Page 68 - FCW, March/April 2020

2020 Federal 100
Jim Kren
Director of Systems Development, Concepts, Development and Management Office
Department of the Air Force
Blazing trails for emerging tech.
Throughout 2019, Kren tirelessly pushed federal leaders to embrace innovation. As deputy director of the Defense Security Service for the first half of the year, he spearheaded a series of education events that kick- started the implementation of emerg- ing technologies to support stronger vetting of corporations applying for facility clearances. Now as director of systems development at the Air Force, Kren works across political lines to prevent duplicative artificial intelligence projects, while advis-
ing Air Force and Defense Depart- ment leaders on emerging technology policy. He practices what he preaches by creating an open and collaborative culture within his leadership team.
Jennifer Kuk
IT Category Management Specialist, Office of Federal Procurement Policy Office of Management and Budget
Category killer. Kuk leads the close collaboration between the IT and acquisition functions government- wide. In 2019, she quickly identi-
fied the greatest opportunities for improvement in the more than $68 billion in annual IT spending. Her enhancements to IT category manage- ment saved almost $1 billion. In addi- tion, she helped put over 60% of all IT spending under management, result- ing in a cost avoidance of $935 mil-
lion. More than 35% of all unclassified federal IT spending (some $21 billion) now goes through the government’s best-in-class IT contracts — a signifi- cant accomplishment that directly impacts the government’s ability to meet IT modernization goals.
Betsy Kulick
Deputy Program Manager, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Program, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Department of Homeland Security
CDM steward. Kulick has shaped
the CDM program since its inception to provide relevant, timely, actionable cybersecurity information to agencies. Among other activities, she and her CDM colleagues are fortifying civil- ian government data and networks
by deploying millions of endpoint sensors and network scanners across agencies. In 2019, she played a key role in developing statements of
work for the new CDM Dynamic and Evolving Federal Enterprise Network Defense contracts, ensuring that the CDM shared-services platform could process the continuous monitoring data received from CDM tools and maturing the CDM program’s process- es for supply chain risk management.
Rep. James R. Langevin
(D-R.I.)
Congressman
U.S. House of Representatives
A legislator with the long view.
From his spots on the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, Langevin successfully advocated
for legislation that would compel
the Trump administration to share its internal rules for authorizing offensive cyber operations, pushed to reestablish the White House cyber coordinator position and called
for U.S. Cyber Command and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to get the money and resources needed to carry out their missions. Dave Powner, former director of IT management issues
at the Government Accountability Office, said Langevin “was looking at these cybersecurity issues probably before it was as hot a topic as it is today.”
Stefanie Langsam
Deputy Special Master
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
Sustaining an essential system.
Langsam is one of the chief overseers for the Justice Department’s fund
to compensate those who suffered physical harm and economic losses from the 2001 terrorist attacks.
In 2019, she was instrumental in
the Congressional Budget Office’s evaluation of the costs of permanently extending the fund and preparation for congressional hearings on the topic. She also plays a critical role in interacting with the 9/11 community, including law firms and advocacy groups, by attending town hall meetings and other events that keep victims and their families up-to-date on policies, laws, regulations and other important information.
Jim Kren Jennifer Kuk Betsy Kulick Rep. James R. Stefanie Langevin Langsam
68 March/April 2020 FCW.COM