Hall of Transformers
The Flywheel Awards gallery of winners recognizing federal IT’s top and rising leaders.
The flywheel is a critical component in a machine to increase its momentum.
It 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 in federal technology and communicate those strategies across the industry.
These awardees make up our Hall of Transformers, the change makers in the federal government instituting lasting change and influence across the public and defense sectors.
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Woman Tech Leader Lifetime Achievement 2023
Dorothy Aronson
CIO & CDO, National Science Foundation
Longstanding public servant who puts leadership first and never stops learning. She has created an environment that withstands the test of time to be resilient for the next generation of scientists and technologists.
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Health IT Rising Star 2023
Sanja Basaric
AI Program Lead, HHS
She oversees implementation of the enterprise AI strategy at the Department of Health and Human Services, and with that is also charting a path for the agency to promote responsible AI policy.
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CISO of the Year 2024
Donna Bennett
CISO, Department of State
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Woman Tech Leader Workforce Champion 2024
Jessica Berrellez
Executive Officer, Office of Digital Transformation,FDA
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Cyber Defender 2023
Stacy Bostjanick
Chief Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity, DOD
Change agent leading the DOD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to hold contractors accountable for baseline cybersecurity requirements.
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Zero Trust Advocate 2023
Gerald Caron
CIO/Assistant Inspector General for IT, HHS OIG
His zero trust approach serves as an example to other agencies seeking to improve cybersecurity especially in a hybrid work environment.
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Woman Tech Leader Digital Transformer 2024
Judy Cecchetti
Supervisory IT Specialist, VA
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Health IT Interoperability Leader 2023
Amanda Cournoyer
Data and Interoperability Director, EHRM-IO, VA
Her work is helping to transform the veteran health care experience as it modernizes its health record and plays a critical role in advancing the ways veterans’ data is accessible, useable and computable.
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Health IT Rising Star 2024
Remy DeCausemaker
Open Source Lead, Digital Service, CMS
A rising leader who cultivates open-source culture across his agency and beyond. He offers a fearless approach to innovation and establishing strategic partnerships.
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Health IT Innovation Champion 2023
Neil C. Evans, MD
Acting PED, EHRM-IO, VA Connected Care Chief, VHA
Always putting the patient first, Dr. Evans has led his team to create thriving technical capabilities that withstood the demands of the pandemic and are continuing to success — telehealth, patient portals and hybrid care.
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Health IT Digital Transformer 2023
Andrea Fletcher
Chief Digital Strategy Officer, CMS
She spearheads modernization efforts at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and is taking a human approach to digital services, which ultimately is creating an improved digital customer experience.
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Defense IT Cyber Defender 2024
Anthony Giljum
Director, Engineering and Technology Transformation, DHA
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Defense IT Digital Transformer 2024
Venice Goodwine
CIO, Air Force
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Woman Tech Leader Rising Star 2023
Christan Govich
Deputy Executive Director, Health Services Portfolio, Office of Information & Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs
Leads tech modernization across four product lines: Telehealth and Scheduling, Community Care, Clinical Services and Patient Care Services.
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Woman Tech Leader Rising Star 2024
April Harding
Director of User Experience Services, IRS
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Defense IT Emerging Tech Innovator 2024
Jennifer Hay
Director, Defense Digital Service
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Woman Tech Leader Digital Transformer 2023
Florence Kasule
Director of Procurement, U.S. Digital Service
Brings a more human experience to the acquisition process to effect necessary change that improves diversity and modernization in government.
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Woman Tech Leader Rising Star 2023
Krista Kinnard
Director of Innovation and Engineering, Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Labor
Spearheading major improvements in data science and leveraging automation to enhance procurement and manual labor.
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Woman Tech Leader of the Year 2023
Lauren Knausenberger
CIO, Department of the Air Force
Instrumental in bringing more cloud computing, improving UX, DevSecOps and data modernization for a $17 billion tech portfolio. Her influence has been felt outside of the Air Force’s barrier.
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Health Equity Advocate 2023
Adm. Rachel Levine, MD
Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS
She consistently speaks to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in her role at HHS. Rachel has made a difference in shaping the services that are high quality, responsive and equitable to today’s population.
