GovCon Executive Slice

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Welcome to GovCon Executive Slice, the podcast where we hear perspectives from leaders who’ve built, scaled, and delivered while shaping the future of government contracting. Each episode features candid conversations with those who share insights on their company’s growth, challenges they’ve overcome, and the personal milestones that drive their success. From innovation and strategy to leadership and legacy, we uncover the stories behind the titles.

  1. 1d ago ·  Video

    CEO Perspectives: Tech, Growth, and What’s Next with GRS’s Michelle Rubie-Smith, Inclined’s Lena Trudeau, and Saliense’s Nikita Singh

    Growth gets attention and transformation gets headlines, but the leaders really worth watching are the ones who can build through all of it. They grow strong organizations, embrace new technology, develop great people, and continue delivering while the market changes around them. That's what made it such a pleasure to bring together Michelle Rubie-Smith, President of Global Resource Solutions (GRS); Lena Trudeau, Owner and CEO of Inclined; and Nikita Singh, CEO of Saliense, for our latest CEO Perspectives conversation. Michelle Rubie-Smith brings more than 30 years of GovCon leadership and has helped transform GRS from roughly 30 employees into a mature federal contractor supporting critical defense, intelligence, and security missions. Her story is one of sustainable scale, building not only the business, but the operational, financial, compliance, and organizational discipline needed to support increasingly important missions. Lena Trudeau has spent more than two decades at the forefront of technology and public-sector transformation, from helping create 18F and serving as its first Executive Director to leading AWS Public Sector in Canada and global expansion efforts. Today, she's putting that experience behind Inclined, building a woman-owned company that combines advanced analytics, deep technical expertise, and a human-centered approach to help organizations create lasting progress. Nikita Singh has spent the past decade building Saliense into a high-growth federal technology company delivering engineering, modernization, and cybersecurity solutions. Seven consecutive Inc. 5000 appearances tell one part of the story. More than 150 employees and 90 percent retention tell another, reflecting Nikita's focus on building a company where sustained growth, strong teams, and culture reinforce one another. If you're a GovCon executive trying to understand where the market is headed and how accomplished leaders are approaching technology, growth, people, and the challenge of positioning their organizations for whatever comes next, this is a conversation worth making time for. Special thanks to The Baldwin Group for its continued support of the CEO Perspectives series and to Ryan Reiskin, Partner at The Baldwin Group, for expertly moderating the conversation. To connect with Michelle, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Global Resource Solutions (GRS) by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Lena, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Inclined by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Lena, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Saliense by visiting their webpage here. Thank you to The Baldwin Group for sponsoring this podcast.

    CEO Perspectives: Tech, Growth, and What’s Next with GRS’s Michelle Rubie-Smith, Inclined’s Lena Trudeau, and Saliense’s Nikita Singh

  2. Oct 2 ·  Video

    From Federal CIO to ServiceNow Federal CTO: Jonathan Alboum on What’s Next for AI and Cybersecurity

    Government isn't short on AI ideas, pilots, or investment. The bigger challenge now is turning all of that momentum into measurable mission impact, without creating a whole new set of risks along the way. OrangeSlices CEO David Blackburn recently sat down with Jonathan Alboum, Federal CTO at ServiceNow, for a wide-ranging conversation about where federal AI really stands today, where agencies are beginning to find success, and what could change over the next 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Jonathan brings a perspective that few technology leaders can. Before joining ServiceNow, he served as CIO of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helping lead modernization across a roughly $3 billion annual technology environment. He also held senior technology and acquisition leadership roles at GSA and served as CIO of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service. In other words, Jonathan hasn't just watched federal modernization happen. He's been responsible for making it happen. He's navigated the technology, acquisition, workforce, governance, risk, and mission considerations that come with trying to drive meaningful change inside government. Today, from his role at ServiceNow, he gets to look at many of those same challenges from the other side of the table. And that makes this conversation particularly interesting. Jonathan shares what he's seeing across the federal landscape, where agencies are finding traction with AI today, how the technology is beginning to change government operations and constituent experiences, and where he believes the biggest opportunities are still ahead. He also offers some bold predictions about what the next two years could bring as agencies move beyond experimentation and begin thinking much more seriously about AI at enterprise scale. The conversation also gets into an increasingly important challenge: visibility. As agencies deploy more AI, how do leaders know what's actually operating across their environment, where it's being used, whether it's delivering value, and where risk may be accumulating? Jonathan discusses the concept of an AI control tower and how greater enterprise-level oversight can give leaders a clearer view of their AI environment and help them make better decisions around investment, governance, performance, and risk. If you're a GovCon growth executive, technology leader, or government decision-maker trying to understand where federal AI is going rather than simply where it is today, this is one worth making time for. Jonathan has been inside government, he's now seeing the market from industry, and he brings a grounded perspective on what's working, what's coming next, and what leaders on both sides of the table should be preparing for now. To connect with Jonathan, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about ServiceNow by visiting their webpage here.

