2025 Leadership Summit Breakout Sessions

February 11 - Breakout 1 Session 1

Exploring Today's Budget Environment

This workshop presents an overview of the issues surrounding the federal budget in fiscal year 2025 and beyond. The session will outline national debt and deficit issues and discretionary and mandatory spending. In addition, the workshop will outline major deadlines and issues in the fiscal year 2025 budget cycle from executive and legislative branch perspectives.

Facilitator: Ricardo Aguilera

Ricardo Aguilera recently retired as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. From 2017-2024, he directed the development of strategic plans, reformed budget processes to make them more responsive, and led the integration of cloud-based financial systems for the Board. Before this, the Honorable Ricardo Aguilera was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller). In this role, he was honored with the Distinguished Civilian Service award for his oversight of the development of realistic cost and schedule goals for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrence program. He also reorganized the program/budget development offices. From 2008-2015, Mr. Aguilera helped found and served as Director and Professor of Practice of the CFO Academy at the National Defense University. For this academic work, he was honored by the Association of Government Accountants with their Distinguished Teacher’s Award. Before this, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service, where he served in the Defense Department Comptroller’s office. He oversaw all operations funding for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. From 1998-2005, he performed a similar role as Deputy Branch Chief for Operations and Personnel Support at the Office of Management and Budget, where he was honored with their highest award for exceptional achievement. He began his federal career in 1991 as a Presidential Management Intern at the Government Accountability Office and is currently pursuing his doctorate at Georgetown.

February 11 - Breakout 1 Session 2

Engaging Employees Through Change

The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings consistently show that connection to mission is one of the key drivers of overall employee engagement and satisfaction. However, during periods of change, employees may have to find new ways of aligning their work with new strategic goals and priorities. The federal workforce is resilient during times of uncertainty, but it needs supportive leadership to continue to work effectively. This session will help executives identify how they can support their staff, listen intentionally to their concerns and be responsive to their needs.

Facilitator 1: Dustin Thomas

Dustin manages and facilitates tailored employee engagement programs for the federal workforce. Her use of empathetic facilitation techniques helps leaders understand, motivate, and plan for developing impactful teams. Before joining the Partnership, Dustin fulfilled her dream of supporting military families across the spectrum of the military service experience. Dustin’s favorite public servant is Sheila Widnall, the first female military service branch leader, because she exemplifies the importance of balance between expertise and training.

Facilitator 2: Madeleine McCullough

Madeleine McCullough works with federal human capital professionals to ensure agencies attract, hire, engage, and develop exceptional public servants. She has always loved the social sciences but refined her interest in public policy through her coursework as a Political Science and Economics major and her employment at the Center for Retirement Research. Her experiences as a member of her university’s student government inspire her commitment to effective and collaborative leadership. Madeleine’s favorite public servant is Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member, FDR’s Secretary of Labor, and the mastermind behind the Social Security Administration.

February 11 - Breakout 2 Session 1

Trust and Engagement in Teams During Times of Transition

Facilitator 1: Will Jenkins

Will helps lead the Partnership’s initiative to make government more trustworthy and more trusted by building the capacity of federal agencies, setting a standard for public institutions, and showing how public servants are tackling our biggest challenges. He has served in senior positions across multiple administrations in the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and Congress; developed leadership programs for hundreds of Congressional staffers and federal agency officials; and collaborated with TV and film creators telling stories about civic leaders solving problems and helping communities thrive. He has been inspired by many public servants over the years, particularly those behind the scenes who know how to get stuff done.

Facilitator 2: Hanadi Jordan

Hanadi Jordan supports the Partnership’s initiative to rebuild trust in government and make government more trustworthy. Previously, she served as media coordinator for the Bipartisan Policy Center, where she led and executed communications strategies for various policy portfolios including immigration and workforce policy. Her favorite public servant is the late A. Ernest Fitzgerald, a prominent whistleblower whose testimony before Congress ultimately saved the government hundreds of millions of dollars and drove future whistleblower protections.

February 11 - Breakout 2 Session 2

Creating a Culture of Accountability

In this session, we’ll go over research on psychological safety and accountability as well as accountability models that have been successful in the federal government. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of how to engage in actions that shape culture at their agencies and support accountability.

Facilitator: Shalini Benson

Creative, curious and kind coach and leader. 25+ years of experience in the federal, private and nonprofit sectors in leadership roles of progressively greater responsibility, including managing teams of 50+ people and budgets over $5 billion. Firsthand experience transforming leaders and teams to achieve their potential. Former federal Senior Executive Service (SES) member.

Mother of three, spouse, daughter, nonprofit Board Member, small business owner, leadership coach and friend. First generation Indian American with healthy dose of New Jersey-born pride. Pronouns are “she” and “her.” Pronounced “SHA-lyn-ee.”

