Ms. Traci A. Billings, CGFM

Deputy Comptroller, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Chief Financial Officer, Financial Management Operations

US Department of Homeland Security

In her role as Deputy Comptroller, Ms. Billings leads a geographically dispersed team of 250+ professionals in the timely and accurate recording and reporting of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its component customers’ Budgetary and Financial Statements.  ICE, Financial Management Operations (OFM) is the shared service provider for 80% of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components and approximately 24% of the DHS wide budget and accounting operations.  Ms. Billings provides leadership over the financial accounting operations and services of OFM, to ICE and its component customers.   In addition, Ms. Billings and her team provide customer-oriented services around immigration bonds, accounts payable, revenue and receivables management, obligation management, policy, internal controls.

At ICE OFM, Ms. Billings ensures compliance for ICE and its customer components with DHS and government-wide statutory and regulatory requirements, as well as incorporating process improvements and appropriate policies.  Most recently, her team successfully implemented the government-wide G-Invoicing requirement on October 1, 2022.

During her tenure with ICE, Ms. Billings has received numerous accolades, such as: ICE M&A Executive Associate Director’s Award, DHS CFO Bill Mason Excellence in Internal Controls Award, ICE Core Value Award, DHS CFO Honorable Mention Auditor’s Award, and the Quality Service/Performance Award. Ms. Billings is a result-driven professional with excellent leadership and communication skills who supports successful team engagement through her coaching and mentoring.  Ms. Billings has dedicated the last sixteen years of her professional career to supporting the ICE mission.

Ms. Billings earned a BS degree in Accounting from Champlain College in 2004

Mr. Pete Bowman

Human Capital Branch Head

Office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy, FM&C

Fiscal and Administrative Division

Mr. Pete Bowman became the Department of the Navy (DON) Financial Management Human Capital Branch Head in April 2022. In this capacity, he is responsible for the nearly 10K strong DON FM workforce human capital requirements, to include training, workforce development, DoD FM Certification program, and reward and recognition programs. He leads a team of government and contractor staff to implement Strategic Goal #1 of the DON FM Strategy, ‘Enhance our highly skilled and engaged FM workforce to support DON’s mission.’

Prior to his current assignment Mr. Bowman was the Strategic Analysis and Decision Support Branch Chief at the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency. He provided oversight and direction to the Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) program, a large data warehouse containing operating and support costs for all Air Force weapons programs. His team led the development of the annual $10B Cost per Flying Hour Factors and AFI65-503 Cost Factors in support of Air Force stakeholders.

Prior to his time with the Air Force, Mr. Bowman supported the OASN (FM&C) organization from 2008 to 2022 in various roles. In the office of Financial Policy and Systems as the Policy and Process Division Director, he led teams for high profile projects to remediate audit weaknesses, including Treasury Direct Disbursing, G-invoicing implementation, and Contract and Vendor Pay business process reengineering. He was responsible for data analysis and performance monitoring of the Department of Navy (DON) DFAS Bill, a $320M program. Mr. Bowman was the Business Operations Division Director for the Naval Center for Cost Analysis from 2008-2017. He led front office staff, administrative activities, human resources, budget planning and execution, and served as the primary action officer for community management across the Department of Navy (DON) cost analysis organizations. Helped to grow the organization from 20 government analysts in 2008 to a 70 person mix of government, military, contractor, and intern analysts. Led the re-establishment of the intern program in 2009, providing the organization with a sustainable capability to meet the growing demand for cost analysis in the DON.

Mr. Bowman earned a BS degree in Finance from LaSalle University (1995), and an MBA with a concentration in Computer Science from Temple University (2000).

Rich Brady

Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Military Comptrollers

Mr. Brady, CDFM, CGFM, CMA, is CEO of the American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC).  ASMC is a global organization representing more than 14,000 finance and accounting professionals in the public and private sectors of the defense/aerospace industry. 

Mr. Brady joined ASMC after serving 32 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel in 2021.  In his time in the Marine Corps, he served in a variety of command and staff positions throughout the United States and overseas, including a combat tour in Iraq, multiple tours in the Pentagon, and as an accredited diplomat in the country of Georgia.  As a financial management officer, he served as the Commander/Director of the Marine Corps Financial Management School and as the G8/CFO of Marine Corps Installations Command.  His last assignment was as the Commander of the United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) where he was responsible for the accessions of over 250,000 men and women into all branches of the Armed Forces annually. 

Mr. Brady serves on a variety of external boards, including the Global Board of Directors of the Institute of Management Accountants, the Board of Governors of the Stuart Cameron McLeod Society, a founding member of the DC Metro Chapter of the Private Directors Association, and the Board of Advisors of ACERTD Media, an early-stage start-up in the gig economy.  

Mr. Brady holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Saint Louis University, a Master of Science in Finance from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Science in Resource Strategy from the National Defense University.  His military awards and decorations include two Defense Superior Service Medals, the Legion of Merit, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit and service medals and ribbons. 

Mr. Jonathan Burks

Commissioner,

Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE) Reform

Mr. Jonathan Burks was appointed by the Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives, as a Commissioner on the PPBE Reform. 

Mr. Burks is Vice President for global public policy at Walmart, where he leads the global retailer’s efforts to analyze and develop positions on pressing public policy issues. In August 2022, the Senate confirmed Burks to serve on the Board of Directors of the US Institute of Peace.