    From Federal CIO to ServiceNow Federal CTO: Jonathan Alboum on What’s Next for AI and Cybersecurity

  3. Sep 30 ·  Video

    CEO Perspectives: When the Playbook Changes. MKS2 Technologies CEO Brendan Mullen and STS CEO Adrian Rich on Leading Through Disruption

    Change isn't coming to the federal market. It's already here. And for CEOs, the bigger question isn't how to get through the latest round of disruption. It's how to build a company capable of adapting, performing, and growing when constant change becomes the new normal. OrangeSlices recently had the opportunity to explore that challenge with two accomplished founders who have spent years building successful federal technology companies: Brendan Mullen, Founder and CEO of MKS2 Technologies, and Adrian Rich, Founder and CEO of Simple Technology Solutions (STS). Brendan brings a remarkable builder's perspective. A West Point graduate and Army combat veteran, he has spent 18 years growing MKS2 into a global federal technology and services company supporting defense, intelligence, civilian, and commercial customers. Eight Inc. 5000 appearances demonstrate the consistency of that growth, while building MKS2 debt-free from inception speaks to the discipline behind it. Adrian has built an equally compelling story at STS. He founded the company around a belief that complex government technology can, and should, be made simpler. That philosophy has helped turn STS into a nationally recognized federal technology company, earning recognition for rapid growth and as a great place to work while helping government customers navigate cloud, Agile, DevOps, and enterprise transformation. Leading the conversation is Eric Mothershead, Senior Partner at The Baldwin Group, who advises hundreds of scaling federal contractors and brings a valuable perspective on the workforce, cost, benefits, and organizational decisions that inevitably accompany growth and change. And that's where this conversation gets especially interesting. Brendan and Adrian look back at the lessons accumulated over years of building their companies, how those lessons have been tested by the extraordinary pace of change over the past two years, and what they're doing now to prepare MKS2 and STS for what comes next. They get into leadership, people, technology, execution, growth, and how CEOs make decisions when yesterday's playbook may no longer be enough. If you're leading or growing a GovCon business and wondering what experienced CEOs are changing, protecting, investing in, and preparing for as they attack this new normal, make time for this conversation. To connect with Brendan, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about MKS2 Technologies by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Adrian, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Simple Technology Solutions (STS) by visiting their webpage here.

    CEO Perspectives: When the Playbook Changes. MKS2 Technologies CEO Brendan Mullen and STS CEO Adrian Rich on Leading Through Disruption

  4. Sep 1 ·  Video

    CEO Perspectives: Building Companies That Adapt, Execute, and Deliver with IBR’s David Chafin, South River Federal’s Matthew Tarjick, and Tech2i’s Par Rachakonda

    Technology moves fast. Building a great company is harder. In today’s federal market, the leaders separating themselves aren’t simply adopting AI, cloud, and data. They’re building the teams, culture, and discipline to turn those capabilities into mission results. OrangeSlices recently brought together three accomplished CEOs for a CEO Perspectives conversation: David Chafin, CEO of Imagine Believe Realize (IBR); Matthew Tarjick, CEO and Managing Director of South River Federal Solutions; and Parvathi “Par” Rachakonda, CEO of Tech2i. David has helped grow IBR from a one-person startup into an established federal technology company known for strong teams, exceptional customer performance, and modern capabilities spanning digital transformation, DevSecOps, cloud, low-code, and AI. Matthew brings more than two decades of military leadership to South River Federal, a mission-driven SDVOSB supporting healthcare, readiness, and transformation across the federal landscape. And Par brings deep technical and operational experience to Tech2i, applying a career built around data, technology, and large-scale delivery to practical cloud, data, and Salesforce solutions. Moderating the discussion is Ryan Reiskin, Partner at The Baldwin Group. The Baldwin Group is a cohesive group of experts in business insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning, and all areas of private and personal insurance. At The Baldwin Group, they help provide the solutions clients need to have confidence and gain peace of mind as they pursue what’s possible for themselves, their families, and their businesses. The conversation gets into what CEOs are wrestling with right now: building high-performing teams, investing intelligently in technology, protecting culture while growing, and staying disciplined as the federal market changes around them. If you want to hear how three very different company builders are thinking about leadership, growth, technology, and what it takes to stay relevant and deliver in today’s federal market, this is a conversation worth listening to. To connect with David, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Imagine Believe Realize (IBR) by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Par, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Tech2i by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Matthew, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about South River Federal Solutions by visiting their webpage here. Thank you to The Baldwin Group for sponsoring this podcast.

