automation to streamline workflows and improve agency productivity and efficiency, along with Momentum AI Assistant for tailored user support.
Owens’ team achieved a “high” rating from the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center, reinforcing CGI’s cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and fortify infrastructure.
“It’s crucial for me to empower my team to achieve mission outcomes through secure and reliable systems,” Owens said. “As a trusted advisor to our innovative teams, I am committed to ensuring they have the tools and support needed to excel in their roles and drive continuous improvement.”
Owens’ leadership focuses on continuous improvement and achieving measurable results through strategic development and security enhancements.
Why Watch
Owens and his team are focused on expanding the use of AI in CGI’s offerings in a meaningful and ethical way, ensuring these technologies provide value with minimal risk. Their efforts are driving innovation and operational efficiency across CGI’s product portfolio, positioning the company at the forefront of technological advancements in the IT and business consulting sectors.
Fun fact: Owens is an avid woodworker when he isn’t absorbed in science fiction and fantasy stories.
Kyle Michl
Chief Information and Innovation Officer, Accenture Federal Services
Kyle Michl’s biggest recent achievement as chief information and innovation officer is enabling a modern data fabric to underpin the strategy of using automation and AI tools to reimagine the way Accenture Federal Services works and delivers services today.
By establishing a data-led approach powered by emerging technologies such as generative AI, Michl and his team have positioned the company to provide cutting-edge services to clients while efficiently enabling operations.
“As Accenture Federal Services’ CIO, Kyle Michl brings a wealth of experience in emerging technologies, innovation, and enterprise transformation,” said Ron Ash, Accenture Federal Services CEO. “Both our federal agency clients and Accenture Federal Services’ internal corporate functions benefit from his unmatched ability to position organizations for modernization and future growth.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Accenture Federal Services is focused on continually reinventing the way it provides services to take advantage of AI technologies. The firm is scaling existing capabilities across the enterprise while deploying new and enhanced tools.
“We are at a critical time when it comes to adopting and building on the power of automation and artificial intelligence,” Michl said. “Those that lead organizations through this significant culture change of reimagining how to work in this new environment will be best positioned for the future.”
Fun fact: Michl is a big fan of being on or near the water. He particularly enjoys kayaking, especially early in the morning when it’s peaceful and quiet.
Mike Uster
CIO & CTO, ManTech
As CIO and CTO, Mike Uster supported his team as it advanced ManTech’s zero trust infrastructure by implementing secure access service edge technologies and the integration of Agentic AI solutions across ManTech’s key operational areas.
The Agentic AI transformation greatly enhanced the team’s ability to address challenges in real time and future-proof processes at an unprecedented scale. This was all achieved while the entire IT team earned a perfect 110 out of 110 on the CMMC L2 assessment.
“Under Mike’s leadership, ManTech IT is pioneering AI solutions that drive productivity and strategic decision-making across our organization,” said Matt Tait, ManTech president and CEO. “It is also a key ManTech differentiator demonstrating our ability to ‘prove it here first’ in a secure environment that meets our clients’ regulatory requirements and addresses their mission needs.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Uster and his team are heavily focused on expanding the use of AI-driven technologies across ManTech to boost productivity, innovation and security. By embedding AI into daily operations in a secure governed fashion, ManTech is creating a more agile and intelligent workforce ready to meet the demands of tomorrow — today.
“I believe in the power of AI not only to solve complex problems but to unlock human potential and transform how we work. By equipping our teams with diverse AI tools, we’re shaping a dynamic, resilient ManTech,” Uster said.
Fun fact: Uster is a lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan.
Luis David German
CIO, Amentum
As Amentum’s CIO, Luis David German staged and executed the company’s information technology plans in support of the recent merger between Amentum and Jacobs’ Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber and Intelligence units.
The plan’s execution enabled new Amentum to launch an IPO and integration from the first day by providing basic, but efficient IT services across employees from both legacy companies to immediately begin operating as a single unified company.
German’s IT team achieved a higher level of operational efficiency by streamlining resources, consolidating platforms and managing strategic vendor negotiations. “Kudos to my excellent team – they have successfully reduced Amentum’s IT run rate by 20% year over year by actualizing synergies from the company’s rapid M&A growth over the previous five years,” German said.
Amentum CEO John Heller added about German:
“In a dynamic external landscape where data protection and cybersecurity are the new frontline, Luis’ expert leadership is navigating us successfully through emerging trends like AI integration, 5G and sustainability efforts to shape our bright future at Amentum.”
Why Watch
In 2024, German and his team are heavily focused on fully integrating legacy Amentum and Jacobs’ iCMS units to achieve efficiencies that contribute to the bottom line of new Amentum, while welcoming new teammates and bringing everyone together.