Prior to joining Walmart, Mr. Burks was a partner at the Brunswick Group, the global critical issues consultancy, where he was the co-lead for the U.S. public affairs office.

Before moving to the private sector, Mr. Burks spent nearly two decades in public service culminating in his service as the chief of staff to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, acting as the Speaker’s principal adviser on policy, strategy, and management. His prior positions include advisor on budget and appropriations to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, policy director of the House Budget Committee with a focus on defense budgeting, director of legislative affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission, senior advisor to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, and policy advisor in the transition office for the Director of National Intelligence.

Early in Mr. Burks career, he served four years at the White House, working first for Vice President Cheney and then for President Bush in a variety of positions, including as the Vice President’s staff secretary, associate staff secretary to the President, and special assistant to the President for policy in the Chief of Staff’s office.

During a leave of absence from government service, Burks was the deputy policy director on the 2012 Romney for President campaign.

Mr. Burks holds a Master of Arts from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in foreign service from Georgetown University.

Mr. Bradley J. Clawson

Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of Army Headquarters, Deputy Chief of Staff (G-9)

Installation Services, Environmental Division

Mr. Bradley Clawson serves the Enterprise Restoration Branch of the Department of the Army Headquarters (HQDA) Installation Services, Environmental Division. He supports the Environmental and Disposal Liabilities (E&DL) execution and reporting for the enterprise.

Formerly, Mr. Clawson supervised the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Installation Management, Environmental Management, Restoration Division. The division worked with stakeholders and regulatory agencies to restore contaminated properties to a usable state as required by law.

Prior to working in environmental restoration, Mr. Clawson oversaw several Environmental Quality programs as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the DLA. Previously, Mr. Clawson served as an Environmental Program Manager for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). He oversaw technical requirements and project execution for environmental programs at three military installations in New Mexico. 

Mr. Clawson started as a Restoration Program Manager at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas following completion of the Master’s International Program with the U.S. Peace Corps. His specialty is urban and regional planning with an emphasis on environmental management.

Mr. Clawson earned a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Florida State University.

Ms. Debra S. Del Mar

ASMC NCR PDI Chair

ASMC 75^th Jubilee Commission Chair

Ms. Del Mar is a recognized leader in commercial and government financial reform /transformation. Her knowledge and experience in driving foundational business change, system modernization, and business transformation distinguish her as a thought-leader. As a highly-regarded business executive, her relationships are expansive and collaborative - across government and private sectors – enabling her to be an effective and passionate advocate for Federal business reform, standardization, and simplification.

Ms. Del Mar is the former inaugural American Society of Military Comptroller’s (ASMC) National Corporate Advisory Group Chair, as well as honored to be this year’s ASMC 75th Jubilee Commission Chair.  She is currently ASMC Washington Chapter’s Corporate Vice President as well as the ASMC National Capital Region PDI Chair since 2006. She possesses a strong public service commitment, evident by both her volunteer work and time in government. She actively consults with key government/industry executives and is a regular speaker and author on strategic business imperatives and the value of speed to outcomes.

As Co-Founder of Vanguard Advisors, LLC - a woman-owned small business based in Northern Virginia - Ms. Del Mar drove innovation and strategy among an elite group of industry firms who support Federal agencies’ objectives of improving mission effectiveness, technology advances, and operational/audit readiness. In this capacity, Ms. Del Mar assisted her clients to help agencies address complex business transformation challenges with proven approaches/solutions to enhance transparency, accountability and ensure business outcomes.  She is currently on an extended leave of absence from Vanguard, serving as a Federal executive.

Ms. Del Mar had the honor and privilege to be appointed as the Business Transformation Executive for the Department of Veterans Affairs; she also completed a detail, as the inaugural Industry Executive in the DoD CIO’s Information Technology Exchange Program (ITEP). There, she was assigned to OSD Comptroller’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer (DCFO) organization in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., providing expertise and recommendations regarding systems initiatives that impact the enterprise financial management processes, with particular emphasis on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. In this capacity, Ms. Del Mar offered an “industry lens,” providing insights to accelerate the implementation and optimization of standard business systems and remove impediments to outcomes.

Ms. Del Mar holds an MBA in Science & Technology Innovation from George Washington University and a BS in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary.

Colonel Sara Dudley

Director, Operations and Support, Army Budget Office,

Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (FM&C)

COL Sara Dudley was commissioned in 1998 as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Finance Corps and currently serves in the Army Budget Office as the Director, Operations and Support. Before returning to the Pentagon, she held the position of Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). While at USASOC, COL Dudley also held the position as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller.

COL Dudley’s military education and training includes the U.S. Army Finance Officer Basic and Advance Courses, the Combined Arms Staff Service School, the Army Cost Management Certification Course, a Command and General Staff Course Interagency Fellowship at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), an Army War College Fellowship at Yale University and the Joint Professional Military Education Course at the Joint Forces Staff College.

COL Dudley has held numerous positions throughout her career, including unique financial management positions within the National Counter-Terrorism Center Directorate of Strategic Operations and Plans, the Joint Special Operations Command, the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve in Baghdad, and the Army Budget Office. Additionally, she served as an Economics instructor at the United States Military Academy and as a Finance Officer in the First Infantry Division, the 101st Infantry Division, and 176th Finance Battalion.