February 11 - Breakout 2 Session 3

Values-Driven Leadership

Facilitator: Carolyn Owens

Carolyn is an internationally recognized trainer, career strategist, leadership and executive coach. She is one of the select few certified Rapid Employment Master Coaches, specially trained in assisting with career planning and demystifying the hiring and promotion process for leaders looking to accelerate their professional growth.

Carolyn served in the United States Navy for over 24 years and retired as a Navy commander in 2012. During her military career, she served as director of human capital management, a position that brought over 4,800 civilians, military and contract personnel under her responsibility umbrella. Her favorite assignment was serving as a professor in the Department of Command Leadership and Management at the United States Army War College.

Upon retirement from military service, Carolyn decided to turn the roles she loved most during her military career—coach and mentor—into a second full-time professional career. She has become a leading authority on leadership and professional development and has worked with top leaders across the globe at the intersection of life and professional career choices. She supports clients with evaluating and adapting professional and personal life perspectives and challenging vertical and horizontal career transitions.

Carolyn excels at discovering unrealized potential and new possibilities together with her clients. Her warm and caring personality, expansive capacity to partner with people who are working through strong emotions, and her joyful nature bring lightness to sometimes challenging coaching engagements. With each client, she strikes just the right balance between gentle compassion and firm accountability as well as goal setting, action planning and intuitive exploration. At the end of her coaching engagements, she often hears a version of: “Carolyn, I never thought I was able to get to where I am today. This feels like a dream come true that I didn’t even know I had.”

February 11 - Breakout 2 Session 4

The DNA of Learning: Creating Adaptive and Innovative Organizations

In this session, participants will explore the critical elements of building a culture that thrives on learning, adaptation and innovation. Through interactive activities, attendees will examine how to destigmatize failure, extract meaningful lessons and foster curiosity by asking insightful questions. The session highlights practical strategies, including pre-mortems, measuring a failure rate and creating systems that support continuous improvement. Combining dynamic discussions with reflective exercises, this workshop empowers current and aspiring senior executives to lead their organizations toward greater adaptability and success in ambiguous and uncertain environments.

Facilitator: Brad Staats

Dr. Bradley R. Staats is the Ellison Distinguished Professor of Operations at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of the best-selling and award-winning book, Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive. Brad also works with companies around the world to develop their learning and analytics strategies. He advises individuals and organizations on how to learn and improve in order to stay relevant, innovate, and succeed on an ongoing basis. Brad is the Senior Associate Dean of Strategy and Academics, and he leads UNC's Center for the Business of Health, a cross-campus, interdisciplinary effort to tackle the most pressing challenges in health care.

His teaching and research focus on how to improve individual learning and design organizations that create successful learning environments. He also incorporates analytics in this process so that data can drive decision-making. Brad investigates the understudied role of human behavior in learning and operational improvement He integrates work in operations management and behavioral science to understand how and under what conditions individuals, teams, and organizations can perform their best He conducts field-based research in such settings as health care and software services, consulting, call centers, and retail. He also uses archival data and field experiments to provide an interdisciplinary perspective to improve both theory and practice.

Brad publishes frequently in and serves on the editorial boards of numerous leading academic journals, and his work has been featured in a variety of media outlets. He has won numerous teaching and research awards, including the Wickham Skinner Early-Career Research Accomplishments Award from the Production and Operations Management Society, the Poets & Quants award as one of the 40 most outstanding business-school professors under 40 in the world, and the Warren Bennis Prize for best article in Harvard Business Review on leadership.

Brad received his Doctorate of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in technology and operations management, as well as his Master of Business Administration. He received his Bachelor of Science with honors in electrical engineering and his Bachelor of Arts with high honors in Plan 11 and Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin, where he was named the Most Outstanding Male Graduate of his graduating class. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a venture capitalist at a leading firm in the southeastern United States.

Brad lives in Chapel Hill with his wife and three sons. He can frequently be found on the local baseball fields helping coach his kids' teams.

February 11 - Breakout 3 Session 1

The Art of Meeting Facilitation for Leaders

Did you know that the ability to design and facilitate effective and engaging meetings is vital for your success as a leader? Your ability to run meetings that engage your team members and stakeholders is especially important today, as workforces are gathering in-person, virtually and in hybrid settings. Join us to expand your leadership toolkit with a powerful facilitation module. Learn to design and manage meetings that consistently achieve results, engage the participants and ensure that every voice is heard. Explore facilitative mindset and competencies, and their application, and learn to appreciate the distinction between facilitative and directive approaches to leadership.

Facilitator: Maria Fafard

Maria Fafard is a Facilitator, Executive Coach, and Speaker, who loves helping leaders, teams, and organizations reach their potential. She serves as a one-on-one and team coach for leaders in government, ranging from emerging leaders to executives; delivers leadership development programs for Public Service Leadership Institute at the Partnership for Public Service; and designs and facilitates executive retreats. Her passion for learning and helping human beings grow has guided her vocational path. Drawing on her experience in federal consulting, Tech and Finance, she empowers leaders and teams to reach their potential. Maria is passionate about her work and specializes in leadership maturity (vertical development), values-oriented life and career, and mindfulness. An accomplished speaker, Maria is known for her engaging presentation style, high energy and a sense of humor. She frequently speaks on topics of coaching, facilitation, thought leadership, and personal branding at conferences and events, including international ones.

