Defense Mavericks Bonnie Evangelista | Tradewinds × CDAO

This week, Bonnie is joined by Will Roper, CEO of Istari and former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, to talk about the future of military technology and innovation. Will shares his journey from theoretical physicist to defense acquisition leader and what it took to drive innovation along the way. He dives into the impact of digital engineering, the role of software and data in modern warfare, and the importance of adapting to rapidly evolving technological landscapes. Tune in to learn more about how the defense sector can effectively compete on a global scale.

TIMESTAMPS:

(2:39) How a theoretical physicist revolutionized military procurement

(3:20) Why software factories are the Air Force's new frontier

(8:45) Will’s playbook for innovation & sustainable enterprise change

(12:30) The secret to successful digital engineering

(17:15) What’s next for AI operationalization?

(24:49) Advice for current and future acquisition professionals

(29:24) The key to scaling innovation and moving past the “planting of seeds”

(31:13) Underestimated difficulty of creating digital engineering platforms

(34:03) Formula One and federal acquisitions—parallels and lessons

LINKS:

Follow Will: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamroper/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/

Istari: https://www.istaridigital.com/

This week, Bonnie is joined by Brennan Townley, CEO of Collaboration.AI to dive into the world of government contracting, innovative teamwork, and the impact of technology in defense collaboration. Brennan shares his unexpected journey into the DoD, highlighting the nuances of navigating government contracts and the power of connecting the right people to the right problems. Tune in to learn how storytelling and human-centered collaboration are shaping the future of tech in government.

TIMESTAMPS:

(1:30) Solving the government's hairiest problems

(5:16) How to succeed despite continuous government turnover

(7:41) Why a startup mentality helps you test & iterate faster

(12:37) Transitioning from SBIR phase II to III

(16:23) Struggling to define customer personas

(20:31) How to connecting the right people for collaboration opportunities

(26:17) Linking non-traditional contractors to military programs

(28:13) Connecting with people beyond transactional relationships

LINKS:

Follow Brennan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennantownley/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/

Collaboration.AI: https://collaboration.ai/

This week, Bonnie is joined by Allison Brager, U.S. Army neurobiologist, sleep expert, CrossFit athlete, aspiring astronaut, and Deputy Chief Science Officer for the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center to talk about how to optimize human performance in combat. Allison dives into the importance of leveraging science and technology to push human limits in both athletic and military environments and why fatigue management policies should be prioritized in the DoD. Tune in to this engaging discussion on the future of individualized training in special forces.

TIMESTAMPS:

(1:30) Allison’s journey from academia to the Army

(4:59) Why stress exposure is key to performance

(7:31) Using CrossFit for military recruitment

(10:45) Implementing fatigue management policies for Army fleet truck drivers

(12:23) Is sleep a sign of weakness?

(18:37) Why we need individualized training programs & how genetics are at play

(22:14) The secret to maximizing our combat power

(32:48) Humans over hardware

LINKS:

Follow Allison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-brager-80a58210/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/

This week, Bonnie is joined by Bryon Kroger, founder and CEO of Rise8, about the pivotal role of software in government and military operations. Bryon shares his insights on the challenges of bridging the gap between acquisitions and operations, the importance of continuous software delivery, and the ethos of fostering a culture of outcomes over outputs. Drawing on the lessons learned from the creation of Kessel Run and his subsequent venture, Rise8, Bryon outlines a new paradigm for agile, user-focused software development and systems integration in the federal space.

TIMESTAMPS:

(1:37) Bryon’s first experience with deadly software

(3:59) How Kessel Run changes the game in software delivery

(6:07) The secret to continuous software delivery

(14:46) Why Bryon founded Rise8

(19:53) Reimagining requirements & user engagement

(22:34) How output and behavior impact mission

(33:49) Challenge bureaucracy, innovate, and don't feel powerless

LINKS:

Follow Bryon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryon-kroger/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/

Rise8: https://www.rise8.us/

This week, Bonnie is joined by fellow CDAO leader Captain Manuel Xavier Lugo, Head of AI Initiatives and Capability Delivery and Task Force Lima Commander at OSD CDAO, to discuss the Task Force Lima mission, its challenges, and their 18-month race to AI mastery. Captain Lugo dives into the reality of AI integration, the pursuit of technological maturity, and the critical importance of tailored AI readiness in defense. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the balance between innovation and pragmatism.

TIMESTAMPS:

(1:30) What is Task Force Lima?

(7:28) Scaling vs. sustaining – who really owns success?

(8:55) Why you should abandon the “Black Box” mentality

(15:32) Partnering with use case owners

(19:05) Benefits of centralized enterprise models

(22:55) Don’t be scared of technology, be skeptical

(25:02) The hope and potential of AI

(28:22) Why you should never skip the basics

LINKS:

Follow Captain Lugo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mxlugo/

Email Task Force Lima: osd.cdao.tf.lima@mail.mil

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/

This week, Bonnie is joined by special guest Jennifer Pahlka, author of "Recoding America: Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better”, to talk through some of the most pressing issues facing public servants today. Jennifer dives into the need to shift from project management to product management, the power of human-centered policy, and how embracing change can accelerate the integration of emerging technologies. Tune in for an important conversation on reshaping the public sector to better serve its citizens.

TIMESTAMPS:

(5:13) The power of bottom-up policy

(6:39) Closing the gap between policy and delivery

(12:41) Why public servants should prioritize mission over process

(16:33) Discovering your “why”

(19:16) Focusing on direct user feedback rather than requirements

(23:28) Adding vs. simplifying policies

(26:09) Putting a stop to maximalist approach to policy

(27:14) Shifting from project to product management in government

(31:17) How to seek community & communicate needs

LINKS:

Follow Jennifer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpahlka/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/