Speakers

As President, Digital Experience Business, Anil Chakravarthy drives the vision and operations for Adobe’s Digital Experience business, one of the world’s largest SAAS businesses and the leader in the Customer Experience Management (CXM) category. In addition, he is responsible for the company’s worldwide field operations.

Joining Adobe in January 2020, Anil brings decades of product innovation and industry expertise to his role leading strategy, product management, engineering and marketing for Adobe Experience Cloud. With solutions for data and insights, content and commerce, customer journey management, and advertising, Adobe Experience Cloud is powering digital businesses across both B2B and B2C for companies of every size. The foundation of Adobe Experience Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, is the industry’s first purpose-built CXM platform, enabling the delivery of personalized customer experiences in real-time at scale.

In his role overseeing worldwide field operations, Anil leads Adobe’s global enterprise sales organization and customer success functions, which are focused on supporting brands as they navigate digital transformation.

Anil joined Adobe from Informatica, a global leader in enterprise cloud data management, where he served as chief executive officer from 2015 to 2020. At Informatica, Anil led the successful transformation of the company to cloud and subscription services. Anil joined Informatica in September 2013 as the executive vice president and chief product officer responsible for product development, product management, and product marketing.

Prior to Informatica, for nearly a decade, Anil held leadership roles at Symantec Corporation. Anil was the executive vice president of Information Security at Symantec, responsible for overseeing engineering, product management and operations for an extensive product portfolio including Data Loss Prevention, E-Mail and Web Security (on-premise and cloud), Managed Services, Trust Services and Authentication. Additionally, Anil led multiple product groups, including Endpoint Protection, Mobile Security and Management, Encryption, Storage and High-Availability, and India Product Operations as well as Enterprise Global Consulting.

Prior to Symantec, Anil led product management for enterprise security services at VeriSign. Anil began his career at McKinsey & Company, where he rose to become the co-leader of the E-Business Practice in the Business Technology Office in Silicon Valley.
Anil received a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Institute of Technology, Varanasi, India. Additionally, Anil received his Master of Science and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Anil serves on the board of Ansys, Inc., and previously served on the board of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

Mr. Caron is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Assistant Inspector General of Information Technology (AIG/IT) for the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as of May 2021. Mr. Caron has over 24 years of information technology (IT) experience. He began his career in the US Army working in hands-on technical positions serving for 7 years.

Previously he has served as the Director of Enterprise Network Management (ENM) within the Directorate of Operations in the Bureau of Information Resource Management (IRM) at the Department of State (DOS) since June 2016.

Mr. Caron then spent 2 years as a contractor with the federal government, where he acquired more refined technical skills and a more detailed understanding of IT operations. He joined the federal government at the Department of State (DOS) in 2003 as a Systems Administrator. He has held multiple positions at the DOS, moving from managing small technical groups leading up to Director for ENM.

One of his most significant accomplishments was acting as the technical liaison during a major cyber security event at the Department. His leadership allowed the Department to resolve the incident as quickly and effectively as possible with minimal impact to the mission.

As the Director of ENM, Mr. Caron was personally responsible for the leadership of the largest office within the IRM bureau. This included managing the financial portfolio of over $200 million and prioritization of work across a wide range of disciplines. In this role he was responsible for the network and authentication infrastructure for the Department, led the re-engineering of the Department’s primary Identity and Access Management solution, formed teams to address key security efforts needed to mitigate future potential cybersecurity attacks through collaborative efforts, led the redesign of the Department’s Active Directory significantly improving security and responsible for the engineering and management of all the Department’s global network infrastructure and perimeter security infrastructure.

Mr. Caron is a co-chair on the CIO’s Innovation Counsel for Zero Trust as well as co-chair for ATARC.org Zero Trust Working Group. He previously chaired ATARC.org Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) 3.0 Working Group which resulted in 8 vendor proof of concepts being delivered to government participants.

