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Keeping IT Brief
Keeping IT Brief is FORUM’s fast, focused podcast delivering essential insights on government technology, federal modernization, and the evolving GovCon landscape. Each short episode features conversations with industry leaders, government executives, and innovators who are driving mission success through new strategies, emerging technologies, and forward-thinking approaches to public sector IT.
Designed for busy federal and industry professionals, Keeping IT Brief gets straight to what matters—key trends, practical takeaways, and expert perspectives on cybersecurity, digital transformation, AI adoption, cloud advancements, and the policies shaping federal technology priorities. Instead of long discussions, the podcast provides concise, high-value briefings that help listeners stay informed and ready for what’s next.
Whether you support federal programs, lead technology initiatives, work in business development, or simply want to keep pace with the rapid changes across government IT, Keeping IT Brief delivers the insights you need in a format that fits your schedule. Guests include senior government officials, CIOs, CTOs, acquisition experts, solution architects, and strategic voices from across the public and private sectors.
About the Host:
Mary Ann Brown hosts Keeping IT Brief and brings extensive experience in connecting government and industry across technology, policy, and mission-driven initiatives. As Senior Director of Operations at FORUM, she supports collaboration through strategic events, leadership programs, and platforms that elevate critical conversations in the federal space.
Stay informed in minutes. Subscribe to Keeping IT Brief for timely insights that help you understand federal IT trends and anticipate opportunities across the government technology community.
Episodes
169 episodes
AI, Security & The Future Workforce with Oliver Sadorra of Dark Wolf Solutions
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown speaks with Oliver Sadorra, Chief Growth Officer at Dark Wolf Solutions. Oliver explores the real-world state of AI across government and industry and shares insights from years ...
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12:55
Strengthening DHS IT Operations: Next Steps for National Security Efficiency with Keri Gentilcore
Keri Gentilcore leads the DHS and National Security portfolio at ITC Federal, where she oversees teams delivering innovative, mission-focused technology solutions. With more than 20 years of experience across federal security and civilian marke...
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12:48
Bridging the Cyber-Physical Divide: Safeguarding Major Events with Tim Miller of Dataminr
From the FIFA World Cup to the Olympics, securing massive global events isn’t just about physical barriers—it’s about defending digital infrastructure that supports everything behind the scenes.In this episode of Keeping IT Brief
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9:12
Federal Cybersecurity: Creating a Modern Response for Today’s Risks
Federal agencies struggle with tension between innovation and compliance as cyber threats evolve and AI becomes mission-critical. NIST's Risk Management Framework (RMF) faces scrutiny for complexity that slows transformative technology adoption...
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19:17
Solving the Federal Identity Crisis: Balancing Security, Privacy, and User Experience
Federal agencies are under growing pressure to modernize digital identity systems as cyber threats escalate and citizens expect seamless digital services. Yet legacy infrastructure, siloed systems, and inconsistent standards create barriers to ...
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13:08
New GitLab Data Shows AI Security Risks that Government Can’t Ignore
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office from April identified cybersecurity concerns and lack of data privacy as some of the top risks associated with Generative AI. A...
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12:39
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Securing AI in the Federal Landscape: Navigating the New Cybersecurity Executive Order
The White House's latest cybersecurity executive order has introduced critical new directives for federal agencies: incorporate AI software vulnerability management into existing processes and share indicators of compromise for AI systems. But ...
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9:30
Guarding the Final Frontier: How AI is Revolutionizing Space Safety and Security
Join host Mary Ann Brown for a fascinating conversation with Tim Solms, CEO of Slingshot Aerospace, as he takes us beyond Earth's atmosphere to explore one of the most critical challenges of our time: keeping space safe, sustainable, and secure...
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16:34
Revolutionizing Federal Workflows: iTech AG Drives AI Support for CMS’s Customer Service Management
As the federal government looks to modernize IT solutions to better support citizens and create efficiencies, they often face challenges in adopting emerging technologies like AI due to complex compliance requirements and integration barriers. ...