    CEO Perspectives: Building Companies That Adapt, Execute, and Deliver with IBR’s David Chafin, South River Federal’s Matthew Tarjick, and Tech2i’s Par Rachakonda

  5. Aug 20 ·  Video

    Taking On the Hard Problems. MAJUS CEO Sean Brijbasi and Bracari CEO Melissa Sharp Britton on Technology, Teams, and Execution

    There is no shortage of new technology entering the federal market. The harder challenge is building the companies, teams, and solutions capable of turning that technology into something agencies can actually use to solve difficult mission problems. In this latest CEO Perspectives conversation, OrangeSlices connected with Sean Brijbasi, Founder and CEO of MAJUS Consulting, and Melissa Sharp Britton, CEO of Bracari, two accomplished company builders bringing distinct perspectives on leadership, innovation, growth, and execution. Sean has spent more than 15 years building high-performing teams and shaping business and technology strategy. At MAJUS, he's building an AI-driven federal technology company around technical excellence, agility, and practical innovation, focused on applying emerging technology where it can make a meaningful difference for government customers. Melissa brings more than 20 years of experience building companies, taking products to market, and helping customers succeed. At Bracari, she's built a culture around a refreshingly direct philosophy: It's fun to do hard things. Her team combines engineering, software, and creative problem-solving with strong execution and a relentless focus on the customer's mission. Moderating the discussion is Eric Mothershead, Senior Partner at The Baldwin Group, where he advises hundreds of scaling federal contractors on employee benefits strategy, benchmarking, regulatory compliance, M&A due diligence, and payroll and HCM strategy. Together, Sean, Melissa, and Eric dig into what it takes to build great teams, invest intelligently in emerging technology, manage growth, and create companies prepared for what's next. If you want to hear how successful company builders are thinking about technology, culture, growth, and execution in today's federal market, this conversation is worth your time. To connect with Sean, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about MAJUS Consulting by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Melissa, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Bracari by visiting their webpage here. Thank you to The Baldwin Group for sponsoring this podcast.

    Taking On the Hard Problems. MAJUS CEO Sean Brijbasi and Bracari CEO Melissa Sharp Britton on Technology, Teams, and Execution

  6. Aug 13 ·  Video

    Forum One CEO Elisabeth Bradley on Why Digital Trust Has Become Government's Most Valuable Asset

    Trust has become one of government's most valuable assets. Increasingly, it's earned, or lost, through a digital experience. For nearly three decades, Forum One has helped government agencies and mission-driven organizations navigate that reality, combining strategy, design, data, and technology to create digital experiences that strengthen public trust, improve engagement, and help organizations deliver greater mission impact. As digital expectations continue to evolve and artificial intelligence reshapes the way organizations think about service delivery, the need for thoughtful, mission-first digital strategy has never been greater. David Blackburn recently sat down with Elisabeth Bradley, CEO of Forum One, for a conversation about what nearly 30 years of helping organizations modernize has taught the firm about digital transformation, public trust, and the future of government technology. Elisabeth's leadership journey mirrors Forum One's own evolution. After helping shape the firm's strategy through a series of executive leadership roles, she now leads one of the industry's most respected digital consultancies serving government agencies and mission-driven organizations. Her perspective is informed by years spent helping organizations align strategy, technology, communications, and human-centered design to create measurable outcomes that matter. Throughout the conversation, David and Elisabeth explore why digital trust has become inseparable from public trust, how agencies can think differently about creating meaningful digital experiences, and why successful AI adoption has far less to do with chasing the latest technology than it does with solving real mission challenges. They also reflect on what has changed, and what hasn't, across nearly three decades of supporting organizations working to improve lives, strengthen communities, and deliver on some of government's most important missions. Whether you're a government leader, GovCon executive, digital strategist, technologist, or simply interested in how thoughtful innovation can create lasting impact, this conversation offers practical insights from a leader whose career has been dedicated to helping organizations turn ideas into meaningful results. To connect with Elisabeth, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Forum One by visiting their webpage here.

