Leadership Stories: Suzette Kent, Federal CIO on Changing the Way Government does IT

Regarding technology modernization, U.S. federal agencies have fallen behind that they will have to work aggressively just to catch up with basic private sector practice. On many levels, inertia has long plagued government IT, slowing modernization, and preventing the federal government from achieving IT advances and efficiencies commonplace in the private sector. However, things are beginning to change.  New legislation, funding opportunities, and technologies are here to turn the tide.

Leadership Stories: Workforce Matters

Today there’s much focus and discussion on the importance of data-driven decision making from using predictive analytics to leveraging the promise of AI. We see this in both private and public sectors.  In the private sector, it tends to focus on making the “numbers” for stockholders and Wall Street. In the public sector, and in particular, government the key focus is on meeting mission outcomes and using evidence to do just that. 

Weekly Round Up - January 25, 2019

Michael J. Keegan

DOD's Section 809 panel proposes a revolution in contracting. An unlikely band of revolutionaries has proposed major changes in how the Department of Defense chooses what contractors to do business with. These change agents are members of the Section 809 panel on streamlining and codifying acquisition regulations, set up by Congress in 2016.

Weekly Round Up - January 18, 2019

Michal J. Keegan

Defense CDO: Why market share matters in cloud.  There are only three general purpose clouds, DOD data chief Michael Conlin says. DOD is currently conducting two large-scale cloud procurements. The $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure program aims to serve warfighters, and the $8 billion Defense Enterprise Office Solutions focuses on business applications.

Weekly Round Up - January 11, 2019

Michael J. Keegan

DARPA probes tech to solve supply chain uncertainty. DARPA and private companies are looking to improve supply chain security through the use of tiny chips and diamonds that can authenticate IT parts used by the government.

Visions of Government in 2040: Envisioning the Road Ahead -- The Future of Work

In the IBM Center’s new book, Government For The Future: Reflection and Vision for Tomorrow’ Leaders,  part two of the book looks twenty years ahead offering perspectives on the future. This contribution is the next in a multi-part series, The Future of Work, authored by Darrell West.

Weekly Round Up - January 4, 2019

Michael J. Keegan

Visions of Government in 2040: Perspectives on the Future -- Leading the Cities of the Future

In the IBM Center’s new book, Government For The Future: Reflection and Vision for Tomorrow’ Leaders,  part two of the book looks twenty years ahead offering perspectives on the future. This contribution is the next in a multi-part series, Leading the Cities of the Future, authored by Marc Ott, Lee Feldman, and Tad McGalliard.

Weekly Round Up - November 30, 2018

Michael J. Keegan

Risk Management Framework adoption hits stumbling blocks at DOD. Moving the Defense Department's authorization process for IT systems from the DOD Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process to the Risk Management Framework was supposed to provide better results. But the culture of compliance seems to be an impediment.

Weekly Round Up - November 16, 2018

Michael J. Keegan

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Leadership Fellow & Host
IBM Center for The Business of Government
600 14th Street, NW Second Floor
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202-551-9339

Michael has two decades of experience with both the private and public sectors encompassing strategic planning, business process redesign, strategic communications and marketing, performance management, change management, executive and team coaching, and risk-financing.

Michael leads the IBM Center for The Business of Government's leadership research. As the Center’s Leadership Fellow, his work is at the nexus of the Center’s mission – connecting research to practice. My work at that the Center complements frontline experience of actual government executives with practical insights from thought leaders who produce Center reports – merging real-world experience with practical scholarship. The purpose is not to offer definitive solutions to the many management challenges facing executives, but to provide a resource from which to draw practical, actionable recommendations on how best to confront such issues. Michael also hosts and produces the IBM Center’s The Business of Government Hour. He has interviewed and profiled hundreds of senior government executives from all levels of government as well as recognized thought leaders focusing on a range of public management issues and trends. Over the last four years, Michael has expanded both the show’s format and reach – now broadcasting informational and educational conversations with dedicated public servants on two radio stations five times a week and anywhere at anytime over the web and at iTunes. Michael is also the managing editor of The Business of Government magazine, with a targeted audience of close to 14,000 government and non-government professionals. Additionally, he manages the Center’s bi-annual proposal review process that awards stipends to independent, third party researchers tackling a wide range of public management issues.

Prior to joining the Center, Michael worked as a senior managing consultant with IBM GBS (Global Business Services) and as a principle consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ Washington Consulting Practice (WCP). He led projects in the private and federal civilian sectors including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, FEMA, and the Veterans Health Administration. Before entering consulting, he worked in the private sector as product development manager at a New York City based risk financing firm.

Since 2003, Mr. Keegan has been a reviewer for Association of Government Accountant’s Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR)© program, keeping abreast of the most recent developments in authoritative standards affecting federal accounting, financial reporting and performance measurement. He is also a member of APPAM, the NYU Alumni Association, and the Data Center & Cloud Talent, USA. He holds masters in public administration and management from New York University and was the founder of its DC alumni group as well as previous treasurer of the NYU graduate school’s alumni board.