Speakers

The U.S. Census Bureau’s first Customer Experience Officer, Michele Bartram currently leads CX and related digital transformation strategies. Prior to joining the Census Bureau, she served in senior customer experience, digital transformation and communications roles in three other federal agencies, including recently in the Commerce Department’s BusinessUSA, winning the President’s Award for Customer Service. Prior to that she served in the Government Publishing Office (GPO) overseeing the U.S. Government Online Bookstore and related marketing. Her first government role was with the United States Mint where she launched the first digital division and ecommerce site in federal government. She started her career in IBM’s National Federal Marketing Division in Maryland as a systems engineer and technology solution consultant for federal agencies such as HHS, SBA, NCUA plus the World Bank. After that, she led major digital and marketing initiatives—including Top 30 ecommerce businesses— in the US and Europe with such major brands as: Lane Bryant, Sears, Rand McNally, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, iVillage.com, Reeds Jewelers, Seagram’s, and Baskin Robbins International. Ms. Bartram earned a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a James M. Johnston Scholar.

Dr. Tim Persons is the Chief Scientist and Managing Director of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team at GAO.

CDR Pete Ladowicz currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Research.  Prior to this role, in his civilian capacity, CDR Ladowicz was the Assistant Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Congressional Affairs. As Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Ladowicz advised CBP and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership on all legislative and congressional matters that have a nexus to CBP’s activities, programs, and operations. Furthermore, he oversaw all legislative aspects of key priorities to include appropriations, trade facilitation, and technology acquisition.

Before joining CBP in July 2017, Mr. Ladowicz held numerous positions within DHS. Most recently, he acted as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs where he directly supported the Secretary by devising and implementing a legislative strategy pertaining to the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to that, Mr. Ladowicz was a Director for Legislative Affairs, where he was responsible for managing the congressional priorities for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, Office of Health Affairs, and Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). Mr. Ladowicz also held positions within S&T, first as a Special Assistant to the S&T Under Secretary and later as the S&T Industry Liaison and Deputy Chief Commercialization Officer.

While on active duty, CDR Ladowicz served as Executive Officer of NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, and, prior to that role, piloted UH-3H Sea King helicopters.  As a reservist, he served as the Operations Officer for the Chief of Naval Operations Ops and Plans Reserve Unit, was the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Rota 0169 Unit, and oversaw technology development and coordinated R&D policy for the Office of Naval Research.  A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he was commissioned in May 1999 and received his “Wings of Gold” in April 2001. His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two award), the Joint Commendation Medal, the Naval Commendation Medal (three awards) and the Naval Achievement Medal.

Mr. Ladowicz was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Arts in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Reserve Component National Security Course at the National Defense University and the NATO Staff Officer School.

A native of Homewood, Illinois, Mr. Ladowicz is married and has three children.

Ryan Ko is the Chief of Staff at Code for America. He spent seven years at McKinsey & Company leading teams that supported state governments on large IT megaprojects (with a focus on Integrated Eligibility Systems and Medicaid Management Information Systems), counseled technology firms on strategy and operations, advised non-profit institutions on a variety of education and edtech topics, and published in-depth research on the future of work and automation. Ryan moonlights as a progressive activist, with campaign experience at national, state, and local levels, and is a member of TechEquity Collaborative’s Housing Committee. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT. A lifelong Bay Area native, Ryan enjoys rooting for Bay Area sports teams and can be found playing basketball, poker, chess, or watching reruns of The West Wing.

NTEU National President Tony Reardon was re-elected National President in August 2019 at NTEU’s 56th convention. 

As the union’s top elected official, he serves as the spokesperson for the union representing NTEU with the media, Congress and agency leadership on issues of importance to union members and federal employees. He leads NTEU’s efforts to achieve dignity and respect for all federal workers. In his more than 25 years with the union, he also served as National Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Executive and Director of Operations.

Danielle Brian is the Executive Director of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). Under her leadership, the organization has grown from two employees and a budget in the thousands of dollars in 1993 to an organization with over forty staff and a budget of six million.

POGO is a nonpartisan independent government watchdog whose investigations into corruption, misconduct, and conflicts of interest achieve a more effective, accountable, and ethical federal government.

Ms. Brian has testified before Congress over 40 times.

