Blueprints of Tomorrow

Blueprints of Tomorrow

 
Blueprints
Blueprints
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Virtual Event

Armed with resources like shared services and the Technology Modernization Fund, agencies are finding better uses of their technology dollars through strategic investments in modern systems. This includes cloud migration efforts and various associated “as-a-service" infrastructure models. As emerging technologies take shape, agencies are setting up environments that are accommodating future innovations.

Date
July 28, 2022
Time
11:00 am
Where
Virtual event
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Blueprints of Tomorrow

Session Recordings

Leadership across the federal government have heightened the need to drive modern, effective security protocol and practices amid increased cyber threats. Panelists examine how we can incorporate best cybersecurity practices and technology into IT infrastructure to balance resiliency and progress.

  • Robert Costello, CIO, CISA
  • Nagesh Rao, CIO, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
  • Sean Thompson, Lead Architect, Red Hat
  • Moderator: Sarah Sybert, Staff Writer/Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research

The Defense Department-wide shift from passive to active cybersecurity practices is leading to innovation in continuous authorization to operate (cATO), software bills of material (SBOMs), zero trust, collaboration between stakeholders and other key cybersecurity approaches in protecting both networks and data infrastructure in the Defense Industrial Base.

  • Chris Cleary, Principal Cyber Advisor, U.S. Navy
  • Josiah Dykstra, Subject Matter Expert, Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, NSA
  • Moderator: Kate Macri, Senior Researcher, GovCIO…

With agencies stressing the need for data-driven, evidence-based decision making, as well as data-based solutions like automation and advanced analytics, we need infrastructure that can store and compute data. We talk with IT leaders across federal agencies to see how they’re preparing their enterprise for a data-focused future.

  • Ben Brown, Director, Facilities Division for Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Department of Energy
  • Frank Indiviglio, CTO, NOAA
  • Paul Puckett, Director, Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, U.S. Army…

Agenda

 
-

Welcome Remarks

  • Amy Kluber, Editor-in-Chief, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Building in Security to Modernized Infrastructure

Leadership across the federal government have heightened the need to drive modern, effective security protocol and practices amid increased cyber threats. Panelists examine how we can incorporate best cybersecurity practices and technology into IT infrastructure to balance resiliency and progress.

  • Robert Costello, CIO, CISA
  • Nagesh Rao, CIO, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
  • Sean Thompson, Lead Architect, Red Hat
  • Moderator: Sarah Sybert, Staff Writer/Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Cybersecurity Building Blocks for National Security

The Defense Department-wide shift from passive to active cybersecurity practices is leading to innovation in continuous authorization to operate (cATO), software bills of material (SBOMs), zero trust, collaboration between stakeholders and other key cybersecurity approaches in protecting both networks and data infrastructure in the Defense Industrial Base.

  • Chris Cleary, Principal Cyber Advisor, U.S. Navy
  • Josiah Dykstra, Subject Matter Expert, Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, NSA
  • Moderator: Kate Macri, Senior Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Storage and Compute Strategies to Unlock Data

With agencies stressing the need for data-driven, evidence-based decision making, as well as data-based solutions like automation and advanced analytics, we need infrastructure that can store and compute data. We talk with IT leaders across federal agencies to see how they’re preparing their enterprise for a data-focused future.

  • Ben Brown, Director, Facilities Division for Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Department of Energy
  • Frank Indiviglio, CTO, NOAA
  • Paul Puckett, Director, Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, U.S. Army
  • Kurt Steege, CTO, ThunderCat Technology
  • Moderator: Katherine MacPhail, Staff Writer/Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Closing Remarks

  • Amy Kluber, Editor-in-Chief, GovCIO Media & Research

Featuring

 
Chris Cleary
Chris Cleary
Principal Cyber Advisor, U.S. Navy

Dr. Benjamin L. Brown is the Director of the Facilities Division in the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR). The Division conceives, constructs, and operates world-leading open-access supercomputing, data, and networking facilities to enable the DOE mission and the national research enterprise. The Division’s $575M (FY 2021) budget is devoted to operations and major upgrade projects at each of the ASCR Facilities. As Director, Ben leads strategic planning, budget formulation, and operational oversight of these strategic national resources. He is a member of the federal Senior Executive Service.