Mr. Caron received his associate degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Computer Information Systems, Network Administration from the Northern Virginia Community College. At the Department of State, he also has received training in Executive Potential Program from the USDA Graduate School in 2009 and Advanced Leadership Skills in 2014. He received his certification in May 2020 as a Forrester Zero Trust - Strategist (ZTX-S) and received his Federal IT Security Manager Certification (FITSP-M) in 2017. Mr. Caron has received numerous individual awards for his exceptional service since 2004.

Mr. Kenney is a Civilian Senior Executive serving as Chief Data Officer and Director of Al for U.S. Special Operations Command. As a direct report to the Commander, his primary duty is to accelerate digital transformation for the entire Special Operations enterprise through collaborative efforts with industry, academia, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies. Mr. Kenney is a serial entrepreneur as both a Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer, with deep experience in start-ups and turnarounds. Over the past 20 years, he served on or led senior executive teams and corporate boards that have delivered nearly $3B in value to investors and shareholders through multiple exits via acquisition by private equity and Fortune 100 enterprises. Most recently, Mr. Kenney led companies and teams to develop advanced cloud computing applications that employ Al and machine learning techniques for systems that measure in the hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Mr. Kenney has over two decades of enlisted and officer experience in the Army Reserve and National Guard, including multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and Africa as a Civil Affairs officer. He has participated in several multi-national exercises and taught civil-military techniques globally to foreign partners as a part of NATO education programs. Mr. Kenney also serves as a technical advisor and board member within the Department of Defense and industry focusing on developing cloud, data, and Al capabilities. Mr. Kenney holds a Master of Science in Computer Science with research on interactive intelligence from Georgia Tech and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

Gardy Rosius is the Acting Deputy CIO of Architecture, Engineering, Technology, & Innovation (AETI) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). In this capacity, he works closely with OCIO leadership and other stakeholders to help the agency evolve and maintain a resilient and innovative IT culture. He provides expert advice on Departmental IT architecture policy and guidelines, and collaboration and solution integration for OCIO, field sites, and laboratories. With 2 decades of experience in both the private and public sector, Mr. Rosius leads with an emphasis on transformative innovation and holds a strong interest and broad awareness of technological advances that achieve value-based outcomes and enable enterprise wide synergy through common IT products, services, and solutions.

Through the DOE Innovation Community Center (ICC), a centralized portal and collaborative hub for leading edge research and technology adoption, Mr. Rosius leads the implementation of alternative and transformation solutions through build factory capabilities for repeatable, agile deployments, including applied AI and data science, for advancing missions areas.

Previously, Mr. Rosius served as the Deputy Director for Application Engineering and Development at the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, helping the agency to stay at the 'cutting edge of the nation's technological progress and achievement'. Mr. Rosius also spent several years at the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, in various IT leadership roles.

Michael E. Johnson joined ICE in October 2005 as a contract multimedia production specialist before becoming a full-time federal employee.

A recognized expert in the digital engagement of national and international communication strategies, public affairs campaigns and communication tactics, Mr. Johnson has directed and mentored his team in the handling of controversial and sensitive topics for ICE’s online presence through monitoring and analyzing emerging trends and recurring issues related to public understanding of the agency's mission and operations.

Through his many roles at ICE, Mr. Johnson has been responsible for modernizing ICE’s internal communication culture, policies and programs to become more effective, consistent and transparent, while advancing the interests of the agency.

He was at the forefront of managing ICE’s online presence, providing editorial and branding expertise to the agency. In addition to the handling of controversial and sensitive topics for ICE’s online presence, Mr. Johnson participated in the crisis communication planning for these controvertible issues.

An accomplished video producer, Mr. Johnson has managed all technical aspects of ICE’s production studio and control room. He oversees a range of professional broadcast equipment used by ICE to produce and record program material. In addition, Mr. Johnson has produced, directed and edited the production of state-of-the-art video productions used by ICE for education, instruction, promotion and public information purposes.

Mr. Johnson graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park - College of Journalism.

Alexandra Mugge is the Deputy Chief Health Informatics Officer, and Director of the Health Informatics and Interoperability Group (HIIG) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where she and her team have led the Agency’s interoperability and health IT efforts since 2018. HIIG’s mission is to “promote the secure exchange, access, and use of electronic health information to support better informed decision making and a more efficient healthcare system.”

