Changing the Way We Change: The State of Government Contracting for Innovation

Anne Laurent is many things: excellent, experienced editor; inspiring, prescient publication manager; gifted coach of writers and other creatives; engaging, careful, lively writer; skilled, enlightening, energetic presenter; and inveterate, inventive intrapreneur. Anne's specialties include procurement and acquisition, business innovation, policy implementation, entrepreneurial government, virtual government, government's impact on business and vice versa, and U.S. defense and civilian agency management.

At National Contract Management Association, Anne works to further establish NCMA as a thought leader in the acquisition and contracting practice through monitoring and predicting emerging trends within the practice and their potential impacts on members, customers, training products, event offerings, and materials. She also builds relationships with leaders, subject matter experts, and rising professionals within the practice community.

Dr. Casey Perley is the Director of Insights and Analysis at AAL. She has a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and has a decade experience working on vaccines and therapeutics ranging from proof of concept to clinical trials. This work led her to spend over 3,000 hours in "hot zone" laboratories (BSL-3 and BSL-4) working on zoonotic diseases ranging from TB to Hantavirus. Within AAL she is focused on making working with the DOD more accessible to non-traditional companies, and she co-created the SPARTN SBIR program to bring that accessibility to the SPARTN program.

Dr. Matt Willis leads the Army’s portfolio of private sector engagements through prize competitions and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, comprising over $275,000,000 in annual research and development investments. Through his tenure, Dr. Willis has delivered a deliberate and strategic portfolio management approach that centralizes oversight and synchronizes execution of the Army’s SBIR program and prize authority to meet Congressional economic intent and Army technology gaps; he also identified and promulgated the highest technical quality, best emerging tech business partners providing the most effective technical solutions to overcome Army challenges, while reinforcing the national industrial base in face of great power competition.

Previously, Dr. Willis served as the Army Director for Laboratory Management, leading policy development for STEM, Technology Transfer, and workforce initiatives across the Army science and technology ecosystem. Prior to DASA(RT), Dr. Willis was the Chief for Acquisition at the Joint Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Program Analysis and Integration Office, providing independent oversight, guidance and cross-cutting policies for the Chemical Biological Defense Program (CBDP) and laboratories. Dr. Willis also served as the Deputy Director for Special Projects in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research, providing alignment for DoD’s S&T investments amongst the Services. Dr. Willis started his Army career as a Research Chemical Engineer at the US Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center.

Dr. Willis received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, a MS and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is the author of numerous manuscripts, technical reports, and patents. He has received several awards including the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service in 2014 and 2015.

COL (Ret) Brian Cook is a decisive National Security Professional who co-leads IBMs AFC and FORSCOM Account focusing on Army Modernization. Brian is a seasoned Army Armor/Cavalryman with more than 30 years of service Operating, Leading, Teaching and Planning in some notable sites like the National Training Center, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Pentagon and, right here, at Army Futures Command.

Mrs. Sosa has worked for Army Contracting Command for over 15 years and comes with a wealth of contracting knowledge. She also has extensive experience developing, coaching, and mentoring current and future contracting professionals. Her primary focus is assisting the AFC and cross functional team customers with finding innovation, enhanced designs, and leverage business solutions that are instrumental to enable the Warfighters ability to fight, win, and survive in all environments. As a Program Integrator, Mrs. Sosa supports processes related to financial management, budget execution, acquisition, grants and cooperative agreements, and information management and reporting that support the modernization mission.