Ben is also the program manager for the Department’s Project Leadership Institute, a leadership development program in project management. Ben has extensive knowledge and expertise in policy development and analysis related to large scale scientific research infrastructure and project management. A common focus in each of these roles is the strategic advancement of science and the DOE mission through cross-institutional knowledge-sharing, strategic planning, and partnership development.

Immediately prior to joining the Office of Science in 2008, Ben worked on energy and climate policy in the U.S. Senate as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Fellow. Ben is a physicist with experience working in U.S. government laboratories and academic institutions in both the U.S. and U.K; his research focused on optical control of quantum systems and quantum information science. He received his Ph.D. in optics from the University of Rochester and his bachelor’s degree in physics from Harvard University.

Director, Facilities Division for Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Department of Energy

Robert (Bob) Costello is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). As the CIO, he leads the Agency’s efforts to develop, deploy, secure, and support technology solutions for the agency.

Prior to this, he was a Public Sector Civilian Strategic Advisor at World Wide Technology. In this role, he engaged with federal government customers to identify and solve their most complex challenges, leveraging his extensive federal agency experience to develop and deliver innovative solutions that meet their needs and serve their mission.

Bob brings a wealth of experience serving over 13 years at DHS, both at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. He also served as the Senior Executive Service as the Executive Director (XD) of the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Enterprise Networks and Technology Support Directorate (ENTSD) at CBP, as well as serving concurrently in the role of Acting XD of the Border Enforcement and Management Systems Directorate. During his tenure in ENTSD, he oversaw the modernization of the largest data network in DHS, improved connectivity to cloud service providers, and dramatically increased the agency’s usage of mobility platforms. He also oversaw the agency’s movement to the TIC 3.0 framework and implemented zero trust solutions at the network level. He led the operations of the agency’s land mobile radio network, the National Law Enforcement Communications Center, and maintenance of the non-intrusive inspection systems utilized at all ports of entry. He also directed all software development for the U.S. Border Patrol, and all of the agency’s mission support systems, moving over 100 applications to a SECDEVOPS development methodology. He was also heavily involved in implementing IT solutions for COVID-19, redesigning remote access solutions and deploying several new applications.

Earlier in his career, Costello served as the Deputy Executive Director (DXD) and acting XD for OIT’s Field Support Directorate (FSD) supporting information technology, radio systems, and enforcement technologies worldwide, as well as worked at ICE as the Director of Network Engineering overseeing networks worldwide and implementing solutions for mobility and datacenter migrations, e-discovery, and collaboration solutions. Costello is a nine-year veteran of the U.S Air Force and U.S. Air Force Reserves. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Fordham University and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and Project Management Professional.

CIO, CISA

Dr. Josiah Dykstra is a Technical Fellow in the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center at the National Security Agency (NSA). He advises leadership and employees on technical matters for integrated cybersecurity operations and provides overall technical direction on projects and programs that enable high impact operational effects in the cyber domain and deny adversaries the ability to influence, exploit, or threaten cyber and information infrastructure domains.

Dr. Dykstra has held a variety of technical and leadership positions at NSA. Most recently, he served as a senior researcher within NSA's Research Directorate studying computer network operations. His work has also included penetration testing, digital forensics, and malware analysis. Dykstra remains an active collaborator with academic, industry, and government researchers around the country. He has received numerous noteworthy awards, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), Galileo Award from the Director of National Intelligence, and NSA Research Team of the Year. He was recently named to the NSF CyberCorps Hall of Fame.

Dykstra is a Lifetime and Distinguished Member of ACM. He attended the 2nd Heidelberg Laureate Forum as a Young Researcher in 2014, which motivated his commitment to ACM. He is passionate about developing and empowering the next generation of interdisciplinary computing professionals, particularly in cybersecurity. His active research interests include human augmentation and human factors in cybersecurity. Dr. Dykstra co-authored a 2018 Viewpoint in "Communications of the ACM" proposing hands-off, behind-the-scenes cyber defense.

Josiah received a B.S. in computer science and B.A. in music from Hope College (Holland, MI), M.S in information assurance from Iowa State University, and Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His doctoral research explored new technical and legal mechanisms to support digital forensics for cloud computing environments. Dr. Dykstra is an organizer for the Digital Forensics Research Workshop (DFRWS). He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). 