They will continue the road map of digital transformation in two areas: Focusing on providing the company with inside data for prompt and accurate decision making; and delivering transparent and best-in-class project management information to customers. German and his team will leverage data to continue AI adoption and obtain data insights and process efficiencies across the entire organization.
And finally, they will also reduce vulnerabilities, improve resilience and achieve compliance with recently issued CMMC regulations through new cybersecurity enhancements.
“Challenge the status-quo and do not be afraid to ask ‘why.’ Be the example that inspires and empowers your team,” said German.
Fun fact: German collects information during his workday but gets creative while processing that data during his daily workouts, like swimming or running.
Shane Breland
CIO, Core4ce
Shane Breland led the successful migration of Core4ce’s critical enterprise systems to GovCloud and Government Community Cloud High environments. This move not only imporves Core4ce’s security posture and ensures compliance, but demonstrates to customers that Core4ce is proactive about securing data to protect national interests.
Breland is also proud of his role in Core4ce’s recent acquisition of Azimuth Corp., which will expand capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, AI/ML, threat protection and warfighter support.
“I’m particularly excited about the R&D work that Core4ce is conducting related to predictive analytics, data visualization and machine learning-driven sensor technology,” Breland said. “Our team aims to accelerate the pace at which new technologies advance from the research phase to operational deployment, so I’ll be focused on ensuring we’re positioned to move efficiently without sacrificing security.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Breland is focusing on further enhancing Core4ce’s cybersecurity posture, more deeply integrating AI and automation into business processes, and improving data and content access to support growth. It’s important to leverage AI to improve efficiency in areas like analyzing large amounts of threat data and matching corporate capabilities and resources with customer needs. Core4ce is focusing heavily on growth in 2025, and Breland plans to leverage a combination of internally developed and commercially available solutions to make corporate data more accessible to the team.
“Shane is a highly trusted and respected member of Core4ce’s executive team and has played a critical role in our recent growth,” said Core4ce CEO Mike Morehouse. “In addition to his technical credentials, he’s earned a reputation as our resident problem solver who is always willing to lend a hand and provide support to his colleagues.
“He and his team worked tirelessly to enhance the security posture of our enterprise systems this year, and I’m sincerely grateful for his dedication and leadership.”
Fun fact: After dropping out of college for the second time, Breland worked as a roughneck on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Working grueling 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, 100 miles off the coast of Louisiana was enough to send him running back to college looking for something to do with his brain rather than his back.
Tom Terjesen
Senior Vice President & CIO, Peraton
Tom Terjesen and his team recently completed a migration of all the company’s IT services to the cloud. Peraton now has 98% of its workload running in GovCloud. This project significantly reduced the company’s on-premise datacenter footprint and improved infrastructure capacity as the business grows.
The team increased effectiveness through technology innovations and advanced analytics to improve leadership insights and business intelligence. Lastly, they ensured a secure, resilient and compliant IT operational model that can withstand a dynamic threat environment.
“We were thrilled when Tom rejoined the Peraton team early this year,” said Rebecca McHale, chief human resource officer at Peraton. “ When it comes to the IT organization, Tom emphasizes a need for granular understanding of where the business is today, and where the business is going. In doing so, every strategic IT imperative is developed with the intent to empower the future of the business.
“This has always been true to Tom’s nature – but, in particular over this year as CIO, he has doubled down on ensuring modernization efforts, cybersecurity and compliance initiatives, and data analytics projects. These changes were implemented with great care and attention to improve the experience of our diverse employee base, and drive the innovations required to support Peraton’s way forward.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Terjesen and his team will continue to mature the IT department in conjunction with the business growth. The team will finalize its cybersecurity maturity model certification, continue to enhance its data analytics program, and introduce artificial intelligence into areas of the business to improve the total user experience. These changes are crucial for the IT team to ensure robust security, harness data-driven insights, and leverage AI technology, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and delivering a superior experience for users.
When going through times of uncertainty, Terjesen constantly reminds his team that “your team is the most important aspect of your success,” and “if you do your job to the best of your ability, good things will follow.” This has been a guiding principle throughout his career, and he tries to enforce this with his high-performing team.
Fun fact: Terjesen spends the majority of his nights and weekends on the baseball fields with his son’s Little League team. He volunteers his time with some of the coaching activities during practice but, during games, he has been designated “DJ Tom” for playing the walk-up songs when the kids are approaching home plate.
Venice Goodwine
CIO, Department of the Air Force
Venice Goodwine assumed the role as Department of the Air Force’s chief information officer last year with the mantra that the Air Force and Space Force does not do IT for IT’s sake, but instead, IT to enable the department’s mission.
Since then, she has driven the mantra to reality by guiding enterprise IT partners to deliver capabilities, advancing a culture of innovation, and leading the cyberspace and information technology civilian career field. Notably, under Goodwine’s tenure, the department delivered innovative capabilities airmen and guardians can experiment with like the DAF Innovation Landing Zone and NIPRGPT.