In the past decade, POGO’s work has resulted in

• the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, the Freedom of Information Reform Act, and the Inspectors General Enhancement Act;

• exposing and removing of conflicts of interest at the Securities Exchange Commission, the Department of Interior and the FDA;

• saving the Office of Congressional Ethics and preventing the gutting of the Congressional Budget Office; and

• training over 2,100 Congressional staff on how to effectively use their oversight powers.

POGO’s investigative work under her stewardship has received journalism awards such as the Sigma Delta Chi award, the Robert D.G. Lewis Watchdog Journalism Award, the Dateline Award, and others. POGO has received the highest reviews for organizational and financial performance from the three largest charity evaluators in the country: Charity Navigator, Better Business Bureau, and Greatnonprofits.org.

Ms. Brian has been recognized by the National Journal as one of the top 50 people changing the game in Washington, receiving top rankings for her impact and innovation in the field of political activism. She is a member of the Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame, and received the Smith College Medal. Danielle received her Bachelor of Arts in Government from Smith College, and her Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Elaine C. Kamarck is a Senior Fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution. She is an expert on American electoral politics and government innovation and reform in the United States, OECD nations, and developing countries. She focuses her research on the presidential nomination system and American politics and has worked in many American presidential campaigns. Kamarck is the author of “Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates” and “Why Presidents Fail And How They Can Succeed Again.” She is also the author of “How Change Happens—or Doesn’t: The Politics of US Public Policy” and “The End of Government-As We Know It: Making Public Policy Work.”

Kamarck is also a Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She started at the Kennedy School in 1997 after a career in politics and government. She has been a member of the Democratic National Committee and the DNC’s Rules Committee since 1997. She has participated actively in four presidential campaigns and in ten nominating conventions—including two Republican conventions—and has served as a superdelegate to five Democratic conventions. In the 1980s, she was one of the founders of the New Democrat movement that helped elect Bill Clinton president. She served in the White House from 1993 to 1997, where she created and managed the Clinton Administration’s National Performance Review, also known as the “reinventing government initiative.” At the Kennedy School, she served as Director of Visions of Governance for the Twenty-First Century and as Faculty Advisor to the Innovations in American Government Awards Program. In 2000, she took a leave of absence to work as Senior Policy Advisor to the Gore campaign.

Kamarck conducts research on 21st century government, the role of the Internet in political campaigns, homeland defense, intelligence reorganization, and governmental reform and innovation. Kamarck makes regular appearances in the media, including segments on: ABC, CBS, NBC, the BBC, CNN, Fox News Now New England Cable News, and National Public Radio. Kamarck received her Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Leading the USF Cybersecurity for Executives Certificate Program is Dr. Ronald Sanders, Director of USF’s School of Public Affairs. With over 45 years of experience leading, studying, and supporting government organizations, Dr. Sanders has achieved an international reputation as a public management thought leader, visionary, and innovator. He earned his BA from the University of South Florida, his MS from the University of Utah, his Doctorate in Public Administration from George Washington University, as well as completing MIT’s Sloan Program for Senior Executives and a year-long Fellowship with the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.

2010-2017, Dr. Sanders was Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton, leading the firm’s organizational transformation, strategic simulation, war gaming, and human capital capabilities. He supported Booz Allen’s most important US and international clients, and was named the firm’s first Fellow in 2011 for his professional accomplishments.

2005 to 2010, Dr. Sanders served as Associate Director of National Intelligence and the US Intelligence Community’s first Chief Human Capital Officer, playing a key leadership role in the post-9/11 implementation of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, as well as the integration of the Intelligence Community. He earned Harvard University’s coveted Innovations in American Government Award in 2008, and was one of four 2010 finalists for the prestigious Service to America Career Achievement Medal.

2002 to 2005, Dr. Sanders served as the US Office of Personnel Management’s Associate Director for Policy, with responsibility for all HR policies and programs affecting the Federal government’s over eight million employees and retirees. He led the design and development of innovative, new-human capital systems for the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense. He was awarded his third Presidential Rank Award, received his first Theodore Roosevelt Award from OPM, as well as the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

1998 to 2002, Dr. Sanders served as the US Internal Revenue Service’s first Chief Human Resource Officer, with HR strategy and policy responsibility for the more than 120,000 employees of the IRS. He played a key leadership role in the Service’s landmark transformation, receiving a second Presidential Rank Award and three IRS Commissioner’s Awards.

