Disruptive DevSecOps

(this only appears for logged-in users)

Thank you. Please see expanded video section.

Event builder display intro

December 3, 2020

Agencies are continuously updating their software development lifecycles and IT operations. More than ever, it’s critical for them to maintain a short timeframe during this process to improve workflows for optimized systems security and operational efficiencies. This includes updating legacy systems through collaborative teaming, and quickly modernizing and enhancing product-delivery capabilities using automation. Hear from agency leaders from the United States Air Force, the Department of Homeland Security, NASA and more about their mission-driven efforts to advance federal DevSecOps efforts.

Date

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Time

10:30 am - 12:30 pm EST

Where

Virtual event

Watch Videos

Related Coverage

Listen: 5 Tips for DevSecOps Adoption

DevSecOps practices are transforming how agencies develop software faster.

Federal Agencies Building In-House AIOps Expertise

Knowledge-building is essential for organizational adoption of artificial intelligence and DevOps practices.

Adam Patterson

DevSecOps Secrets For a Successful IT Strategy

DHS, the Air Force and the VA discussed strategies for implementing DevSecOps at a GovernmentCIO Media & Research event.

Kate Macri

Session Recordings

DevSecOps Event Recap: Optimizations in Workflows, Infrastructure and More

DevSecOps is proving to be a federal priority as agencies look to develop software faster, more agile and with security baked into the process. The framework is helping technologists optimize workflows through incorporation of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. Leaders discuss the promise of operating on a DevSecOps model, how they've incorporated these functions in their processes to meet agency missions and how changing the culture to be more collaborative and progressive can improve overall efficiencies in IT modernization.

Federal…

Panelists participating in the discussion

Fireside Chat with Air Force DevSecOps Leaders

The Air Force's DevSecOps initiative, especially with its recent PlatformOne project, is paving the way for a Defense Department-wide adoption of shared managed services.

The Air Force's Deputy CIO Lauren Knausenberger and Chief Software Officer Nicolas Chaillan discuss where the service is innovating for the warfighter, the beginnings of DevSecOps with Kessel Run, how they are thinking about the cyber stack and what efforts they are taking to build a new culture around the framework. Plus, they discuss how other agencies can take advantage of the platform…

Infrastructure as Code Panel with Army, VA, USCIS Leaders

When building hardware for software systems, infrastructure as code (IaC) provides repeatable, predictable processes. Leaders discuss the impact of IaC on software development and delivery, and where it falls within DevSecOps efforts at their agencies.

Speakers include:

Rob Brown, CTO, Citizen and Immigration Services
Col. Charles Destefani, Deputy CDO, Air Force
Ty Schneider, Systems Engineer, Department of Veterans Affairs

AI Ops, Data Analytics at NASA, Army, VA

Artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) and advanced data analytics are making some federal agencies more proactive rather throughout the product life cycle. In a DevSecOps approach, technologies like robotic processing automation (RPA) and AI are also helping shift manual processes within IT infrastructure environments.

Speakers include:

Col. David Bradshaw, Deputy Director of the AI Task Force, Army Futures Command
Dave Catanoso, Director of the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office, Department of Veterans Affairs
…

Agenda

10:30 am

10:35 am

Welcome Remarks

Michael Hoffman, President, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

10:35 am

11:00 am

Fireside Chat

Nicolas Chaillan, Chief Software Officer, U.S. Air Force
Lauren Knausenberger, Deputy CIO, U.S. Air Force
Moderator: Amy Kluber, Managing Editor, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

11:00 am

11:40 am

Infrastructure as Code

Infrastructure as code (IaC) provides the same repeatable, predictable processes used to build hardware that’s used to build software systems. Hear from agency officials on their perspectives on IaC, its impact on software development and delivery, and where it falls on their technology roadmaps.

Rob Brown, CTO, USCIS
Col. Charles Destefani, Deputy CDO, U.S. Air Force
Ty Schneider, Systems Engineer, VA
Moderator: Mark Rahnama, Vice President, GovernmentCIO

11:40 am

12:20 pm

AIOps and Data Analytics

Leaders discuss how artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) and advanced data analytics can make their agencies more proactive rather than reactive throughout the product life cycle. Technologies like robotic processing automation (RPA) and AI are also helping them shift manual processes within IT infrastructure environments.