    Forum One CEO Elisabeth Bradley on Why Digital Trust Has Become Government's Most Valuable Asset

  7. Aug 6 ·  Video

    DecisionPoint CEO Brian Flood and Prescient Edge CEO Alexander Granados on Leading Through Change, Innovation, and National Security

    The next generation of federal leaders won't be defined by the technology they adopt. They'll be defined by how effectively they help government solve increasingly complex mission and national security challenges. OrangeSlices recently had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Flood, Founder and CEO of DecisionPoint Corporation, and Alex Granados, CEO of Prescient Edge, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, innovation, growth, and what it takes to build organizations that consistently deliver in today's evolving federal market. Brian has spent his career helping organizations anticipate change and turn complexity into opportunity, building DecisionPoint into a trusted innovation partner delivering enterprise IT, modernization, and mission support solutions that strengthen government performance. Under Alex's leadership, Prescient Edge has emerged as one of the federal market's premier intelligence and national security partners, combining operational expertise with advanced technologies to help the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and federal agencies stay ahead of rapidly evolving mission challenges. Moderating the discussion is Ryan Reiskin, Partner at The Baldwin Group. The Baldwin Group is a cohesive group of experts in business insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning, and all areas of private and personal insurance. At The Baldwin Group, they help provide the solutions clients need to have confidence and gain peace of mind as they pursue what's possible for themselves, their families, and their businesses. Throughout the discussion, these leaders share candid perspectives on leading through change, investing in innovation without losing operational discipline, building organizations prepared for what's next, and the leadership decisions they believe will define the next generation of successful federal contractors. If you're interested in how respected GovCon CEOs are thinking about growth, mission execution, national security, and long-term competitive advantage, this is a conversation well worth your time. To connect with Brian, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about DecisionPoint Corporation by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Alex, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Prescient Edge by visiting their webpage here. Thank you to The Baldwin Group for sponsoring this podcast.

    DecisionPoint CEO Brian Flood and Prescient Edge CEO Alexander Granados on Leading Through Change, Innovation, and National Security

  8. Aug 3 ·  Video

    OmniTrust CEO David Sequino on Why Digital Trust Is Becoming the Next Cybersecurity Battleground

    What if the biggest cybersecurity challenge facing government and industry isn't stopping the next attack, but proving who, or what, can actually be trusted? As AI, connected devices, software supply chains, and machine identities continue to expand, trust has become one of the most strategic issues organizations face. The organizations that can establish and govern trust across these increasingly complex ecosystems will be far better positioned to manage risk, accelerate innovation, and prepare for what's next. David Blackburn recently sat down with David Sequino, Co-Founder and CEO of OmniTrust, to discuss why digital trust is rapidly becoming a boardroom issue. With decades of experience securing more than two billion connected devices and enabling more than three billion secure software updates annually, David shares how OmniTrust has evolved from securing embedded systems to delivering Trust Lifecycle Management across devices, cloud environments, digital identities, cryptographic assets, software supply chains, and emerging AI ecosystems. During the conversation, they explore why post-quantum security timelines are far more urgent than many executives realize, the technical realities of migrating to quantum-safe cryptography, and why traditional security models struggle in a future where autonomous AI agents are making decisions at machine speed. If you're responsible for cybersecurity, technology strategy, digital transformation, AI, or enterprise risk, this conversation provides a practical look at where digital trust is headed and what leaders should be thinking about today. It's a timely discussion for executives who want to understand not just the technology, but the strategic decisions that will shape the next generation of secure systems. To connect with David, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about OmniTrust by visiting their webpage here.

    OmniTrust CEO David Sequino on Why Digital Trust Is Becoming the Next Cybersecurity Battleground
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About

Welcome to GovCon Executive Slice, the podcast where we hear perspectives from leaders who’ve built, scaled, and delivered while shaping the future of government contracting. Each episode features candid conversations with those who share insights on their company’s growth, challenges they’ve overcome, and the personal milestones that drive their success. From innovation and strategy to leadership and legacy, we uncover the stories behind the titles.

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  • Creator
    orangeslices
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
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    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
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    GovCon Executive Slice