Humble Beginnings

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 retai...

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 a...

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 hi...

While many recognize him as the former CEO of Avantus Federal, few may know Andy Maner’s early beginnings in Lansing, Michigan. From running his own lawn care service to working in a cherry processing plant, Andy learned the importance of hard work and determination from an early age. Although he didn't have a clear vision during college, an internship in Washington, D.C., ignited his passion...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Rick Driggers, Accenture Federal Services' cyber practice lead, as he candidly shares his personal and emotional story of family, loss, resilience and pivotal experiences. Driggers talks about his upbringing in Florida, admittedly from an at times difficult family. In his early teens, he spent most of his time working on a cattle...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Anna Sever, president and CEO of Magellan Federal, about her upbringing in North Carolina, and how losing her father at a young age changed her family dynamic and outlook on life. Her mom now working to support the family, Sever decided at the age of 14 that she could, too. She shares stories about her first job teaching swim lessons t...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Vishal Desai, a president and board member at SilverEdge Government Solutions, about how the experiences throughout his life have help shape his perspective and the type of leader he is today. Desai takes us through key moments and memories; like growing up in India, moving to the U.S. at the age of 15, assimilating to American culture...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Shannon Miller, an executive vice president and president of the global Divergent Solutions business at Jacobs, about her upbringing in a small town in western Colorado and how her surroundings and father's geologist career influenced her. Eventually, Miller made her way to the Colorado School of Mines, found a love for chemistry...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with ICF's Michael Jung about the unpredictable path he took to executive director of the company's climate center. Jung, born in Korea, shares the story of the first American his father met and how it influenced him to pursue medicine. When Jung and his family came to the States, they landed in Appalachia Kentucky after a few ext...

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," Stephanie Mango, president of CGI Federal, takes us through her journey as a DMV-native and daughter of two hardworking parents as she navigates changing academic interests, uncertainties and focus area pivots. From math to accounting to IT, she found her speciality with the help of mentors, a trusted professor, a willingness to try new things and...

In this inaugural episode of "Humble Beginnings," Kevin Kelly, chairmen and CEO of Arcfield, takes us through the experiences, both professional and personal, that have shaped the leader he is today and ultimately landed him at Arcfield. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised overseas before returning to Northern Virginia for high school, Kelly gained a unique perspective on life and cultur...