Five Executives Advancing Artificial Intelligence in GovCon

Artificial intelligence is arguably one of the most impactful emerging technologies of the 21st century. The federal government is heavily investing in AI to drive other emerging fields such as advanced analytics and intelligent automation.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is exploring how machine learning, a branch of AI, can be used to translate weather forecasts for non-English speaking persons. 

In the defense sector, the Defense Information Systems Agency is looking into the strategic use of machine learning to strengthen cybersecurity.

Executives from major defense contractor Northrop Grumman have also emphasized the role of AI in future warfighting. For instance, AI governability is seen as critical for intelligently moving data across the Department of Defense’s future Joint All-Domain Command and Control network, according to Vern Boyle, an executive in Northrop’s networked information solutions division. 

The Potomac Officers Club—a division of  Executive Mosaic—features five executives advancing AI and machine learning technology in the government contracting sector.

Bassel Haidar, AI/ML Practice Lead at Guidehouse

Bassel Haidar is the lead official for the artificial intelligence and machine learning practice at management consulting company Guidehouse. He has been holding his current position since January 2020.

He leads a team that manages AI and automation at Guidehouse’s center of excellence. The team helps clients overcome various challenges using advanced analytics, AI and ML and automation.

Haidar also supports efforts to prototype new solutions, implements an end-to-end data analytics and cloud architecture to support COVID-19 vaccine launches and develops automated cloud architectures and solutions for government pre-contracts, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He was a president and chief technology officer at Metabolic Code before joining Guidehouse. In this position, he oversaw the execution of an automated health assessment platform that identified factors that affected healthy metabolism.

Haidar served in other leadership positions throughout his career, including as chief operating officer at 3H Technology and as an information systems manager at Hill International.

Haidar holds a master’s degree in computer science from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from The American University of Paris.

Guidehouse offers cybersecurity, financial support, portfolio management, strategic development and technology solutions services to clients in the defense, energy, finance, health, national security and state and local government sectors. It is headquartered in Chicago and has multiple offices within and outside the U.S.

Ajay Patrikar, Director of Machine Learning at Noblis

Ajay Patrikar is the director of machine learning at Noblis, working out of Herndon, Virginia. His areas of expertise include computer vision, deep neural networks, convolutional neural networks, statistical pattern recognition, image and video processing, digital signal processing, audio signal processing, and speech and speaker recognition, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Patrikar is a technical expert with extensive experience developing ML solutions for audio, images, video, radar and radio frequency data. Additionally, he has experience managing algorithm and software development teams.

Patrikar joined Noblis in March 2020. In his current role, he is tasked with research and development to support projects related to artificial intelligence and ML for several federal government clients. His present work sees him focused on trustworthy AI issues such as robustness, explainability and fairness of ML systems, his profile reveals.

Before joining his current employer, Patrikar worked as a senior scientist at Leidos. During his four years at the company, he helped develop ML and deep learning algorithms for a variety of sensors, signals and systems.

Previously, Patrikar served as a senior scientist at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. He helped develop signal processing and ML algorithms for a variety of sensors, signals and systems during his almost seven years with the research institution.

Patrikar earned his degree in electrical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science. He later earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, and later, his doctorate in the same field from Southern Methodist University.

Shane Zabel, AI Technology Director at Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Shane Zabel is the director of artificial intelligence technology at Raytheon Intelligence & Space. He has been holding this position since April 2020.

Zabel leads an organization that performs research and development projects related to AI and machine learning. He also identifies AI and ML functional technologies that can support existing lines of business and create new lines of business.

He also leads the core research in AI for Raytheon Technologies. In this role, Zabel oversees Raytheon Technologies’ AI and ML research and analysis tasks, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The industry veteran was the chief artificial intelligence officer at Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services from September 2017 to March 2020. He was also the lead of core research in machine learning at what was then Raytheon Company.

Zabel served in various leadership roles since he started at Raytheon in 2003, including as chief engineer for companywide research and development and as a lead official for systems engineering and business development.

The Raytheon director holds a doctorate degree, a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Carnegie Mellon University. He also holds a master’s degree in applied cognition and neuroscience from The University of Texas at Dallas.

Raytheon Intelligence & Space offers air dominance, command and control, communications and navigation, cybersecurity and space solutions. It is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and has one office each in Australia and the U.K.

Andy Woods, Vice President of Enterprise Managed Services at ECS

Andy Woods is the vice president of enterprise managed services at ECS, working out of Great Falls, Virginia. He is a cybersecurity and cloud executive with a business, communication, leadership, project management, and technical skill set, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Woods is the management consulting company’s lead executive in the execution of enterprise managed services in the areas of artificial intelligence/machine learning, cybersecurity and cloud. He has demonstrated the ability to develop worldwide security programs in tough regulatory environments to support the firm’s core business, his profile reveals.

Woods has been working at ECS for over six years. His current role sees him taking the lead in the company’s go-to-market strategies in AI/ML. His work encompasses sales, marketing, channels, sales engineering, corporate strategy, growth, delivery, technology integration, solution architecture, and research and development.

Before joining his current employer, Woods was the director of commercial cybersecurity at BAE Systems. During his year and a half with the company, he managed to establish a managed security service and professional service business. His efforts during this time were focused on critical infrastructure, the defense industrial base, supply chain management and key clients across sectors.

Earlier in his career, Woods served as a senior computer scientist with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Woods earned his degrees in computer science and mathematics from Mercer University. He later earned his master’s degree in information management from Syracuse University. 

Gunnar Pribadi, Senior Director and Solution Specialist of Data and Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft

Gunnar Pribadi is a senior director and solution specialist of data and artificial intelligence at Microsoft, working out of Fairfax, Virginia. He is a results-driven technology leader with over twenty-five years of demonstrated global experience in consultative enterprise and solutions selling, partner ecosystem management and technical business development, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Pribadi has a proven track record in providing executive guidance in complex sales negotiations by focusing on customer success, partner and enterprise strategy consulting, cloud product development and hyper-scale intelligent cloud platforms. Additionally, he has extensive industry experience in the public, telecommunications and financial sectors, his profile states.

Pribadi has been working at Microsoft for 25 years. His current role sees him taking responsibility for federal Data and AI intelligent cloud solution sales leadership and execution, large-scale complex opportunity and resource orchestration, and pipeline development and management for cabinet-level federal agencies.

Pribadi joined Microsoft in 1997 as a senior enterprise strategy consultant.

Before joining his current employer, Pribadi worked as a systems analyst at Getronics. In that role, he provided information technology advisory services to enterprises and government agencies.

Pribadi earned his degree in electrical engineering from George Mason University. He later earned his master’s degree in information systems from the same institution.

ABOUT POTOMAC OFFICERS CLUB

The Potomac Officers Club is owned and operated by Executive Mosaic. Since 2002, Executive Mosaic has been a leader in media and exclusive senior executive networking programs primarily targeted to the U.S. federal government contracting (GovCon) marketplace. In addition to connecting executives of consequence into a fabric of like minded communities, the company’s growing cross-media platform serves as a leading source of news about the people, policies, trends and events shaping the nation’s GovCon sector.

Category: Executive Profiles