February 11 - Breakout 3 Session 2

Working and Leading Between HQ and Regional Offices

Facilitator 1: Eric Feldman

February 11 - Breakout 3 Session 3

Opportunities and Challenges in Presidential Transition

Facilitator: Valerie Boyd

Valerie Smith Boyd leads the Partnership’s efforts to support successful transition planning by presidential candidates and their teams. She has had a long public service career, having served in the past three administrations in both career and political roles. Valerie was part of the small team that stood up Department of Homeland Security headquarters in 2002. She supported President Bush’s transfer of homeland security knowledge during the 2008 transition and assisted President Obama’s team with their 2009 integration of the Homeland Security Council and National Security Council staffs. During her time at the NSC, she organized the interagency policy process and managed briefing and decision materials for the President and the Cabinet. Most recently, Valerie returned to DHS, where she oversaw policy development for homeland security partnerships around the world. Between public service, she has worked in corporate social responsibility. She has degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Valerie has worked with too many outstanding public servants to choose a favorite and believes that leaders from across government must work together to solve problems in service to the American people.

February 12 - Breakout 4 Session 1

Preparing Your Financial Roadmap as a Senior Executive

Facilitator: G.B. Bose

G.B. Bose has over 31 years of experience as a practitioner in the financial services industry, specializing in retirement issues for Federal Government employees. He currently advises hundreds of retired senior executives about their financial planning. As a Founding Member of The Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors (APFA) in Roseville, CA, Mr. Bose actively strives to enhance financial literacy in all Federal Government Agencies through pro-bono workshops, and as a Member of the Financial Services Institute (FSI) Financial Advisor Council.

He holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in computer science from Villanova University. He completed his undergraduate degree in Mathematics, with honors, at the University of Calcutta in India. He is an Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA) and has taught Executive MBA students at Wharton.

G.B. has worked as a senior executive for Wall Street’s largest financial firms. He is frequently invited to public forums as a guest speaker on topics dealing with retirement and estate planning.

Mr. Bose is the Principal of Washington Retirement Planning Specialists, with offices in Washington D.C. and Boca Raton, FL. Washington Retirement Planning Specialists incorporates advanced tax planning techniques to minimize income, and estate taxes. WRPS utilizes conservative asset allocation models in order to focus on capital preservation and multi- generational wealth management with decades of demonstrated success.

February 12 - Breakout 4 Session 2

Coaching For Good Government

This session will feature two live coaching demonstrations, facilitated by Amy Titus, an executive coach and management consultant, and Amy Parker, a professional certified coach and retired Senior Executive Service member. These demonstrations will help you better understand coaching by including commentary, explaining why coaches ask certain questions and demonstrating the value of coaching within a short time frame. These demonstrations will feature two coachees from the audience—one virtual and one in person. Each coaching session will last approximately 25 minutes, focusing on a topic presented by the coachee. The session will conclude with a 10-minute Q&A period for all attendees.

Facilitator 1: Amy Parker

Amy Parker is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. She works with a wide range of clients, including public and private sector leaders, individuals, and groups such as civilians, military officers, hospital administrators, and professionals in finance, IT, and human resources across federal and state governments.

From 2006 to 2021, Amy served as a U.S. government civil servant, culminating her career as a member of the Senior Executive Service at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She holds a Master of Business Administration from The Citadel and a Bachelor of Science from Johnson & Wales University. Additionally, she completed the Harvard Senior Executive Fellows program and the Senior Executive Program at the University of North Carolina Executive education programs.

Facilitator 2: Amy Titus

Dr. Amy A. Titus is a C-suite advisor, management consultant, executive coach, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of global human capital experience. She has successfully led large-scale workforce transformations and provided coaching to clients across government and private sectors, as well as to teams and leaders within her organization. Most recently, Dr. Titus served as a Managing Director in Deloitte Consulting’s Human Capital practice, where she led the talent management market offering for government and financial services. She is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and holds a doctorate in Adult Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

February 12 - Breakout 4 Session 3

Thriving in Change: 6 Proven Strategies to Keep Burnout at Bay for Federal Executives

A 2024 survey found that 41% of federal employees are experiencing burnout, leading to decreased productivity and retention across agencies. This session equips senior executives with six practical, research-backed strategies to build burnout-resistant careers and supportive team cultures. Beyond traditional stress management, participants will define burnout, recognize its signs and explore practical strategies to reduce its impact on themselves and their teams. Activities include discussing how to apply these strategies at every burnout stage, how to promote a healthier work environment and how to create more sustainable performance throughout their agencies.