1991 to 1998, Dr. Sanders served as the US Defense Department’s Director of Civilian Personnel, with HR policy and program responsibility for more than 1.1M DOD civilian employees. He founded and directed the Defense Civilian Personnel Service, which provides shared personnel services to DOD civilians worldwide. He also led the Department’s historic post-Cold War drawdown, reducing its rolls by over 300,000 positions, receiving his first Presidential Rank Award, as well as the Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal.

A Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration for over a decade, Dr. Sanders has also served on the faculties of Syracuse University and George Washington University, directing public management research centers at both institutions. He has co-authored four books and written numerous articles and book chapters; books include: Building a 21st Century Senior Executive Service, Wicked Problems: A Practical Guide for Enterprise Leaders, Civil Service Reform: Building a Government that Works.

Formerly a Senior Fellow and Professorial Lecturer for George Washington University’s Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, which he founded, Dr. Sanders continues to teach for the Brookings Institution and serves as the Vice Chair of the National Intelligence University Foundation’s Board of Directors. He has also served on the boards of the American Society for Training and Development (2010-2012) and the Senior Executives Association (1991-2001).

​Director & Clinical Professor, USF School of Public Affairs

​As Director of USF’s new School of Public Affairs (SPA), Dr. Sanders oversees the design and delivery of highly regarded graduate degrees in Public Administration/Public Management and Urban and Regional Planning, as well as a number of innovative on-campus and on-line certificate and continuing professional education programs. A Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration since 2006, he also serves as Clinical Professor of Public Administration on the School’s faculty, and in that capacity, teaches graduate courses in executive leadership, human capital/talent management, and public management.

The School of Public Affairs also includes the Florida Institute of Government, which among others things, conducts the influential Sunshine State Survey each year, manages a number of prestigious undergraduate and graduate intern programs, and supports area public officials at all levels of government. In addition to his academic leadership and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Sanders (a 1973 graduate of USF) continues to pursue his research and consulting interests in civil service systems, senior executive leadership, government outsourcing, and cybersecurity workforce development–the latter in conjunction with his membership on the USF/Florida Center for Cybersecurity’s Board of Advisers.

Patrick J. Murphy is a Senior Managing Director at Ankura based in Philadelphia with an expertise in cybersecurity, data privacy, and strategy. Honorable Murphy was America’s first Iraq War veteran elected to the U.S. Congress, the 32nd Under Secretary of the U.S. Army, and currently serves as a Commissioner on the U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission. The U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission is a bi-partisan, bi-cameral, and public-private sector board of 14 commissioners providing strategic guidance to the President and the Congress of the United States. Their 2020 report has several whole-of-nation recommendations that are incorporated into the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to address the six trillion in annual damages because of cybercrime, the 7.9 billion records exposed in 2019, and the intellectual property theft that has been rampant.

Patrick is currently the Executive Chairman of WorkMerk, the Winning Habits company, serves as General Partner at Stony Lonesome Capital, and on several public boards to include: BAE Systems, Director; Cerner Federal Board, Chairman; Adobe Federal, Director; and a few closely-held for-profit and non-profit boards, including Psych Hub; Widener University, Trustee; Homes For Our Troops; Legal Services Corporation; Association of the US Army, Senior Fellow; U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes; University of San Francisco; Clemson University; Syracuse University, and King’s College. He is also the Distinguished Chair of Innovation at the United States Military Academy at West Point. After serving in Congress, Secretary Murphy served as the 32nd Under Secretary of the Army and Acting Secretary. He led the management and operation of the Army, a Fortune 10-sized organization and the nation’s second largest employer of over 1.3 million. Executing with a budget of $148 billion, he focused on transforming a more innovative and responsive workforce which led to an expansion of the Soldier for Life initiative, saving $340 million in 2016 and reaching recruitment goals for the first time in five years with over 130 thousand millennials hired. Patrick facilitated unprecedented public-private partnerships generating over $250 million in savings, with organizations such as Major League Baseball and 20th Century Fox. His aggressive and authentic use of social media to tell the Army story helped lead to an 18% growth across all platforms.