Dr. Dykstra's book, Essential Cybersecurity Science, is a guide for practitioners and discusses key considerations for conducting scientific experiments in cybersecurity, including domain-specific insights including digital forensics and malware analysis. An experienced presenter and lecturer, he has spoken at major security events including Black Hat USA and RSA Conference.

Subject Matter Expert, Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, NSA

Frank Indiviglio serves as NOAA's Chief Technology Officer, leading the development and implementation of technology initiatives across NOAA. He served as NOAA's Deputy Director, High Performance Computing and Communications. Before that, he was the Technical Lead for NOAA's R&D HPC infrastructure at the National Environmental Security Center in Fairmont, West Virginia, and the National Climate Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He was also a Senior Data Engineer at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ.

Before joining NOAA, Mr. Indiviglio was a Senior Research Associate at Cornell University's Weill Medical College and Director of IT services in Columbia University's Department of Pharmacology. He was also a systems engineer at Silicon Graphics in the Federal civilian and media markets. Mr. Indiviglio received a BS in Information Systems from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.

CTO, NOAA

Mr. Paul B. Puckett III was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and assumed his duties as the Director of the Enterprise Cloud Management Office at the Headquarters, Department of the Army, Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6 in November 2019.

As the Enterprise Cloud Management Office Director, Mr. Puckett serves as the principal advisor to the CIO/G-6 and other Senior Army Leaders on the Army's Cloud strategy. He is responsible for assisting in the development of strategy, use, and optimization of Cloud resources, including the areas of cybersecurity, data protection, commercial capabilities, and ensuring network support to the current and future Army force. He will also develop Armywide planning and assist with execution of Cloud planning, migration, operation, and incorporation of advanced services and capabilities across the Army’s four information mission areas of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and Data Protection.

Just prior to joining the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Puckett was the Federal Chief Technology Officer at a cloud native services provider where he focused on advising Department of Defense and other Federal Agencies on how to enhance their mission effectiveness through the adoption of leading-edge open source technology and modern software automation capabilities.  

Prior to that experience, Mr. Puckett performed in a number of roles as a civil servant with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). As the NGA’s cloud integration lead, he helped design, build and accredit the agency’s Unclassified Cloud environment. He was the advisor to senior leadership for technical enhancements and agency priorities related to infrastructure and application modernization, and led the agency in developing an enhanced ability to accept and deploy new applications and services, while simultaneously incorporating high levels of security.

Before his service with NGA, Mr. Puckett again was in a support role with private industry, providing lead engineering expertise for servers and network systems, and systems administrator training for the Joint IED Defeat Office, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Department of State.

Mr. Puckett holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Management Information Systems from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 

Director, Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, U.S. Army

G. Nagesh Rao currently serves as Chief Information Officer for the Bureau of Industry and Security within the US Department of Commerce. Most recently he was Director of Business Technology Solutions (BiTS) at the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of the Chief Information Officer, and prior to was Chief Technologist & Entrepreneur in Residence within SBA’s Office of Investment & Innovation.

Over the last 20+ years, Nagesh has worked for numerous organizations in the public, private, and not for profit sectors. During his time in the public-sector, he has co-developed federal-wide policy initiatives around spurring small business and technological innovation as well programmatic endeavors such as i6 Green, Patents for Humanity, USAID’s-SBAR Program, and SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Furthermore he oversaw the revamp and modernization of SBA’s digital platforms including SBIR.gov and SBA.gov, as well led technology direction, as part of SBA’s COVID-19 leadership response team, with respect to the agency’s Virtual Command Center, PPP and EIDL endeavors via the CARES Act. In his initial year of service at BIS-Commerce, under Nagesh’s leadership, the Bureau has overcome 15+ years of technical debt and digitally transformed the way business is conducted via COTS, Cloud, and SaaS based solutions adopting a modern day technology stack standard.

Nagesh’s musings (written and oratorical) have been featured and/or quoted via Wired, TechCrunch, WAMC-NPR, The Scientist, The National Academies, The Hill, FedTech Magazine, DC Inno, Technical.ly DC, NextGov, Daily Mirror (Sri Lankan version), Financial Times (Sri Lankan version), and The Courier-Journal.

Nagesh is a 2004 Mirzayan Fellow of The National Academies and a 2016 USA Eisenhower Fellow. Among many accolades that Nagesh has received over the years, prominent ones include the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman & Hind Rattan awards from the NRI Welfare Society, Fed 100, ACT-IAC Collaboration Award, BT 150, DC Inno 50 on Fire, 2019 Gears of Government, and the RPI Alumni Key Award.