Facilitator: Carolon Donnally

Carolon Donnally is the CEO and Founder of Carolon Donnally Consulting, a leading burnout prevention organization focused on reducing workplace-related burnout in federal agencies through leadership coaching, training, and organizational consulting. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, employee engagement, and executive coaching, including her role as the former head of leadership coaching for the Internal Revenue Service, Carolon understands the unique challenges federal leaders face. She knows firsthand the impact of burnout on high-performing leaders and is dedicated to helping agencies foster healthier work environments and sustainable performance. Carolon believes that addressing burnout at both the personal and organizational levels is key to fostering a healthy, thriving work culture and sustaining high performance.

February 12 - Breakout 4 Session 4

Leading Change and Transition: A Framework to Engage Head and Heart

Change happens often in the federal workplace and the world around us. In this workshop, we will discuss the process of change and transition for employees, leaders and organizations as they face an ever-evolving landscape. Drawing on the work of authors Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, William Bridges, and others, we’ll discuss a framework to think about change and assess how individuals and teams are affected; what resistance and concerns may arise and how to navigate them; and approaches to lead and navigate change in organizations (and with self) with grit, grace and resilience.

Facilitator: Rachel Verlik

“Coaching Philosophy: Helping individuals and leaders in mission-focused organizations to lead clearly with head, heart, courage and purpose.”

Rachel is an international executive coach, facilitator and speaker working with leaders in a wide range of sectors such as government, construction, medicine and nonprofits. She has over 25 years of business experience, including 13 years of Federal Service. Rachel coaches and facilitates individual leaders and groups in the U.S, as well as over 70 countries, including Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, United Kingdom, Pakistan, and France.

Rachel is a champion for brave and authentic leadership. She believes in coaching the whole person -body, mind, spirit- towards brave futures that align with her client’s values. While she works with leaders in all levels of organizations, her passion is for supporting new and mid-level leaders on their journey to greater self-awareness, enhanced communication, and increased confidence.

Rachel’s clients appreciate her relatable experience, authenticity, and warmth, helping them identify what matters to each client, where they would like to go, and exploring the delta of current state in a non-judgmental partnership. Her experience facilitating leadership development program allows for a depth of tools and knowledge to be shared with clients for their most effective leadership.

Rachel’s clients often say she is a “soft place to land.” Clients walk away from their engagements feeling heard, developing a clear sense of what matters to them and the leader they want to be, and developing deeper inner confidence to help themselves, their teams, and their organizations thrive and transform.

February 12 - Breakout 5 Session 1

From the Inside Out: Bridging Employee Experience and Customer Experience Strategies

This Session explores the mutually reinforcing relationship between employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX), focusing on strategies that create stronger connections. During a dynamic session, senior leaders will share insights on fostering organizational cultures that prioritize employee engagement and customer outcomes. Participants will gain actionable strategies to align EX and CX initiatives, highlight effective EX investments that enhance CX and address challenges in implementing integrated approaches. Join us to explore how the symbiosis between the employee and customer experiences drives organizational success!

Facilitator 1: Matisha Montgomery

Matisha Montgomery is the Chief Learning Officer at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In this role she oversees general training for employees across the Department, leadership development, learning technology and solutions, workforce and succession planning, Organizational Development, talent assessment and HR Analytics. Matisha has been a career Federal servant since 2005 with prior roles at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Matisha holds a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and certificates from American University’s Key Executive Leadership program and George Mason University’s Chief Learning Officer program. She is a member of the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP), past President of the International Personnel Assessment Council (IPAC), and Advisor to the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC). Matisha uses her experience transforming government through investments in workforce development and strategy to help federal government organizations design experiences that build employee trust. Matisha works at the nexus of employee experience, human capital, and process improvement to drive organizational transformation in government. She has designed and implemented numerous high impact programs across a wide range of mission areas to reconnect employees with the people they serve and engage them in creating a culture of continuous improvement. She resides in Alexandria, VA with her husband and high-maintenance pup Winston.

Facilitator 2: Julie Pruitt

Julie serves as a primary action officer within the Healthcare Optimization Division (HOD) to analyze, evaluate, advise, plan, develop, implement, and assist the DHA Markets, DHA Regions, Single Standalone Organization (SSOs), MTFs, and Integrated Referral Management and Appointing Centers (IRMACs) with administering and executing access to care and managed care principles, standards, and programs within the MHS in support of the DHA. She is strategic, "out-of-the box" thinker with keen ability to analyze complex issues and implement patient centered, cost effective solutions with a proven track record in building strong, cohesive teams.

Facilitator 3: Sahil Singh

Sahil is the Customer Experience Manager at the Partnership for Public Service, where he drives initiatives to improve federal service delivery and enhance government effectiveness. With a background in global health, Sahil leverages a deep understanding of customer experience to bridge gaps between public services and communities. His work is informed by a commitment to transparency and innovation, ensuring that every interaction with the government strengthens trust and democracy.