Before leading CMS’ interoperability efforts in her current role, Alex served as the Deputy Director of the Division of Health IT in the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ), where she and her team lead the overhaul of the Meaningful Use Programs to create the Promoting Interoperability initiatives. Alex has broad experience health care policy, and in evaluating health care initiatives and programs to promote better access to health information and support value-based care.

Alex earned her Masters of Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University where she specialized in Public Health Policy.

Harrison Smith is Co-Director of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Enterprise Digitalization and Case Management Office. In this role, he spearheads IRS efforts to modernize systems, simplify business processes, and empower taxpayers and IRS employees to rapidly resolve issues in simplified digital environments.

Prior to this role, Harrison served as the Deputy Chief Procurement Officer in the IRS Office of the Chief Procurement Officer. He was responsible for all acquisition programs and over $2.6B in contract spending and 12,000 contract actions per year for equipment, supplies, and services for IRS and Treasury Departmental Offices.

Before joining the IRS, Harrison served as the Industry Liaison for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this role, he was responsible for providing leadership and direction for DHS offices and outside officials for all aspects of the DHS industry engagement program. He also served as a principal advisor to the Chief Procurement Officer on matters relating to all aspects of procurement.

Harrison has over 15 years of operational procurement experience with various DHS offices and the Naval Sea Systems Command, including acting as the Contracting Officer for several multi-billion-dollar IT procurements. As the Director of the Enterprise Acquisitions Division with DHS, he was responsible for a portfolio of 25 strategically sourced contracts with a cumulative value of $68 billion. He has also worked in policy and strategic analysis positions on Capitol Hill and has supported the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy for Business Initiatives and the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel under the auspices of the Presidential Management Fellows program.

Harrison was born in Virginia and currently resides in Alexandria with his wife and four children. He holds a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in US Foreign Policy from The American University, and an M.B.A. from George Washington University. Harrison brings a wealth of leadership, acquisition, and operational experience and a high standard of professionalism.

Glen Gilbertson is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Hennepin County, Minnesota. Having been appointed to the role in 2019, Mr. Gilbertson is responsible for overseeing the county’s technology and setting the future direction for the organization. He advises county leadership on technology to position the organization for success. Glen has worked to provide leadership and direction through the multiple roles he has played in IT since he started working for the county in 1995.

Michael Rossman is Hennepin County’s Chief Human Resources Officer and sits on the executive team for this 9000+ employee organization. He has been with Hennepin County for 30 years serving in many capacities, most notably in his current Human Resources executive leadership role as well as the previous administrator for the nationally recognized regional medical examiner’s office owned and operated by Hennepin County. Michael’s philosophy is that if you support continuous improvement, trust employees to take risks and find ways to spark curiosity by giving employees exposure to all parts of the business, you can build capable, dedicated leaders that support the county’s mission & vision. Through strong research-based strategies and policy changes that embrace a new radical flexibility for the workforce, Mr. Rossman is proactively embracing the new Future of Work in order to attract and retain a talented and diverse hybrid workforce.

Chris Wollesen has worked in State government for over 20 years in various agencies.  During his career he has had positions included development and project management roles for LIHEAP and Weatherization along with various other public facing programs. In his current role as Supervisor for the Web Content Management unit for the Department of Innovation and Technology he leads the group responsible for the creation and upkeep of the State’s public facing website platform. 

Illinois has been undergoing an extensive project to modernize their public facing web properties and increase their resident focus and capabilities of those properties.  Using a multitude of class-leading products and practices DoIT is bringing major enhancements to the way government and the people of Illinois interact making it easier to find information and a more customer centric approach.

Experienced executive in the private and public sector - digital enthusiast and change agent.

Max Everett is an IT modernization and cybersecurity risk leader whose work has supported some of the highest risk and highest profile organizations in the world. He has focused on the successful integration of risk management and business requirements in multiple Chief Information Officer (CIO) roles, helping organizations provide technology that meets customer needs while managing cyber risk.