COL Dudley has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the United States Military Academy and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University, Master’s in Financial Integrity from Case Western Reserve Law School, and a Crypto-currency Certification from MIT.  

LCDR Stephen Fainer

Financial Manager, Budget Execution

United States Coast Guard

Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Fainer is the Mission Support Account Manager Team Lead in the Office of Resource Management, he coordinates the activity of three financial managers and five accounts, totaling $1.6 billion in annual budget authority. Working with 23 financial offices, he coordinates funds flow, prioritizes emergent funding needs, and ensures compliance with federal appropriations law. LCDR Fainer effort to model the entire O&S appropriation ($9 billion) each year. He is also the primary subject matter expert for Budget Execution to replace the legacy Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution software (PPBE), a tool which is used to build the Coast Guard of the future.

LCDR Fainer first tour following graduation was aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter MIDGETT, a 378ft vessel out of Seattle, WA. During his two years onboard he served as deck watch officer, law enforcement officer, and command intelligence officer. MIDGETT made three counter-narcotics patrols during his time onboard, seizing nearly 10 tons of cocaine, worth over $220 million. In 2011, he transferred to Washington, DC, to serve as an Intelligence Officer on the Commandant’s Briefing Staff. He became the Intelligence Coordination Center’s Strategic Energy and Trade Analyst and produced assessments that provided decision advantage to the President, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

In 2015 LCDR Fainer was assigned to Sector Long Island Sound, as Sector Intelligence Officer. He directed all Coast Guard Intelligence activities in Connecticut and on Long Island, and was the primary node for intelligence sharing between 30 federal, state, local law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

LCDR Fainer graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Government. He earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University in 2017, and a Masters of Business Administration from Georgetown University in 2020.

The Honorable Robert Hale

Commission Chair,

Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE) Reform

The Honorable Robert Hale was appointed by the Honorable Jack Reed, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to Chair the Commission on PPBE Reform. 

Mr. Hale is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a Senior Executive Advisor at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he provides international consulting on financial management issues.

Most recently, Mr. Hale served as Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Defense, where he managed a $600 billion budget in wartime and oversaw efforts by the Department to minimize the problems caused by the 2013 sequestration and government shutdown. Mr. Hale made significant improvements in defense financial management, making tangible progress toward auditable financial statements, and establishing a course-based certification program for defense financial managers.

Previously, Mr. Hale also served as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller), managing the Department’s budgets and spearheading efforts to create a test-based certification program. Mr. Hale served as a Commissioner on the National Commission on the Future of the Army and is a past member of the Defense Business Board. Mr. Hale spent 12 years as head of the defense group at the Congressional Budget Office. He was also the Executive Director of the American Society of Military Comptrollers and held analytic and management positions at LMI government consulting and the Center for Naval Analyses. Early in Mr. Hale’s career, he served as a Navy officer. Mr. Hale holds a Bachelor of Science in statistics and a Master of Science in operations research from Stanford University, and a Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University.

Dr. Keith Hardiman

Director, Information Management, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force

Department of the Air Force

Dr. Keith Hardiman is the Director, Headquarters Air Force (HAF) Information Management, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, and the HAF Chief Information Officer and Liaison to the Pentagon Architecture Council. He also manages the Air Force Declassification Office, Air Force Publications Distribution Office, and HAF Multimedia Services.  Dr. Hardiman leadership responsibilities include HAF’s Records Management, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act Programs, and information technology policy and portfolio compliance.

Prior to his current position, Dr. Hardiman served as the Technical Director and Chief Data Officer for the Logistics Chief Information Officer Support Division, Directorate of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. In this capacity, he was the Technical Expert Consultant for the Directorate and assisted in developing and executing CIO strategic initiatives supporting Enterprise Logistics Information Technology.

The Honorable Kathleen Hicks

Deputy Secretary of Defense

Department of Defense

The Honorable Kathleen H. Hicks serves as the 35th Deputy Secretary of Defense; she was sworn into that office on Feb. 9, 2021.

Prior to becoming Deputy Secretary, Dr. Hicks held the position of senior vice president, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and Director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. From 2009 to 2013, she served as a senior civilian official in the Department of Defense. Confirmed by the United States Senate in 2012 as principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, she was responsible for advising the secretary of defense on global and regional defense policy and strategy. She also served as deputy undersecretary of defense for strategy, plans, and forces, leading the development of the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance and the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and crafting guidance for future force capabilities, overseas military posture, and contingency and theater campaign plans.

Prior to becoming the DUSD for SPF, from 2006 to 2009 Deputy Secretary Hicks was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Deputy Secretary Hicks launched her career as a civil servant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, serving from 1993 to 2006 in a variety of capacities and rising from Presidential Management Intern to the Senior Executive Service.

Dr. Hicks holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an M.A. from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Affairs, and an A.B. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Mount Holyoke College.,   

Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Matthew Lake

Assistant Commandant for Resources & Chief Financial Officer U.S. Coast Guard

RDML Matthew Lake currently serves as the Assistant Commandant for Resources (CG-8) and the Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Coast Guard.  In this capacity, he is responsible for all budgetary, financial and resource management activities relating to the programs and operations of the Coast Guard.  As a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Coast Guard is comprised of a nearly 60,000-member active duty, reserve and civil service workforce with an annual budget of $12 billion.

