In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Vernon Saunders, CEO of Freedom Technology Solutions Group, as he shares how he journeyed from grappling with a nearly paralyzing fear of public speaking to communicating boldly and effectively while leading with intention.

His story is one marked by life in the military, navigating the transition to civilian life, and now bringing all of his experiences together in the world of GovCon.

None of his successes happened overnight. From his first job delivering newspapers on a bicycle to relying on college mentors to help him navigate greater learning and success, Saunders recounts key moments in his life and shares how he arrived at his current position. 

Tune in to hear the complete story.

In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Garland Garris, Associate Director - Lead for Quantum Science, Zero Trust and Cloud Security at Accenture Federal Services, as he shares his journey from growing up in the coal mining town of Eccles, West Virginia, to finding a place in state and federal IT leadership.

Through foraging with his dad, adopting a love of reading from his mom and learning an appreciation of faith from his grandmother, Garris built a growth mindset that reflected the strong work ethic of many in the tight-knit community where he grew up.

Like many in Eccles, Garris went to work in the coal mines nearly straight out of high school. The jobs were physically demanding but also required deep problem-solving skills that drew — or built — strong, smart people. Quickly seeing the toll such a career would take on his health, Garris decided to go to college.

That one decision was the first step to lead him down a nearly three-decade career that would lead him to working in impactful roles, including in IT for the state of West Virginia and later for the FBI. 

Tune in to hear how his career unfolded, lessons learned along the way, and the work he is currently leading at Accenture Federal Services.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Brandy Durham, vice president of Mantech's Data and AI Practice, as she shares of her upbringing in South Texas, and how her family's history of carpentry and military service instilled a strong work ethic and adaptability that shaped her career path. Growing up in a family of builders and as the first person in her family to go to college, Durham learned the value of creating something from nothing and supporting clients and employees alike. This eventually led her to a successful career in government contracting despite not taking a direct path.

Tune in to hear how Durham's initial interest in a law career quickly pivoted to political science post-9/11 due to a desire to solve pressing national problems, just like her family members who served in the military. Opting for a master's degree over a Ph.D., she began her career at the Drug Enforcement Administration, learning on the job the importance of collaboration and upskilling. This foundation propelled her through roles at IBM and into the world of data and AI, eventually navigating complex AI challenges at ManTech, and driving emerging technologies to solve real-world problems with a focus on client outcomes.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US, as she shares her upbringing in Northern Virginia under the values of "family, faith, hard work and doing good to others."

Purvis' parents both worked for IBM, introducing her to computers and the world of technology around the age of 7. Outside of academics -- which came relatively easy for Purvis -- she talks about how she learned to be "comfortable being uncomfortable" as an introvert by joining the cheerleading squad and eventually serving as captain. It opened up a "whole new world" for her, and a lesson she'd carry with her throughout her career. 

Noticing a lack of women of color in technology and with positive influence from her parents and a true knack for math and science, Purvis pursued a computer science degree at Hampton University on scholarship, jumped right into her field with Lockheed Martin after graduation, and soon after, received her master's degree in information systems. Purvis shares her career achievements to follow, but also what she had to overcome as a leader -- like the need to achieve perfection and being an introverted communicator. 

Tune in to hear how her early beginnings, career turning points, foundational values and learnings, and love of teaching ultimately led Purvis' career journey straight to the C-suit. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense, as he shares about his upbringing in a factory town in Pennsylvania surrounded by a large family, strong work ethic and small town values. And while Wagner appreciated his small town and worked in nearby factories throughout college (amongst many other odd jobs during his youth), he knew he'd need to leave to reach his full potential. 

Wagner excelled in high school and received a scholarship to attend university, but academic struggles in college led to their own financial and personal challenges. He overcame them and got his professional start in civil service as an engineer for the Navy in southern California. His career to follow would take him back to the D.C. area and into GovCon. Wagner experienced a career and life turning point shortly after Sept. 11, 2001; pursued higher education; transitioned through several different roles that weren’t always “progressions;” and made various career decisions that would change the course of his career. 

