Keeping IT Brief

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Max Shuftan, Director of Mission Programs at SANS Institute, to discuss one of the most pressing issues in cybersecurity today: the talent shortage in federal agencies. As nation-state cyber threats continue to evolve, agencies are facing an uphill battle to find skilled cybersecurity professionals. Max sheds light on how inclusive and targeted training programs ...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Jim Coyle, US Public Sector CTO at Lookout, to discuss the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats posed by nation-state actors. With over two decades of experience in cybersecurity, Jim brings invaluable insights into the emerging tactics, tools, and techniques used by global adversaries to target critical infrastructure. 

As we look toward 2025, Jim highli...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Robert Ezekiel, Director and Product Strategist at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a winner of the prestigious 2025 FORUM IT100 Award. Robert reflects on what this award means to him personally and professionally, sharing how his work supporting Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Hiring Our Heroes program has made a lasting impact.

Robert talks about a pivotal career moment t...

 In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with George Kamis, Chief Technology Officer at Everfox, to dive into the critical intersection of cybersecurity, zero trust, and cross-domain solutions. With over 25 years of experience in Cyber and Cross Domain Solutions, George sheds light on the common misconceptions surrounding zero trust and its role in government security frameworks. While zero trust is found...

In today’s episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown chats with Matt Quinn, Science Director at TATRC/DoD, about his groundbreaking program, Passive Data Collection for Automated Documentation, which won a 2025 Disruptive Tech Award.

Matt dives into the specifics of his award-winning program, explaining how it addresses key challenges in the GovCon space and what makes it stand out in the industry. He shares insights into the...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Tris Carpenter, General Manager for Strategic Growth at Red Team Consulting, to explore the evolving landscape of federal contracting. As the current administration ushers in significant changes, Tris provides valuable insights into how companies can adapt, thrive, and stay competitive.
Key topics discussed include:

• The major shifts in federal contractin...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Alexis Bonnel, Chief Information Officer & Director of the Digital Capabilities Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory. Recently recognized with the prestigious 2025 FORUM IT100 Award, Alexis shares her thoughts on what this achievement means to her both personally and professionally.

Through this conversation, Alexis reflects on a pivotal moment in ...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Felipe Fernandez, Chief Technology Officer at Fortinet Federal, Inc. With over 20 years of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Felipe leads the charge in delivering mission-critical cybersecurity solutions for federal agencies. He shares valuable insights on the current state of zero trust implementation across federal agencies, as well as the challenges ...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Saeed Elnaj, Chief Innovation Officer at RELI Group, to discuss the role of AI in transforming the federal health industry, particularly in the Medicare system. With 30 years of experience in technology leadership and expertise in Generative AI, cloud technologies, and digital transformation, Saeed shares his insights on how AI can significantly improve customer ...

In this special episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Ann Dunkin, former Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and recipient of the 2025 FORUM IT100 Award. With a wealth of experience in both government and private sectors, Ann reflects on her career journey and what this prestigious award means to her personally and professionally. She also shares a pivotal project or momen...

In this insightful episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Kyle Tuberson, Chief Technology Officer at ICF and a recent winner of the prestigious FORUM IT100 Award. Together, they discuss what this remarkable achievement means to Kyle both personally and professionally. Kyle shares a pivotal career moment that helped shape his journey to success and how it influenced his leadership in the tech world. The conver...

In this special episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Joseph Sabin, the Vice President of Cyber Programs at Adapt Forward and a recent winner of the prestigious 2025 FORUM IT100 Hall of Fame Award. Joseph shares his journey to this major achievement, discussing the dedication, challenges, and pivotal moments that have shaped his career.

With over two decades of experience in the IT field, Joseph reflects on...

In this episode of the Keeping IT Brief podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Susan Burke, Vice President of Military and Veterans Health at Cognosante, a part of Accenture Federal Services. This week, we're celebrating Susan's remarkable achievement as a 2025 FORUM IT100 Hall of Fame Winner.

Susan shares her insights on what winning the prestigious FORUM IT100 Award means to her, both personally and professionally, ...

This week, we’re joined by Joel Krooswyk, Federal CTO at GitLab, to explore the critical issue of legacy IT systems in the public sector and how AI can be a game-changer in modernizing government IT infrastructures.

Key Topics We Cover:

1. The Legacy IT Challenge
   Many federal agencies still rely on outdated systems that are vulnerable to security risks, costly to maintain, and hinder the development of mission-critical applicati...

In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, we sit down with Brian Chidester, Head of Industry Strategy for the Public Sector at Adobe and a recipient of the prestigious FORUM IT100 Award. Brian shares what winning this award means to him both personally and professionally, reflecting on the pivotal moments in his career that have contributed to his success.

We delve into his vision for the future of technology in the public sector and how...

 In this episode, we sit down with Eduardo F. Ortiz, a visionary CEO and Marine Corps combat veteran, whose journey from government service to entrepreneurship has been driven by a singular passion: breaking down barriers to access critical services.

As the CEO of Coforma, Eduardo leads a team that designs cutting-edge technology solutions, making life easier for countless people. Tune in to hear how his time as a softwar...

Welcome to this episode of Keeping IT Brief, where we dive deep into the world of technology with the experts shaping its future. Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Steve Orrin, Intel’s Federal Chief Technology Officer. Steve is a heavyweight in the tech world, spearheading Public Sector Solution Architecture, Strategy, and Technology Engagements at Intel. His career is a testament to leadership in cybersecurity and innovative tech...

Data standards play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and interoperability within the healthcare and public health sectors. These standards are designed to enhance data exchange efficiency and support diverse healthcare environments.

Today we speak to from Leidos, Yoseph Asfaw, Chief Technology Officer
Austin Kreisler, HL7 Subject Mater Expert, on how health data standards are developed, shared, and maintained ...

Value-based payment models have become increasingly important across healthcare as tools for reducing costs and improving the quality of care that patients receive. Many of these models have been the focus of large-scale experiments and require the use of large, data complex systems. Robin Weinick, Principal of Resonant, LLC, Aneesh Chopra, Chief Strategy Officer at Arcadia, and Don Simpson, Director at Guidehouse, discuss issues a...