#govcom unfiltered by Alexa Tsui

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

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

Most defense contractors wait until the RFP drops to start their communications strategy. By then, says Mike Nachshen, it's already too late. 

What does it take to build a government technology company from zero to a multi-hundred-million-dollar IBM acquisition? And how do you create lasting social impact along the way?

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

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

 Host: Alexa Tsui

From leading public sector strategy at Adobe to advising global smart cities at the World Economic Forum, Brian Chidester brings a bold and future-forward perspective to this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered: The Podcast.

From building the nation’s largest veteran business community to influencing federal procurement strategy, Scott Semple brings unmatched perspective to this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered: The Podcast.

From launching billion-dollar pipelines to shaping federal digital modernization strategies, four powerhouse women from Leidos—Heather Carr, Caroline Thomas, Arfa Syed, and Christy Holley—join us to share their journeys, hard-won lessons, and bold perspectives on modern leadership in GovCon.

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

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

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

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

Get ready for an engaging conversation with Ryan Connell. Joined today in his personal capacity, Ryan is a defense acquisition professional with over 15 years of experience and a passion for innovation in integrating cutting-edge technologies. 

Are you ready to explore the intersection of cutting-edge technology, national security, and public sector transformation? In this episode, we bring together two powerhouse leaders from Appian Corporation who are redefining what’s possible with low-code automation.

Ever wondered why government contracting feels so complex and unapproachable? Or why private industry struggles to navigate public procurement opportunities?

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

In our latest episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, we chat with Akinwande Oshodi, the dynamic Founder and CEO of The Avery Group, LLC (TAG), a thriving Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business delivering process improvement and systems integration solutions to Federal clients like the CDC, FDA, and VA.

Get ready to dive into the world of federal procurement and innovation policy with Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina, a distinguished expert in public administration and federal contract management. 

Get ready to be inspired by Sarah MacDawutey, the Acting Deputy Director for Innovations in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and IT, Sarah’s journey is a masterclass in transformation and leadership.

Get ready for an exciting conversation with Brian Lindholm, the founder and Managing Principal of FedSavvy Strategies, and a true expert in the world of market and competitive intelligence. 

David Zvenyach, or as we like to think of him..."The Batman of Government Contracting." Dave Z is a Principal at TandemGov, bringing unparalleled expertise in public sector innovation and technology transformation. 

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

Ever wondered how a small fish can become a big shark in the government contracting pond? Well, grab your flippers and dive in with us!

In our next episode, we're thrilled to have an exclusive interview with Lester L. Ingol, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistant Administrator for the Resilience Office of Business Management (OBM). Since stepping into this pivotal role in August 2023, Mr. Ingol has been at the helm of FEMA's Resilience operations, managing a $10 billion annual budget and overseeing critical areas such as budget operations, human resources, procurement, and asset management.

Join us on #GovCom Unfiltered as we explore the remarkable career of Julie Vida, VP of Defense Growth at ManTech. Julie leads teams in delivering advanced technology solutions for military and defense clients.

Dive into the world of federal capture consulting with industry veteran, Debi McGhee. Debi leads Red Team’s capture consulting practice, overseeing active projects and delivering top-tier support directly to clients. With over 25 years of experience in business development and proposal management, Debi has a proven track record of helping companies win competitive bids.

 In this episode of #GovCom Unfiltered, we sit down with Mark Schwartz, a sought-after technology leader known for challenging the status quo in business, processes, and technology. With a career spanning multiple C-suite positions, Mark has earned a reputation as a change agent, disruptor, and bar-raiser. Mark is an outspoken advocate for Agile, Lean, and DevOps methodologies, bringing these practices to the federal government as the CIO of US Citizenship and Immigration Services and pioneering business intelligence and supply chain analytics as the CIO of Intrax Cultural Exchange.

Get ready for an inspiring episode as we sit down with Tarandeep Bawa, the dynamic President and CEO of ITegrity, Inc. With over 25 years of exceptional leadership in the Federal and Commercial sectors, Tarandeep has a wealth of experience in consulting, program management, and business development.

Step behind the scenes of government procurement with industry veteran Ms. Joanne Woytek, Program Manager for NASA SEWP. With over 42 years at Goddard Space Flight Center, Ms. Woytek leads the premier Government-Wide Acquisition Contract, providing access to cutting-edge ICT solutions.

Today we speak with the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual FORUM Innovation Awards Shane Morris on how his journey from the music industry to government has led to insights many may have overlooked. Shane draws from his experiences in helping drive change and come up with innovative solutions in his day to day life.

Are you ready to unleash the full potential of your Business Development/Capture strategy?

From the Department of State Evolve contract to the inner workings of acquisition, join Alexa as she sits down with Katherine Vultaggio, the Deputy Director of Acquisition Services at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Uncover the secrets, challenges, and triumphs of navigating the acquisition landscape as Katherine shares her expertise. From government contracts to finding your tribe, join us as we unearth more #govcom unfiltered insights.

With over 20 years of progressive experiences in federal procurement, Jaime Gracia is a visionary leader and subject matter expert in delivering innovative, cutting-edge acquisitions, training, projects and programs for public and private sector clients.  He shares his story with Alexa today.

With his signature mustache and charming demeanor Raza Latif shares with us today the keys to getting ahead in the industry and standing out from the crowd.  As the CEO and co-founder of NuAxis Innovations his professional passion is pairing innovative technology with human-centered design to improve citizen services. 

Founder and CEO of Amivero, Olivia Trivisani Bowker feels human centered and data-driven is the approach that balances empathetic understanding with data-driven insights, ensuring comprehensive solutions that resonate with her customers' unique needs and contexts. 

Embark on an exhilarating journey through the dynamic world of contracting and acquisitions with the incomparable Mike Whisler. With over three decades of invaluable experience under his belt, including a pivotal role as the lead procurement officer for the SEC, Mike is a true maestro in the art of navigating chaos and fostering collaboration. Hosted by the ever-engaging Alexa, this captivating podcast invites you to uncover the remarkable highlights of Mike's illustrious career, all while basking in his warmth and wisdom.