He was the CIO for the U.S. Department of Energy from 2017 to 2019, overseeing the Department’s information technology portfolio, serving as an advisor to the Deputy Secretary and Secretary, and accelerating cybersecurity risk management and modernization at the Department. He successfully transitioned the Department to a new multi-billion-dollar managed services contract, began migration to the cloud, and led the development of a published Department-wide Cybersecurity Strategy.

He was the CIO for the White House in 2008 and has held technology leadership roles at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce, and on seven National Special Security Events. He has also consulted for private sector companies from small businesses to the Fortune 20 on digital modernization and cybersecurity risk.

Max received a B.A. degree from the University of Texas in Austin and a J.D. degree from the University of Houston Law School and is a member of the State Bar of Texas. He holds several professional certifications including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and two daughters.

Suzette Kent is a global business transformation executive and, most recently, served as the Federal Chief Information Officer for the United States. Appointed by President Donald Trump in January 2018, Kent served until July of 2020. Kent’s career has included leadership roles ranging from partner at Accenture and EY, to president of consulting at Carreker Corporation (FiServ), to managing director at JP Morgan. She currently leads her own advisory business through which she continues strategic transformation work with clients around the world, across industries and in the public and private sectors. Throughout her career her focus has always centered on technology modernization, cybersecurity, digital enablement, and ways that technology can be leveraged to solve challenges. Suzette is a strategic advisor to multiple organizations, is on the board of Directors of Hancock Whitney Bank, a National Board member of the LSU Foundation and works with many technology company Advisory Boards.

As a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Stephen Murphy and his partner, Javier Pena, targeted the world’s first narco-terrorist, Pablo Escobar, and the Medellin Cartel. Living and working alongside their Colombian National Police counterparts in Medellin, Colombia, as well as with elite U.S. military units, their efforts resulted in the dismantlement of the largest and most violent international drug trafficking organization of its time. This was a first in the field of international narcotics investigations. U.S. and international law enforcement agencies continue to utilize many of the strategies and innovative ideas that were created and implemented by Steve and Javier.

Steve began his law enforcement career in 1975 as a Police Officer in the City of Bluefield, WV. He then moved to Norfolk, VA, and was employed as a Special Agent for the Norfolk Southern Corporation.

In 1987, Steve became a Special Agent with the DEA. His agent assignments included Miami, FL; Bogotá, Colombia; and Greensboro, NC. Earning progressive promotions and leadership roles, Steve served two tours in Atlanta, GA, where he was assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) office and led the Mobile Enforcement Team Program, and later created and directed the Atlanta Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force. In 2001, Steve was assigned to the Special Operations Division in Washington, DC, serving as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge and as the Executive Assistant to the Director. In 2009, Steve was promoted to the Senior Executive Service ranks as Deputy Assistant Administrator over DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence in Washington, DC, and later as the Special Agent in Charge/Director of the Department of Justice (DOJ), OCDETF Fusion Center, where he remained until his retirement in 2013, after 37+ years in law enforcement.

Steve was the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his law enforcement career, to include the “DEA Special Agent of the Year Award,” the “DEA Administrator’s Group Achievement Award,” the “Director’s Award” from DOJ’s OCDETF Program, the “Distinguished Service Cross” from the Republic of Colombia (first time presented to a non-Colombian official), and the “International Award of Honor” from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.

Following retirement, Steve founded a private company that provides specialized training and solutions associated with drug related issues, law enforcement, intelligence, and investigations. Focusing on their overseas experiences, Steve and Javier provide keynote addresses worldwide that discuss their experiences, leadership principles, conflict management, and how to survive and succeed when faced with seemingly overwhelming odds. Audiences include corporate events, conferences, universities/colleges, performing arts centers, law enforcement, and non-profit/charitable organizations. Steve and Javier served as Technical Consultants for the hit Netflix series, Narcos, which is based on their activities in Colombia. They have appeared in numerous documentaries and programs. In late 2019, their book, Manhunters – How We Took Down Pablo Escobar, was released by St. Martin’s Press and is currently available in 13 countries.

