CEOs You Should Know: Washington DC

Susan Fisher Sterling
Susan Fisher Sterling is Alice West Director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) located in Washington, D.C. She built her career and the stature of the museum around the message of equity for women through excellence in the arts. 

Sterling started at NMWA in 1988—a year after the museum opened—as associate curator, then was appointed curator of modern and contemporary art, followed by chief curator/deputy director. Sterling assumed the directorship of the museum in 2008. Under Sterling’s collaborative feminist leadership, NMWA developed with a dual focus on arts and advocacy, and she grew the profile of the institution through high-caliber exhibitions, in-depth publications, expansive public programs, and increased global visibility.

During her tenure, the museum has presented landmark exhibitions of work by some of today’s most influential modern and contemporary women artists. These include solo exhibitions of Romaine Brooks, Judy Chicago, Sonya Clark, Graciela Iturbide, Mary Ellen Mark, Loïs Mailou Jones, Alice Neel, Faith Ringgold, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Remedios Varo, and Carrie Mae Weems. Key contemporary surveys have showcased Brazilian artists (1993 and 2001), artists from the Arab world (1994 and 2014), Australian Aboriginal artists (2006), and Korean artists (1991), among others. Sterling also was responsible for bringing important international exhibitions to the museum, including Inside the Visible (1996), WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution (2007), and Womenhouse (2018).

In fulfillment of the museum’s mission, Sterling also led projects that brought due recognition to great women in the history of art. Among these were early exhibitions featuring Sofonisba Anguissola, Josepha D’Obidos, Lavinia Fontana, and Judith Leyster, and surveys such as An Imperial Collection: Women Artists from the State Hermitage Museum (2003), Italian Women Artists from Renaissance to Baroque (2007), and Royalists to Romantics: Women Artists from the Louvre, Versailles, and Other French National Collections (2012).

Since Sterling joined NMWA, in partnership with a dynamic board, the museum’s collection has grown to more than 6,000 works, with a commitment to diverse representation across all mediums. She has grown NMWA’s impact through signature programs like the groundbreaking Women, Arts, and Social Change public programs initiative. Begun in 2015, this series includes diverse presenters on topics related to arts, gender equity, and significant social issues of our time.

Sterling has expanded NMWA’s influence outside of the museum’s walls. The New York Avenue Sculpture Project, which Sterling created in 2010, has brought significant large-scale public artworks by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Chakaia Booker, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Betsabeé Romero to the streets of Washington, D.C. She also has led the museum’s development of a unique global network of 29 committees providing grassroots support for women artists. These groups work with NMWA on the ongoing Women to Watch exhibition series, which brings new talents to international attention.

Sterling has fostered NMWA’s capacity to act as both a museum and an amplifier, advancing discussions on gender parity in the art world. Challenging fellow cultural institutions to make significant commitments to gender representation, the museum’s globally recognized #5WomenArtists social media campaign, which asks the question “Can you name five women artists?” has been cited as an inspiration for equity initiatives across numerous industries.

Under her aegis, NMWA’s collection, exhibitions, and programs have garnered grants and recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts; the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Museums for America Grant), in support of an extensive digital accessibility initiative; the inaugural Anthem Awards, a new Webby Awards initiative acknowledging global leaders creating social impact; and the Muse Creative Platinum Award.

Sterling is now at the helm of a $67.5 million renovation of NMWA’s historic building, with plans to reopen to the public in fall 2023.

A lifelong champion of promoting women through the arts, Sterling has received National Orders of Merit from Brazil and Norway. She has been recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Washington by Washingtonian magazine and is a recipient of ArtTable 30th Anniversary Honors as well as the President’s Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art. Sterling holds a B.A. in art and archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.A. and Ph.D. in art and archaeology from Princeton University.