RDML Lake has had a mix of Coast Guard operational and field support assignments. These included service on Coast Guard Cutters MIDGETT and NORTHLAND, Sector St. Petersburg Logistics Department Head, and as the Surface Forces Logistics Center’s first Product Line Engineering Chief. RDML Lake also served as the Coast Guard Yard's Industrial Manager, where he was responsible for shipyard operations, and later as the Commanding Officer. The Coast Guard Yard is the largest industrial facility in DHS and the Coast Guard’s only public shipyard.

In addition to operational and field support assignments, RDML Lake served as Deputy of the Coast Guard’s Office of Budget and Programs, where he oversaw formulation and defense of the Coast Guard’s annual budget with DHS, the Administration, and Congress. He later served under the DHS Chief Financial Officer, coordinating formulation and justification of DHS’ $65 billion President’s Budget Request to Congress. RDML Lake also served as the Assistant Program Executive Officer for Surface Acquisitions, where he led the Service’s cutter and boat construction and renovation programs at shipyards throughout the United States, valued at over $30 billion. Most recently, he served as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support. The 17,000-person Mission Support organization delivers the systems and people in support of the Coast Guard’s diverse mission sets through oversight of all human capital, naval, aeronautical and civil engineering and logistics, acquisitions, information technology, and security.

RDML Lake earned a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1995. He earned Master of Science degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering in 1999 from the University of Michigan. He was selected as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Fellow, and earned a Master of Business Administration from MIT in 2016. Captain Lake is a Certified Government Financial Manager and Senior Acquisition Program Manager.

RDML Lake has been awarded the 2018 General Tuttle Award for Business Acumen in Defense and Government, the 2010 American Society of Naval Engineers Perry Award, the 2007 Coast Guard Chief Financial Officer Award, and was awarded by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 2013 for outstanding performance of duty.

The Honorable Peter Levine

Commissioner,

Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE) Reform

The Honorable Peter Levine was appointed by the Honorable Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, as a Commissioner on the PPBE Reform. 

Mr.  Levine is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, where he works on defense management, organizational reform, human resources management, and acquisition policy issues.  Mr. Levine is the author of Defense Management Reform: How to Make the Pentagon Work Better and Cost Less (Stanford University Press, 2020).

Recently, Mr. Levine served as a panel member for the National Academy for Public Administration Report on the Office of Personnel Management, a panel member for a National Academy of Sciences study on the acquisition workforce, and a co-chair of the Independent Panel to Assess EMS Organizational Alternatives. From April 2016 to January 2017, Mr. Levine served as Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. In this capacity, he was the principal assistant and advisor to the Secretary on military and civilian personnel policy and management. Mr. Levine also served as the Deputy Chief Management Officer (DCMO) of the Department of Defense, acting as the senior advisor to the Secretary on business transformation. He led the Secretary’s review of the Goldwater- Nichols Act and the Department’s efforts to achieve greater efficiency in management, headquarters, and overhead functions.

Prior to Mr. Levine’s appointment as the DCMO, Levine served on the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee from August 1996 to February 2015, including two years as Staff Director, eight years as General Counsel, and eight years as minority counsel, where he was responsible for providing legal advice on legislation and nominations, and advised on acquisition policy, civilian personnel policy and defense management issues affecting the Department of Defense. Mr. Levine also served as counsel to Senator Carl Levin of Michigan and as counsel to the Subcommittee on Oversight of Governmental Management of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs.

Mr. Levine holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School

Mr. Gregory Little

Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office for Business Analytics

In March of 2022, Mr. Gregory Little was appointed the Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (DCDAO) of the Business Analytics Directorate. He oversees the Business Analytics and Strategic Insights (BASI), Enterprise Platform and Capabilities (EPC) and Strategy Operations and Customer Success (SOCS) divisions.

Prior to this assignment, Mr. Little served as Deputy Comptroller for Enterprise Data and Business Performance (EDBP), in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (OUSD(C)) in January 2021. In this role, he serves as an advisor to the USD(C), DoD’s Principal Staff Assistants and Deputy Secretary of Defense.  He is responsible for advancing the National Defense Strategy by leading and championing the evolution of the DoD’s performance management strategy through collaboration with DoD leaders in the use data to evaluate efforts, digital transformation, and improved performance across the Defense Agencies/Field Activities as well as the DoD’s Working Capital Fund.

Mr. Little served as Director of the Chief Financial Officer Data Transformation Office (CDTO) for the Office of the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (ODCFO), in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (OUSD(C)). In this capacity, he was responsible for the Department of Defense (DoD) Financial Management Data Strategy and deploying the big-data repository to transform the use of DoD business data into decisions and actions.

Mr. Little served as the team lead for the Business Integration Office within the ODCFO prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service. In that position, he successfully led development of the DoD Financial Management Functional Strategy, defined the first Financial Management data analytics vision and strategy for the Department of Defense, and led a team of subject matter experts and technologists to develop the Notice of Findings and Recommendations database to support the DoD’s audit remediation strategy.

