3rd Annual AF IT Modernization and Transformation Forum
Watch Recording

3rd Annual AF IT Modernization and Transformation Forum

Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 8:00am-10:00am EST   Virtual, ON24

The U.S. Air Force is building up its “digital backbone,” and accelerating its IT modernization initiatives. Today, the service branch is prioritizing cloud adoption, IT portfolio management, cybersecurity, core IT, mission-enabling services, data, artificial intelligence and more as it works to maintain air superiority and shifts its focus to a new era of peer and near-peer competition.

The Air Force is also focusing on implementing a zero trust architecture that will enable the service to protect critical data across multiple classification levels. 

GovCon Wire’s 3rd Annual AF IT Modernization and Transformation Forum will feature prominent IT and technology leaders from the Air Force and industry who will convene to examine the challenges, opportunities, strategies and priorities influencing the future of Air Force IT. 

  • Maj. Gen. (Ret) Darryl Burke
    Maj. Gen. (Ret) Darryl Burke -
    Senior Vice President, Air Force Client Executive, CACI

    Mr. Darryl Burke joined CACI in December 2019 as Senior Vice President and Air Force Client Executive, where he is responsible for providing strategic advice in support of CACI’s enterprise and mission expertise and technology offerings to the Air Force. CACI has supported the Air Force’s mission for nearly 50 years with expertise and technology in areas ranging from space operations and cyber security to protect critical systems, to command, control, computers, communications, cyber intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) capabilities designed to assist operators and decision makers, and many more. Prior to joining CACI, Darryl served as Vice President, Global Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Programs, at Viasat Inc., where he was responsible for producing innovative satellite communications products and services for US Government and Department of Defense senior leaders. Darryl served over 34 years in the United States Air Force, culminating his career as the Commander, Air Force District of Washington responsible for organizing, training and equipping combat forces for aerospace expeditionary forces, homeland operations, civil support, national special security and ceremonial events. In addition, he provided major-command level support for more than 60,000 military and civilian personnel assigned worldwide. He has commanded at the squadron, wing, and above wing level. His Flag Officer tours included Vice Commander, 12th Air Force, Commander, 82nd Training Wing, Deputy Commander, Joint Forces Component Command -- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency for Collection Management and Commander, Air Force District of Washington. Darryl also served in the role of Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. He retired 1 October 2017. Darryl is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Studies and a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Science. He holds a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College and attended executive senior education at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Darryl served as a Board member for Paradigm Convergence Technologies.

  • Barry Duplantis
    Barry Duplantis -
    VP & GM, Public Sector, Mattermost

    Barry Duplantis is the Vice President and General Manager of Mattermost Government Solutions where he is responsible for providing mission-focused and technical collaboration solutions to the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and Civilian agencies. Before Mattermost, Barry held leadership positions at Red Hat, Hewlett Packard, Hortonworks, and HackerOne. Before his career in technology, Barry served as a US Army Special Forces Officer. He participated in combat and contingency operations from 1988 to 2003 including Desert Storm and Operations Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. During his career, he worked closely with the US State Department and other government agencies on operations in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.

  • Jim Huso
    Jim Huso -
    Enterprise Architect, CACI

    James Huso is an Enterprise Architect for CACI International Inc, an international provider of expertise and technology serving enterprise and mission defense, intelligence, and federal civilian government customers. In this role, Mr. Huso supports the development and coordination of offerings that are modernizing and enabling government agency operations. He’s responsible for information technology infrastructure modernization, operations, and sustainment; the design, development, and sustainment of enterprise applications; and the delivery of business process services. Mr. Huso joined CACI in 2021 after a 24-year career in the United States Air Force, leading Airmen and executing operations at the installation, major command, and headquarters levels. He served as the Enterprise Services Portfolio Manager, Office of the Air Force CIO, where he managed a $1.6B Enterprise IT Services portfolio providing a common set of voice and video productivity and collaborative services to both the Air and Space Forces. He also led the design and implementation of the Enterprise Information Technology as a Service (EITaaS) Network as a Service line of effort, transforming how the Air Force acquires and operates network systems in order to better enable its war-fighting mission.

  • Lauren Knausenberger
    Lauren Knausenberger -
    EVP Chief Innovation Officer, SAIC

    Lauren Barrett Knausenberger is the Chief Information Officer for the Department of the Air Force, comprised of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. 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 the Chief Information Officer (CIO), 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 U.S. Air Force to drive innovation across the Department of Defense (DoD), 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 often jokes that she joined the Air Force “by accident.” Her work with Accellint and NextGen led to a serendipitous meeting with an Air Force Captain and General, where her bar napkin sketch turned into a powerful framework and the series of conversations that followed opened her eyes to a problem set that was too enticing to turn away. As the CIO she continues to go after hard problems, calculates risk differently, and ensures we keep a constant pulse on the voice of the Airmen. Prior to her time as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Ms. Knausenberger 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 had the pleasure of serving 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-R.H. Smith School of Business, College Park, Md 2012 Master of Business Administration, University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School of Business, Philadelphia, Pa CAREER CHRONOLOGY 1. June 1998 - August 1999, Gifted and Talented Program (Cryptography/Intelligence Analyst Intern), National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Md. 2. July 2003 - July 2004, Business Systems Analyst, American Management Systems, Fairfax, Va. 3. July 2004 - October 2015, Division Manager-Program Director for Large IT Programs and Intelligence Community Finance, CACI, Fairfax, Va. 4. October 2015 - June 2017 President, Accellint Inc., Arlington, Va. 5. June 2017 - August 2020, Chief Transformation Officer and Director of Cyberspace Innovation, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 6. August 2020 - Present, Deputy Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 7. February 2021 - Present, Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. AWARDS AND HONORS FedScoop Top Women in Technology Jimmy Doolittle Fellowship Award Wash100 Award

