#GovCom Unfiltered

In this powerful episode of GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with Joe Punaro, CEO and Founder of IronArch Technology, decorated combat veteran, and former U.S. Marine platoon commander. Joe's leadership journey—from the battlefields of Iraq to building a thriving cybersecurity company—offers invaluable lessons on service, resilience, and what it truly means to lead with purpose. J...

Join host Alexa Tsui for a powerful conversation with Colonel Bree Fram, astronautical engineer, author, and one of the highest-ranking openly transgender officers in the United States military. Currently on administrative leave pending separation due to policy changes, Colonel Fram brings a unique perspective on leadership, authenticity, and resilience in government service. In this candid discus...

Most defense contractors wait until the RFP drops to start their communications strategy. By then, says Mike Nachshen, it's already too late.  In this candid episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with the president of Fortis Strategic Communications to unpack why treating communications as an afterthought is costing companies billions in lost contracts—and how the winning a...

What does it take to build a government technology company from zero to a multi-hundred-million-dollar IBM acquisition? And how do you create lasting social impact along the way? In this powerful episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with Sonny Kakar , the visionary entrepreneur who founded Sevatec in 2003 and led it through an incredible journey - from scrappy startup to privat...

  In this compelling episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with Jeff Grant, a healthcare policy veteran with over 30 years of federal experience who has transformed personal adversity into professional opportunity. From implementing the Affordable Care Act to leading operations for millions of Americans' health insurance enrollment, Jeff shares his journey from government s...

 From Google to Anduril to founding his own AI startup, Mac Liu has been at the cutting edge of tech and defense innovation. In this episode, Mac shares the pivotal moments that shaped his path—from launching groundbreaking government initiatives like NASA’s SSN and the DoD’s JADC2, to scaling $100M in federal contracts in just over two years. Now as the founder of Vultron, Mac opens up about the...

In this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with Teresa Moon, Director of Market Strategy at Parabilis and host of the Spilling the Tea on GovCon podcast. Teresa shares her dynamic journey into the federal contracting space, from early career lessons to leading strategy and community engagement for one of the most trusted financial partners in GovCon. With her signature energy...

 Host: Alexa Tsui  Guest: Erica Dobbs, Founder & CEO of Dobbs Defense Solutions In this powerful episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, host Alexa Tsui sits down with trailblazing entrepreneur Erica Dobbs, whose 35+ years of leadership in the U.S. Navy laid the foundation for building one of the fastest-rising names in cybersecurity, Dobbs Defense Solutions (D2S). From her deep expertise in C-Suite co...

From leading public sector strategy at Adobe to advising global smart cities at the World Economic Forum, Brian Chidester brings a bold and future-forward perspective to this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered: The Podcast. As Head of Global Strategy and Innovation for Public Sector at Adobe and host of The Government Huddle Podcast™ , Brian shares what it takes to lead at the intersection of technolog...

From building the nation’s largest veteran business community to influencing federal procurement strategy, Scott Semple brings unmatched perspective to this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered: The Podcast. As Conference Director of VETS25 and Founder of NewTHINK Solutions, Scott draws on 20+ years of executive leadership in the federal space—including past roles as CEO, CIO, COO, SVP of BD, board advis...

From launching billion-dollar pipelines to shaping federal digital modernization strategies, four powerhouse women from Leidos—Heather Carr, Caroline Thomas, Arfa Syed, and Christy Holley—join us to share their journeys, hard-won lessons, and bold perspectives on modern leadership in GovCon. With decades of combined experience across civilian, defense, and global sectors, these women are at the fo...

From commanding signal battalions in combat zones to advising on billion-dollar federal tech strategies, Indira Rice Donegan has built a career rooted in service, strategy, and entrepreneurship. Now the founder and CEO of RIDO Technology Consulting, Indira joins us to share her journey from Army Signal Officer to GovCon entrepreneur, and the mission that continues to drive her work.  Indira brings...

In today’s complex and highly competitive federal contracting space, building strong relationships and executing innovative, cost-effective solutions is key. In this episode, we sit down with Carrie Kramer, Chief Delivery Officer at DRT Strategies, to discuss her approach to business development, strategic account planning, and delivering large enterprise contracts across classified and unclassifi...

In today’s fast-evolving federal IT landscape, adapting to change and leveraging the right technology is critical. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Khayo, CEO of LEIDIT, to discuss how his experiences—from working with ServiceNow to making bold career moves—have shaped his approach to IT modernization and leadership in GovCon. With over 28 years of experience, Alex has built a career on stra...

AI is transforming project management, creating an urgent need for qualified professionals. In this episode, we interview Kathleen Walch, Director of AI Engagement and Learning at Project Management Institute (PMI), who co-developed the first and only AI Project Management methodology now recognized in government proposals. As co-creator of the CPMAI methodology, Kathleen has pioneered AI best pra...

Get ready for an engaging conversation with Ryan Connell. Joined today in his personal capacity, Ryan is a defense acquisition professional with over 15 years of experience and a passion for innovation in integrating cutting-edge technologies.  In this episode, Ryan shares personal stories and lessons learned from navigating the complex world of defense acquisition, collaborating with nontradition...

Are you ready to explore the intersection of cutting-edge technology, national security, and public sector transformation? In this episode, we bring together two powerhouse leaders from Appian Corporation who are redefining what’s possible with low-code automation. 🔑 Featuring: • Li Ma, Area Vice President of Defense & Intelligence at Appian, shares her mission to empower the warfighter and s...

Ever wondered why government contracting feels so complex and unapproachable? Or why private industry struggles to navigate public procurement opportunities? This week, we’re thrilled to feature Troy Francis, Chief Contracting Officer for the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP). With a remarkable career overseeing more than $10 billion in acquisitions for multiple agencies including DDO...

What does it take to reinvent government for the 21st century? Adrian Brown, the former Executive Director of the Centre for Public Impact, joins us to share his vision. With two decades of experience driving transformation across the UK government and leading roles at BCG, McKinsey, and Harvard Business School, Adrian has insights that every changemaker needs to hear. 🎙️ Highlights from this epis...

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...

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 pub...

Get ready to be inspired by Sarah MacDawutey, the Acting Deputy Director for Innovations in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and IT, Sarah’s journey is a masterclass in transformation and leadership. Starting in healthcare roles back in 2002, she made a pivotal shift in 2012 to the world of Information Technology, diving into early machine...

Get ready for an exciting conversation with Brian Lindholm, the founder and Managing Principal of FedSavvy Strategies, and a true expert in the world of market and competitive intelligence.  With a career spanning roles in capture, business development, and proposal management, Brian is renowned for designing and running Black Hat reviews—helping companies outmaneuver the competition in government...

David Zvenyach, or as we like to think of him..."The Batman of Government Contracting." Dave Z is a Principal at TandemGov, bringing unparalleled expertise in public sector innovation and technology transformation.  In this interview, we dive deep into his journey from serving as Deputy Commissioner of the GSA's Federal Acquisition Service to leading groundbreaking tech initiatives...

In our next episode, we’re thrilled to bring you a conversation with Madiha Latif, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. With over 20 years of experience in intelligence, consulting, and financial services, Madiha is a dynamic senior operations executive within the federal government. She’s a trusted advisor responsible for strategy, governance, compliance, and mor...