February 12 - Breakout 5 Session 2

The Power of Courage over Confidence

Facilitator: Jessika Portney

Jessika serves as an executive leadership coach, a facilitator and a keynote speaker. She partners with purpose-driven executives to develop their authentic leadership style while staying true to their values, which in turn increases their efficacy and impact as leaders. Jessika is passionate about accelerating change through conscious leadership, enabling leaders to thrive with intention, authenticity, and compassion. Her approach to leadership has been informed by the cultural experiences she’s sought out:such as pursuing a graduate degree and teaching English in Rome and facilitating Fulbright fellowships for midcareer leaders from 90 different countries.

Jessika obtained an M.A. in government and politics with a concentration in international relations, and a certificate in diplomacy and international law from St. John’s University in Rome, Italy. She received a B.A. dual degree in communication, and Italian language and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation.

February 12 - Breakout 5 Session 3

From the Boardroom to the Grocery Aisle: Building Your Trust Factor in a New Journey

This interactive session explores the challenges, fears and opportunities of stepping into a new field after excelling in another. Participants will engage in meaningful conversations to uncover how developing their personal “trust factor” can help overcome self-doubt, build credibility and inspire confidence in times of transition. Presented with real-world examples, attendees will learn to harness their strengths, embrace uncertainty and connect with a community that supports their growth. Whether you’re considering a career shift or launching a new venture, this session will empower you to navigate change with courage and purpose.

Facilitator: Michelle Bryan

C. Michelle Bryan is a seasoned executive with over 27 years of federal service, including six years as a Senior Executive Service (SES) leader within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She managed budgets of over $1.8 billion and led operations for more than 1,600 federal employees and 14,000 contractors. In 2021, Michelle was selected to lead the largest Emergency Intake Shelter (EIS) in the U.S., where she worked closely with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as contractors, to coordinate care and services for thousands of unaccompanied children.

In October 2022, Michelle transitioned from federal service to co-found Sweet Maddie’s – Cookies on Demand, a family-owned business specializing in premium, all-natural frozen cookie dough. Sweet Maddie’s began as a local venture selling cakes and cupcakes but pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the growing demand for bake-at home treats. Since then, the brand has expanded into retail, wholesale, and foodservice, forming partnerships with grocery stores, corporate gifting programs, and an exclusive lounge on a major Hollywood studio lot. Its first grocery launch sold out in just four days, prompting an expansion to a second store within 30 days. Sweet Maddie’s cookies have also been catered to high-profile clients in the entertainment industry, further enhancing its reputation for excellence, and the company has partnered with local organizations like the Flying Cows semi-pro basketball team in Frederick, Maryland.

Michelle’s entrepreneurial journey has been featured in Possible Woman Magazine and on DC News Now Living Local. A graduate of the DHS Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program and the Federal Executive Institute’s Leadership for a Democratic Society Program, Michelle also holds certifications in Change Management and Leading Government Change from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

An active member of the Specialty Food Association, Recipe for Retail, and Startup CPG, Michelle’s story, "From the Boardroom to the Grocery Aisle," reflects her passion for resilience, innovation, and building a legacy of joy, community engagement, and excellence.

February 12 - Breakout 5 Session 4

Anticipating the Top Legal Issues Affecting Senior Government Leadership

Facilitator: Debra Roth

SEA GC, and since 2013, Managing Partner at Shaw, Bransford & Roth. Long and successful track record of representing federal employees and senior executives in litigation before the MSPB and in Federal court and in IG, administrative, and congressional investigations. Ms. Roth has appeared on 60 Minutes and is a sought-after lecturer at conferences and seminars for public sector executives, attorneys, and employee relation professionals.

February 12 - Breakout 6 Session 1

From Bill to Reality: Implementing Major Investments

Facilitator 1: Jill Hyland

Facilitator 2: Arfa Alam

Facilitator 3: David Gins

February 12 - Breakout 6 Session 2

The Bright Side: Recognizing and Celebrating Successes

Join this breakout session to learn why recognizing and celebrating successes in the workplace is an essential practice for great leadership. We will share best practices and provide an overview of what to consider as you build a recognition practice of your own. The session will include active large group discussions and breakout sessions that examine topics such as what celebrating looks like when done well and how to personalize recognition for impact. See you there!

Facilitator: Jane Datta

Jane Datta is a human resources leader with over thirty years of experience. She recently retired from NASA, where she was the chief human capital officer, responsible for building the talent for supporting the agency’s mission, delivering out-of-this-world human resources services, and shaping NASA’s culture to maintain high employee engagement. Jane embraced that “we are people leaders in the people business” which guided her oversight of NASA’s human capital policies, practices, and operations. One of her most rewarding achievements at NASA was overseeing the transformation of decentralized human capital services across ten centers to a centralized line of business. Prior to NASA, Jane was a human resources consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and held multiple human resources roles at United Technologies Corporation. Jane currently provides consulting services through JCD Advisory, LLC, and is a senior fellow for human capital with The Conference Board, serving on their steering committee for the Federal Government Council.

