2025 Federal IT Efficiency Summit Recap

Congressman Pete Sessions offered a policy-maker’s perspective on the frameworks and initiatives that are driving efficiency across federal IT agencies.

Featured Speaker:

• Congressman Pete Sessions, Co-Chair, Congressional DOGE Caucus

Federal agencies are committed to modernizing their infrastructure to improve management, enhance security, and reduce costs. To better help government agencies accelerate their digital transformation and strengthen their digital backbone to support exponentially growing data sets and adoption of Artificial Intelligence tools, Michael Adams, Vice President of Sales, will discuss Verizon’s new GovCloud platform that is FedRAMP High Ready, as well as the GovCloud SD-WAN solution and Verizon AI Connect.

Featured Speaker:

• Michael Adams, Vice President, Public Sector Federal, Civilian & National Markets, Verizon

Digital services are transforming how citizens interact with government. Hear how federal agencies are modernizing their platforms – including web portals, cloud services and applications – to streamline citizens’ access to services, improve customer experience and boost federal efficiency.

Featured Speakers:

• Remy DeCausemaker, Open Source Lead, Digital Service, CMS
• Edward Mays, DAC, Infrastructure and Support Services, and Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer, CBP
• Christine Pacheco, Director of Federal Civilian Sales, Equinix

Agencies are creating new acquisition processes to enable speed and efficiency. These efforts are breaking through traditional norms by prioritizing innovative models, authorities and vehicles to transform how government procures the next generation of software and technology at speed. Learn how government leaders are accelerating procurement and what it means for the future of federal tech.

Featured Speakers:

• Leslie Beavers, Principal Deputy CIO, DOD
• Sameer Kamani, Staff Federal Solution Architect, GitLab
• Kayla Gunter, Acting Associate CIO and Director of Federal IT Program Management, NNSA, DOE
• Joanne Woytek, Program Director, SEWP Program, NASA

The new administration has released several AI directives, calling on government to reduce barriers around the tech to boost innovation, maintain the nation’s AI advantage and drive efficiency. Hear how top AI officials are leveraging AI to streamline internal and citizen services and developing strategies to maximize the tech’s benefits while maintaining security.

Featured Speakers:

• Andrea Brandon, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget, Finance, Grants, and Acquisition, DOI
• Tony James, Chief Architect, Science and Space, Red Hat
• David Salvagnini, CDO and CAIO, NASA

Top IT officials are developing new solutions to streamline citizen services, reduce barriers to innovation and drive a more efficient government. Learn more about the cutting-edge projects and programs shaping the future of public service.

Featured Speakers:

• Doyle Choi, Senior Director Strategic Federal Programs, Pure Storage
• Irina Denisenko, Chief Executive Officer, Knox Systems
• Jennifer Franks, Director, Center for Enhanced Cybersecurity and Acting Director, Analytics Foundry, GAO
• Alan Hope, Head, Mission Development Branch, NRL
• Cheryl Ingstad, Deputy Director, Digital Platforms & Developer Ecosystem, DIU

The Flywheel Awards recognize leaders and their work in the federal government.

The flywheel — a critical component in a machine to increase its momentum — is also a critical symbol representing our publication’s goal to keep federal IT decision-makers informed on technology’s impact on government. This momentum is what fuels the constant need for transformers to innovate and drive efficiency in government.

Federal IT Efficiency Summit Flywheel Award Winners:

• Rising Star: Morgan Zimmerman, Artificial Intelligence Policy Analyst, OMB
• Digital Transformer: Victoria Jolicoeur, Program Manager, Discretionary Programs, Office for Victims of Crime, DOJ
• Change Driver: Nadeem Ahmad, CTO, HUD OIG
• Workforce Enabler: Becky Lindstrom, Director, Office of Benefits Automation, VBA
• Innovation Champion: Pete Waterman, Director, FEDRAMP, GSA

Federal agencies are shifting from legacy IT systems to more agile and digital environments in the cloud. Modernizing IT is not a one-size-fits-all effort. Panelists discuss some of the initiatives underway to streamline processes, update data and cloud infrastructure, and create more efficiencies in technology posture.

Featured Speakers:

• Doyle Choi, Senior Director Federal Programs, Pure Storage
• Robert Costello, CIO, CISA
• Pritha Mehra, CIO, USPS
• Jeff Shilling, CIO, NCI