Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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From Public Service to Private Enterprise: The Avery Group’s Vision

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In our latest episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, we chat with Akinwande Oshodi, the dynamic Founder and CEO of The Avery Group, LLC (TAG), a thriving Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business delivering process improvement and systems integration solutions to Federal clients like the CDC, FDA, and VA.

Akinwande’s inspiring journey takes us from his early days in Lagos, Nigeria, to Newark, NJ, to a distinguished military career, and finally, to navigating the challenging leap from government employee to small business owner. Discover how he successfully transitioned into the competitive world of government contracting, building a company that’s making a real impact in federal innovation.

As a veteran, community leader, and mentor, Akinwande shares how his diverse experiences shaped his leadership philosophy, his commitment to empowering African American youth, and how he balances his professional triumphs with family and his love of basketball.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to turn a public service career into entrepreneurial success.

 

Transforming Customer Experience: Monica Mack on Leadership at M3T Cx Authorities

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Monica Mack, CEO and President of M3T Cx Authorities LLC.

Monica shares her journey in the customer experience industry, focusing on her mission to transform how organizations connect with their clients. She discusses the challenges women face in leadership roles and emphasizes the importance of innovation, empathy, and strategic thinking in achieving success.

Join us for an engaging conversation as Monica inspires listeners to embrace their leadership potential and make a meaningful impact in the realm of customer experience.

https://youtu.be/kX341Kak2Iw

Shopping For The Right Future with Kameke Mitchell

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Kameke Mitchell, Director of Procurement Strategic Operations Division at NASA. Kameke shares her remarkable journey from buyer in fashion to in the aerospace industry, focusing on the critical role of procurement in driving innovation and success at one of the world’s leading space agencies. She discusses the challenges women face in leadership roles within STEM fields and emphasizes the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and strategic thinking.

Join us for an inspiring conversation as Kameke offers valuable insights into effective leadership and encourages the next generation of women to pursue their dreams in science and technology.

 

Leadership, Growth, and Mentorship: Shaping the Future of Women in Leadership with Karen Cinibulk

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In this episode of IMPACT Women in Leadership, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Karen Cinibulk, Vice President of Federal Health and VA Market Lead at Maximus, to discuss her inspiring journey and insights on leadership.

Karen opens up about the personal experiences that have been most rewarding in her career and how they have shaped her leadership style. She shares valuable strategies for staying inspired and continuously growing as a leader, including how she turns challenges into opportunities for both personal and professional development.

The conversation also dives into the critical role organizations play in nurturing women to become future leaders. Karen offers her perspective on how companies can create more supportive environments to foster mentorship, build an inclusive leadership pipeline, and ensure that emerging female leaders have the tools they need to succeed.

Finally, Mary Ann and Karen discuss exciting trends shaping the future of leadership, from workplace culture to the evolving demands of leadership itself, and how today’s leaders can best prepare for these changes.

Tune in for an inspiring and thought-provoking discussion on leadership, mentorship, and the path to empowering the next generation of women leaders.

Connect with Karen HERE.

Karen Cinibulk is a highly experienced professional with over 25 years in the health and civilian sectors. She currently serves as the Vice President and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Market Lead at Maximus Federal Health. Her proactive approach has been instrumental in expanding into new markets and deepening relationships with clients and partners.

Before joining Maximus, Karen worked as VA Client Account Executive for Atlas Research. In that role, she managed operational activities and was responsible for the strategic growth of the firm’s largest market.

Karen has held leadership positions in the federal healthcare industry, including VP of Federal Health Solutions for L-3 Communications. Additionally, she was a senior executive at CGI-AMS, managing large acquisition and financial management programs, including the first-ever Department of Defense standardized system which was deployed to over five hundred sites and 23,000 users worldwide.