Tune in to hear how Wagner eventually became CEO, the values and experiences that got him there, and what he still hopes to accomplish professionally and personally. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with two chief information officers in government who share their backgrounds, the lessons they learned early on and the impact their upbringings had on their current roles in public service. Mittal Desai ⏤ CIO of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ⏤ and Yemi Oshinnaiye ⏤ CIO of the Transportation Security Administration ⏤ moved up the federal space together and supported each other along the way. They’ve remained friends and champions of one another to this day.

Tune in to this unique episode as Desai and Oshinnaiye, both the sons of immigrant parents with influential stories, take us through the progression of their educational and professional lives in industry and government. They share tales of career turning points and realizations, how they met, the times they've called on one another for advice and more. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," Cass Panciocco, president and CEO of IntelliBridge, joins us to share a bit about his upbringing in working-class Boston, what it was like sharing a modest home with seven other family members, the work ethic values he learned at a young age helping his father at carpenter job sites, and more. 

Panciocco has worked most of his life ⏤ including through college, where he attended the University of Massachusetts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Resource Economics despite some educational and financial obstacles. While struggling to find a job in the early 1980s, Panciocco took an aptitude test for the NSA in his university's placement office and learned he had a brain for computers. He moved to the surrounding Washington, D.C., area for an impactful ⏤ yet unplanned ⏤ job with the NSA, and has been in the area ever since. 

Panciocco's 10 years at the NSA and position at the SIGNAL Corp. afterwards jumpstarted his career and opportunities to follow. He pursued further education, progressed through executive and C-suite roles, and ultimately, found the title of CEO on his trajectory. All the while, holding a strong passion for his family and giving back to the communities that have impacted him. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," Jo Ann Bjornson, chief human resources officer at V2X, joins us to discuss her upbringing in a 900-square-foot house in a low-income suburb of the greater Washington, D.C., area. The daughter of an immigrant and U.S. military veteran, Bjornson connects her experiences to her sense of independence, work ethic and passion for supporting the military.

Bjornson's path wasn't always clear, either. She had to navigate many complex parts of her academic life by herself ⏤ as neither of her parents went to college ⏤ and strongly pivoted after experiencing an impactful academic failure. She'd soon find her passion for people, and ultimately, HR, allowing that passion to guide her career forward.

Today, Bjornson reflects on the meaningful influence her parents had on her, her love for her current workforce, the importance of supporting underprivileged students, and how all of these experiences shape the way she leads at work and at home as a mother. 

The Bosnian War, which began in 1992, lasted nearly four years and displaced over 2 million people. In this episode of Humble Beginnings, WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with guest Mladen Brkic, who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1996 from Bosnia at 18 years old. 

Today, Brkic is chief financial officer and senior vice president of ULTRA Intelligence & Communications, but prior, his career journey took him around the globe. Tune in as Brkic shares a bit about his childhood, resilience, willingness to take on tough jobs, and how the different positions he's held throughout his career prepared him for where he is today. Brkic is passionate about fostering and keeping authentic relationships and transforming life experiences into a positive leadership approach. 

WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with guest JR Williamson as he shares his unique ⏤ and at times challenging ⏤ upbringing, as he moved nearly 21 times by the age of 15, largely due to his family dynamic. Still, the senior vice president and chief information security officer at Leidos considers himself a native Northern Virginian.

He candidly discusses the role his mother played in his and his siblings' lives, working multiple jobs to provide while struggling with mental illness. Williamson and his siblings supported each other, while he stayed on top of athletics, academics and work. It wasn't always easy, and Williamson's educational path wasn't as straightforward as others, but he put himself through college and graduated with a degree from George Mason University. 