Jane holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a BA in music from Yale University. She was a 2022 Presidential Rank Award recipient – Meritorious Executive, the highest award for federal government employees, bestowed on a select group of the Senior Executive Service for exceptional performance.

February 12 - Breakout 6 Session 3

The Hero's Journey: Reflecting on Your Leadership Story and Committing to Its Future

In this 60-minute interactive workshop, leaders will explore the timeless elements of the hero’s journey to gain a deeper understanding of themselves—past, present and future. Through facilitated prompts and reflection, leaders will explore their leadership journey up to the current moment, identifying the strengths, messengers and transformations that took place along the way. Leaders will also apply the hero's journey framework to a challenge they face now, empowering them to move forward with greater clarity, resolve, support and purpose. Join us on an engaging quest that will help you reflect on your own resilience and commit to your future with confidence.

Facilitator: Andrew Marshall

Andrew Marshall is an HBR-published, ICF-certified executive coach (PCC level) who co-founded Model Leader, a leadership development firm dedicated to developing leaders who lift society. He has experience developing thousands of leaders and leadership teams across sectors, from aspiring supervisors to seasoned executives, including C-Suite leaders managing multi-billion dollar budgets and with responsibility for tens of thousands of people.

Andrew comes with his own executive experience. He stood up and led the Public Service Leadership Institute, an entity housed within the Partnership for Public Service. The Institute develops thousands of federal leaders annually, with a focus on improving the capabilities of senior US government leaders.

A thought leader in the field of leadership development, he has given keynotes at leadership conferences, designed leadership models for government and nonprofit organizations, designed 360 assessment tools, written case studies and published with HBR and MIT on public service leadership.

His leadership development experience includes designing and facilitating executive retreats, designing and facilitating large-scale conferences, and providing executive coaching. His clients appreciate that he is optimistic, action-oriented, and committed to their success.

In addition to his coaching and facilitation with Model Leader, he currently serves on the faculty for the White House Leadership Development Program, the Partnership for Public Service’s AI Federal Leadership Program, and the LOFT Fellowship Program.

Andrew is passionate about supporting leaders who lift society. Strengthening these leaders positively impacts individuals today and generations tomorrow.

February 12 - Breakout 6 Session 4

Building Bridges and Building Cohesion

Facilitator: Kristin Fontenot

Kristin Leahy Fontenot has 19 years of experience working within the federal government and currently serves as the Assistant Administrator for Risk Management at DHS/FEMA, a position she assumed in January 2025. In this position, she is responsible for providing the data, tools, and information that help communities make informed decisions to reduce their disaster risk and ultimately build community-level resilience against natural hazards like flood, fire, and earthquake. Prior to assuming this new role, she worked as the Director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Director Office of Environment and Energy. In supporting HUD’s mission,, she led HUD’s national efforts to help tackle the climate crisis including increasing resilience in communities across the nation and led work to reduce carbon emissions across HUD’s portfolio. Prior to joining HUD, Ms. Fontenot spent 10 years working at DHS/FEMA where she engaged regularly in the national and local conversations regarding environmental and cultural challenges associated with disaster preparedness, recovery, and mitigation. While at FEMA, she grew their Environmental program to rise to the challenges of increasing disaster declarations, agency efforts to help build increased community resilience, and most recently in the response and recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving the Department of Homeland Security’s Environmental Cutting-Edge Environmental Program of the Year for their COVID-19 efforts. Prior experience also includes serving as a civilian working these issues for both the National Guard Bureau and the Department of the Army. Kristin has a Master’s Degree in Public History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and received her Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Delaware.

February 13 - Breakout 7 Session 1

Back to the Future: Foresight for Feds

Facilitator: Sharaelle Grzesiak

Sharaelle currently serves as the Strategic Planning and Foresight Director in the Strategic Planning and External Liaison (SPEL) Office, US Government Accountability Office. In this role, she oversees strategic planning and foresight programs at GAO. Sharaelle also is the Director of the GAO Center for Strategic Foresight, home of 8 non-resident fellows to help advance foresight at GAO. Sharaelle started at GAO in 2016, where she led the modernization of the GAO Strategic Plan, which both 2018 and 2022 resulted in an award winning plan.

Additionally, she supports foresight programs across the agency. Sharaelle’ s work has helped various federal agencies develop their own foresight and environmental scanning processes. Her career prior to GAO spans various executive branch agencies such as Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services to name a few. In 2018, she was added to the List of World's Top Female Futurists, making her one of two futurists from the U.S. Federal Government. Additionally, in 2018, Ms. Grzesiak became the co-chair for the Federal Foresight Community of Interest (FFCOI). FFCoI is an interagency group of foresight and strategy practitioners that provides expertise and information sharing in order to educate and enable better decision-making across the Federal Government.

