All Things of Interest to the Government Contracting Community
Keynote Speaker VA PTAC- Lisa Wood - 8:00 AM
Lisa Wood is the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (VA-PTAC), VA-PTAC provides marketing and technical assistance to Virginia businesses selling, or interested in selling, their products and/or services to federal, state and local government agencies. The agency has field offices in Fredericksburg and Hampton as well as its main office in the George Mason University Enterprise Center in Fairfax. Services include customized client bid matching, individual counseling, seminars, bid/proposal preparation, assistance with System of Award Management (SAM) and Capability Statements.
Ms. Wood holds a MBA from the University of New Haven and a BSBA through the Robert Morris University of Pittsburgh. Lisa is currently pursuing her PhD in Instructional Management and Leadership (School of Education and Social Sciences) with Robert Morris University of Pittsburgh. She previously was the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for the States of Connecticut and Ohio. Before joining the Ohio Department of Development, she was Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center for the Northwest Commission of Pennsylvania and was a Procurement Specialist for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. In these roles, Wood performed contract administration and negotiation duties. She also recommended bidders, handled issue inquiries, negotiated bids, performed cost and price analysis, and prepared comprehensive letters to justify recommended contract actions.
Janique Hudson, U.S. Department of State - 9:00 AM
BPX Technologies - 10:00 AM
Anjali Kottha
Anjali Kottha has over 10 years of experience in engineering and management appraising services. She is the VP of Technical Services of GMS Registrar and is the POC for their FedRAMP program. She is responsible for GMS Registrar’s corporate growth initiative comprising of strategy, business development, and customer maintenance. Anjali is a Lead Appraiser and Lead Instructor for DEV and SVC, and a Lead Auditor for ISO 9000 & 27000. Prior to GMS Registrar, she worked at The Cleveland Clinic and developed various clinically applicable software programs. Anjali is an active member in Toastmasters as her club Treasurer. She is also a strong supporter of the YWCA Women’s Leadership Institute. She recently accepted the nomination to serve on her high school Alumni Board.
Don Owens
Don Owens, CPA, CFF, CITP, CFE, CIA, CRMA, CFSA, CBA, is Director of Operations at BPX Technologies and founder and principal at Polymath Forensic and Risk Management (PFRM) Solutions.
Don’s 35-year career has been dedicated to assisting organizations to develop strategies and implementing leading risk mitigation practices and controls to enhance and protect their value. This includes working with clients to optimize processes and streamline controls in order to achieve efficiencies and cost savings. Other services he provides include SOC 1 and 2 readiness reviews and examinations in which he works closely with boards and management to identify and manage threats that could inhibit the achievement of goals and objectives. To remain on the forefront of matters impacting organizations, he continually researches emerging threat actors, standards, and authoritative guidance to provide clients timely consult. Don is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Information Systems Audit and Control Association, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and The Institute of Internal Auditors and has presented on various risk management and mitigation topics at national and regional conferences. Don participates in Junior Achievement’s school mentoring program and is a member of the Franklin University Accounting Advisory Board where he advises the University on its cirriculum.
Nik Kottha
Nik Kottha, MBA, PMP CLSSBB, is VP of Training and Development at BPX Technologies.
In his 20 year career, Nik has worked with leading companies in sectors such as: manufacturing, banking, management consulting, and health care. He takes his systems approach to problem solving and process improvement and applies it to organizations who are looking to perform at breakthrough levels. This unique insight is afforded by the mindful approach that Nik applies through a boundless need to make systems work better than they ever did before.
Nik is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Additionally he is a Lead Auditor for ISO 9000, ISO 20000, ISO 27000, a CMMC Registered Practitioner Candidate and a Candidate for CMMI Lead Appraiser.
Nik holds a BA in Economics from Cleveland State University and an MBA in Management from Baldwin-Wallace University. In his free time you can find him exploring trails in the backcountry of Americas National Parks and abroad he also finds great joy as a volunteer teacher and mentor for Junior Achievement.
Kevin Young - 11:00
KEVIN P. YOUNG, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR GROWTH STRATEGY, MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXPERT
Kevin P. Young is a Washington, DC-based corporate executive, management consultant and adjunct professor with a long and successful history in the planning and execution of Growth, Marketing, Business Development and Business Management strategy, programs, processes and metrics across multiple industries.
He has served in senior vice president or vice president roles for three FORTUNE 500 companies: LandAmerica Financial Group (now Fidelity National Financial), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Unisys.
Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority -12:00
Wande Leintu is the Deputy Vice President of Supplier Diversity at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). In this role, Ms. Leintu is responsible for managing the Airports Authority’s Department of Supplier Diversity to ensure the maximum utilization of Small Business concerns in the Airports Authority’s contracting opportunities while enabling economic impact. She has over 17 years of experience in managing large-scale Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, and Supplier Diversity programs. Ms. Leintu served as the National Manager for council Services and Congressional Liaison for NMSCDC, served for a period of time in Congress, and led Kaiser Permanente Supplier Diversity for the Mid-Atlantic region prior to joining MWAA.
Ms. Leintu earned an MBA from Howard University with a focus on Finance and Supply Chain Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business.
Nirav is an Economic Development Specialist at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Washington D.C. Area Metro Office (WMADO). In this role, he collaborates with local: SBA Resource Partners, (public and private) economic development organizations, and other stakeholders to develop, bolster and support informational initiatives which aid and assist small business and entrepreneurs across the capital region. In addition, he is the Program Manager for SBA’s Emerging Leaders Program, a CEO academy which guides small business leaders on scaling and growing their business. He also conducts HUBZone site inspections for certified HUBZone firms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration, and a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Pepperdine University. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Riverside.
Lisa J Avila worked as a General Business & Industry for the Small Business Administration (SBA) and in 2015 had a reported pay of $108,034 according to public records. This is 64.3 percent higher than the average pay for federal agency employees and 75.3 percent higher than the national average for government employees.
Army - Kimberly D. Buehler - 2:00
Ms. Kimberly D. Buehler serves as the Director for the Army Office of Small Business Programs, where she provides executive leadership for all aspects of the Army's small business mission. Ms. Buehler represents the Secretary of the Army at congressional committee and subcommittee hearings on small business matters, and leads strategic inter-agency communication with the Small Business Administration, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the Minority Business Development Agency (Department of Commerce), and other agencies and presidential commissions. Ms. Buehler previously held various assignments with the Department of Army, including serving as the Director of Procurement Policy for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Procurement). Her educational accomplishments include earning a Master of Arts in Art History from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1996) and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Trenton State College, Ewing, New Jersey (1993). Ms. Buehler is Level III Certified in Contracting, Level I Certified in Program Management, and a member of the Army Acquisition Corps Member.
HUBZone Council - Michelle Burnett - 3:00
As an advocate of the HUBZone program for almost 10 years, Michelle Burnette shares her viewpoint about the program and other insights to help small businesses understand and survive the federal marketplace.
EPA Sidney Ozer - Hana Jones - 4:00
Hana Jones
Small Business Specialist at US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Ozer, Sidney
Contracting Officer at EPA