Before joining the OUSD(C) in 2015, Mr. Little served five years as the solution architect for the Defense Agencies Initiative (an Oracle enterprise resource planning system). In this position, he was responsible for implementing a single standard financial management system for the Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities. Mr. Little successfully led the largest Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Release 12 Technical Upgrade in North America.

Mr. Little holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from Bates College and has studied abroad at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. 

Mr. David Magjuka

Director of Financial Management Data and Digital Transformation

Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (FM&C), Financial Management Systems

Mr. David Magjuka is the Director of Financial Management Data and Digital Transformation (FMDDT) for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management Systems). Mr. Magjuka  led the establishment of FMDDT in January, 2021. The team leverages data as a strategic enabler and facilitates data-informed decision-making across the organization. FMDDT employs a collaborative approach in transforming the data culture throughout the Department of the Navy (DON) by developing new tools, sustaining existing tools, and enabling data cells throughout the organization.

Before joining FMDDT, Mr. Magjuka was the Director of Financial Reporting for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Operations). There, he led financial statement consolidation and guidance for the DON.  David previously worked at Booz Allen Hamilton, leading engagements focused on financial and data transformation.

David received his B.S. in Science Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame and his M.S. in Information Systems from Indiana University. 

LtGen Christopher (CJ) Mahoney

Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources

United States Marine Corps

LtGen Mahoney serves as Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources, Headquarters Marine Corps. His General Officer duties include a posting as the Deputy Commander of Marine Forces Pacific, the Director of Strategy and Plans at Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commander, United States Forces, Japan, and as the Commanding General, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

LtGen Mahoney has commanded twice at the squadron level and the Group Level. He has served on Joint duty with the Joint IED Defeat Organization at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA, as the Chief of Staff and has served on the Headquarters Marine Corps Staff as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources.

After flight training in Florida and Texas and his qualification as an A6-E Intruder pilot, LtGen Mahoney deployed to the Indo-Pacific with VMA (AW)-224, The Bengals.  He completed transition training to the F-18 at El Toro and made multiple deployments with VMFA (AW)-224 and VMFA-122 to the Indo-Pacific, Italy, and Iraq, flying out of MCAS Beaufort, SC, and MCAS Miramar, CA. Additionally, LtGen Mahoney served a tour as an instructor at the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 (MAWTS-1) at MCAS Yuma, AZ.

LtGen Mahoney is a graduate of the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI), the Marine Division Tactics Course (MDTC), and the Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). He is a qualified Forward Air Controller and parachutist. He attended the Australian Command and Staff College and the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base. He holds a Master’s Degree from both the University of Canberra in Australia and the Air University with the highest academic distinction. Lieutenant General Mahoney has over 5000 hours of flight time, in the A-6, F-5, F-18, and the F-35.

LtGen Mahoney graduated from Holy Cross in June 1987. He completed The Basic School (TBS) and the Infantry Officer's Course (IOC), at Quantico, VA, graduating in March 1988.

The Honorable Michael J. McCord

Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer

The Honorable Mike McCord was sworn in as the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer on June 1, 2021. He is the first person to be confirmed twice for this position.

Immediately prior to his confirmation he served as the Director, Civil-Military Programs at the Stennis Center for Public Service, as an adjunct researcher at the Institute for Defense Analyses, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Aerospace Corporation. In 2017, he was appointed to the congressionally mandated Commission on the National Defense Strategy for the United States, which released its report Providing for the Common Defense in November 2018.

From January 2009 through January 2017 he served at the U.S. Department of Defense as the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer and before that as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). He was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for each of these positions. In these roles he advised Secretaries of Defense Bob Gates, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel and Ash Carter on all budgetary and financial matters and was responsible for development and execution of annual defense budgets in excess of $550 billion.

Prior to his service at the Department of Defense, Mr. McCord served for 24 years in the legislative branch, including 21 years as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) for former Senators and Chairmen Sam Nunn and Carl Levin. As a member of the Senate staff, his primary focus was on budget, fiscal policy, and military readiness and installation issues. Mr. McCord also served on the staff of the House Budget Committee as an analyst on defense and veterans programs, and as a cost analyst at the Congressional Budget Office.

Mr. McCord has a B.A. with honors in Economics from the Ohio State University and a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Ms. Erika Mesen

Director, Secretary of the Air Force Financial Management and Comptroller – Budget Systems

Ms. Erika Mesen is the Director of Budget Systems for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (FM&C). Ms. Mesen provides oversight of the President’s Budget and Execution System (PBES), Budget Systems Information Technology Portfolio, Cyber Security needs, directs Program Management system/enterprise development, modifications and enhancements to existing systems, and provides functional Training, Development, Data Analytics, and Cloud Hosting.

Prior to this assignment, Ms. Mesen served as the Division Chief for SAF/FMB’s System Operations.  She was responsible for advancing the SAF/FM Data Strategy by leading and championing the evolution SAF/FMB’s data needs through collaboration with SAF/FM and DoD leaders to streamline digital transformation, and improved performance across the SAF/FM enterprise.

Ms. Mesen served as Integration and Funds Control for SAF/AAR. In this capacity, she was responsible for budget formulation, distribution, and monitoring of annual funding needs across the $5B HAF and SAF 2-Ltrs portfolio at the Pentagon.