“Enterprise IT capabilities are the backbone of operational capability from bases to the tactical edge,” Goodwine said. “We work with enterprise and mission partners to ensure capabilities are secure and resilient. We continue to leverage data and AI to give airmen and Guardians back time on mission.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Goodwine and her team are investing in foundational cyber and IT capabilities to strengthen IT for the enterprise from the back office to the battlefield. Her team is focused on advancing enterprise IT capabilities to enable mission readiness. They are moving aggressively to implement zero trust and dynamic risk management across the enterprise. The department is committed to advancing Generative AI capabilities while ensuring responsible and ethical use of the technology. The team is on pace to deliver the enterprise help desk departmentwide by the end of fiscal year 2025.
“Our job, our fundamental mission – the reason we exist – is so we can be ready now and always,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.
Chad Materniak
CIO, Systems Planning and Analysis
Chad Materniak and his team refreshed SPA’s information technology strategy and technology roadmap to align with the objectives of the leadership team and facilitate key capabilities to enable the continued growth of the business.
Previous iterations of the strategy were tailored toward a 500-person organization focused on a limited capability set and a smaller subset of clients. The revised strategy accounts for SPA’s capabilities after several acquisitions, substantial organic growth, an international footprint and a significantly diversified client base.
Why Watch
In 2025, Materniak and his team are focused on building a technology foundation to accommodate rapid growth. SPA is growing rapidly and that requires his team to focus on building a scalable and secure platform into which they can quickly and seamlessly integrate users and organizations. To do this, they are re-examining the entire suite of enterprise applications, implementing tools that allow them to better manage enterprise data, and leveraging cloud to the degree practicable to meet infrastructure needs.
Fun fact: Materniak has a Ph.D. in elementary particle physics. Over the past 15 years, his career took a couple of turns, and he strayed from his scientific background. However, the Ph.D. taught him how to explain complicated concepts in relatively simple language, and that has proven useful in his role as CIO.
Ray Coleman
CIO, Koniag Government Services
Ray Coleman’s biggest recent achievement was leading a comprehensive overhaul of KGS’ corporate systems, including the Microsoft 365 and Azure environments. This involved implementing Microsoft Entra Single Sign-On across all on-prem and software-as-a-service systems and enhancing the corporate VPN with Global Secure Access to better secure and manage network traffic on corporate devices.
Additionally, they fully transitioned to Microsoft Sentinel as the SIEM solution for efficient log collection and security incident investigation, while leveraging Microsoft Intune for endpoint management and compliance enforcement.
“My legacy will not be about how many systems I put in place but rather how many people I have helped get to the next level,” Coleman said. “I am a servant to others, and my accomplishments are worthless if they don’t help the person to the left or right of me.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Coleman and his team are heavily focused on achieving CMMC Level 2 compliance to ensure KGS meets all required standards and is prepared for the audit process. This compliance goal aligns with KGS’ ongoing corporate systems overhaul.
Additionally, they are leading the modernization of two major corporate systems, with the financial system transition set for January 2025 and the HCM/HR system for April 2025.
“Ray’s leadership is instrumental in driving KGS’s modernization efforts and ensuring our systems meet stringent security and compliance standards,” said KGS CEO Kevin Wideman. “This dedication to innovation and resilience is vital to achieving our goals, especially as we prepare for CMMC Level 2 compliance and critical system transitions in 2025.”
Fun fact: Coleman can dance. He has moves!
Steve Hittle
CIO, ECS
Steve Hittle recently led the successful rollout of a new human resources information system, streamlining key HR processes and enhancing data accuracy across the organization.
In parallel, he prepared the team for the upcoming Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification audit, implementing critical security protocols and ensuring compliance readiness. These initiatives strengthen operational efficiency and cybersecurity posture, positioning ECS for future growth and compliance excellence.
“I’m incredibly proud of our CIO organization — a team of dedicated professionals who constantly push boundaries, drive innovation and elevate our organization’s capabilities,” said ECS President John Heneghan. “Together, we’re setting new standards in IT excellence and making a meaningful impact every day.”
Why Watch
Hittle’s team is at the forefront of driving AI, ML and digital transformation initiatives, bringing innovation to every aspect of ECS’ work. By harnessing advanced technologies, they’re enhancing decision-making, optimizing processes, and creating more agile and data-driven solutions. Watching Hittle’s team means seeing firsthand how strategic technology innovation can reshape business operations and unlock new growth opportunities.
“I’m proud to lead such an exceptional IT organization, where talent, innovation and commitment come together to solve complex challenges and drive our success forward,” Hittle said. “This team truly exemplifies the power of technology to transform an organization.”
Fun fact: Alongside Hittle’s work in IT, he’s also a certified fitness and nutrition instructor. Health and wellness are important to him, and he loves helping others reach their goals in and out of the workplace.