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7:06
CMS Modernization: Data Management is Key to Preventing Fraud, Waste and Abuse
Fraud, waste and abuse of the Medicare system have always been challenging to get under control. Those who exploit federal health care programs can cost taxpayers billions of dollars, according to a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services re...
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8:42
Unlocking Cyber Talent: Reskilling and Inclusion in Federal Agencies with Max Shuftan
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Max Shuftan, Director of Mission Programs at SANS Institute, to discuss one of the most pressing issues in cybersecurity today: the talent shortage in federal agenci...
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7:50
The Cyber Arms Race: Defending Against Nation-State Threats with Jim Coyle
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Jim Coyle, US Public Sector CTO at Lookout, to discuss the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats posed by nation-state actors. With over two decades of exper...
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8:09
Securing the Divide: Zero Trust vs. Cross-Domain Solutions with George Kamis
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with George Kamis, Chief Technology Officer at Everfox, to dive into the critical intersection of cybersecurity, zero trust, and cross-domain solutions. With over...
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17:20
Supporting Veterans & Embracing the Future with Robert Ezekiel of Booz Allen Hamilton
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Robert Ezekiel, Director and Product Strategist at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a winner of the prestigious 2025 FORUM IT100 Award. Robert reflects on what this award me...
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10:33
Disrupting GovCon with Innovation: Matt Quinn on Passive Data Collection to Automate Casualty Care
In today’s episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown chats with Matt Quinn, Science Director at TATRC/DoD, about his groundbreaking program, Passive Data Collection for Automated Documentation, which won a 2025 Disruptive Tech A...
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25:38
Navigating the Shifts: Federal Contracting Under the Current Administration
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Tris Carpenter, General Manager for Strategic Growth at Red Team Consulting, to explore the evolving landscape of federal contracting. As the current administratio...
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29:00
Innovating for the Future with Alexis Bonnel of the Air Force Research Laboratory
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Alexis Bonnel, Chief Information Officer & Director of the Digital Capabilities Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory. Recently recognized with the pr...
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7:16
Navigating the Zero Trust Journey with Felipe Fernandez, Fortinet Federal CTO
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Felipe Fernandez, Chief Technology Officer at Fortinet Federal, Inc. With over 20 years of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Felipe leads the charge in del...
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12:41
Transforming Healthcare with AI: Saeed Elnaj on Revolutionizing Medicare Delivery
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Saeed Elnaj, Chief Innovation Officer at RELI Group, to discuss the role of AI in transforming the federal health industry, particularly in the Medicare system. With...
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14:06
Empowering Change with Ann Dunkin former Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Energy
In this special episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Ann Dunkin, former Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and recipient of the 2025 FORUM IT100 Award. With a wealth of expe...
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14:12
The Path to Success: Kyle Tuberson CTO of ICF
In this insightful episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Kyle Tuberson, Chief Technology Officer at ICF and a recent winner of the prestigious FORUM IT100 Award. Together, they discuss what this remarkable achie...
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8:29
Celebrating Innovation and Leadership with Joseph Sabin of Adapt Forward
In this special episode of Keeping IT Brief, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Joseph Sabin, the Vice President of Cyber Programs at Adapt Forward and a recent winner of the prestigious 2025 FORUM IT100 Hall of Fame Award. Joseph shar...
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6:37
Navigating Innovation: Susan Burke on Leadership, Technology, and the FORUM IT100 Hall of Fame
In this episode of the Keeping IT Brief podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Susan Burke, Vice President of Military and Veterans Health at Cognosante, a part of Accenture Federal Services. This week, we're celebrating Susan's r...
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10:15
AI, DevSecOps, and Modernizing the Public Sector with GitLab’s Joel Krooswyk
This week, we’re joined by Joel Krooswyk, Federal CTO at GitLab, to explore the critical issue of legacy IT systems in the public sector and how AI can be a game-changer in modernizing government IT infrastructures.<...
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15:44
A Conversation with Brian Chidester of Adobe: Shaping the Future of Public Sector Tech
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, we sit down with Brian Chidester, Head of Industry Strategy for the Public Sector at Adobe and a recipient of the prestigious FORUM IT100 Award. Brian shares what winning this award means to him bot...
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7:47