In addition to keynote speaking, Steve and Javier continue their efforts to bring awareness to current drug related issues including the opioid/heroin/fentanyl epidemic, and deadly counterfeit medications illegally entering the U.S. They have spoken twice about these topics on Capitol Hill to members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and to the American Legislative Exchange Conference and other state level organizations. Steve serves on the Advisory Board of Verde Technologies, a company that produces drug deactivation kits.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Bluefield State College. He is a graduate of several executive leadership programs at the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University. Steve is married with four children.

Javier Peña retired from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Special Agent in Charge (SAC) in January 2014 after 30 years of service. His career was highlighted by his volunteering for assignment to the DEA office in Bogota, Colombia in 1988, where then Special Agent Peña and his partner, then-Special Agent Steve Murphy, set out to bring down the notorious Medellin drug cartel led by Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, or Pablo Escobar. U.S. and international law enforcement agencies continue to utilize many of the strategies and innovative ideas that were created and implemented by Javier and Steve.

Special Agents Peña and Murphy worked and lived with a handpicked group of Colombian National Police (CNP) personnel while pursuing Escobar. During Escobar’s reign of narco-terrorism, the cartel kingpin ordered the deaths of thousands of innocent people, including police officers, politicians, judges and a presidential candidate. Mr. Peña spent six years in the search for Pablo Escobar before his team successfully captured and killed Escobar. For his efforts, Peña received Colombia’s highest award given to someone not a Colombian citizen, as well as commendation awards from the DEA and the international community.

Mr. Peña is regarded as a subject matter expert on the Medellin Cartel and has delivered more than 100 presentations on the Cartel, including numerous rare photos of original events during the rise and fall of the Cartel. His presentations feature the details of his years spent trying to bring Escobar to justice and stop the carnage of the Medellin cartel. Peña has also appeared in television documentaries and on national news programs as well as in the Latin media.

Mr. Peña continued to serve in various and successful DEA assignments after completing his Colombia assignment, including nine years serving as a Special Agent in Charge of three different major field divisions. Mr. Peña was first promoted to the ranks of Senior Executive Service (SES) as the Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco office in 2004 before leading the Caribbean DEA office as the Special Agent in Charge from 2008 until 2011. As SAC for the Caribbean field office, Mr. Peña oversaw DEA operations in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Haiti, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. After the Caribbean, SAC Peña led the Houston Field division, covering the San Antonio, Laredo and McAllen, Texas areas. SAC Peña delivered leadership and guidance, ensuring the exemplary performance of Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, Diversion Prescription Personnel, Asset Forfeiture Specialists and others in the investigations of highly sophisticated criminal organizations operating domestically and internationally. Retired SAC Peña graduated from Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, cum laude, and is fluent in Spanish and English. The U.S Government honored Mr. Peña in 2010 with the Presidential Rank Award in 2010, awarded to exceptional career Senior Executive Service (SES) members and Senior Career Employees.

Following retirement, Javier and Steve provide specialized training and solutions associated with drug related issues, law enforcement, intelligence, and investigations. Focusing on their overseas experiences, Javier and Steve provide keynote addresses worldwide that discuss their experiences, leadership principles, conflict management, and how to survive and succeed when faced with seemingly overwhelming odds. Audiences include corporate events, conferences, universities/colleges, performing arts centers, law enforcement, and non-profit/charitable organizations. Steve and Javier served as Technical Consultants for the hit Netflix series, Narcos, which is based on their activities in Colombia. They have appeared in numerous documentaries and programs. In late 2019, their book, Manhunters – How We Took Down Pablo Escobar, was released by St. Martin’s Press and is currently available in 13 countries.

In addition to keynote speaking, Javier and Steve continue their efforts to bring awareness to current drug related issues including the opioid/heroin/fentanyl epidemic, and deadly counterfeit medications illegally entering the U.S. They have spoken twice about these topics on Capitol Hill to members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and to the American Legislative Exchange Conference and other state level organizations

Margaret Graves is the former Deputy Federal CIO for the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. The Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer drives value in Federal IT, delivers digital services, protects Federal IT assets
and information, and develops the next generation IT workforce. In her previous role, Margie worked to improve the way Government delivers results and technology services to the public. She drove elements of the President’s Management Agenda; IT Modernization, Data as a Strategic Asset and Workforce of the 21st Century.