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Defense IT Cloud Innovator 2024
Ryan McArthur
JWCC Program Manager, DISA
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Health IT Digital Transformer 2024
Mahua Mitra
Chief of Enterprise Platform Services, NIH CIT
Her leadership and initiative on critical processes and programs in the NIH Institutes and Center Offices has stood out. She initiated and led the NIH-wide ServiceNow Community of Practice (CoP), and began establishing a forward-looking vision for the program.
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Health Equity Advocate 2023
Dr. Ernest Moy
Executive Director, Office of Health Equity, VA
Ernest has expanded programs for underserved veteran communities, including more reproductive health care and other women’s services, as well as data dashboarding techniques to enable better understanding of veterans’ needs.
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Cyber Defender 2024
Amber Pearson
Deputy CISO and Executive Director of Information Security Policy and Strategy, VA
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Defense IT NextGen Champion 2024
Sharothi Pikar
Deputy CDAO for Acquisitions, DOD
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Health IT Interoperability Leader 2024
Steven Posnack
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Principal Deputy National Coordinator, HHS
He has brought much needed change to the data standards and activities that power key health care systems such as TEFCA and USCDI and advocating for their continued improvement and integration across government and industry.
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Woman Tech Leader Lifetime Achievement 2024
Jane Rathbun
CIO, Department of the Navy
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Zero Trust Advocate 2024
Wayne Rodgers
Zero Trust Lead, Department of Education
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Cybersecurity Rising Star 2023
Korie Seville
Technical Director, Hosting and Compute Center, DISA
On the frontline of transforming how the Defense Department does cloud security by leaning into Agile culture and new software development approaches.
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Health IT Innovation Champion 2024
Stephen Sinders
IT Specialist, VA
He has been praised for assisting the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Enterprise Cloud Fax Services program, which gives users more control over their fax data transfer processes between health care providers.
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Cyber Defender 2023
Lynette Sherrill
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Information Security & CISO, Department of Veterans Affairs
Leading high-profile efforts including the department’s new Zero Trust First Cybersecurity Strategy.
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Cyber Leader 2024
Vincent Sritapan
Section Chief, Cybersecurity Shared Service Office, CISA
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Health Equity Advocate 2024
Dr. Michelle Tarver
Deputy Director for Transformation and Acting Director, FDA CDRH
She has heavily spearheaded equity in health care, including contributing to research on AI bias in health, pushing forth programs like the agency’s “Home as a Health Care Hub” initiative and integrating medical devices into underserved communities.
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Defense IT Rising Star 2024
Nicole Thompson
Digital Services Expert, Defense Digital Service
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Defense IT Data Advocate 2024
Eileen Vidrine
Chief Data & AI Officer, Air Force
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Health IT Innovation Champion 2023
Renee Wegrzyn
Director, ARPA-H
With her leadership, ARPA-H has launched a cascade of projects moving health technology forward, including projects like DIGIHEALS, a digital health security effort to address cybersecurity threats to health care.
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Woman Tech Leader of the Year 2024
Sharon Woods
Director, J-6 Endpoint and Global Service Center, DISA
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Cybersecurity Rising Star 2024
Brittney Wright
U.S. Digital Corps Fellow at NIH
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Woman Tech Leader Workforce Champion 2023
Lauren Zabierek
Senior Policy Advisor, Cybersecurity Division, CISA
Prior Air Force intelligence officer who tackles critical issues like racism and supply chain vulnerabilities, co-founded the online social media movement called #ShareTheMicInCyber and has led numerous efforts supporting continued workforce advancements.
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Health IT Leaders Recognized with Flywheel Awards at Summit
Key federal health leaders were presented with Flywheel Awards during the event in recognition for their contributions to, and impact on, the health IT ecosystem.
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Women Tech Leaders Receive Flywheel Awards from GovCIO Media & Research
Six federal technology leaders were presented with Flywheel Awards in recognition for their impact on federal technology including the Woman Tech Leader of the Year.
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Top Federal Cyber Leaders to be Honored at GovCIO Media & Research’s CyberScape Summit
The finalists for the CyberScape Flywheel Awards have been announced for the March 7 CyberScape Summit in Reston, Va.
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