Before her career in private industry, Karen worked as a civil service employee for the VA, serving in both the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration. During her tenure there, she received the prestigious Scissors Award for the success of the Consolidated Copayment Processing Center.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science from East Carolina University and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from George Mason University.
Karen’s philanthropic activities are focused on Veterans including long-standing involvement with organizations and events including the Easter Seals, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Wheelchair Games, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Winter Sports Clinic.

Innovating for Impact: Carmen Jenkins on Growth and Technology Leadership

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Carmen Jenkins, Vice President of Growth & Technology at ITegrity, Inc.

Carmen shares her dynamic journey in the tech industry, highlighting how innovation and strategic growth can transform organizations. She discusses the challenges women face in tech leadership, the importance of fostering diverse teams, and how embracing change can drive success.

Join us for an inspiring conversation as Carmen offers valuable insights on navigating the tech landscape and empowering the next generation of female leaders in this ever-evolving field.

 

From Service to Success: Marie Ingol’s Impactful Leadership

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, host Mary Ann Brown welcomes the inspiring Marie Y. Ingol, CEO of Blue Line Consulting. With over 27 years of federal service, including a distinguished career as a U.S. Navy Security Police Officer, Marie has made significant contributions to federal investigations, recovering over $155 million for taxpayers during her tenure at the GSA Office of Inspector General.

Marie shares her remarkable journey, discussing the challenges she faced as a woman in leadership and the importance of resilience, mentorship, and fostering diversity and inclusion within organizations. She reflects on her pioneering role as the first female Director of Investigations Operations at GSA OIG, where she modernized critical programs and drove initiatives to enhance oversight and accountability.

Listeners will also learn about Blue Line Consulting’s specialized services in compliance reviews, acquisition, and program management, and how the firm empowers organizations to navigate complex regulatory landscapes. Join us for an empowering conversation that encourages all leaders to embrace their potential and make a meaningful impact in their fields!

Marie Y. Ingol, CEO of Blue Line Consulting

Linkedin link:  www.linkedin.com/in/marie-y-ingol-90a377b8

Marie Y. Ingol, CEO of Blue Line Consulting, is a distinguished leader with over 27 years of federal service. A former U.S. Navy Security Police Officer, she joined the GSA OIG in 2002, leading investigations that recovered over $155 million for taxpayers. In 2012, she became the first Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at GAO OIG, where she established the Office of Investigations. Marie later served as the first female Director of Investigations Operations at GSA OIG, modernizing key programs such as the Leadership Development Program and implementing a nationwide Body Worn Camera initiative. Marie holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, an M.A. in Management and Leadership, and a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. Through Blue Line Consulting, she continues to drive excellence and innovation.

Blue Line Consulting provides specialized consulting services in compliance reviews, acquisition services, and program management. With over 27 years of federal service experience, Blue Line Consulting helps organizations navigate complex regulatory landscapes by delivering tailored solutions that ensure compliance with federal standards and best practices. The firm’s acquisition services assist clients in optimizing procurement processes and managing contracts efficiently, while its program management expertise enables organizations to streamline operations, improve performance, and meet strategic goals. Blue Line Consulting’s approach is rooted in innovation, accountability, and a deep understanding of the federal regulatory environment. By leveraging extensive expertise, the firm provides clients with the tools to enhance operational efficiency, improve oversight, and drive successful outcomes. Blue Line Consulting remains committed to empowering organizations with the knowledge and strategies needed to address compliance challenges and achieve long-term success.

Leading with Purpose: Angela Hamlin on Consulting and Empowerment

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, we are excited to welcome Angela Hamlin, CEO and President of Hamlin Consulting Services.

Angela shares her inspiring journey in the consulting industry, focusing on her commitment to empowering organizations and individuals through strategic insights and innovative solutions. She discusses the challenges women face in leadership roles and emphasizes the importance of resilience, mentorship, and fostering an inclusive work environment.

Join us for an engaging conversation as Angela inspires listeners to embrace their leadership potential and make a positive impact in their fields.

Connect with Angela.