Previously, Margie served as the Deputy CIO at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As the Deputy CIO, she had oversight of an IT portfolio of $5.4 billion in programs. In addition, she managed the operations of the Office of the Chief Information
Officer, covering the functional areas of Applied Technology, Enterprise Architecture, Data Management, IT Security, Infrastructure Operations, IT Accessibility, Budget and Acquisition.

Prior to her selection as DHS Deputy CIO, she was the Executive Director of the Enterprise Business Management Office within the DHS Office of the CIO. She developed and executed IT Portfolio strategies in alignment with the DHS mission. She
also served as the Deputy Program Manager for the DHS Border and Transportation Security IT Integration Program which established the operational foundation and roadmap for consolidating and securing segments of the DHS application portfolio, data
architecture and IT infrastructure.

Margie has private sector experience in the management consulting industry, where she held executive positions and also performed consulting engagements for clients. She has experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and venture capital planning, systems engineering, business process reengineering, strategic planning and financial management. She worked for several global consulting firms including ten years with A.T. Kearney, Inc. She worked for clients in the chemical, utility and medical services industries, and held leadership positions in technology and financial management.

She holds a M.B.A. from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia.

Craig P. Abod is president and founder of Carahsoft Technology Corp., a Reston, Virginia-based firm that has become the nation’s most respected and fastest growing Public Sector-focused distributor.

In founding Carahsoft, Abod combined his entrepreneurial spirit and 25+ years of experience in government sales, marketing and contract management to create a new company that has redefined the way technology is marketed and sold to the public sector market.

In just 18 years, Abod has grown the company from $0 to more than $10 billion in bookings. Working with a robust and growing ecosystem of thousands of reseller partners, system integrators, IT solutions providers and a deep portfolio of contract vehicles, Carahsoft proactively markets, sells, and distributes emerging and leading IT solutions to government markets in the U.S. and Canada, as well as education, healthcare, critical infrastructure, not-for-profit and commercial markets.

As a top-ranked GSA Schedule, SEWP and ITES-SW2 contract holder, the company, which now employs more than 2,200 team members, has established strategic, long-term relationships with the industry’s leading software and hardware manufacturers including Adobe, Splunk, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, VMware, Salesforce, Zoom, DocuSign, Micro Focus Government Solutions, Dell Technologies, Snowflake, Palo Alto Networks, ServiceNow, Veritas, Broadcom, and SAP, among hundreds of other established and emerging technology providers.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Abod has received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Greater Washington Region, The Federal 100 Award twice and the FCW Eagle Award for Industry. Carahsoft is also consistently recognized as the top performing partner for many of its vendor partners and is listed among the top government contractors and industry’s fastest growing and largest firms by Forbes, CRN, Inc., Washington Technology, The Washington Post, and the Washington Business Journal.

Christina Adams is a Digital Accessibility Software Engineer at Siteimprove and is a certified Web Accessibility Specialist through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. Christina's work is focused on crafting successful user experiences and is a champion of inclusive process improvements. As an accessibility subject matter expert she helps drive accessibility initiatives and provides educational and consultative services to our customers worldwide. With a deep technical understanding of the web alongside a passion for design and user experience Christina is helping to create a more inclusive and accessible web.

Merritt (Twitter: @MerrittBaer) is a Principal in the Office of the CISO at Amazon Web Services. Merritt provides technical cloud security guidance to complex, regulated organizations like the Fortune 100, and advises the leadership of AWS’ largest customers on security as a bottom line proposition. She also helps build strategic initiatives for how AWS secures itself, running on AWS, and how we externalize security services.

Merritt has experience in all three branches of government and the private sector. Before Amazon, Merritt served as Lead Cyber Advisor to the Federal Communications Commission. She has also served at the US Department of Homeland Security, the Office of US Senator Michael Bennet, and the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Before joining the government, Merritt started a business advisory for emerging tech companies.

