ACT-IAC IT Management and Modernization COI July 2024

Featured Topic: Emerging Leaders Panel: Empowering Government Talent for IT Modernization

The IT Management and Modernization Community of Interest is thrilled to host an Emerging Leaders Panel, a dynamic discussion featuring accomplished government leaders who have made significant strides in their careers. Government panelists from the US Coast Guard, NASA, USAID, and HHS aim to inspire and provide valuable insights to federal and industry employees, particularly those who are just starting out, by showcasing the experiences, challenges, and successes of these emerging leaders.

During this engaging session, our panelists will delve into various aspects of their career journeys, highlighting the pivotal role that mentorship has played in their professional growth. They will share personal anecdotes and experiences, shedding light on how mentorship has shaped their paths and accelerated their development.

In addition, the panelists will offer practical advice and guidance to early career employees who are embarking on their own career journey. They will discuss strategies for success, lessons learned, and the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in the ever-evolving IT landscape.

Furthermore, the panelists will shed light on the exciting initiatives and projects taking place within their respective agencies. They will explore how their agencies are attracting and retaining top talent, fostering innovation, and driving IT modernization efforts.

Lastly, the panelists will delve into their personal passions and their motivations for serving in the Federal government. They will discuss the rewarding aspects of their roles, the impact they are making, and the sense of purpose that keeps them motivated. By sharing their own stories, we hope they will inspire others to find their own passion and purpose within the Federal government.

Panelists
CDR Jonathan White, Cloud and Data Branch Chief, DHS, US Coast Guard (Invited)
Angela Bui, IT Project Manager, USAID (Invited)
Chi Okonkwo, Director, Agency Financial Systems Office, NASA (Invited)
Sarah Tully, Director of Digital Service, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), HHS (Invited)
Moderator: Melvin Brown, Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO), Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

About the Panelists

Angela Bui is a Project Manager at the Office of Inspector General for USAID. USAID is an independent agency that provides international development and humanitarian assistance efforts to partner countries, while the OIG is the oversight office that safeguards and strengthens U.S. foreign assistance. As the IT PM, Angela is overseeing the IT Modernization efforts occurring at OIG, migrating the entire OIG office from “on-prem” to the cloud in a ‘hybrid’ environment. Along with the duties assigned to her, Angela has stepped up as a Security Team member, as well as an ISSO back-up for a number of OIG systems. Before joining OIG, Angela was an IT Specialist at USAID M/CIO working as the primary point of contact for DHS-related mandates, CCARs, and EDs. Prior to that Angela was a contractor for USAID M/CIO working as a technical writer and ISSO, building her connections and making her presence known. Angela holds an MBA from James Madison University and a B.S. from the University of Mary Washington.

Sarah Tully is the Director of Digital Service for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the second largest agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACF oversees more than 60 programs, including Head Start, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Unaccompanied Children program.

In her role, Sarah leads the Digital Service team, which leverages technology and design to enhance ACF's mission of promoting the economic and social well-being of children, families, and communities. Her team collaborates with various ACF programs to deliver innovative digital services and build technical capacity.

Before establishing the Digital Service team, Sarah was the technology delivery lead for ACF's Office of Refugee Resettlement's Unaccompanied Children program. She successfully expanded the technology delivery footprint from one team to five, focusing on iterative, user-centered product development.

A dedicated practitioner of user-centered design methods and product thinking, Sarah is passionate about using these approaches to achieve tangible improvements for ACF's customers.

Prior to her tenure at ACF, Sarah was a product manager for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She began her public sector career as a legislative analyst, specializing in defense spending and foreign policy. Sarah holds a master's degree from St Andrews University, Scotland, and a B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University.

CDR Jonathan White, U.S. Coast Guard    
CDR Jonathan White is the Cloud and Data Branch Chief within the Coast Guard’s C5ISC Infrastructure Services Division. He is leading the Coast Guard’s rapid transition into a multi-cloud environment to enable application modernization and zero trust architecture. Additionally, he is building the enterprise data fabric to bring mission data from the edge to the cloud enabling real-time, informed decisions and artificial intelligence. Previously, he was the CGCyber Technical Management Branch Chief responsible for escalated technical support to the Coast Guard enterprise and charged with maintaining networks, mobility, DoD365, identity, application & patch deployment, and security tools. He also served as the SeaWatch Product and Sustainment Lead from June 2014 to August 2018. SeaWatch is the common Command and Control and navigation system deployed to 70 Coast Guard cutters around the world. He led the implementation of new, cutting-edge capabilities and dramatically decreased electronics costs for cutters under acquisition.

His career also includes tours at Coast Guard Headquarters where he helped deliver a complete C4ISR requirement set for the $10 Billion Offshore Patrol Cutter acquisition project. Simultaneously, he led the first deployments of the Coast Guard Machinery Control System, an open source replacement to proprietary and aging shipboard control systems. He started his officer career on the CGC CAMPBELL from 2006-2008 as the Damage Control Assistant.

CDR White received a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy, a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering Systems from the University of Michigan, and a Master’s of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. He holds a Department of Homeland Security Acquisitions Program Management Level II and Contracting Officer Representative Level III certification. In 2018, he was selected as the Engineer of the Year for the USCG’s Command, Control and Communications Engineering Center (C3Cen). His awards include the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal (3), AFCEA Rising Star in Engineering (2017), AFCEA 40 under 40 (2018), Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon, and Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon (5).