AI, DevSecOps, and Modernizing the Public Sector with GitLab’s Joel Krooswyk

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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.

Key Topics We Cover:

  1. The Legacy IT Challenge
    Many federal agencies still rely on outdated systems that are vulnerable to security risks, costly to maintain, and hinder the development of mission-critical applications. Joel discusses why these legacy systems are so challenging, particularly the issues with memory-unsafe languages and the high percentage of vulnerabilities they cause (70%).
  2. AI as a Tool for IT Modernization
    With the lengthy process of modernizing legacy code, AI presents an opportunity to accelerate this journey. We explore how AI can help decode and refactor outdated systems, transforming them into more secure, modern, and memory-safe applications.
  3. AI in the Software Development Lifecycle
    AI isn’t just for modernization—it’s already making an impact. Joel highlights findings from GitLab’s report, showing that 35% of U.S. public sector organizations are already using AI in their software development lifecycle. We discuss how leveraging AI across the entire lifecycle can reduce silos, eliminate backlogs, and streamline development workflows.

This episode is packed with insights for anyone in the public sector or involved in IT modernization, from AI’s potential to improve security to how it can transform development processes and accelerate mission-critical application delivery.

Connect with Joel.

Joel Krooswyk

As federal CTO at GitLab Inc., Joel Krooswyk has over 25 years of experience in the software industry. His end-to-end software development life cycle expertise benefits customers and employees alike. Joel’s leadership experience spans not only the U.S. Public Sector, but also small, mid-market, and enterprise businesses globally. He’s an experienced leader, team builder, communicator, thought leader and researcher.

Joel’s expertise spans development, QA, product management, portfolio planning, and technical sales, and he has written a half million lines of unique code throughout his career. On an average day, you’ll find him discussing software modernization, cybersecurity, governance and compliance, AI, ongoing digital transformation, and automation.

GitLab

GitLab is the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps platform for software innovation that accelerates speed to mission. GitLab enables organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 40 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100 trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster.

From Policy to Practice: Insights on Federal Procurement

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Get ready to dive into the world of federal procurement and innovation policy with Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina, a distinguished expert in public administration and federal contract management.

With a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy, an MBA, and certifications that include CFCM and NCMA Fellow, Dr. Kuchina-Musina brings over a decade of experience in federal, state, and international public procurement. As the CEO and Founder of REXOTA Solutions, LLC, she has shaped strategies and provided risk management support for complex federal contracts.

In this episode, she’ll share insights on innovation policy, federal procurement reform, and her journey as a leader in the field.

Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy and a Master of Business Administration from Old Dominion University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University. She has been published in the Journal of Public Procurement, Politics, and Policy and is working on additional research. Dr. Kuchina-Musina has a graduate certificate in Public Procurement and Contract Management (PPCM), is a Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM), and is a National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Fellow. Her research focus includes innovation policy, other transaction authorities, federal procurement reform, and decision-making models. Dolores is the CEO/Founder at REXOTA Solutions, LLC, a consulting company in the DC-Metro area focusing on strategy, planning, pursuit, capture, management, and administration of Federal Contract/Agreement Awards. Dr. Kuchina-Musina has over a decade of experience in federal, state, and international public procurement, specifically directing and managing strategic pursuits in collaboration with business development, proposal development, and change management initiatives for Federal procurement acquisitions and served as a strategic partner in providing risk management support for Federal compliance contracts.

A Conversation with Brian Chidester of Adobe: Shaping the Future of Public Sector Tech

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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 both personally and professionally, reflecting on the pivotal moments in his career that have contributed to his success.

We delve into his vision for the future of technology in the public sector and how he sees the role of innovation and strategy evolving in this space. Brian also offers invaluable advice for aspiring IT leaders, drawing from his own journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

Tune in for insights into leadership, innovation, and the transformative power of technology in the public sector—straight from one of the industry’s most respected voices.

Connect with Brian HERE.