Merritt speaks regularly on infosec, including cloud computing, AI/ML, quantum computing, and the future of the Internet. Her insights on business strategy and tech have been published in Forbes, The Baltimore Sun, The Daily Beast, LawFare, Talking Points Memo, and ThinkProgress. Her academic work has appeared in the journals of Temple, Georgetown, Santa Clara, UPenn, and UVA.
Merritt is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard College. She is admitted to the Bars of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court. Based in Miami, FL, she has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a National Security Fellow at the Center for New American Security, and a Cyber Fellow at the East-West Institute. She is founder of women’s tech expert network Tech & Roses; has served as Adjunct Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland and Penn State Law School; is a mother, and was an amateur boxer.

James is a digital commerce innovator and thought leader with a deep passion for driving business success from digital commerce ecosystems.

With more than 20 years of experience as a solutions architect. James made his first online sale (a music CD) via an eCommerce system built with open source software in 1996. His digital retail experiences have given James a comprehensive understanding of every challenge facing businesses and opportunities that exist within them. He also has extensive experience in omnichannel marketing and bricks-and-clicks businesses.

After earning his Honours Degree in Engineering, James continued his education and received an MBA from Melbourne and Copenhagen Business Schools. He has become the “go-to guy” for online retail and marketing.

Ross Nodurft is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation. Ross works closely with members on issues related to government policy and advocacy, standards and regulatory compliance. Having served as principal of Risk Management and Government Solutions at a digital identity and cybersecurity firm and chief of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Cyber Team in the White House overseeing federal government IT and cybersecurity policy, Ross has significant experience on advising how to navigate issues at the nexus of technology, cybersecurity, and IT modernization.

David currently serves as Vice President, Strategy & Consulting for Publicis Sapient where he supports organizations to define and build teams to navigate change and harness the impact of digital technology to deliver outcomes that make life better for people. Recent work includes numerous public sector clients across North America, Europe and the Middle East.

David served in the UK Government as the Deputy Director of Digital Policy in the founding leadership team at the Government Digital Service (GDS). GDS led the digital transformation of the UK government, developing services so useful that citizens chose to adopt digital first behavior and, with the Civil Service Reform Plan, supported the development of public service skills for department to build, operate, maintain and continuously improve their services. The digital reform agenda saved £4 billion from the government's technology bill, opened public sector contracts to thousands of new suppliers, and delivered pioneering online services.  

Previously David led Strategic Design at the Institute for State Effectiveness in Washington, DC developing citizen-centered solutions to issues of governance and market-building. ISE was cited by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the most important voices in international affairs.

As the Global Head of Innovation for Ogilvy, David worked with IBM, American Express, Kodak and Dove. As Global Lead, Strategy & Insights at Y&R Brands he worked exclusively with Microsoft as they pivoted to internet services. At the New Yorker he was responsible for leading the magazine into the digital age, establishing the New Yorker Out Loud and building the first website with Harvard University. David served on the advisory board for the Rockefeller Foundation Cultural Innovation Fund and is a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute.

Bill Donellan is the vice president of Adobe’s public sector business, which caters to a wide range of government customers, including national security, defense, health and human services, and civilian federal agencies.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Donellan manages all sales and go-to-market strategies for the computer software company’s public sector business in North America. He leads a team of professionals dedicated to delivering modern, efficient and engaging digital experiences for government agencies.

Before being promoted to his current position, Donellan spent nearly five years as area vice president of sales. In that role, he was responsible for promoting a digital publishing solution designed to help marketers and designers create and publish engaging mobile app experiences.

Donellan joined Adobe in May 2015 after a six-year stint with IBM Software Group. He served as the company’s worldwide sales leader and was in charge of IBM i2, a threat intelligence analysis platform that can be used to investigate fraud and financial crimes.

Earlier in his career, Donellan worked for EMC Corporation, a provider of innovative solutions for cloud, data center, cybersecurity and workforce productivity. One of his duties was to lead the company’s federal Documentum sales team.

Donellan completed his bachelor’s degree in marketing from James Madison University before earning a Master of Business Administration degree from Averett University.

