Thank you to everyone who attended the Coalition’s very first virtual Fall Training Conference: Focusing on the Business of Government. Certainly, we would have preferred to see everyone in person, but we were thrilled that our “pandemic work-around” allowed us the successful interaction and flexibility in the virtual environment so that our speakers and attendees could discuss timely and relevant issues in the evolving Federal marketplace.
We especially are grateful to our Keynote and Featured speakers, including:
- Former Congressman Tom Davis, Partner, Holland & Knight
- Julie Dunne, Commissioner, FAS, GSA
- Tom Howder, Deputy Commissioner, FAS, GSA
- Kim Herrington, Director, Industrial Base Acquisition Portfolio Management, DoD
- Phil Christy, OALC Deputy Executive Director, VA
- Matthew Beebe, Acquisition Director, DLA
- Deborah Kramer, Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Support Services, VHA
- Col Markus Gmehlin, Chief of Pharmacy, DHA
Additionally, we recognize the significant contributions of the numerous other government speakers during our general sessions and breakout sessions. Without their participation the substantive breadth and depth of this event could not have been achieved. They include:
- Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive, GSA
- Mark Lee, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Policy and Compliance, GSA
- John Tenaglia, Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting
- Gwyneth Woolwine, Professional Staff Member, Senate Committee on Armed Services
- Jon Etherton, President, Etherton & Associates
- Karen Thornton, Acquisition Counsel, House Armed Services Committee
- Judith Zawatsky, Assistant Commissioner for Systems Management, GSA
- Stephanie Shutt, Director MAS PMO, GSA
- Andrew Centineo, Executive Director, Procurement and Logistics, VHA
- Laura Stanton, Assistant Commissioner for the IT Category, GSA
- Tiffany Hixson, Assistant Commissioner for the Professional Services and Human Capital Categories, GSA
- Bob Noonan, Assistant Commissioner for General Supplies and Services, GSA
- Erv Koehler, Assistant Commissioner for Customer and Stakeholder Engagement, GSA
- Jennifer Adams, Special Advisor to the Executive Director for Clinical and Network Management, VHA
- Bob Woodside, Deputy Director, GSA
- Maria Viscione, Supervisory Contract Specialist, GSA
- Teresa McCarthy, Center Director, GSA
- Kim Kittrell, Branch Chief, GSA
- Ryan Schrank, Center Director, GSA
- Dena McLaughlin, FAS Regional Commissioner, GSA
- Meg Sutliff, Supervisory Contracting Officer, GSA
- Ivana Henry, Business Development Director, GSA
- John Breen, IWAC Projects Branch Chief, GSA
- Linda Valdes, IWAC Contracts Administration Branch Chief, GSA
- Keith Jeffries, Contract Operations Division Director, GSA
- Sheri Meadema, Director of Program Operations, Professional Services and Human Capital, GSA
- Adam Soderholm, Program Executive, Category Management PMO, GSA
- Cheryl Thornton, Director ITC Schedule 70 Contract Operations, GSA
- Giovanni Onwuchekwa, Deputy Director ITC, GSA
- Vera Ashworth, Deputy Assistant Commissioner ITC, GSA
- Steve Bollendorf, Supplier Operations Division Chief, DLA
- Brian Mason, IST Chief, ECAT Division, DLA
- Jennifer Zacher Martin, PBM Deputy Chief Consultant, VA
- Ricky Lemmon, Executive Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, VHA
- Anna Zinser, Contracting Officer, VHA
- David Barber, Director of Acquisition Services, SAC, VA
- Dan Shearer, FSS Director, VA
- Lydia McKay, Senior Contracting Officer, VA
- David Hackett, Division Chief, VA
- Penny Nechanicky, National Director, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, VHA
- Zachary Wilcox, SAC Division Chief/Contracting Officer, VA
- Julia Trang, Strategic Sourcing Pharmacist/Industry Technical Liaison, DHA
- Shelby Oakley, Director, GAO
- Teague Lyons, Assistant Director, GAO
- Lisa Gardner, Assistant Director, GAO
- Jill LaDuca, Center Director, GSA
- George Prochaska, FAS Regional Commissioner, GSA
- Haven Wynne, Supply Chain Management Branch Chief/Program Manager, GSA
- Carlton Shufflebarger, Acting Executive Director of IT Services, OITC, GSA
- Joanne Woytek, SEWP Program Manager, NASA
- Keith Johnson, Contracting Officer, NITAAC
- Rob Coen, Director, Professional Services Program Management Office, PS-MAS and OASIS, GSA
- Mark Dunkum, Director, Acquisition Operations, GSS Portfolio, GSA
- Steve Smith, Director, GSS Central Office Acquisition Division, GSA
- Paul Mack, Director, Office of Retail Operations, GSA
Likewise, this event would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our member-participants. We thank all our industry participants that served on panels and as moderators over the two days, including:
- Jonathan Aronie, Sheppard Mullin
- Lorraine Campos, Crowell & Moring
- David Dowd, Mayer Brown
- Jason Workmaster, Miller & Chevalier
- Amy Childers-Benson, SAIC
- Samantha Clark, Covington & Burling
- Tim Cook, Center for Procurement Advocacy
- Jason Miller, Federal News Network
- Robert Holman, BD
- James Kim, McDermott Will & Emery
- Joy Sturm, Hogan Lovells
- Stephen Ruscus, Morgan Lewis
- Jason Endicott, National Industries for the Blind
- Wes Shmigelsky, Grainger
- Tim Barrios, Herman Miller
- Kevin Cummins, SAP
- Paul Smith, Johnson & Johnson
- Greg Madden, Orlaithe Consulting
- Leonard Nall, GovHub
- John Murray, Stryker
- J’Aime Conrod, UCB
- Mike Pullen, CGI Federal
- Mark Snead, Grainger
We would be remiss in not pointing out that this day also was made possible by the tremendous support of our sponsors, especially our two Title Sponsors, AvKARE and First Nation Group!
Additionally, we recognize and thank our Gold Sponsors, CACI, GDIT, Golden State Medical Supply, SheppardMullin, and The Gormley Group; and Silver Sponsors, 3M, AvMEDICAL, BD, Red River, Ricoh, and SAIC.
Lastly, the Coalition thanks you, the dedicated contracting community. Undaunted by the pandemic, you came together to explore opportunities to improve programs and support common sense in government procurement. By so doing, you made this conference the highest participation event in the history of Coalition training conference. Everyone’s contribution and collaboration was important to ensuring that this conference was a success.
We look forward to your involvement with the Coalition as we move into the next year. In the meantime, please accept our wish for good health to you, your families, and your colleagues.