Profile Q&A - Data and AI

Question 1.
What are you passionate about?

My passion is for the ‘last mile’ of innovation. I’m driven to see technology fulfill its promise, because there’s nothing more frustrating than a brilliant technological solution that fails in the real world because of a hidden process flaw or organizational roadblock. Crossing that ‘last mile’ of innovation means ensuring that a solution doesn’t just work in the sandbox but also works for the person on the ground who depends on it to do their job and advance the mission.

Question 2.
What drew you to MANTECH?

As a Navy veteran, I’m driven by mission-focused work. I came to MANTECH because I saw a clear vision for a Data & AI Practice that was obsessed with delivering real impact, not just building impressive tech for its own sake. It’s a culture that measures success by client outcomes.

Question 3.
What do you like most about MANTECH?

We solve problems holistically. If a client’s technical solution has a potential cybersecurity flaw, a policy implication, and a cloud infrastructure challenge, I don’t have to search for help. I can bring a top-tier cybersecurity expert, policy analyst, and cloud engineer to the table that day. This integrated expertise means that we build resilient, secure, and compliant solutions from day one. 

Question 4.
What is or has been the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

Supporting the Olympic Office at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing during the 2008 Games. Witnessing the immense logistical choreography, from security to transportation, all syncing to support such a large-scale event was eye-opening and highly memorable. Getting to watch the Gold Medal soccer match wasn’t bad, either.

Question 5.
What advice do you have for those looking to start a career in Data and AI?

Start where your curiosity is. Data and AI intersect with almost every field now, so find an angle that genuinely interests you and dive in. The most valuable skill isn’t knowing everything, it’s maintaining a growth mindset and being relentlessly curious. The real experts know how to ask the right questions, and they never stop learning!

Question 6.
What’s the coolest thing you’re working on now?

We’re helping a client whose team is drowning in data but starved for insights. Their caseworkers were manually hunting for needles in a haystack.

Our first step wasn’t to write code; it was to sit with their people who do the job every day. By understanding their workflow, together we pinpointed the critical moments where a single, AI-driven insight would be a game-changer. Now, we’re building an ‘intelligent partner’ that works alongside them, proactively flagging high-value cases or suggesting the next best action. We’re turning a passive database into an active, mission-advancing tool.

Question 7.
What do you wish people understood about Data and AI?

That automating a broken process just creates faster, more expensive dysfunction. AI is a powerful amplifier. If your underlying process is flawed, AI will only help you do the wrong thing at a greater scale. Lasting success comes from using technology to build holistic solutions that fix the root cause, not just patch the symptoms.