As Public Sector CTO, John’s team is responsible for digital transformation solutions incorporating electronic documents, digital media, content management, analytics, information assurance, and collaboration technologies to support business efficiency & optimization, training & mission readiness, content security, and citizen & personnel engagement. John has been with the company for over nineteen years, working across enterprise product lines, including Acrobat and LiveCycle. His team has developed public and private cloud solutions for secure collaboration and information security to protect intellectual property, homeland security, and privacy related information within government, commercial, and education markets. Innovations include the Certified Document program to facilitate authentic electronic documents with digital signatures, Enterprise Rights Management to persistently protect sensitive content, and Adobe’s first applications providing forms and workflow approvals to mobile users. John’s technology expertise includes product management related to cloud services, application servers, operating systems, enterprise applications, mobile applications, secure networks, PKI, identity management, risk management frameworks and encryption technologies. He has provided testimony to Congress, visited all 50 states, received 9 security related US patents, previously held positions at NeXT and Apple, is a Certified Information System Security Professional, and a graduate of Northwestern University.

Jonathan Benett is a business and information technology (IT) leader with over 20 years of experience in leadership, IT program and project management, strategic planning, operations, and corporate business development. He specializes in the identification of public sector business requirements and the development of innovative technology solutions to meet the unique challenges of government.
Jonathan is currently the Technical Director for Digital Government Solutions at Adobe Systems Federal.

Prior to Adobe, he was the Chief Enterprise Architect for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). He also worked at the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Administrator, IT Program Manager for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Acting CTO, and Acting Deputy Regional Administrator for FNS’ Northeast Regional Office. Before working at the USDA, Jonathan led the Project Management Office for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, preceded by ten years of successful experience in private industry.

In each of his multifaceted roles, Jonathan displays enthusiasm, integrity, character, and professional leadership qualities that benefit the greater public sector IT community. Federal Computer Week recently recognized him through the distinguished “Fed 100” award.

Amy is a senior strategist on Adobe’s Digital Strategy Public Sector team with a passion for promoting accessibility within digital experiences. Prior to her role as a consultant in the Public Sector, Amy advised many companies in the commercial space at Adobe, chronicled the 2018 midterm elections in a political newsroom, and tracked emerging cross-industry digital trends at Gartner. She graduated magna cum laude and with honors from the University of Pennsylvania for her BA. Originally from Minnesota, you can find her fostering dogs and fishing in lakes in her spare time!

With over 25 years in the enterprise software industry, Chris Lim has served a plethora of commercial and public sector clients both locally and globally. His proven expertise in combining technologies, business requirements, and strategic analysis to deliver enterprise-solutions has helped maximize stakeholders’ value.

As a Digital Experience Sales Leader with Adobe Public Sector, he has the privilege to help public sector organizations meet their mission to serve their stakeholders through digital strategies and solutions.

David Santiago, Public Sector Strategy, Adobe Document Cloud David has 18 years of experience in technology leadership roles supporting the public sector, with over 15 years spent in senior roles in the federal government. David came to Adobe from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) where he served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Grants Systems and Policy Integration, the Agency’s first senior executive responsible for providing all FEMA grant programs with consistent guidance, processes, and systems for grants management.

David also served in technology leadership roles at the Small Business Administration, where he led the transformation and modernization of the Agency’s disaster loan origination system, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, where he helped transform their financial, acquisition and assistance programs and systems. David is passionate about the potential for digital technology to help the government better serve the public and its citizens

Terry has been with Adobe for over 25 years and has extensive knowledge of Adobe’s Creative Professional product line.
In his current position, he leads the charge in delivering presentations world wide on Adobe's Creative Cloud Solutions.
Terry is an Adobe Certified Expert.
He has been active in the industry for over 25 and is a columnist for Photoshop User Magazine. Terry is the host of the top ranked award winning Adobe Creative Cloud TV Video Podcast.
He is also the author of Secrets of the Adobe Bridge and co-author of The iPhone Book and InDesign CS/CS2 Killer Tips. Terry is a key presenter at major industry shows around the world.