  • Col Jennifer Krolikowski-Stamer
    Col Jennifer Krolikowski-Stamer -
    Director, Chief Information Office (CIO) for Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Space Systems Command

    Colonel Jennifer Krolikowski is the Director, Chief Information Office (CIO) for Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base. Col Krolikowski graduated from the University of Dayton in 1996 with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and commissioned from ROTC that same year. She has led at the Materiel Leader and Senior Materiel Leader levels and has served in a variety of acquisition and flight test positions. As lead engineer for various operational B-52 Stratofortress flight tests, she accumulated 50-plus flight hours and earned her Nonrated Aircrew Officer Wings. Colonel Krolikowski has served in staff assignments at Headquarters United States Air Force, the Joint Staff, and Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to her current assignment, she served as the Senior Materiel Leader for Space Command and Control (C2). She transitioned to the United States Space Force in July 2021. Col Jennifer Krolikowski is mother to Logan Benjamin and Seth Andrew Krolikowski and is married to Andrew Stamer.

  • Joe Staier
    Joe Staier -
    Chief Engineer, Enterprise IT and Cyber Infrastructure Division, U.S. Air Force

    Joseph Staier is the Chief Engineer for the Enterprise IT and Cyber Infrastructure division within the Air Force’s Command Control, Communications Intelligence and Networks Program Executive Office, a 900+ member division that spans 4 geographic locations and is the program management office for 150+ cyber and IT projects supporting the Air Force as well as Joint and Coalition operations worldwide. Mr. Staier graduated from the Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and retired in 2014 as a Captain. Mr. Staier comes from a military family with his grandfather, father, brother and sister all having served. He currently lives outside Boston with his wife Katie.

  • Justin Stolpman
    Justin Stolpman -
    Zero Trust Chief Architect, U.S. Department of the Air Force

    Mr. Justin Stolpman is a Department of the Air Force (DAF) civil servant currently dual-hatted as the Chief Architect for the DAF Zero Trust program led by Air Combat Command (ACC), Directorate of Cyberspace and Information Dominance (A6), and as the Chief of Plans for the Endpoint Management Center of Excellence within the 16th Air Force. After graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelors degree in 2017 and working within the IT Industry for the Fortune 50, Mr. Stolpman began his Air Force Civilian Service career embedded within cyber operations as a Senior Network Management Engineer within the 561st Network Operations Squadron (NOS). Demonstrating an ability to drive change and accelerate the delivery of capabilities that benefit the Warfighter, Mr. Stolpman was quickly promoted to the Deputy Flight Commander of Cyberspace Operations within the 561st NOS and garnered the attention of Air Combat Command where he was assigned the role of Chief Architect under the Zero Trust Task Force (ZTTF). Strategically positioned, his dual-hat assignment enables the alignment of operational requirements with DAF strategy and vision, all within the substantial DAF Zero Trust transformational effort. As Chief Architect, he now helps lead the Zero Trust cyber security paradigm shift within the DAF as numerous Air Force networks transition towards a Zero Trust Framework while maintaining alignment with DoD guidance. Mr. Stolpman's efforts, through DAF industry partner engagements, are intended to ensure that the DAF is keeping an eye on the horizon for future advanced capabilities ensuring the Department’s ability to Fly, Fight and Win - airpower anytime, anywhere.

  • David Weber
    David Weber -
    Director, Business Development, DAF & CCMD, CACI

    Currently the Director of Business Development responsible for the USAF, USSF, and CCMDs portfolios within CACI. Prior to joining CACI Dave was with Lockheed Martin where he was part of the International Business Development team focused on Airborne ISR and Command & Control portfolios. At Northrop Grumman he led the Training & Readiness business development group. Dave was enlisted in the USAF within Civil Engineering.

  • 8:00am - 8:05am EST

    Welcome and Introductions

  • 8:05am - 8:45am EST

    Keynote Fireside Chat: Lauren Knausenberger and Maj Gen (Ret.) Darryl Burke (Moderator)

  • 8:45am - 9:45am EST

    IT Modernization with Zero Trust in mind Panel: Barry Duplantis, Jim Huso, Col Jennifer Krolikowski-Stamer, Joseph Staier, Justin Stolpman and David Weber (Moderator)

  • 9:45am - 10:00am EST

    Closing Comments

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