Susan Beall Bio
Susan Beall is the Co-Founder and CEO of Nue Information Solutions (Nue), a SAAS-based financial planning & analysis (FP&A) company. Nue is designed for product-based companies, with an emphasis on government contracting. Nue provides the information that leaders depend on to make informed decisions, evaluate alternatives, and achieve desired outcomes. Susan has started and grown other businesses and incorporates an owner’s perspective in Nue’s design. She incorporated her technology experience with her management background that includes financial modeling, raising debt and equity rounds, business case analysis, and strategic planning.

Susan is also the Co-Founder and CEO of WSL Consulting, d/b/a CAVU Advisors (CAVU), a financial management company providing outsourced accounting and financial consulting with a focus on early- to mid-stage companies in the technology and government markets.

Susan has vast experience in the government contracting industry, helping to grow, add value and sell companies. Susan brings over 30 years of financial leadership, skills, and capabilities to help clients build their unique value. In 2004, Susan and her partners sold Trios Associates, a systems engineering firm, to SAIC. After this integration, the management team formed WSL Consulting.

This management team also co-founded Base2, a hardware & software engineering design firm focusing on intelligence, space, defense, aviation, and other government markets, which was acquired by BlueHalo in 2020. One of her first roles as CFO was with an intel-based company, CSSi, that eventually grew and sold to Nichols Research and later to CSC. She later joined CSSi’s CEO at iJET International.

Susan has significant practical experience in business valuations and financial modeling. Throughout her career, she has completed numerous M&A transactions for government contractors and has spent several years working with a high-tech company (Mentor Technologies) raising debt and equity rounds. Susan was CFO during a period of 100% CAGR in revenue, with over 600% increase in valuation over a two-year period. Susan has a strong technology focus such as innovating a company’s virtual information system that provides web-based forecasting and graphical performance reporting.

This information system provides clear visibility into key financial and operating metrics throughout the organization. In addition, Susan has also directly supported government agencies such as NOAA/NWS, the Intelligence Community, the DOD, the FAA, among others to assist with acquisition decisions and business case analysis. Susan holds a master’s degree in finance from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and received a Certified Public Accountant certification.

Pawla Ghaleb
Pawla Ghaleb is a force that defies convention and redefines success. Leading PBG Consulting as CEO, she personifies the company’s tagline of "Passion. Boldness. Grit," and has sculpted an audacious vision, merging a global perspective with over 20 years of industry expertise in IT solutions, strategic consulting, and program management, that has propelled the organization to enviable heights within the U.S. Federal Government Consulting Community. Pawla hails from Lebanon, adding a multilingual, multinational dynamism to her leadership, effortlessly juggling languages such as English, Arabic, and French.

Her leadership has earned PBG Consulting notable recognitions, such as being named one of The Washington Post’s 2023 Top Workplaces in the Washington, D.C. area, winning the DOS’s 2021 Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award, as well as securing positions on the Financial Times America's Fastest Growing Companies 2023, Inc.5000 Fastest Growing Companies 2019-2023, and Washington Business Journal's (WBJ) 2022-2023 Fastest Growing Company lists. The company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is also evident, with PBG placing at Rank 22 on WBJ's Annual Corporate Diversity Index List.

Pawla’s guiding mantra, "Doing more with less," has driven PBG to become a powerhouse in technological revolution, delivering cost-effective and pioneering solutions to clients including the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and Office of Personnel Management.

Beyond the growth and recognition, Pawla fosters a culture of empowerment within PBG, encouraging a fearless approach to innovation and nurturing professional growth. Her commitment to mentorship, both within and outside PBG, has seen her influence ripple through the industry, inspiring upcoming talents and empowering women across various walks of life.

Pawla herself is a decorated leader, holding prestigious accolades such as the G2X FedCiv - Leading for Impact - Women in Leadership award, the DOS - CA-CST Leadership Award from the Department of State, the LeadersNest FedFem Award, Diversity Journal Women Worth Watching Award, and the Bronze Stevie® Award for Female Executive of the Year.