Ms. Mesen also served as Project Manager for Air Force District of Washington HQ (AFDW) Defense Enterprise Management System (DEAMS) Deployment across the MAJCOM and its geographically separated tenants. In that position, Ms. Mesen coordinated training and support of new system to 550+ financial management personnel, and a combined $10B portfolio (O&M, RDT&E and Reimbursement activities).

Before joining the SAF in 2014, Ms. Mesen served many years as a contractor with DEAMS SME and Budget SME.  In these positions, she was responsible for implementing DEAMS and assisting Bases with transition from Legacy Financial system GAFS-BL.  Ms. Mesen also provided budget execution, cost estimating, and acquisition expertise for Air Force Space Command at Kirtland AFB, NM, in support of the funding of launch vehicles and small satellites.  Ms. Mesen also supported Space and Missile Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base as a Comprehensive Cost and Requirements System Administrator, where she taught Resource Advisors and Budget Analysts the importance of understanding and capturing requirements.

Ms. Mesen joined the Air Force and the Financial Management career field in 2003. Ms. Mesen has been an ASMC member since 2007, and a certified CDFM member since 2010, with the Acquisition specialty since 2011.

The Honorable Kathleen S. Miller

Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller

The Honorable Kathleen S. Miller was sworn in as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) on August 11, 2021.

Prior to joining the Office of the Comptroller, Ms. Miller served as Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Starting in 2018, Ms. Miller was the Senior Career Civilian in the Army and was the principal career civilian adviser to the Secretary of the Army for administrative and business matters, including transformational activities in the Headquarters and with the Civilian Workforce. She oversaw the operation of a field operating agency and a headquarters element comprising of more than 600 civilian and military employees who execute 66 functions for customers in the Army, Department of Defense, and other Federal agencies across geographically dispersed CONUS and OCONUS operating locations.

From 2016 to 2018, Ms. Miller served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-3/5/7. As the civilian deputy to the DCS, G-3/5/7, she provided oversight and guidance to the Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Administration and Resources; Cyber Operations; and Command and Control Support Agency Directorates. Her focus included planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of the DCS, G-3/5/7’s program and budget, manpower, contracts, information technology, facilities and administration, cyber activities, special access programs, sensitive activities programs, and support to agencies outside the Army. She was also responsible for the DCS, G-3/5/7 civilian management and was actively engaged in Army mentoring and development of the force.

Ms. Miller also served six years at the Principal Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Army G4, where she oversaw implementation of logistics IT systems. She has held several executive positions in the Army Budget Office, including Acting Director of the Army Budget.

Ms. Miller was selected to the Senior Executive Service in the Department of Treasury in 2002

Ms. Marsha Popp

Operations Research Analyst and Personnel Costing Team Lead

Deputy Assistance Secretary of the Army for Cost and Economics

Ms. Marsha Popp serves as an Operations Research Analyst and Team Lead for Personnel Costing in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Cost and Economics (DASA-CE), where she has worked for a combined 20 years.  She is responsible for project management of the Army Military-Civilian Cost System, Civilian Rate Execution processes, and other independent cost analyses, factors, and models associated with Army personnel.  Ms. Popp has 33 years of work experience with the Department of the Army, previously serving in positions in the Army Audit Agency, the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, and the U.S. Army Manpower Analysis Agency.

Ms. Popp is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III/Advanced certified in Business – Cost Estimating and holds a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt. She graduated from Mary Washington College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and International Affairs and from the Army Comptrollership Program at Syracuse University with a Master of Business Administration.

Commander Lincoln Puffer, CPA

Chief, Audit Remediation and Property Accountability Division

United States Coast Guard

Commander Lincoln Puffer, CPA, reported aboard as Chief, Audit Remediation and Property Accountability Division in June 2020.  He is responsible for sustaining the DHS clean financial statement audit opinion through remediation of United States Coast Guard (USCG) Internal Controls & audit findings and overseeing the management of the USCG’s real and personal property portfolio, while ensuring $3+ billion of construction in progress is properly recorded and interfaced.  Commander Puffer has held several operational tours in the Prevention and Financial Management fields, most recently as the executive officer of Marine Safety Unit Chicago.   

Mr. Carlos Rogers

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force,

Financial Management and Comptroller

Mr. Carlos Rodgers, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.. He oversees the budgeting, cost estimating, and financial operations of over $196 billion in annual resources that support Department of the Air Force priorities, in accordance with Congressional, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of the Air Force direction. Additionally, Mr. Rogers is responsible for the professional development of over 12,000 military and civilian members of the Air Force financial management community.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Rodgers was the Deputy for Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for planning and directing Air and Space Force budget formulations and the execution of appropriations. He led a staff of civilian and military financial managers who develop, defend, and execute funding that supports military operations and Department of the Air Force priorities.

Mr. Rodgers entered government service as an Air Force Palace Acquire Intern in 1987. During his career, he has held progressively more responsible financial management positions in operational and support commands, including assignments at Headquarters Military Airlift Command (renamed to Air Mobility Command), Headquarters Air Force Communications Command (reorganized to Air Force Network Integration Center), Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). Mr. Rodgers has more than 25 years of acquisition experience in a variety of single and joint service programs, including automated information/computer and communication systems, weapons, munitions, and aircraft.