Sharaelle earned her Master’s degree in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University. She holds a Bachelors from Northern Illinois University.

February 13 - Breakout 7 Session 2

Venturing Beyond: Continuous Growth through Coaching

Discover the transformative power of coaching in leadership during an engaging one-hour fireside chat with Solly Thomas, a former federal executive turned executive leadership coach. Hear firsthand how coaching reshaped Solly’s leadership journey—from working with a coach and mastering coaching principles to becoming an executive coach himself. Guided by the Partnership’s director of leadership coaching, this dynamic conversation will inspire you to elevate your leadership skills, foster stronger team performance and unlock your potential through coaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn practical insights and strategies to lead with greater impact and purpose and to learn about the journey of becoming a certified coach.

Facilitator 1: Friderike Butler

Friderike leads the Public Service Leadership Institute’s coaching services team, strives for excellence in the delivery of coaching services, and is committed to the continued development of PSLI’s growing diverse coaching talent pool. She supports internal and external stakeholders to the Partnership as a subject matter expert for coaching and enjoys all opportunities to serve as a coach for senior federal government leaders.

Friderike brings extensive international management and leadership expertise, a genuine appreciation for diversity of perspective, curiosity around culture and the power of words, and a heart-centered, pragmatic, people-focused approach to all her engagements. At the core of her work, Friderike is a catalyst for change, growth, purpose, and inspiration in the workplace. She cultivates an environment of trust and accountability that invites exploration, experimentation, collaboration, and learning. Friderike aims to discover and unlock the inherent potential in people and ideas and supports her clients in taking courageous action towards desired outcomes. She excels in working with leaders, who are rebuilding their teams, leaders in new positions or expanded roles and senior leaders, who are stuck in leadership models that are no longer producing the desired impact.

People who work with Friderike describe her as a creative, supportive, and inspiring leader committed to being in service to others and a fun and engaged collaborator with a strong backbone and a generous heart.

Facilitator 2: Solly Thomas

Solly Thomas has over 30 years of experience leading and managing federal agencies and programs. He has held senior-level positions in both the public and private sectors—as a member of the Senior Executive Service in three federal agencies; as an associate partner at IBM Corporation; and as an executive coach and instructor for federal leadership programs.

Solly currently serves as an executive coach and instructor for the Excellence in Government Fellows Program, which offers innovative coursework, benchmarking, action-learning projects, coaching and mentoring to prepare rising federal leaders to lead people and deliver results. His EIG coaching experience has included interagency and open enrollment programs, as well as cohorts from the departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and Education. He also serves as a coach for the Department of Transportation’s SES onboarding program and for the DHS Capstone Program.

Solly also serves as the instructor for the Senior Executive Assessment Program sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management. This program is designed to help senior federal managers assess their SES performance potential, determine readiness to go through the SES selection process and better understand what life in the SES is like. Previously, Solly was also a consultant at IBM, where he worked with federal agencies to design and implement human capital strategies and provided his clients with advice, subject matter expertise and thought leadership on a variety of workforce issues.

When he retired from federal service in 2006, Solly was the acting associate director for human capital at OPM, where he led numerous government-wide programs, including human capital programs under the President’s Management Agenda, with an emphasis on leadership development, succession planning, and talent and performance management and performance management. He also managed the SES selection, performance management and certification programs, and designed and delivered leadership programs as an executive in residence at the OPM Eastern Management Development Center.

In addition to his SES position at OPM, Solly was also the chief operating officer of the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the chief of staff to the chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Solly has a B.A. in economics from the University of Notre Dame.

February 13 - Breakout 7 Session 3

Leadership Style, Skills, and Successful Collaboration: The Case of US Federal Senior Executives

Facilitator: Catherine Gerard

Catherine M. Gerard is Emerita Professor (August 2024) of the Public Administration and International Affairs at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. As Professor of Practice for the department, she taught courses on leadership, conflict, and human resource management. In addition, Professor Gerard was Codirector and Director from 2005-2020 of the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), an internationally known research and practice center focused on social conflicts, advocacy, and collaboration. She also served as Associate Director of Maxwell’s Executive Education Programs, where she designed and delivered leadership for domestic and international government officials and NGO managers. Before joining Syracuse, she was Assistant Director of the Office of Employee Relations, directing the unit dedicated to management, leadership, and organizational development. She continues her consulting and training work with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Population Council, and Rockefeller College Professional Training Program. Professor Gerard is the author of several publications on collaborative leadership and conflict. She serves on several community organization boards, including CNYArts and Interfaith Works.

February 13 - Breakout 7 Session 4

Strategic Planning and Execution

Strategy alone does not differentiate top- versus bottom-performing organizations. What separates them is the ability to execute that strategy. Most organizations struggle with strategic execution due to the many moving parts that need to come together. This session will provide participants with a succinct set of insights and interventions by distilling the key requirements for strategic execution in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Designed for senior leaders—and those aspiring to assume these roles—this session’s approach opens the aperture to key elements of strategy execution.