Col. David Bradshaw, Deputy Director, AI Task Force, Army Futures Command
Dave Catanoso, Director, Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office, VA
Ron Thompson, Chief Data Officer and Deputy Director for Digital Transformation, NASA
Matt Walker, Regional Sales Director, Federal, Dell Technologies
Moderator: Andrew Underhill, CTO, GovernmentCIO

12:20 pm

12:25 pm

Closing Remarks

Michael Hoffman, President, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

Featuring

Mr. Nicolas Chaillan, a highly qualified expert, is appointed as the first Air Force Chief Software Officer, under Dr. William Roper, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Arlington, Virginia. He is also the co-lead for the Department of Defense Enterprise DevSecOps Initiative with the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer. As the Air Force’s senior software czar, Mr. Chaillan is responsible for enabling Air Force programs in the transition to Agile and DevSecOps to establish force-wide DevSecOps capabilities and best practices, including continuous Authority to Operate processes and faster streamlined technology adoption.

The Chief Software Officer works with the Program Executive Officers and is responsible for analyzing current software and cloud migration plans to avoid vendor lock-ins while allowing for rapid prototyping and a streamlined process for deployment. To keep up with the pace of technology, Mr. Chaillan evaluates and authorizes new commercially available off-the-shelf software and cloud-related technologies to help with their adoption across various Air Force programs based on their mission needs.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Chaillan was the Special Advisor for Cloud Security and DevSecOps at the Department of Defense, OSD, A&S and Special Advisor for Cybersecurity and Chief Architect for Cyber.gov at the Department of Homeland Security. He designed the new robust, innovative and holistic .Gov cybersecurity architecture (Cyber.gov), that mitigates cyber threats by leveraging best practices and implementable solutions with minimal impact to workforce efficiency.

In addition to his public service, Mr. Chaillan is a technology entrepreneur, software developer, cyber expert and inventor. He has over 19 years of domestic and international experience with strong technical and subject matter expertise in cybersecurity, software development, product innovation, governance, risk management and compliance. Specifically, these fields include Cloud computing, Cybersecurity, DevSecOps, Big Data, multi-touch, mobile, IoT, Mixed Reality, virtual reality and wearables.

Mr. Chaillan is recognized as one of France’s youngest entrepreneurs after founding, WORLDAKT at 15 years of age. He has founded 12 companies, including AFTER-MOUSE.com, Cyber Revolution, Prevent Breach, anyGuest.com among others. Over the last eight years alone, he created and sold over 180 innovative software products to 45 Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, he is recognized as a pioneer of the computer language PHP.

Mr. Chaillan is a sought after adviser and speaker, including participation in multiple industry conferences and experience working in close collaboration with many Fortune 100 companies and the U.S. Government.

Nicolas Chaillan

Chief Software Officer, U.S. Air Force

Colonel David Bradshaw arrived at the Army’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force (AITF) in August 2020. He currently serves as the Deputy Director and leads the AI Factory located at Carnegie Mellon University.

Colonel Bradshaw was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer and served as an Infantry company fire support officer and platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT). Later he served as a division fire support coordinator and MLRS battery commander in the 4th Infantry Division and Force XXI. After battery command, he was selected to be an Army Operations Research Systems Analyst (ORSA).

After a teaching assignment in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the United States Military Academy, he was assigned to the Army's Improvise Explosive Device (IED) Task Force in 2005-2006 which later became the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). He was the original ORSA leading the counter-IED analytic efforts and played an integral part in the establishment of what would become a Department wide effort to analyze and assess counter-IED tactics, techniques and procedures.

After a tour at Human Resources Command, Colonel Bradshaw returned to JIEDDO where he would lead a cutting edge Data Analysis, Research and Collaboration (DARC) Cell. This cell provided new and unique ways to organize, analyze, and view data. His team provided consistent and effective predictive analytics as well as interactive data products to deployed forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas around the globe.

After JIEDDO, Colonel Bradshaw served as the Deputy Director and Commander of Troops at the Training and Doctrine Command Analysis Center at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico (TRAC-WSMR). In that position he provided senior military analyst support/guidance to Army studies regarding brigade and below level operations and equipment.