Armed with an MBA from the George Washington University, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from George Mason University and currently completing the Owner/President Management Program from Harvard Business School, Pawla sees every challenge as an opportunity for growth and innovation. Her grit, combined with her strategic acumen, has maintained financial growth for PBG and helped to drive strategic acquisitions.

More than just the CEO of PBG Consulting, Pawla Ghaleb is the heart, the soul, and the embodiment of its spirit - a beacon of resilience and innovation, a trailblazer for diversity and inclusion, and a role model of relentless passion, boldness, and grit.

Steve Jones
Steve Jones is a cybersecurity executive with over 20 years’ of experience in the industry. Steve founded Signal Hill to help solve the largest cyber threat challenges facing government agencies, military organizations, and enterprises in highly regulated industries.

Prior to Signal Hill, Steve Jones was an integral part of the team at Blackbird Technologies that provided cybersecurity solutions and operational support to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies. During his time at Blackbird, Steve was contracted to serve as Chief Cyber Architect for the United States Postal Service (USPS). He helped grow the organization’s cybersecurity practice prior to the company’s acquisition by Raytheon.

Vicki R. Deal-Williams
Vicki R. Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, CAE, assumed the role of ASHA Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2022, with more than 35 years’ experience, and a proven track record of success in guiding staff and members through change, exemplifying integrity and accountability, and fostering an inclusive culture. Vicki is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist and an ASHA Fellow; she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University. She is also a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

She began her career as a speech-language pathologist at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, where she also supervised graduate student clinicians from Case Western Reserve University. She came to work at the ASHA National Office in 1984 to direct a federal grant held jointly by ASHA and the U.S. Department of Education; she then served as Assistant Director of ASHA’s Office of Minority Concerns. After a 5-year hiatus as a corporate trainer for Fannie Mae (the Federal National Mortgage Association)—where she developed and implemented corporate diversity training and professional development programming related to leadership and management—Vicki returned to the ASHA National Office as ASHA’s first Chief Staff Officer for Multicultural Affairs. In that capacity, she also served as a management liaison to ASHA’s Continuing Education, Professional Development, and Convention and Meetings units and was instrumental in establishing ASHA’s customized strategic planning system, facilitating the process to establish an integrated working relationship between National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and ASHA, and establishing the Minority Student Leadership Program as a primary source of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) leaders from diverse backgrounds.

Vicki has received numerous awards for her contributions, including the Honors of NSSLHA, the Diversity Incentive Award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD), ASHA’s Outstanding Service Award, the M. Eugene Wiggins Leadership and Scholar Mentor Awards from the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH), and the Professional Performance Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Her expertise and thought leadership include strategically advancing and leveraging diversity; developing leaders; targeting and retaining underrepresented populations; institutionalizing organizational responsibility for diversity, equity, and inclusion; facilitating group process; managing conflict; and evaluating and enhancing organizational performance. She has contributed to strategic conversations within the association industry about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in associations and nonprofit management; she has served as Chair of ASAE’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and as a member of the ASAE Board of Directors. She has also served as facilitator and content leader for ASAE’s kickoff course for professionals seeking the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential and for their Association Management Week program. In addition, she was appointed to the National Institute of Health’s National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council.

Jeff Wilson II
Jeff is the CEO of The W2 Group, LLC., a solution-driven Accounting and Advisory firm specializing in bringing cloud-based solutions and efficiencies to its clients: Not For Profit Associations and Government Contractors. He is also the Founder of Govierates.com, a cloud-based Software solutions firm. Jeff Wilson is a Certified Public Accountant and maintains over 7+ financial certifications and licenses. He is experienced in several financial areas that allow him to provide his clients with multiple domains of expertise. His firm is an SBA-certified 8(a) Small Business and MBE-certified accounting firm headquartered in Upper Marlboro, MD. As a multi-domain accounting expert, he has experience supporting and streamlining business operations to improve financial management and operational effectiveness, with expertise in corporate accounting within the personal services industry. As a former KPMG Auditor, he has experience performing financial statement audits following both FASB and FASAB. He has been a board member of the Maryland Association of CPAs and a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) PFP Executive Committee and the AICPA Trial Board. CPA Practice Advisor Magazine named Jeff as a 40 under 40 CPA. He was also a 40 Under 40 Black CPA centennial recipient. In 2023, he was awarded the honor of Outstanding Young CPA.

