Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the future; it’s here. It now serves as a crucial part of the operations of many enterprises, helping them keep up with the ever-changing digital infrastructure. Similarly, AI-focused federal solutions help the government in improving the national services related to security, defense, healthcare, education, and other sectors.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is the capability of advanced computer systems to perform tasks usually done by humans. AI uses a combination of machine learning, language processing, and speech and vision recognition to simulate human intelligence, emotions, the ability to reason, and past experiences. Using AI improves productivity and increases efficiency in company operations.
To address the ever-increasing need for advanced AI technology services in commercial and federal markets, here are the top artificial intelligence executives in 2023.
1. Vincent Bridgeman, Senior Vice President of National Security Services at Redhorse Corporation
Photo from Redhorse Corporation Official Website
Vincent Bridgeman is the Senior Vice President of National Security at Redhorse Corporation. He was promoted to the position on February 18, 2023, after serving as the Vice President for nine years and Vice President of Intelligence Services for six years.
For over two decades, Bridgeman served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and represented the Department of Defense in the In-Q-Tel. For a brief period, he also served as an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton before joining Redhorse Corporation.
Bridgeman has built a portfolio in intelligence, tactical, operational, and strategic functions throughout his tenure. His military and commercial intelligence expertise has earned him recognition as an innovative thinker for U.S. intelligence and technology programs.
Redhorse Corporation’s Senior Vice President of National Security Services Roles and Responsibilities
Redhorse Corporation’s Senior Vice President of National Security Services handles the company’s information technology services and contracting activities for the government’s national security priorities. Bridgeman is integral in shaping the company’s artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital transformation capabilities.
About Redhorse Corporation
Redhorse Corporation is a management consulting services company for technology and digital solutions. Established in 2008, the company has received multiple awards for its broad scope of services related to the federal government’s civilian, defense, intelligence, homeland security, and other functions.
2. Ro Dhanda, Vice President of Public Sector at H2O.ai
Photo of Ro Dhanda at LinkedIn
As the Vice President of Public Sector at H2O.ai, Ro Dhanda handles the company’s artificial intelligence, machine learning capabilities, and other technology platforms for the federal government. He has served in the position since February 2021.
Previously, Dhanda held increasing responsibilities for technology organizations such as Information Access, NCompass Labs, and Microsoft. His career as an executive began at Iron Mountain, where he served as the Vice President of Business Development. He then became one of the artificial intelligence executives in Daon, Dell, and Snowflake Computing.
Building his experiences in the technology sector, Dhanda is considered an industry leader in the IT and services industries. He is one of the pioneers of open-source data science and machine learning, making him a distinguished professional in Silicon Valley.
H2O.ai’s Vice President of Public Sector Roles and Responsibilities
H2O.ai’s Vice President of Public Sector is responsible for democratizing AI solutions for citizens and residents of the United States. Dhanda leads the software development of hybrid cloud platforms, strategic partnership management, and other technical functions to solve complex problems and operations in public functions of society.
About H2O.ai
H2O.ai is an artificial intelligence software solutions provider based in Mountain View, California. The company is on a mission to democratize AI for everyone, enabling them to accelerate the discovery of new ideas. Partnering with over 20,000 global organizations, H2O.ai is a trusted company for the biggest corporations worldwide.
3. William Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal at Denodo
Photo of William Sullivan at LinkedIn
William Sullivan is the Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal at Denodo. As the leader in data virtualization and data fabric technology, he is responsible for driving 83% growth year-over-year by the end of the third quarter of the federal market.
Sullivan has been among the top artificial intelligence executives, building his leadership portfolio since 2002. After his sabbatical from 2019 to 2020, he rejoined the federal government contracting industry as the Principal at Quinn Consulting.
As a key AI executive in federal contracting activities, Sullivan advocates for the widespread adoption of AI applications and innovation of systems to overcome architectural and security limitations for hybrid clouds and multi-clouds.
Denodo’s Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal Roles and Responsibilities
Denodo’s Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal manages the multi-cloud development of systems and applications for the federal government. Sullivan is also responsible for the company’s marketing, sales, and contractual relationships with the federal, local, and state governments.
About Denodo
Denodo is an award-winning data management enterprise. The company’s advanced systems for data integration, management, hybrid/multi-cloud integration, and other artificial intelligence platforms offer 400% ROI and millions of dollars in benefits for its customers across large enterprises and mid-market companies.
4. Dan Wilbricht, General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology
Photo of Dan Wilbricht at LinkedIn
Dan Wilbricht has served as the General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology since August 2021. He builds processes, systems, and data management and heads the company’s development for cybersecurity and AI solutions for the federal government.