Colonel Bradshaw was assigned to US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in the summer of 2016 and where he served as the USSOCOM Command Data Scientist and the Chief of Strategic Planning and Analysis. He was instrumental in the development and publishing of both the USSOCOM AI Strategy and the USSOCOM Data Strategy. He was responsible for overseeing and executing the design and build of USSOCOM’s state of the art Data Engineering Lab to support the special operations forces enterprise with quick turn data management, data engineering, and data analytics solutions.

Col. David Bradshaw

Deputy Director, AI Task Force, Army Futures Command

Rob Brown is currently Chief Technology Officer at USCIS. He was formerly an Integration Architect/Cloud Solutions Developer and the EID Division Chief with USCIS. Rob has 20 years of experience providing technical, managerial and business development solutions to the IT industry.

Rob has a thorough understanding of IT and business, leading to successful experiences in completing large scale IT deployments from the initial corporate IT strategy and vision to design, build and maintenance. Rob has been focusing on Domain Driven design, Event driven architecture and reactive micro services for the past 4 years. Rob has also been working to provide BizDevSecOps technical standards and governance at USCIS. He also has expertise in auditing, directing and managing corporate IT strategies for small to large sized commercial businesses. Additionally, Rob has a strong background in software development, health care, scientific research and biomedical industries.

Rob holds a MS in Bioinformatics from George Mason University and a BS in Microbio/BioChem from Virginia Tech. He holds certifications from (ISC)2, ICAgile, ITIL, Fonality and Juniper. Prior to joining USCIS, Robert worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, Information Innovators, QSSI, V2 Systems, Ronin Tech Solutions, and American Red Cross.

Rob Brown

Chief Technology Officer, USCIS

David Catanoso has over 25 years of experience in fields ranging from database development to enterprise architecture design and enterprise cloud solutions, contributing to a solid track record of success culminating in the overall growth of multiple technology initiatives. Mr. Catanoso led a cross-organizational team over three years to design and implement the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC), capable of hosting most of the VA’s applications. The VAEC is designed to be controlled by the VA and to accommodate all applications up to and including the FedRAMP High security level.

Prior to joining the VA in 2011, Mr. Catanoso worked in the private sector serving in roles related to project management, strategic planning, and systems integration. He also served as a Signal Officer in the US Army. A native of New Jersey, Mr. Catanoso holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in Computer Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2017 he completed the Senior Executive Fellows program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

He currently serves as Director for the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ECSO enables the leveraging of cloud solutions by internal and external customers and ultimately Veterans by providing standardization and common services. ECSO will support the efficient migration to and utilization of cloud technology by project teams/business sponsors and their customers.

Mr. Catanoso is married with 4 children. He is a member of the Civil Air Patrol and the Knights of Columbus. In his spare time he enjoys alpine skiing, scuba diving, target shooting, video games and photography.

Dave Catanoso

Director, Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office, VA

Colonel Charles L. Destefani is the Department of the Air Force Chief Data Office (SAF/CO) Chief Architect and AFMC Liaison Officer. He delivers innovative data analytics capabilities to reduce the decision cycle time across all Air Force warfighting domains and spearheads analytics initiatives in the Logistics, Information Technology communities, and PEOs under the Life Cycle Management Center. He is responsible for establishing data strategy and reference architecture that encompass both Air and Space Forces in alignment with Federal Law and National Defense Strategy. He facilitates the Data Architecture Working Group to enable Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning across all of the functional verticals, and drive technology and business process decisions to realize the CDO Vision of making data VAULT – Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, and Trusted across the operational, ISR, Space, and Business System enterprises.

Col. Charles Destefani

Deputy Chief Data Officer, U.S. Air Force

Lauren Barrett Knausenberger is the Deputy Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Ms. Knausenberger leads two directorates and supports 20,000 cyber operations and support personnel across the globe with a portfolio valued at $17 billion. She provides oversight of the Air Force’s Information Technology portfolio including the Information Technology investment strategy from networks to cloud computing, Enterprise policies, information resources management, IT innovation initiatives, information assurance, and related matters for the Department of the Air Force. As Deputy Chief Information Officer, Ms. Knausenberger delivers cyber security, and enforces Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act laws. She integrates Air Force warfighting and mission support capabilities by networking and securing air, space, and terrestrial assets. Ms. Knausenberger also leads career management initiatives for 10,000 IT/Cyber civilian personnel across all human resources facets from recruiting to professional development.