Jermon Bafaty
Jermon Bafaty is the Founder and CEO of Platinum Technologies (PT78), a Digital and IT Professional Services firm which implements integrated mission solutions for National Security, Defense and Public Sector organizations. The company was founded to unleash the value of siloed, purpose-built data, modernize legacy systems and improve information delivery for citizens, end users and our nation’s warfighters.

Prior to founding PT78, Jermon served in one of America’s premier programs for leadership and public service as a White House Fellow and senior adviser at the Department of Energy (DOE). His portfolio included Global Energy Security and Artificial Intelligence. As one of the principals responsible for creating the department’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office, he oversaw the program operations for the AI portfolio, coordinating the implementation of applied and basic scientific research initiatives within DOE’s national labs and offices including the Western Area Power Administration and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Prior to his Fellowship, Jermon served in various senior leadership roles for multi-billion-dollar growth and profit and loss centers within the Federal technology industry at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), Leidos Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

In addition to leading PT78, Jermon serves as an Independent Director for Definitive Logic Corporation and Edgewater IT Corporation.

Jermon resides in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area with his wife and son.

Christopher Bruch
As the President & CEO of Donohoe, Chris Bruch assumes the critical role of directing the company’s vision and mission. Leading Donohoe’s executive team, Chris is instrumental in developing and executing the company’s long-term strategic plans.

Since assuming the position of President & Chief Operating Officer from 2014 to 2017, Chris has taken on the responsibility of guiding Donohoe’s six operating divisions, managing a team of 1,800 employees, handling over $1 billion in annual operating revenues, and overseeing all real estate joint venture interests.

Chris’s journey with Donohoe commenced in 1988 as a Project Manager in Donohoe Construction. Over the years, he has contributed his expertise to four of the six operating divisions. Following his tenure in Donohoe Construction, Chris spent four years with Donohoe Real Estate Services (now Donohoe Commercial Real Estate), followed by nine years with Donohoe Development. In 2006, Chris played a pivotal role in establishing Donohoe Hospitality Services and was subsequently appointed its President. His extensive experience across multiple divisions has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the company’s operations.

John Spencer-Taylor
John Spencer-Taylor, known as "Spence," is the co-founder and visionary force behind BrainGu. With his rich blend of technical prowess and business acumen, he's dedicated to creating solutions that address complex organizational challenges. As CEO, Spence's diverse technology background and innovative leadership drive BrainGu's commitment to delivering cutting-edge advancements, including Structsure ®, BrainGu’s flagship internal developer platform.

Spence's career journey began as a systems specialist in 2001, highlighting his early technical skills. Progressing into roles as an ethical hacker and security architect, he showed a keen aptitude for cybersecurity. His experience spans from managing security teams to providing strategic tech solutions. This rich history of diverse and challenging roles underpins his leadership at BrainGu, blending deep technical knowledge with strategic vision.

Beyond the office, he's a music enthusiast and hobbyist musician, often found at live concerts or belting out Queen's greatest hits at karaoke, all evidence to his dynamic personality and passion both inside and outside of BrainGu, exemplifying his unique approach to technology and leadership.

Bryan Myers
Bryan is the President & Chief Executive Officer for [solidcore] boutique fitness and a trained [solidcore] Coach. In his role as CEO, Bryan is responsible for setting and executing strategy focused on growth and building a strong, inclusive, and nationwide community of clients and employees.