CIO, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce

Kurt Steege is the Chief Technology Officer at Thundercat Technology, is a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business that delivers technology services and solutions to the federal government and Fortune 500 companies. At Thundercat he is responsible for driving technology value for our clients through evaluation, architecture and outreach.

Prior to joining Thundercat, Kurt was the Chief Information Officer of MacAndrews and Forbes Inc., a diverse global holding company, based in New York City. During his time there he led a complete IT transformation and brought the company a modern standardized infrastructure upon which the business can depend. In the government space, Kurt served as the Chief Enterprise Architect at the FBI. Under Kurt’s leadership at the FBI the EAPO created roadmaps for IT Transformation, strategic direction for Shared Services, Mobility, Storage, and User Experience.

Over the rest of his 20+ year career in Information Technology, Kurt has held roles within private industries for technology, financials, and education to help drive value and efficiency into small, medium and large organizations.

CTO, ThunderCat Technology

Sean Thompson has been at Red Hat for 11 years, where he now leads the solution architect team for Red Hat’s Financial agency marketing. Mr. Thompson and his team are responsible for helping customers transform by adopting enterprise open source technologies.

He was formerly the lead solution architect supporting customers by helping them adopt cloud services, move workloads to the cloud, and guide them to automating at scale. Prior to that he supported Red Hat’s Federal OEM partners in Cisco, Dell, IBM, and HP. There he helped them understand and adopt Red Hat technologies into their architectures.

Prior Sean worked in the Red Hat Consulting’s Global Solution & Strategy Office where he worked on standardizing consulting delivery, creating services products, assisting customers in Unix to Linux migrations. He was also responsible for the Global Enablement of new products.

During Mr. Thompson’s prior experience at IBM he was a software developer and helped customers adopt middleware for 10 years. Lastly, Sean started his career at Microsoft where he did software testing for Microsoft Powerpoint

Lead Architect, Red Hat

Agenda

-

Welcome Remarks

  • Amy Kluber, Editor-in-Chief, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Building in Security to Modernized Infrastructure

Leadership across the federal government have heightened the need to drive modern, effective security protocol and practices amid increased cyber threats. Panelists examine how we can incorporate best cybersecurity practices and technology into IT infrastructure to balance resiliency and progress.

  • Robert Costello, CIO, CISA
  • Nagesh Rao, CIO, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
  • Sean Thompson, Lead Architect, Red Hat
  • Moderator: Sarah Sybert, Staff Writer/Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Cybersecurity Building Blocks for National Security

The Defense Department-wide shift from passive to active cybersecurity practices is leading to innovation in continuous authorization to operate (cATO), software bills of material (SBOMs), zero trust, collaboration between stakeholders and other key cybersecurity approaches in protecting both networks and data infrastructure in the Defense Industrial Base.

  • Chris Cleary, Principal Cyber Advisor, U.S. Navy
  • Josiah Dykstra, Subject Matter Expert, Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, NSA
  • Moderator: Kate Macri, Senior Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Panel: Storage and Compute Strategies to Unlock Data

With agencies stressing the need for data-driven, evidence-based decision making, as well as data-based solutions like automation and advanced analytics, we need infrastructure that can store and compute data. We talk with IT leaders across federal agencies to see how they’re preparing their enterprise for a data-focused future.

  • Ben Brown, Director, Facilities Division for Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Department of Energy
  • Frank Indiviglio, CTO, NOAA
  • Paul Puckett, Director, Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, U.S. Army
  • Kurt Steege, CTO, ThunderCat Technology
  • Moderator: Katherine MacPhail, Staff Writer/Researcher, GovCIO Media & Research
-

Closing Remarks

  • Amy Kluber, Editor-in-Chief, GovCIO Media & Research

Related Coverage

Sit down for a candid look at the latest developments in federal IT.
The Navy and NSA believe collaborative public-private partnership and training will significantly boost overall cybersecurity posture.
CISA’s Robert Costello and Commerce’s Nagesh Rao talk zero trust, standardization and culture change.
Technically focused wings of the federal government have begun investing in the computational resources needed to sort and analyze large quantities of complex data.

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