Speakers

Ms. Aronson serves as the Chief Information Officer and Chief Data Officer for the National Science Foundation. As an innovative and gifted creative thinker, strategist, and artist, Ms. Aronson is highly skilled at linking mission and strategy to IT and Data tools, which enables the Foundation to manage the full lifecycle of proposals and awards. She acts as the executive thought leader defining NSF's data strategy and roadmap. Ms. Aronson also serves as NSF's Senior Agency Official for Privacy, the senior executive with agency-wide responsibility and accountability for the Foundation's privacy program. Ms. Aronson has a strong interest in innovating for the workforce of the future through technology and serves as a Chair of the CIO Council's Workforce Committee. Ms. Aronson is currently focused on improving data literacy throughout the government and serves as the Federal Sponsor for the Federal-wide data science and analytics training pilot.
Ms. Aronson was recognized as one of FedScoop’s Best Bosses in Federal IT in 2019 and 2020, Top Women in Technology for 2018, and, was recognized in 2013 as one of the FCW Fed 100 for her mastery of innovation and for her ability to effectively engage her staff around a common vision for cutting-edge IT in support of NSF-funded cutting-edge research. Prior to her time at NSF, Ms. Aronson served as the Director for the Office of Management Operations for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency.
She holds a Business degree from Duke University and is committed to lifelong learning.

Gerald Caron is the Chief Information Officer for the International Trade Administration. In this role, he implements information technology services, solutions, and strategy for an agency of 2,200 employees across 100 U.S. cities and 80 international markets.

Caron has two decades of experience leading global teams in IT operations and cybersecurity. Prior to joining ITA, he was the Chief Information Officer and Assistant Inspector General of Information Technology at the Department of Health and Human Services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served at the State Department in various technical roles, including as Director of Enterprise Network Management oversaw the Department’s infrastructure and operations (network, perimeter security, active directory and much more) and was extensively involved in mitigating cybersecurity attacks. He began public service in the U.S. Army for seven years. 

Caron is a tri-chair on the interagency U.S. Chief Information Officers Council’s E-Ops Committee for Zero Trust, whose aim is to drive efficiency and effectiveness of government cybersecurity effectiveness. He also chairs the Zero Trust Working Group for the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center (ATARC), a non-profit that bridges the gap between government, industry, and academia on emergent technologies. Previously, he chaired ATARC’s Trusted Internet Connection 3.0 Working Group.

Caron is a recipient of the FedHealthIT 100 2022 and 2023 award. He was named GovCIO’s 2022 and 2023 GovCIO Zero Trust Advocate Flywheel Award, ATARC’s 2022 Government Member of the Year, FedScoop’s Best Bosses in Federal IT 2022, FedTech’s 30 Federal IT Influencers Worth a Follow in 2023 and Public Sector Networks Global Top 50 Government Innovators of 2023. He is a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College and holds certification from Forrester as a Zero Trust Strategist.

Ryan Palmer is the Senior Technical and Strategic Advisor for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) team within the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). He joined GSA in October 2023, bringing with him a wealth of technical knowledge, data, automation, and cybersecurity experience.

Ryan started in federal service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a dynamic and eager student intern within their IT department. Demonstrating a natural affinity for technology, he rapidly transitioned to more intricate IT responsibilities. Ryan’s tenure at USDA was marked by a diverse array of roles, each enriching his skill set and contributing to his professional growth. From customer support to supervision, and from application development to operations and integration, his career path was characterized by continual growth and versatility.

In 2021, Ryan seized an opportunity to further specialize his expertise by joining GSA as an Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) and FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board Technical Reviewer (JAB-TR). This role represented his first venture into a dedicated security and compliance position where he applied his diverse background as subject matter expert in cloud computing and cybersecurity.

Ryan’s approach to work has consistently been data-driven and automation-supported. This methodology not only enhances efficiency but also ensures that the solutions are grounded in tangible evidence and innovative practices. Ryan is driven by a commitment to service and a passion for advancing the use of technology within the federal government

Ryan’s educational background underpins his skillset and approach to work and includes a B.S. in Computer Engineering and a B.S. In Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University. These qualifications have been pivotal in shaping his technical capabilities and strategic approach to complex IT challenges within the federal government.

Tommy Gardner is HP’s Chief Technology Officer for HP Federal, spanning the US Federal Agencies, Higher Education, K-12 Education, State and Local government customer segments, as well as Federal Systems Integrators. His current responsibilities include technology leadership, strategic technology plans, product and technology strategies, sales force technical support, and customer and partner relationships. 

Previously, Tommy has served as the Chief Technology Officer for Jacobs Engineering, Scitor, and ManTech. Earlier in his career he was a senior technical executive at Raytheon. In the U.S. Navy he served as the Deputy for Science and Technology for the Chief of Naval Research. He oversaw the Navy’s Deep Submergence Program as well as its Advanced Technology Program. He also commanded the nuclear submarine, USS San Juan (SSN 751). 

Tommy’s educational background covers multiple disciplines and fields of interest including: cybersecurity, data science, blockchain, quantum information science, artificial intelligence, high performance computing and systems integration.

Tommy holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University, an M.S. in Management of Technology from MIT and a Ph. D. in Energy Economics from George Washington University. He is a Professional Engineer, an ASME Fellow, and serves on the ASME Board of Governors, the ANSI Board of Directors and the U. S. Council on Competitiveness as the Co-chair of the Advanced Computer Roundtable.