Prior to joining the [solidcore] team as COO in 2018, Bryan was a member of the leadership team of sweetgreen, the national leader in the healthy fast casual category. He joined sweetgreen in 2014 as Director of Finance and, over the course of 4 years, wore many hats including his final role as VP of Development, helping the company grow from a regional chain of 22 restaurants to 90 locations nationally. Bryan began his career as a consultant for The Boston Consulting Group, providing strategic advice to Fortune 500 companies on topics of growth, organizational design, and operational transformation.

When Bryan isn’t sweating it out on [sweatlana], you can find him immersed in the performing arts and attending shows at the many, amazing performance venues in the DC area. Bryan is also passionate about finding ways to give back to the community and currently serves on the Board of the Ridley Scholars Foundation, an organization that provides financial and mentorship support to high-achieving African-American students.

In 2020, Bryan was recognized by the Washington Business Journal as a Minority Business Leader honoree.

Mark Hetfield
Mark Hetfield first joined HIAS in 1989 as a caseworker in Rome, Italy. He has worked for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a large law firm as an immigration attorney, and has held multiple roles at HIAS over the years. Since being named HIAS’ President and CEO in 2013, Mark has led the transformation of HIAS from helping refugees because they were Jewish to helping refugees because we are Jewish.

Mark is proud of HIAS’ role in assisting and resettling refugees of all faiths and ethnicities and as a major implementing partner of the United Nations Refugee Agency and the U.S. Department of State. He is a frequent commentator and writer on refugee issues on television, radio, newspapers, and other media outlets. Mark holds both a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.

Caroline Woods
Caroline Woods joined Girls on the Run of NOVA in March 2020. Caroline has a long-standing history with the Girls on the Run, serving as a volunteer, co-founder, and board chair of a council in New Haven County, Connecticut. She is a mission-driven leader with an established career of successfully building and leading effective programs that ensure the social, emotional, and physical health and safety of children. Prior to GOTR NOVA, Caroline was the National Human Trafficking Hotline Director at Polaris where she was responsible for providing strategic oversight and management of the program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Duke University and a Master of Science degree in Child Life from Bank Street College of Education.

Caleb Vuljanic
Caleb provides various assurance services to clients in the technology, private equity, and professional services industries in addition to serving as a partner for Metro D.C. He also has significant experience with complex entities and accounting issues from his role in the firm’s professional standards group (National Office).

Prior to joining the firm’s D.C. Metro market, he was a member of the professional standards group, where he was a technical resource for complex accounting and auditing matters. In this role, he provided guidance on the application of recent accounting and auditing pronouncements, was a key presenter and facilitator for various firmwide trainings and presentations, and performed technical reviews of various consultations and U.S. GAAP reports. Caleb has worked with clients and management teams based in Israel, the U.K., France, and Germany. He previously completed a secondment program with a Praxity, AISBL firm in Sydney, Australia. In addition to audit services, he has provided consulting services, including merger and acquisition assistance and various internal control and accounting services to large banks and insurance companies with domestic and international operations. Caleb has also conducted training internationally in connection with consulting services.

Caleb is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants, and Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a B.S. degree in business administration and an M.Acc. degree.

Mandeep Singh
As the COO/CTO of A Square Group (ASG) since 2011, Mr. Singh has played a pivotal role in shaping our journey in healthcare and technology. With over 26 years of experience in various sectors, he has consistently delivered innovative solutions, strengthened client relationships, and improved operational efficiency.

Mr. Singh excels in inspiring transformation, leading teams, achieving results, understanding business dynamics, and building alliances. He holds important certifications, including PMP, CISM, and a CIO certification from GSA CIO University. His educational background includes a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and an M.S. from George Washington University.

His expertise spans Cybersecurity, Agile DevSecOps, and Cloud solutions. Additionally, Mr. Singh is multilingual, speaking Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, facilitating global communication.

His mission is to create value for ASG and its clients, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation to drive ASG's continued growth.