Mr. Rogers is a member of the American Society of Military Comptrollers, as well as a member of the National Defense Industrial Association APDP (DAWIA) Business. He holds a Level III DoD Financial Management Certification and a certification in Business Process Reengineering. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha as well as a Master of Science in Management from Troy State University.

The Honorable Russell Rumbaugh

Assistant Secretary of the Navy

(Financial Management and Comptroller) 

The Honorable Russell Rumbaugh was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management & Comptroller) on January 3, 2023.  Mr. Rumbaugh directly oversees the management of the Department of the Navy’s (DON’s) annual budget exceeding $240 billion while leading, mentoring, and developing the DON’s community of over 9,200 financial managers. Mr. Rumbaugh spearheads the DON’s financial management transformation, including the financial statement audit and modernization of financial systems. These efforts support mission accomplishment for Fleet commands, Marine Expeditionary Forces and all naval forces within the Department.

Mr. Rumbaugh has previously worked on national security budgets in the Department of Defense, the U.S. Congress, and at think tanks. Mr. Rumbaugh served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office twice, on the Senate Budget Committee, and on personal staff in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Rumbaugh also studied defense budgets at the Stimson Center, Aerospace and the Congressional Research Service. Mr. Rumbaugh has taught defense budgets at Georgetown University, George Mason University, and the University of Maryland, and published widely on the subject. He began his career as a U.S. Army infantry officer.

Mr. Rumbaugh holds degrees in political science and security studies from the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Mr. Rumbaugh is a Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty.

Ms. Karyn Runstrom

Acting Chief Information Officer

Defense Logistics Agency

Ms. Karyn Runstrom assumed her current position as the Acting Chief Information Officer and Director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Information Operations (J6), on Feb. 1, 2023. She has served as the Deputy Director, DLA Information Operations, since Nov. 10, 2019. She is responsible for executive level oversight, management, and leadership of all DLA Information Operations programs, resources, and people supporting DLA and its global mission.

Ms. Runstrom previous assignment was as the Deputy, Executive Director, Logistics, Policy, and Strategic Programs Directorate for DLA Logistics Operations (J3). She was responsible for development and dissemination of enterprise-wide policy of key business and supply chain management functions for order fulfillment, planning, stock positioning, retail sustainment, transportation, distribution network, disposition, technical/quality, and logistics research and development functions.

Prior to her deputy position, Ms. Runstrom served as the J62P Portfolio Manager, Center of Planning Excellence. In this role, she led an Agency-wide planning transformation initiative to integrate J3 operations and J6 information technology to deliver value-added logistics systemic solutions to our nation’s warfighters. Her focus centered on tighter integration among J6, J3 and relevant stakeholders, cost effective and maintainable IT solutions, agile response to change, and value driven prioritization of delivery. She previously served as the Program Manager for the Agency’s Planning Improvement Effort. In this role, Ms. Runstrom transformed the Planning Process Area to increase demand forecast accuracy of customer requirements, improve the end-user experience with simplified tool sets and provide system capabilities to influence outcomes.

Ms. Runstrom also served as Retail Integration Branch Chief and successfully led the Inventory Management and Stock Positioning initiative, under the DoD’s 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) mandate. This effort specifically entailed the integration of DLA and Navy Enterprise Resource Planning systems and the re-engineering of operation processes and information technology to improve warfighter support at the Navy Fleet Readiness Centers.

Ms. Runstrom began her tenure with DLA Troop Support in 2001. She has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Philadelphia University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Penn State University, where she graduated in 2001.

Ms. Lara C. Sayer

Executive Director

Commission on Planning, Programing, Budget and Execution Reform

Ms. Lara Sayer is currently serving as the Executive Director for the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) Reform.  The Commission on PPBE Reform was established as a legislative advisory commission by the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (Section 1004).  As the Executive Director she is responsible for leading the Commission’s research and analysis, and for developing recommendations for improving the Department of Defense’s resourcing process in order to speed the delivery of capability to the warfighter. 

Prior to this position, Ms. Sayer was a member of the Senior Executive Service and served as the Comptroller for Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC). Ms. Sayer was responsible and accountable for financial operations for all financial management activities supporting Navy shore installation support for Fleet, Fighter and Family under the cognizance of CNIC and life-cycle technical acquisition solutions aligned to Fleet and Marine Corps priorities of NAVFAC, enabling overwhelming Fleet and Marine Corps lethality.  As the Comptroller for these commands, she had oversight of annual appropriations in excess of $12B.

Prior to this position, Ms. Sayer served as the Comptroller for the Office of Naval Research (ONR). At ONR she was directly responsible for building and leading a team of professionals in the management and oversight of $3.3B that enabled the research, development, test and evaluation and related activities that propelled future capabilities for the Department of the Navy.

Ms. Sayer was appointed to the Senior Executive Service on January 27, 2017, as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for United States Special Operations Command.  As the Deputy Chief Financial Officer she was responsible for special operations budget and execution activities totaling more than $13 billion annually. She provided fiscal direction and guidance to the four USSOCOM component commands, a sub-unified command and 7 theater special operations commands.

