GovCIO Media & Research Honors Flywheel Award Winners at Federal Tech Leaders Summit
GovCIO Media & Research honored eight federal innovators with the inaugural Flywheel Award at the Federal Tech Leaders Summit, celebrating leadership in modernization and mission impact.
June 17, 2026
Washington D.C. – GovCIO Media & Research, recognized eight standout federal innovators at its Federal Tech Leaders Summit on June 12, honoring the inaugural winners of the Flywheel Award. Celebrating leaders who advance federal missions through exceptional vision, collaboration and impact, with nominations and voting driven directly by the federal IT community.
“These awards highlight the remarkable dedication and forward-thinking leadership shaping the future of government technology,” said GovCIO Media & Research President Michael Hoffman. “Each honoree is helping accelerate transformation, strengthen mission readiness and drive innovation approaches to some of government’s most critical challenges.”
This year’s eight awardees represent a diverse range of technology leadership across federal agencies:
- Ty Hughes, Director of the Cyber Security Integrity Center, State Department – recognized for his mentorship across the cybersecurity community and leadership in exploring AI adoption for cyber resilience.
- Dr. Josh Denny, CEO of the All of Us Program, NIH – honored for his leadership in biomedical research and precision medicine, and for highlighting how technology drives breakthroughs in public health.
- Rangam Subramanian, Filing and Legislative Delivery Resource Director, IRS – celebrated for advancing automation that brings new levels of transparency and operational efficiency to the agency’s filling processes.
- Justin Ubert, Director of Cyber Protection, DOT – recognized for championing zero trust and data-driven cybersecurity practices that empower teams to strengthen mission outcomes.
- Brian Campo, Chief Data and AI Officer, Coast Guard – acknowledged for driving enterprise-wide digital transformation and expanding digital readiness across the broader service community.
- Kirsten Davies, CIO, DOW – honored for leading significant modernization efforts, including new technology strategies and structural reforms that are reshaping how the department fields and manages technology.
- Zach Schwartz, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, VA – recognized for bringing private sector expertise to major modernization initiatives, including pioneering applications of AI.
- Sean Cairncross, National Cyber Director, White House – honored for advancing a new federal approach to cybersecurity and guiding AI strategy within the national cyber framework.
Visit the Federal Tech Leaders Summit to view the event recap, session recordings and top takeaways.
About GovCIO Media & Research
GovCIO Media & Research, an independent media company, provides insights and analysis on federal IT innovation and is the leading industry solutions resource. Our team utilizes a multi-platform approach to today’s most pressing issues through video, podcasts, events, articles and special reports that keep federal IT decision-makers informed on technology’s impact on government.
Visit https://govciomedia.com/ for more information.
Media Contact
Erika Hess
Marketing Operations Specialist
This is a carousel with manually rotating slides. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate or jump to a slide with the slide dots