Patrick is also the founder of an award-winning television and film production company, Taking the Hill Productions, which specializes in bringing to life military and veteran projects, honoring over 22 million American Veterans. TV/film projects include the critically acclaimed Stephen Spielberg film Thank You For Your Service (Dreamworks/Universal, 2017), Alive (Epix, 2019), and Almost Sunrise (PBS, 2017). Patrick also served as host/executive producer for Taking The Hill (MSNBC 2011–2015) and The Triumph Games (CBS Sports, 2015–2016). He authored the book Taking the Hill: From Philly to Baghdad to the United States Congress (Henry Holt, 2008) and coauthored the 2020 U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission Report (2020).

Patrick’s two-decade legal experience includes practice as a litigation partner at two AmLaw 100 firms and service in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps, where he served two combat operational deployments and advisor at the strategic, operational, and tactical echelons. As a judge advocate, he was the General Counsel at Keller Army Community Hospital, as well as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. During his combat deployment during Operation Iraqi
Freedom, he prosecuted two high-level terrorists in Iraq’s highest court, and a Baghdad District Councilman, earning the Bronze Star for Service. As a litigation partner, representative clients included the Philadelphia 76ers and the Harris Blitzer Sports Group (HBSG), Einstein Health System, Adobe, On Demand Pharmacy, Service Now, and Chimes International.

As the U.S. Congressman for Pennsylvania’s First District, Honorable Murphy was a prolific legislator who served on the Appropriations, Armed Services, and Select Intelligence Committees. In July 2009, Patrick became the lead advocate for a bill that would repeal the Defense Department’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy allowing LGBTQ service members to service in the armed forces. In April 2010, the IMPROVE act (Improving Medicare Policy for Reimbursements through Oversight and Efficiency) was signed into law to help eliminate fraud in the healthcare system and protect taxpayer dollars. Patrick authored the Student Credit Card Transparency Act of 2009, supported the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and worked with the Secret Service to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Murphy was instrumental in creating the Washington Crossing National Veterans Cemetery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and was a co-author of the Post 9/11 GI Bill which has helped millions of Veterans and family members attend higher education.

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.  

He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute (PMI). He completed the USDA Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP) at American University and executive leadership coursework at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Brittani Plaisance, Ph.D., has been with Infor Talent Science for more than 6 years and has extensive experience in data analysis and talent assessment. As a Behavioral Scientist, Brittani works closely with Talent Science customers to create, validate, and ensure the effectiveness of their Custom Success Profiles. During her time with Infor Talent Science, Brittani has designed, conducted, and delivered over 400 validation studies and led various strategic projects supporting Talent Science products. She has advised clients from many different industries, including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, property management, hospitality, and food & beverage in the selection and development of top talent. Brittani earned her Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University.

Lucy Melvin is a leader in Deloitte’s government Human Capital business leading organizational strategies to transform organizations and prepare for the future of work. She leads large-scale transformations for clients across the US Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce and Department of Veterans Affairs. Ms. Melvin holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina.

Matt Garret is a Senior Manager at Deloitte.

Frank Konkel is Nextgov’s executive editor. He writes about the intersection of government and technology. Frank began covering tech in 2013 upon moving to the Washington, D.C. area after getting his start in journalism working at local and state issues at daily newspapers in his home state of Michigan. Frank was born and raised on a dairy farm and graduated from Michigan State University.

Aaron Boyd is an award-winning journalist currently serving as senior editor for technology and events at Nextgov. He primarily covers federal government IT contracting and cybersecurity issues affecting both civilian and defense agencies. As a lifelong nerd and policy wonk, he feels right at home covering the intersection of technology and policy in the nation’s capital.

Prior to joining Government Executive’s staff, Ross Gianfortune worked at The Washington Post, The Gazette Newspapers, WXRT Radio and The Columbia Missourian. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from University of Missouri and a master’s in communications from the American University.

Erich Wagner is a staff correspondent covering pay, benefits and other federal workforce issues. He joined Government Executive in the spring of 2017 after extensive experience writing about state and local issues in Maryland and Virginia, most recently as editor-in-chief of the Alexandria Times. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.