Christopher Bruno
Christopher Bruno was appointed Director of Economic Development for the City of Fairfax in May of 2016. He concurrently serves as President & CEO of Fairfax City Economic Development, a partnership between the Economic Development Office and the Economic Development Authority. In these roles, Christopher is responsible for coordinating the economic development priorities of the Mayor and City Council with the Authority’s efforts. A core focus since Christopher’s arrival has been cultivating and leveraging strategic partnerships with higher education, jurisdictional partners, and developing an emphasis on establishing Fairfax City as a center for innovation and business development. In 2019, following Amazon’s announced relocation to Northern Virginia, Christopher and Fairfax City Economic Development joined other Northern Virginia jurisdictions to form the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance.

Since joining, Christopher has led a substantial increase in the size and scope of the economic development portfolio. Christopher has spearheaded important economic development initiatives such as Fairfax City Restaurant Week and led ReConnected, Fairfax City’s largest small business support program, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, following the development of a new five year strategic plan, Fairfax City Economic Development began focusing on strategic business investment, including retention and attraction efforts, as a core component of its work. Simultaneously, Fairfax City Economic Development also relocated out of City Hall to class-A office space to accommodate a growing staff.

Prior to joining Fairfax City, Christopher served as Agency Counsel for the New York City Department of Small Business Services. At SBS, he was responsible for working with the City’s network of over 70 business improvement districts, and for coordinating the legal components of the commercial revitalization programs as part of the City’s community development block grant program administration. Additionally, from 2012-2014 Christopher served as a senior member of the Avenue NYC team and played an integral role in the Agency’s response to Hurricane Sandy by forming two community based development organizations in the hardest hit commercial areas of New York City.

Christopher holds an undergraduate degree in history and a master’s degree in elections and campaign management from Fordham University in New York. He obtained his juris doctor degree from New York Law School and is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey. Christopher currently serves as a Senior Fellow for Law & Leadership at New York Law School and is on the board of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. He is also a member of the Fairfax City Manager’s Senior Leadership Team.

Kelly McLaughlan
Kelly McLaughlan is the CEO and Co-Founder of KME. Digital – a digital marketing and technology agency. KME serves Northern Virginia and the entire DC region, having grown over the past 17 years with the help of the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC) business incubator and network. KME has benefited tremendously from the resources and location of the MEC – including access to a steady and growing pool of very talented, enthusiastic student interns and workforce from nearby George Mason University.

Kelly is a native resident of Northern Virginia, graduating high school, college (JMU - Finance) and building her professional career and businesses in this region. Prior to KME.Digital, Kelly has held previous professional positions as a certified Systems Engineer with EDS, and an IT Program and Engineering Manager with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Raising four children with her husband in the Dulles region of Northern Virginia, the McLaughlan family has been engaged in both the local and regional community, particularly with respect to challenges regarding STEM-centric education and the local economy.

In addition to KME, Kelly has been an active volunteer in groups including the JMU College of Business Marketing Executive Advisory Board (Chair), the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority (Commissioner), Loudoun County Joint BOS/School Board Committee Citizen’s Advisory Group, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) College Counseling Center and Crew (Rowing) Team, the McLean (BNI) Business Forum (President), the Nysmith School for the Gifted Odyssey of the Mind Teams, and the 100 Women Strong Organization under the Community Foundation of Loudoun & Northern Fauquier. In addition, she has supported her husband in his recent roles as Commissioner on the Loudoun Economic Development Advisory Council (EDAC) and Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)/SBDC IT/Digital Advisor, and has provided digital marketing strategy and technology assistance to the Loudoun Department of Economic Development.

Andre Rogers
Andre Rogers is the founder and CEO of E3Insights LLC which empowers businesses with virtual C level expertise. E3Insights strategically guides companies at key moments in their development to a platform of growth and sustainability.

Prior to launching E3Insights, Rogers was the CFO and co-founder of Enlightened Inc. Over 20 years, Rogers grew Enlightened to a $30 million IT services and consulting firm; creating a global company with over 200 employees serving government and commercial clients. Before becoming a successful entrepreneur and business owner, Rogers leveraged his project management and IT skills to complete software integration and data projects for the Department of Defense and the financial industry.