During his early career, Wilbricht handled sales and business development for various companies before engaging in the federal systems of tech giants such as Dell Software Group, Red Hat, and HP. In addition, he has served in several executive leadership roles and has been an advisor for technology companies and organizations.
Wilbricht’s addition to Devo Technology’s executive team has seen a significant performance leap from a decent-sized enterprise to a unicorn company. Within months of his appointment, he helped the company receive multiple investments and funding.
Devo Technology’s General Manager of Public Sector Roles and Responsibilities
Since joining as the General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology, Dan Wilbricht has set up a channel and federal system instigator-focused teams to handle GSA schedules and other government contracts. His core contributions include increasing the company’s valuation from $800 million to $2.5 billion.
About Devo Technology
Devo Technology is a cloud-native security analytics platform based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company is an expert in secure data management, ensuring its clients and partners of cybersecurity and digital protection. Devo Technology is backed by Insight Partners, Georgian, and Bessemer Venture Partners.
5. Walter Maikish, Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage
Photo of Walter Maikish at LinkedIn
Walter Maikish serves as the Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage. He works closely with federal departments and agencies to deliver data-driven management solutions that can help the government build a better world with data.
Previously, Maikish served as the Business Analyst of Financial Services Sector East at IBM and increasing responsibilities at Cisco, ultimately serving as the Operations Director of Federal Civilian. In his tenure, he has built experiences in a broad scope of federal affairs, including entitlement, scientific, legal, and veteran affairs.
Since joining Pure Storage in August 2021, Maikish has led the company’s business engagement efforts with the federal government. He has helped multiple government agencies to realize their digital transformation goals for society.
Pure Storage’s Vice President of Pure Federal Roles and Responsibilities
As the Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage, Walter Maikish manages the company’s business engagements with the federal government. Under his leadership, his team delivers data-enabled solutions for mission-critical, modern analytics, and multi-cloud environments.
About Pure Storage
Pure Storage is a developer of all-flash data storage hardware and software products. Based in Mountain View, California, the company offers secure data solutions to enable SaaS companies, cloud service providers, and the public sector, among other industries.
6. Anthony Robbins, Vice President of Federal at NVIDIA
Photo from NVIDIA Official Website
Anthony Robbins is the Vice President of Federal at NVIDIA. He has served in the top artificial intelligence executive position since October 2017, running, building, and leading the company’s digital, cloud, and AI solutions for federal markets.
Robbins has been a renowned executive in the technology sector for nearly three decades. He has served in tech giants, including Silicon Graphics, Sun Microsystems, Oracle Corporation, Brocade, AT&T, and AFCEA DC. His career focuses on meeting the needs and requirements of the government for class-leading digital solutions.
As a key executive at NVIDIA, Robbins played a crucial role in delivering more than $15 billion in revenue. His leadership has provided digital IT and artificial intelligence solutions for the government’s warfighters and citizens.
NVIDIA’s Vice President of Federal Roles and Responsibilities
NVIDIA’s Vice President of Federal is responsible for helping the federal government with GPU and CUDA programming models. Robbins works closely with government agencies, cloud service providers, federal systems integrators, universities, and start-up communities to usher in a new era of artificial intelligence.
About NVIDIA
NVIDIA Corporation is an artificial intelligence software pioneer for transforming the largest industries in the world. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company is best known for producing graphics processing units (GPUs), application programming interfaces (APIs, and system-on-a-chip units (SoCs) for mobile devices, computers, and vehicles.
7. Cedric George, Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Photo from U.S. Air Force Official Website
Cedric George is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force with nearly three decades of experience in various agency divisions. Currently, he is the Director of the Department of Defense’s Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team at Amazon Web Services.
George was with the Armed Forces for three decades, assuming increasing responsibilities in different squadrons, operations, and directorates. He served as the Director of Logistics for over a year before retirement in 2019. After serving in the military, he served as the Chief Executive Officer at George Consulting Group, LLC.
Since joining AWS in May 2020, George’s position has been crucial to AWS’ activities with the Department of Defense and other defense-related agencies of the U.S. government. In 2021, he showcased his expertise during the U.S. Air Force’s On-Ramp 4 technical demonstration, which experiments on cloud capabilities for faster and more effective mission capabilities in the field.
Amazon Web Services’ Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team Roles and Responsibilities
Amazon Web Services’ Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team handles the cloud computing capabilities of the company for the government’s defense communities. George develops strategies using AI technologies to achieve better mission outcomes and enhance experiences by military personnel.
About Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services is a cloud computing platform offering over 200 fully featured services for millions of customers worldwide. The company boasts lower costs and more agile on-demand cloud computing software to fit the needs of fast-growing start-ups, large enterprises, and federal government agencies.
8. Dr. Tamara L. Nall, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at The Leading Niche
Photo of Dr. Tamara L. Nall at LinkedIn
As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Leading Niche, Dr. Tamara L. Nall leads an award-winning company providing cutting-edge artificial intelligence, internally labeled as ‘actionable intelligence,’ for commercial, defense, and civilian sectors.
Dr. Nall is one of the pioneers of data analytics and artificial intelligence, engaging in the industry since 1992. Her previous experiences include serving as the International Business Analyst at Georgia-Pacific Resins, Inc., Independent Consultant at Hilton International, and Senior Associate at Booz & Company.
With decades of experience in the industry, Dr. Nall has received numerous awards for her contributions to the digital and cybersecurity sectors. Her leadership and expertise have grown the start-up company into one of the top artificial intelligence consulting businesses for a broad scope of government markets.
The Leading Niche’s Chief Executive Officer Roles and Responsibilities
The Leading Niche’s Chief Executive Officer helps companies remain competitive and sustainable in the ever-changing marketplaces for different industries. Since founding the company in 2007, Dr. Nall has built a comprehensive portfolio for big data, cybersecurity, intelligence, C4ISR, regulatory compliance, examination consulting, and more.
About The Leading Niche
The Leading Niche is a New York City-based business consulting and services firm recognized for using data and cutting-edge ‘actionable intelligence.’ The company supports the commercial and government sectors across domestic and international markets, spanning North America, Europe, and Africa.
9. Kristen Summers, Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Federal
Photo of Kristen Summers at LinkedIn
Kristen Summers has served as the Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Federal since January 2022. Working in the federal sector of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, she handles the enterprise’s technology and artificial intelligence businesses for the United States government.
Before joining Microsoft Federal, Summers worked as the Research Engineer at Thomson Corporation and Technical Director at CACI. She also held increasing responsibilities at IBM for over seven years. She ultimately served as the Distinguished Engineer with responsibilities of Artificial Intelligence Chief Technology Officer for Data and AI Expert Labs and Learning.
Having over two decades of tenure, Summers has accomplished multiple credentials and certifications, such as Professional Certification: Level 3 – Distinguished Data Scientist from The Open Group, Data Science Profession Certification – Level 3 Thought Leader, and IBM Consulting Profession Certification – Thought Leader from IBM.
Microsoft Federal’s Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer Roles and Responsibilities
As Microsoft Federal’s Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer, Kristen Summers creates artificial intelligence solutions to enable the federal government to maximize its data. Leading the operating unit’s technology services, she combines AI and analytics with state-of-the-art tools to understand and solve complex situations in the government.
About Microsoft Federal
Microsoft Federal handles the public sector solutions of the Redmond-based technology corporation. The company offers mission comprehension, engineering, and technology services to the U.S. government and its operations abroad. Some agencies with which the company collaborates include the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Navy, and the Choctaw Nation.
10. Margaret Graves, Senior Fellow at IBM Center for the Business of Government
Photo from IBM Center for the Business of Government Official Website
Joining IBM Center for the Business of Government as the Senior Fellow in July 2021, Margaret Graves focuses on creating technical solutions for problems in federal markets. She has over three decades of experience in the technology sector, working closely to offer customized services to government agencies.
Before coming to IBM Center for the Business of Government, Graves was the Federal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Executive Office of the President for nearly four years. She was responsible for driving value in the federal IT sector, delivering growth for digital services, and developing next-generation IT workforces.
Graves completed various certifications, including AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner from Amazon Web Services and IBM Garage Essentials from IBM. Combined with her experience during her tenure, she’s now one of the top artificial intelligence executives and digital transformation strategists for the federal government.
IBM Center for the Business of Government’s Senior Fellow Roles and Responsibilities
Handling the digital business of IBM Center for the Business of Government, Margie Gravesis serves as the Senior Fellow and Partner of Digital Modernization Strategy. She improves the government’s delivery of results and technology services to the public. She also leads the development, execution, and oversight teams for technology policy for the government.
About IBM Center for the Business of Government
IBM Center for the Business of Government is committed to research and discussion to improve federal, state, and local governments through technology, artificial intelligence, and more. The company innovates new ways and ideas to improve public management and mission priorities.