Facilitator: Scott Snell

Eleanor F. and Phillip G. Rust Professor of Business Administration

Snell is an expert in strategic human resource management — helping organizations compete better through people. He teaches courses in strategic management and works internationally with senior executives to help their companies align strategy, organizational capability and investments in talent.

His research focuses on the mechanisms by which organizations generate, transfer and integrate new knowledge for competitive advantage. He is the author of several books, notably Strategic Execution: Driving Breakthrough Performance in Business (Stanford Press, 2019), Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World (McGraw-Hill, 2016), and Managing Human Resources (Cengage, 2018).

Snell has worked with companies including AstraZeneca, Deutsche Telekom, Shell and United Technologies to help employees maximize their talents in order to drive firm performance. He currently serves on the board of directors for SHRM and has served on the boards of the Strategic Management Society's Human Capital Group, HRPS, the SHRM Foundation, the Academy of Management's HR Division, the Academy of Management Journal and the Academy of Management Review.

He received his B.A. from Miami University, as well as his M.B.A. and Ph.D. in business from Michigan State University.

February 13 - Breakout 8 Session 1

Harnessing AI to Lead Today and Tomorrow

Facilitator: Eric Stein

February 13 - Breakout 8 Session 2

Top 5 Key Elements for Fostering Growth Mindset in Leadership Development

Facilitator: Claudio Toyama

Claudio helps senior leaders become more visible and respected by their higher ups so that they can get promoted faster and thrive with confidence.

A descendant of Samurai, Claudio was born and raised in Brazil, has lived in Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom and the U.S., and has consulted in 113 countries so far.

Claudio and his clients go deep while keeping it light and ensuring they get out of their own way and “sharpen the sword” of becoming the effective communicator, influencer and world-class leader they are meant to be.

He is an ICF-PCC certified executive coach, an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership and author of the bestselling book, "The Samurai Samba Vinci Way: How to Improve Your Executive Presence, Increase Trust and Lead Your Team at a World-Class Level."

He is a lifelong learner, having received a B.A. in business administration, graduate degrees in marketing, strategy, and communication studies, and a master’s degree in Interactive Multimedia. Previously, he graduated from Newfield Network in Ontological Coaching and graduated the second year from the Institute for Generative Leadership in Coaching Excellence in Organizations. He is also certified in DEI by Cornell University.

Claudio is resolved to bring more beauty and passion to the world, and is easily distracted with ice cream, chocolate and sushi (but probably not all at the same time).

He lives with his daughter outside of Washington, D.C., and consults around the world.

February 13 - Breakout 8 Session 3

Empowering others through Autonomy

All leaders need support from others to achieve meaningful results, and leaders’ approach to collaborating has a profound impact on their performance outcomes. Empowering others through autonomy helps leaders foster greater motivation, trust and creativity. In this session, participants will learn key strategies for providing others with autonomy in areas like task, time and decision-making while also holding them accountable. Activities include interactive discussions, breakout exercises and reflections focusing on best practices and overcoming common challenges like micromanagement. By the end of the session, participants will have practical tools and insights to create an environment where individuals and the organization excel.

Facilitator: David Brownstein

David Brownstein leads the Partnership’s design of leadership development programs, provides individual coaching, and facilitates programs aimed at empowering government employees and teams to achieve their goals. David has extensive experience in organization development and human resources and has designed, implemented, and delivered strategic organization development programs in more than 10 countries. He has led multiple companies through organizational changes, partnering with senior leaders to approach their initiatives focusing on employee engagement, empathy, and accountability.

As an ACC-level ICF certified coach, David partners with clients in a discovery of self and their environment to evoke changes that impact themselves and others in their lives. David helps clients understand how their personal growth also has positive impacts on those around them. This “pay it forward” mentality promotes a unified workforce and community for the client and helps them recognize their leadership potential.

David earned his M.A. in Public Administration from George Mason University, a B.S. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Delaware and is a graduate of the Georgetown Leadership Coaching program. He is certified in MHS’s Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and 360 assessment, DiSC, Situational Leadership, MBTI, Technology of Participation, Appreciative Inquiry and the Public Service Leadership 360. Prior to joining the Partnership, David worked as a learning and development manager at nonprofit and private companies and OD consultant supporting clients on leadership development and workforce engagement.

February 13 - Breakout 8 Session 4

Harnessing New Technologies

In this session, we will explore opportunities to use immersive technology across multiple facets of the health care system, particularly direct patient care, and staff education and training. We will explore potential high-impact, high-value use cases and discuss next steps for implementation. During this breakout session, attendees will become familiar with key terms related to immersive technology (e.g., augmented and virtual reality); be able to identify opportunities for its use; and learn of emerging trends and opportunities.

Facilitator: Anne Lord Bailey