Tune in to hear how Williamson's early interests and motivation drove him educationally, how he landed in security, and how his professional career progressed to serving 23 years at Northrop Grumman, ultimately landing him at Leidos. Plus, learn why his family feels strongly about giving back to the local sports community.

WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with Brian Price, CEO and co-founder of Kion, as he shares his upbringing in the 2,000-person small shore town of Crisfield, Maryland, "still stuck in the 1970s." Price, an only child, gained early work experience and people skills at his uncle's coffee shop in high school. Gordon’s Confectionery, 100 years old and still running today, served about a third of the town daily and was Crisfield's gossip center. 

After graduating as Valedictorian of his class, Price knew he wanted to expand his horizons "across the bridge," as there were very few technology opportunities nearby, other than the ones he made for himself (like creating software to track his DVD inventory as he lent them out to neighbors and friends). He loved to build applications that could improve quality of life. So, armed with a computer science degree as the first person in his extended family to graduate college, he started his career at Northrop Grumman as a Java developer. In this episode, Price shares his career journey to CEO of a software startup ⏤ a position he never thought he'd be in ⏤ by forging his own path and relationships, while keeping his hometown humbleness. 

WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh and co-host Mark HuYoung, managing partner of executive advisory firm Northwind Partners, sit down with guest Doug Wagoner, CEO of LMI, to discuss his upbringing in Alexandria, Virginia, and ultimate progression to the corner office. Wagoner, an only child, grew up in and around his parents' family business. He learned the meaning of hard work at an early age, spending every summer working at the family business till his freshmen year of college. 

In this episode, Wagoner shares why getting his business degree was important to him (and his family), how he snagged his first job after college and how personal relationships were critical to his professional growth. Plus, learn how he gained a reputation as a "fixer-upper," taking on roles that involved overcoming a big challenge, and where his mentality of taking on the hard jobs stems from. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Gil Smith, senior director of Government Health Program Development at Philips (and a rancher), about his upbringing as a latchkey kid in a broken home in Rhode Island. Always the "new kid," Smith attended nearly nine different schools growing up before settling in a welcoming high school while living with his grandparents in Pittsburgh.

His story is a unique one, navigating different family dynamics and ways of life, while harvesting bits and pieces of each experience, and fatherly and grandfatherly advice and guidance. Smith would enroll in university, drop out soon later and land in the Navy after an epiphany at a baseball field back in Rhode Island.

His journey to follow is filled with timely yet unexpected opportunities. He'd later find himself as a Medical Service Corps officer, a presidential appointee, deputy chief of operations at the White House, and more. His experience spans both the federal and private sector space -- but most interestingly, is the people and events that have truly changed the course of his life and career along the way. Nearly every turning point in his life involves influential moments, people or happenings -- good and bad.

"Who made a choice to change the direction that you're going in today, and how can you be that person?" Smith says. 

WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh and co-host Mark HuYoung, managing partner of executive advisory firm Northwind Partners, sit down with guest Jon Rucker as he shares a bit about his upbringing in Northern Virginia as the son of a teacher and electrical engineer, and how these experiences impacted him. 

Rucker, CEO of Ultra Intelligence & Communications, also discusses the life lessons he carries with him, from his father’s work ethic to his mother’s approach to finding solutions to life’s problems rather than dwelling on them. He tells us why he decided to pursue the hardest degree in college, how he climbed the ranks in Lockheed Martin for 20 years, and how his professional experiences and mentors along the way ultimately led him to where he is today. 

Plus, hear Rucker's story of resilience and strength. A month into his new role at SAIC, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He never stopped working during treatment, thanks SAIC's leadership team greatly for their immense support, and shares his new perspective and outlook on life. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Sev1Tech CEO Robert (Bob) E. Lohfeld Jr., as he shares tidbits about his upbringing in Maryland, the influence his grandmother had on his life and his foundational interest in all things international. 

Lohfeld talks about the impact transferring from a big university to a private liberal arts college had on his education, his urge to move to Spain after college and his ultimate start in international logistics. Tune in to hear how he transitioned through different parts of the industry gaining an eclectic professional experience, his mission-driven decision to join the government at 38 years old and how he ultimately started (and grew) Sev1Tech. 

Plus,  learn how he quickly earned the reputation of being the one to “run towards the fires and put them out."

In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we chat with Richard Sawchak, CEO of Systems Planning and Analysis, about his upbringing in Scranton, Pennsylvania, his very first job as a paperboy, and mentors who influenced his life.

Rich also shares the "humble beginning" of his father, who was a banker without a college degree and ended up retiring as the CEO of a small regional bank. He also shares the story of his grandparents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine and settled in Northern Pennsylvania. 

Rich, of course, shares his own story, like the lessons he learned from mentors critical to his path, from his father to his youth pastor. He talks about transitioning out of a big company and being one of 160,000 employees, to helping build the policy and process infrastructure of a small company where he was less than 150 employees. 

Rich also talks about loss. His parents passed away in 2012, causing much reflection and a renewed perspective. Tune in to hear how Rich's journey has ultimately left him poised to retire by the age of 55, while he focuses on mentoring, giving back and his continued duty to family first.

In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we speak with Highlight CEO Aarish Gokaldas about his family history and upbringing in South Africa during the apartheid. We hear how Gokaldas' family immigrated to North Africa from India and eventually made their way south, and what it was like growing up in a racially segregated country.  Eventually, Gokaldas and his family would move to the States, starting a new life in a new country ⏤ but without its minor setbacks, restarts and transformations. Together, we discuss the resiliency and adaptability of immigrant families. 

Gokaldas would also grow to love international affairs, have impactful work experiences during college and get offered his dream job with the Defense Intelligence Agency before graduation ⏤ only for it to be put on hold right before it started. This doesn't crush his spirits, but rather, offers Gokaldas the opportunity to make even more unique, influential experiences.

Tune in to hear how Gokaldas' career unfolds, how serendipitous moments led him to become a CEO, and how his values overlap with the values and mission of Highlight.

In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we chat with Rancher Government Solutions' CEO Paul Smith about his Baltimore, Maryland, upbringing, and ultimate rise to leadership. Smith and his seven siblings all worked their way through high school and college after attending Catholic parochial school as children for its values, proximity and affordability. While Smith's first job after graduating from Loyola College with a Business Administration degree was with Exxon Office Systems, he spent time in his youth cutting lawns and serving papers. These experiences taught him the value of hard work at a young age, and he'd later categorize his leadership style as a "connector," for reasons that also resonate with his journey. 

Tune in to hear how Smith went from selling word processors to the legal market at age 22, to retiring from Red Hat once it sold to IBM only to be recruited back to the industry just 19 months later to run the American subsidiary of SUSE, or Rancher Government Solutions. Today, he's giving back, remembering the leaders who impacted his career and sharing words of wisdom to the next generation.  

For John Ustica, president and CEO of Siemens Government Technologies, his story starts with a medical scare on a soccer field in the first grade. An abdominal pain later proved to be a tumor on his kidney, and he'd spend 65 weeks in chemotherapy, endure several surgeries and visit doctors for years to come for checkups. Ustica fully recovered, but this experience (and the restrictions that came with it) taught him a thing or two about saying "why not" to life opportunities. 

Tune in to hear how Ustica's life progressed thereafter, from academic challenges to landing in the energy industry and scoring his first management job at just 26 years old. Ustica shares how he progressed in Siemens and worked his way up, and the many positions, industries and locations the company would take him through along the way. 

WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh and co-host Mark HuYoung, managing partner of executive advisory firm Northwind Partners, sit down with guest Todd Stottlemyer as he shares what it was like growing up in a duplex just outside New York City as the son of a U.S. Foreign Service member and stay at home mom. 