In 2017, Ms. Knausenberger joined the Air Force to drive innovation across the Department of Defense, speed adoption of emerging technologies, and create stronger partnerships between DOD, start-ups, and the venture community as the Chief Transformation Officer and Director of Cyberspace Innovation under the Deputy Chief Information Officer. Prior to joining the Air Force, she was the founder and President of Accellint Inc., a consulting firm and Venture Partner with NextGen Angels, specializing in solving problems of national security importance, and investing in commercial technologies that could be applied to a government mission.

Ms. Knausenberger has held positions of increasing responsibility at American Management Systems (acquired by CACI) and CACI, beginning as a systems analyst and designer, then as a go-to project manager for program turnarounds, a program manager for large IT and finance programs, and finally as a division manager overseeing much of the company’s Intelligence Community portfolio. During this time Ms. Knausenberger also served the mission of the CIA directly as well as leading and mentoring cross-functional teams and organizations supporting national security missions.

Ms. Knausenberger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in decision and information sciences from University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration from University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.

EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Decision and Information Sciences, University of Maryland-Robert H. Smith School of Business, College Park, Md
2012 Master of Business Administration, University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School of Business, Philadelphia

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
June 1998–August 1999, Gifted and Talented Program (Cryptography/Intelligence Analyst Intern), National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
July 2003–July 2004, Business Systems Analyst, American Management Systems, Fairfax, Va.
July 2004–October 2015, Division Manager-Program Director for Large IT Programs and Intelligence Community Finance, CACI, Fairfax, Va.
October 2015–June 2017 President, Accellint Inc., Arlington, Va.
June 2017–August 2020, Chief Transformation Officer and Director of Cyberspace Innovation, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
August 2020–present, Deputy Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

AWARDS AND HONORS
FedScoop Top Women in Technology
Jimmy Doolittle Fellowship Award

Lauren Knausenberger

Deputy Chief Information Officer, U.S. Air Force

Mr. Schneider has served over 8 years with VA and has 20 years of experience in Information Technology in a variety of fields ranging from System Administration and Digital Automation to System Engineering. Prior to his current role with VA, he worked as a System Administrator at the Financial Services Center in Austin, Texas. In that capacity, Mr. Schneider helped propel the DevOps initiative where he setup and secured the infrastructure pipelines which transformed the way deployments were done for various applications. He also played a key role supporting one of the largest applications at the facility and helped execute a variety of technical activities ranging from security processes, disaster recovery, and migrations of applications and infrastructure.

In his current position, he is a System Engineer for VA’s Infrastructure Operations, Platform Product Line. His focus is on delivery of a DevSecOps platform to help clients leverage Infrastructure as Code (IAC) while easing the burden of security controls through secured containerized environments. Mr. Schneider currently leads the Enterprise Container Strategy Community of Practice (CoP), bringing together an array of VA technologist to help define standards for how platform and containers are managed at the VA, while providing space for knowledge sharing among different pockets of innovation across the VA. He is leading innovation making use of Knative technologies and helping promote application modernization.

Mr. Schneider is married with 2 children. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, foosball, sports, and woodworking.

Ty Schneider

System Engineer, Technology and Platform Systems Portfolio, VA

Ron Thompson is NASA's Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Deputy Director for Digital Transformation. Mr. Thompson has more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors where he was responsible for the data design, innovation, engineering, operational management, and governance of complex IT solutions. Ron’s hands-on experience in organizational design and transformation bring new perspectives to partnerships and creative problem solving.

Prior to joining NASA, Thompson served as Director of the Information Technology Division and Chief Information Officer of US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, charged with protecting agency data and providing IT services. He was responsible for innovative solutions and designs while maintaining systems for data capture, analysis, and dissemination.

As the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Information and Technology at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from 2016-2017, Ron improved the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations and assisted administrations across the department.

Before serving at the VA, Thompson was the Executive Director for Engineering, Design and Operations in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Chief Information Officer. In this role, he transformed the IT service management model which increased service levels, ensured reliance and agility, and lowered overall costs. Ron also led the implementation of IT governance and innovation across the Domain Governance Office, focusing on improved business outcomes from the agency’s IT investments.