Andre Rogers has built a legacy of leadership beyond the businesses he stewards. As chairperson of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, he collaborated with the office of the Governor of Maryland to expand the number of small businesses in the state. For 10 years, Rogers served on the Board of The George Washington University School of Business, as well as on Leadership Maryland’s board.

This year you can find Andre Rogers on Ted Talks’ TEDxUStreet. His 30 years of accomplishments in the corporate, economic and education sectors has been celebrated multiple times. Rogers is a two-time winner of SmartCEO Magazine’s Executive Management Award. Additionally, MEA Magazine honored him with their Leadership & Excellence Award. Andre Rogers earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from The George Washington University; and a Master of Science degree from George Mason University also in Computer Science. Rogers and his family remain active in their local and larger communities.

Larry Katzman
Larry's primary role as President and Chief Executive Officer is to architect and implement AIS' growth strategy, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure our reputation for service delivery excellence is never compromised. Joining AIS in 2000, Larry started his career as a Software Developer in our Commercial Practice. He helped create AIS' Federal Practice, leading our National Security and Intelligence work before becoming Vice President of Business Development, and later, Chief Operating Officer. Larry holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern University and a Master's degree from George Washington University. Larry is married to his wife of 20 years and spends most of his time outside of work with her, their three children, and three Labrador Retrievers.

Allison Stearns
Allison Stearns has dedicated her career to the health and welfare of people across the lifespan. She has more than 30 years of experience in community and behavioral health and nonprofit leadership. Since 2014 when she joined CaringMatters (formerly Hospice Caring) as Executive Director, Allison has grown the organization's visibility and created effective community partnerships and strategic alliances within the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. During her tenure, the agency's hospice support and bereavement programs have expanded significantly, and CaringMatters has become a recognized leader for community education on topics related to serious illness, end-of-life, loss and grief, and advance care planning. Allison serves on many community-wide committees and coalitions including several years as the co-chair of the Montgomery County Palliative Care and End-of-Life Coalition. Before joining CaringMatters, Allison served as the Deputy Director at The Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE), a nonprofit organization that provides education and counseling for families touched by foster care and adoption.

Prior to that, she was the Director of Kensington Wheaton Youth Services, a school-based prevention and early intervention program of EveryMind. (formerly the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County). Her professional experience also includes Prince William County Public Schools (Virginia) as the coordinator of substance abuse and violence prevention programs and The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (Baltimore) as a therapist and supervisor for their outpatient substance abuse and co-occurring disorders program. In the early 1990s, Allison was selected by the National Association of Community Health Centers for a fellowship in Community Health Administration, and through that, she spent two years working for a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Southern California. Allison holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Boston University and a Master of Public Health from The Johns Hopkins University. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Maryland and a graduate of the Leadership Montgomery Class of 2010.

Rocky Thurston
Rocky is the Chief Executive Officer of DMI. Under his leadership, DMI develops innovative and differentiated digital offerings aimed at creating value for our customers, employees, and stakeholders. Rocky joined DMI in 2021 and served as Chief Operating Officer. In this role he was responsible for leading the company’s global business strategies that enable DMI to deliver solutions to meet the sophisticated needs of the company’s diverse customer base. Under Rocky’s leadership, DMI expanded and repositioned the company’s Commercial, Federal, and State & Local businesses to align with the company’s vision of becoming the leading digital services provider and the intersection of Public and Private sectors. Prior to joining DMI, Rocky served as the President for the $1.3B Peraton Citizen Security and Public Services business sector, where he led key initiatives that transformed IT performance across multiple Federal sectors. Prior to Peraton, Rocky held leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Perspecta, AT&T, Accenture, and Lockheed Martin. Rocky is a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the United States Air Force Academy. He also holds an MBA with a concentration in finance.