Stottlemyer is the CEO of Acentra Health, and his perspective is heavily influenced by his family's emphasis on education, mental health and civil rights; his exposure to the world; his appreciation for different cultures; and the importance of family and hard work. Each of these notions follows Stottlemyer throughout his life's experiences, which have included the loss of a family member too soon; assembling the New York Times early in the morning for paper deliveries at 13 years old; meeting President Ford at the White House the day of his debate to the then Governor Carter; losing longtime friends during the Sept. 11 attacks; and many more influential life moments. 

Tune in to hear how these moments have molded who Stottlemyer is as a leader, father and husband today. 

DCS Corp.'s Jack Jackson was raised in Baltimore, Maryland, as one of nine kids and the son of a local sports journalist. While Jackson and his siblings all attended Catholic school growing up, he chose a different path when it came time for college. Rather than head to a state university, Jackson chose to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. This would be the start of his professional journey.

In this episode, Jackson shares stories of his six years in the Navy including three years on a ship and two working for NATO, what he learned during this time (failures and all) and how seeing a bit of the world changed his perspective. He left the Navy to start a big family, spending years with General Electric working in remote, small towns around the country. He shares how he shifted from business to a human resources role and how his family growing up sculpted his understanding of how to deal with people. Tune in to hear how Jackson ultimately landed leading HR at DC Corps., and the impact his experiences have on him today. 

XLA CEO Gary Slack is no stranger to entrepreneurship and working for what you want. In fact, he got the business bug around the age of 8, and it stuck with him ever since. In this episode of Humble Beginnings, the Northern Virginia native shares a bit about his family ⏤ his father who didn't graduate high school and worked at a nearby naval research center, and his mother who worked in retail ⏤ and how his upbringing shaped him. Slack's family was comfortable, as his parents worked hard to provide what they needed. Still, Slack decided to start working for those "extras." He sold donuts as a kid, took on a paper route and worked throughout college. Slack's future father-in-law would also heavily influence his interest in business at a young age. 

Eventually, Slack's drive and business acumen opened doors and opportunities ⏤ ultimately, leading to his position as CEO.  

In this episode, Camille Tuutti is joined by Luwanda Jones, the deputy chief information officer in the Office of Strategic Sourcing at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Luwanda's story takes us on a fascinating journey marked by unexpected twists,  transformative moments and turning points. 

If you look up the definition of "resourcefulness," you may find Ed Swallow's story. Today, he's senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer/treasurer of The Aerospace Corp.; yet the White Plains, New York native didn't have a clearly defined path. It's largely the reason why he's adamant about mentorship and provides early career advice to students at universities.

Tune in to hear how Swallow's country club upbringing shifted after his parent's divorce and the recession of 1972. He began helping his family financially at the age of 15, working at pizzerias, gas stations and even roofing on the weekends, thanks to his stepfather's business. To afford college, he declared emancipation, joined ROTC and even started his own roofing business ⏤ at times, redoing roofs for professors. Fast forward two bachelor’s degrees from two separate universities, a master's degree and active duty Air Force experience, and Swallow is inspiring the next generation of diverse talent into the space workforce.   

To learn more about these efforts as Swallow discuses them in this episode, visit Space Workforce 2030.

For the first time publicly, Stan Sims, senior vice president and chief security officer at CGI, shares his story of growing up in the rural south as an African American during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The son of sharecroppers in Arkansas, Sims began working and helping his family by the time he was elementary school-aged. In fact, he has worked most of his life. During his adolescence, Sims asked his father ⏤ who had never graduated from high school ⏤ what he needed to do to get off the farm and do something else. "He said: 'Son, you need to get an education. If you don't want to do what we're doing, you want to have a better life, then you need to get an education,'" Sims shares. 

Tune in to hear how Sims took that advice to heart, used his strong work ethic, perspective and ambition to eventually graduate with a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees; earn the title of a decorated combat veteran with more than 36 years of combined military and public service experience; and later, rise the ranks in the corporate world.