From 2009 to 2011, Ron held the position of Director of Program Management and Finance for the Internal Revenue Service where he managed finance, employee and labor relations, and talent management. His federal service also includes Chief Enterprise Architect and Program Manager for the Data Access and Dissemination System Office within the US Census Bureau and Director of Web Application Infrastructure with the Department of Treasury.

In the private sector, Thompson held Senior Account Manager and Consulting Manager positions with Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computer, leading software development, system design, and program execution.

Thompson is a fellow in the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC). He has an Executive Masters of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management, both from the University of Maryland. Ron resides in Maryland with his wife and two sons, and is active in the Boy Scouts of America as Scoutmaster.

Ron Thompson

Chief Data Officer and Deputy Director for Digital Transformation, NASA

Matt Walker

Regional Sales Director, Federal, Dell Technologies

Amy Kluber is managing editor of GovernmentCIO Media & Research. Previously she managed two aviation publications at B2B media company Access Intelligence. She was nominated for The Innovation in Aerospace Journalism & Publishing Award for launching and hosting an aviation podcast. Prior to that she wrote news scripts and produced videos for the network Newsy.

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Having traveled around the world since an early age, she grew up a U.S. Army brat born in Vicenza, Italy, and spent most of her youth living in Seoul, South Korea.

In her free time, you may find her at Disney World.

Amy Kluber

Managing Editor, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

Mark Rahnama

Vice President, GovernmentCIO

Andrew Underhill has 20+ years of broad experience spanning business development, solution development, and professional services in the United States and Europe.

He launched his career as an application developer in manufacturing and healthcare enterprises, rapidly advancing through solution design, analysis, program management, and client account management and operations roles to gain technical, business, and resource management expertise. He was appointed Chief Technical and Operating Officer of Wise Systems, a leading Healthcare Software and Services company. in 1997. There, he directed company operations for 9 years, managing prime accounts and relationships with industry partners. Through this, he helped deploy complex enterprise wide solutions into 40 hospitals.

After moving to the United States in January 2006, he served as the Director of Product Planning for Applied Visual Sciences, a medical and security imaging company. His awareness and vision were instrumental for strategic initiatives, supporting marketing, expansion planning, solution architecture, and business partnering driving forward solutions for the Global Healthcare and Security Industry. The results of his efforts are utilized across the industry, including in key products from leading vendors that are found in hundreds of hospitals and airports around the world.

Mr. Underhill joins GovernmentCIO from Systems Made Simple, A Lockheed Martin Company, where he served as lead Solution Engineer, Chief Technologist, and Technical Account Manager. He architected solutions for over $800M, while contributing to $1.4B of business won with the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. Underhill is an advocate of Interoperability and Standards development. He previously served as a member of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), Health Level Seven (HL7), and Digital Image Communication in Medicine (DICOM). Additionally, he was instrumental in the development of the new and sister Digital Imaging Communication (DICOS) Standard for the security industry, where he worked as a co-editor and workgroup chairman for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association Standard efforts.

Mr. Underhill holds a Masters Certificate in Healthcare Leadership from Cornell University, studied Business and Management at the City of Bath College, Electronics and Electrical engineering at Norton Radstock College, and Communications and Engineering Drawing at Norton Hill Math and Computing College.

Andrew Underhill

CTO, GovernmentCIO

Agenda

10:30 am

10:35 am

Welcome Remarks

Michael Hoffman, President, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

10:35 am

11:00 am

Fireside Chat

Nicolas Chaillan, Chief Software Officer, U.S. Air Force
Lauren Knausenberger, Deputy CIO, U.S. Air Force
Moderator: Amy Kluber, Managing Editor, GovernmentCIO Media & Research

11:00 am

11:40 am

Infrastructure as Code

Rob Brown, CTO, USCIS
Col. Charles Destefani, Deputy CDO, U.S. Air Force
Ty Schneider, Systems Engineer, VA
Moderator: Mark Rahnama, Vice President, GovernmentCIO

11:40 am

12:20 pm

AIOps and Data Analytics

Col. David Bradshaw, Deputy Director, AI Task Force, Army Futures Command
Dave Catanoso, Director, Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office, VA
Ron Thompson, Chief Data Officer and Deputy Director for Digital Transformation, NASA
Matt Walker, Regional Sales Director, Federal, Dell Technologies
Moderator: Andrew Underhill, CTO, GovernmentCIO

12:20 pm

12:25 pm

Closing Remarks