Ms. Sayer holds a bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance and a Master of Business Administration from Wright State University.  She also has a Masters in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School at National Defense University.  Ms. Sayer has received numerous awards during her career.  She has a Level 3 DoD FM Certification, is DAWIA Level 3 certified in Financial Management and Level 1 in Program Management and is a Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty

Dale Smith

Director, Resource Management

Headquarters Department of the Army, G-4

Appointed as an SES in January 2022, Mr. William “Dale” Smith currently serves as the Director, Resource Management (G-48) in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, Headquarters, Department of the Army. In this capacity, Mr. Smith provides executive leadership, guidance, and coordination for all resource management matters pertaining to sustainment equities across the entire Army enterprise. Mr. Smith also leads the Sustaining Program Evaluation Group (SS PEG) responsible for all aspects of planning, programming, and budgeting for over $60 billion that enable the sustainment of all Army operations, programs, and systems.

The Honorable Caral E. Spangler

Assistant Secretary of the Army,

Financial Management and Comptroller

The Honorable Caral E. Spangler was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) on August 17, 2021, and serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army on all matters related to Financial Management and Comptrollership. In this role, she is responsible for resourcing America’s Army through policies and activities, including budget formulation and execution, disbursement, and audit-compliant financial statements.
 

Ms. Spangler has over 39 years of government service, serving as a career member of the Senior Executive Service in every military service and the Pentagon comptroller's office. Prior to her current role, she served with the US Marine Corps (USMC) as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Program and Resources, responsible for advising the Commandant, Assistant Commandant, and Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources on budget, financial operations, and financial audit issues impacting the Marine Corps with oversight of Marine Corps' Budget and Execution Division, Fiscal Division, and the Technology Services Organization.
 
Ms. Spangler served as the Principal Deputy ASA(FMC), Office of the ASA(FMC), Pentagon, Washington, D.C., where she advised the Assistant Secretary and the Army leadership on matters relating to Army finance, accounting, financial systems, financial management workforce development, and cost and economic activities.
 
Prior to serving with the Army, Ms. Spangler was the Deputy for Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller), responsible for planning and directing Air Force budget formulation and execution of appropriations totaling more than $160 billion annually. She led a staff of civilian and military financial managers to develop, defend and execute funding to support military operations and Air Force priorities at the direction of Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Air Force.
 
Ms. Spangler was the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Resources (USMC), also known as the Fiscal Director. As such, she was responsible for the formulation and execution of the Marine Corps' $31B budget and for financial systems, accounting, and improvement. She was the community leader for the USMC financial management community and held positions of increasing responsibility within the Navy and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) in budget formulation, program integration, and resource management.

 
Ms. Spangler has a Master’s in Public Administration from Syracuse University, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Michigan State University.

Ms. Renata Spinks

Assistant Director / Deputy CIO IC4

U.S. Marine Corps

At Headquarters Marine Corps, Ms. Renata Spinks currently serves as the Assistant IT Director/Deputy CIO of Information, Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (IC4).  In this capacity, she also serves as the Department of Navy (DON) Deputy Senior Information Security Officer for the Marine Corps.

Ms. Spinks was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in August 2021, having joined Executive Service as a Senior Leader in August 2018, serving at Marine Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER) as the nation’s first Cyber Technology Officer. In this role, she deployed cyber-based technology, served as the Executive Sponsor for intelligence-informed Defense Cyber Operations (DCO), and is responsible for transitioning the USMC to a mobile workforce using Microsoft O365 in record timing.

Prior to Ms. Spinks’ assignment to MARFORCYBER, her federal career path included serving in the U.S. Treasury Department and the Department of Homeland Security. She is a decorated combat veteran from the 28th Combat Support Hospital, U.S. Army 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Ms. Spinks’ interest in cyber grew when she worked with DHS ICE, DOJ, CIA, and the ODNI while serving as a criminal research specialist, utilizing forensics and human intelligence to investigate human trafficking and child exploitation.

Ms. Spinks holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, a Master’s in Technology Management, and multiple information technology certifications, and is pursuing her Doctorate in Cybersecurity. Some of Ms. Spinks’ most recent awards include the 2022 Fed100, 2022 Meritalk Cyber Defenders Award, 2021 Leading for Impact Award, State of NC 2021 HBCU Living Legend Award, and 2020 Stars and Stripes Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA) SES of the Year

Rachael Vohrer, Ph.D.

EVAMOSC Program Manager

Office of the Secretary of Defense, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (OSD-CAPE)

Dr. Rachael Vohrer is the Program Manager for the Enterprise Visibility and Management of Operating and Support Cost (EVAMOSC) database.  In this position, Dr. Vohrer is responsible for building and maintaining EVAMOSC, which collects and reports actual, historical operating and support (O&S) cost data for all major weapon systems across the Department of Defense (DoD).  As part of this effort, Dr. Vohrer oversees the collection from over 75 source data systems, standardizing data definitions and business rules to align with cost data policy and designing an intuitive front end for analysts to access detailed, granular O&S cost data.  Dr. Vohrer frequently engages with stakeholders and users to understand how EVAMOSC data can help analysts not only with cost estimating issues, but also with readiness cost analysis, program budget review, and other analytical tasks.

Prior to her current position, Dr. Vohrer was a senior operations research analyst in OSD-CAPE and has focused on integrating data and analytics into several areas of interest in the DoD, including sexual assault prevention, Navy ship readiness, nuclear triad recapitalization, and program budget review.  Dr. Vohrer holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from Vanderbilt University.  Dr. Vohrer is an alumni fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences.