Speakers

Congressman Rob Wittman was first elected to the United States Congress to serve Virginia’s First Congressional District in 2007. While in office, he has focused on strengthening our military and supporting our nation’s veterans, promoting a flourishing economy through fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies, fixing our crumbling infrastructure, increasing access to high-speed internet, and promoting workforce development through Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs. 

In the U.S. Congress, Congressman Wittman serves as vice chairman of both the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, where he is well-positioned to represent the needs of Virginia's First District. He has earned a strong reputation for being an advocate for our men and women in uniform and for being a champion of the Chesapeake Bay. 

On the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Wittman serves as vice chairman of the full committee and the chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. On the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, Congressman Wittman oversees the largest portfolio of modernization programs on the House Armed Services Committee, with vast ramifications for the future of the U.S. military’s ground and air forces and munitions stockpiles. Congressman Wittman also serves on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). As co-chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus, he is a staunch advocate for a robust naval fleet and a healthy domestic shipbuilding industry. He also serves on the U.S. Naval Academy’s Board of Visitors. 

As vice chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Congressman Wittman serves on both the Energy and Minerals Subcommittee, as well as the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee, where he brings his professional expertise in water quality, fisheries, and other natural resource issues. He is a proud champion of the Chesapeake Bay for its environmental and economic attributes and has introduced legislation that will increase the accountability and effectiveness of cleaning up the bay. He serves as co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus, which brings the bay’s issues into focus for Members of Congress. 

As a co-chair of the House Rural Broadband Caucus, Congressman Wittman is leading the way to bring high-speed internet to the unserved areas of the First District and the nation. His Serving Rural America Act served as a model for the NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program, a $288 million funding program for partnerships between localities and providers of fixed broadband service to support broadband deployment. His other infrastructure priorities include deepening and widening the Port of Virginia, easing congestion on I-95, improving traffic and safety concerns along I-64, improving and expanding the Long Bridge, expanding the capacity of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and providing sustainable funding mechanisms to Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA). 

Congressman Wittman was re-elected for his ninth full term in the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2024 and prior to that, he served in several levels of government. Congressman Wittman won his first campaign for public office in 1986 when he was elected to the Montross Town Council, where he served for 10 years, four of them as mayor. In 1995, he was elected to the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors and was elected its chairman in 2003. In 2005, voters in the 99th Legislative District elected Rob to the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007. 

Prior to his election to Congress, Rob spent 26 years working in state government, most recently as field director for the Virginia Health Department's Division of Shellfish Sanitation. Earlier in his career, he worked as an environmental health specialist for local health departments in Virginia's Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions. 

He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Public Health degree in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Virginia Tech.

Mark is a proven national security executive from both the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. His last assignment in federal government was as the CIO of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Mark and his team at NGA integrated the world’s most advanced space and airborne sensors to support imagery analysts, data scientists, and cartographers at over 200 global locations. Prior to NGA, Mark reported directly to the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon leading the Navy’s $16 billion per year investment portfolio of unmanned systems, intelligence, space, IT, cyber, communications, and electronic warfare. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University and Master of Engineering Management from George Washington University.

A seasoned executive, Kim has spent over 26 years shaping national security practices and managing high-impact technology programs to drive results across federal government. Serving as a trusted advisor to senior government leaders, she has extensive experience in the implementation of cutting-edge solutions in technology, cybersecurity, software, and information analysis for a range of defense and intelligence organizations. As Executive Vice President, Kim is responsible for maintaining Oracle’s long history of continued investment in and commitment to national security.

Kim is an active member of the Potomac Officers Club 4x24 Intelligence Leadership Group and serves on the board of directors for the Professional Services Council. She has previously served on the board of the Women’s Center of Metropolitan Washington, DC, and was named to Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit.

Kim has been honored twice as an Executive Mosaic Wash100 awardee, recognizing her leadership, innovation, and vision in the government sector.

Margaret Boatner is the Vice President of National Security Policy at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). In this role, she is responsible for developing and executing AIA’s national security and industrial base policy agenda. Boatner brings nearly 15 years of direct experience in shaping DoD acquisition and procurement policy in the Pentagon and working closely with Congressional committees in advancing acquisition reform efforts.

Most recently, Boatner served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Strategy and Acquisition Reform (DASA(SAR)). In this role, she was the Army’s lead executive for the design and implementation of acquisition policy affecting R&D and production of warfighting capabilities. Boatner was also responsible for leading consistent implementation of new statutory authorities affecting Army programs, engaging with Congressional committee staff on legislation affecting the acquisition process, and guiding the development of related acquisition legislative proposals. During her tenure, Boatner orchestrated Army-wide initiatives that overhauled policy on intellectual property, software development and acquisition, industrial base resilience, and led a broad effort to streamline and simplify the acquisition process.

Prior to this role, Boatner spent over ten years in various roles in Army acquisition and contracting. Notably, between 2018 and 2022, Boatner served as Acting DASA(SAR) and Principal Director within the Office of the DASA(SAR). Between 2015 and 2016, Boatner served as Director of Initiatives for the Army’s Deputy Acquisition Executive where she directed special projects, including managing an effort on behalf of the DoD to develop, draft, and coordinate a series of legislative proposals to streamline the acquisition system by eliminating redundant processes and documentation. Between 2011 and 2015, Boatner served as Special Assistant to the Army’s senior contracting executive, where she helped to implement new metrics for Army contracting organizations designed to reduce procurement timelines and promote best practices.

Boatner holds a Master of Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington. She lives with her husband and son in Alexandria, VA.

Eric Chewning is executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy.  His responsibilities include working alongside the division presidents in leading the company’s strategy for future maritime capabilities and fleet architecture, development of hybrid manned-unmanned teaming strategies; identifying outsourcing partners to accelerate throughput; driving business pursuits for new maritime capabilities; managing enterprise strategic partnerships; managing HII’s Dark Sea Labs Advanced Technology Group, and overseeing enterprise strategy and corporate development.

In addition, he serves as a director on H&B Defence Board of Directors, the HII-Babcock International joint venture in Australia.

He has 25 years of experience across government and industry working issues at the intersection of national security, technology, and business.

Prior to joining HII, he co-led McKinsey & Company’s Aerospace & Defense practice in the Americas.

While in government, Chewning was the chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. In this role he led the secretary’s executive team, working across the military services, Joint Staff, combatant commanders, and senior civilian political appointees. He also provided counsel and advice to the secretary on all matters concerning the department.

Prior to serving as the chief of staff, Chewning was the deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy. In this capacity, he was the principal advisor for analyzing the capabilities, policies and overall health of America’s defense industrial base.

A former U.S. Army military intelligence officer, he is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his military service, Chewning was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley & Co. where he focused on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions in the global industrials sector.

Chewning received a MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia where he was recognized as a Shermet Scholar. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in international relations and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University of Chicago. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and appointed to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Christian Gutierrez is a Vice President of Hivemind Engineering at Shield AI, leading the expansion and integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind AI Pilot onto a variety of platforms. Christian served 20 years of honorable service in the U.S. Air Force working on the F-117A and F-16 as an Avionics Specialist and deployed to Iraq in 2005. He transitioned into Command and Control, serving in NORAD‘s Alert Mission and directly supported several hurricane contingency efforts along the Gulf Coast. After retiring from the Air Force, Christian spent over ten years at Lockheed Martin as a flight software and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) engineer for UAVs, spacecraft, and hypersonic missiles, advancing to lead a $500M project and a 275-person team. He holds a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Houston.

Steve Harris became Vice President for Defense and Intelligence at the Professional Services Council (PSC) on June 9, 2025.

He brings more than 28 years of federal service, including positions at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD), along with extensive expertise in interagency  collaboration, public-private partnerships, international policy, and acquisition.

Before joining PSC, Harris was a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and served as the Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security  Agency (CISA). In this capacity, he led CISA’s efforts to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure in partnership with government and private-sector stakeholders. He also held several other senior roles at CISA  and its predecessor organization, including Acting Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security, Acting Deputy Director for CISA, Acting Assistant Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate’s (NPPD) Office of Infrastructure Protection, and Deputy Director of NPPD’s Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis.

Earlier in his career, Harris held various positions within the Department of Defense. He served as Deputy for Policy at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, where he developed and implemented international policy for Foreign Military Sales and security cooperation programs. He also held contracting and acquisition roles at the Naval Air Systems Command and the Navy International Programs Office.

Harris has received numerous awards for his public service, including the Presidential Rank Award – Meritorious Executive, the DHS Secretary’s Silver Medal for Meritorious Service, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service.

He holds a Master of Science in Management/Contract Management from the Florida Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Shaun Jones, General Manager at Valiantys Federal, is a seasoned technology executive focused on the public sector and strategic projects. His diverse role includes responsibilities such as go-to-market strategies, business development, project delivery, and engagement methodologies.

Known for his outstanding work in advancing user-centric zero-trust initiatives, Shaun developed the TrustStack Collaboration Platform and modernized launch efforts for Space Force range operations. Recognized for his innovative approach, Shaun is a sought-after speaker who offers valuable insights on cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and collaboration software practices. His expertise not only influences the conversation but also inspires tangible change in the cybersecurity and technology fields.

A former Army medical specialist, Shaun still dedicates part of his time to volunteering as a firefighter/medic and has been recognized for his commendable actions in fire and emergency medicine. He is an alumnus of the Virginia Military Institute and St. Anne’s College, Oxford University.

Lieutenant General (Retired) Kevin Kennedy is currently the Vice President for Defense Strategy and Warfighting Integration at MANTECH. Prior to assuming that role, Kevin completed a diverse military career that spanned thirty-four years, culminating as the Commander of 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber). As Commander, he led 49,000 personnel and served as the Air Force component to U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Further, he led the U.S. Air Force’s global information warfare activities to include cyberspace and information operations, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, targeting, and weather operations.

Audrey M. Schaffer is the Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Government Strategy at Slingshot Aerospace, where she is responsible for leveraging her deep experience in the space industry to shape the company’s long-term strategy and influence U.S. and international space policies.

Before joining the private sector, Audrey served in the U.S. government for over 15 years, holding positions in the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, Department of State, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She most recently was the director for Space Policy on the National Security Council staff, where she advised the President, Vice President, and National Security Advisor of the United States on military, intelligence, civil, and commercial space policies and strategies.

Additionally, Audrey is a senior associate (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges. She also serves on the Advisory Committee of the Secure World Foundation, a private operating foundation that promotes cooperative solutions for space sustainability and the peaceful uses of outer space.

Audrey holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a MA in International Science and Technology Policy from the George Washington University. She began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Department of the Air Force and is a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service.  She lives with her family in Washington, DC.

Matthew Steckman is President and Chief Business Officer for Anduril Industries. In his role, he is responsible for leading many of the company's core internal functions, including oversight of corporate operations, executive operations, divisional activities, business performance, and revenue generation. He plays a critical role in shaping Anduril's strategic direction, ensuring operational efficiency, and driving sustainable growth across its expanding portfolio of defense and security solutions.

Prior to Anduril, Matt served as Chief Revenue Officer for Zipline International, the world’s first drone delivery company focusing on medical and blood products.

Matt held several leadership positions at Palantir Technologies, running internal business operations and owning relationships with the company’s largest customers.

Matt holds degrees in Computer Science and International Affairs from Georgetown University.

Dan Tadross is the Head of Public Sector at Scale AI, a dual use technology company that builds the infrastructure for the most ambitious artificial intelligence projects in the world. In this role, Dan oversees all aspects of Scale’s support to the U.S. public sector.

Prior to Scale, Dan served 12 years on Active Duty in the Marine Corps where he was a founding member of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), a precursor to the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office. At the JAIC, Dan established the Joint Warfighting National Mission Initiative and led project Gargoyle, which focused on deploying Computer Vision for enhancing force protection.

Prior to the JAIC, Major Tadross, an Air Traffic Control Officer, was hand selected as a member of the Secretary of the Navy’s Innovation Advisory Council, where he conducted independent research at the MITRE Corporation on integrating AI into Aviation Command and Control. His previous tours included Marine Air Tactical Command Squadron 18 in Okinawa, Japan where he served as the Senior Air Coordinator and supported exercises in South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University and a Masters in Technology Management from Georgetown University.