Gov Contracting Round Table Event

🟦 1. JEFF SHEN — Winning Contracts 🧠 Who he is:

• Gov contracting strategist (huge deals, $30B+ scale)

• Expert in business development + proposals + capture

• Honors College connection (important)

🎯 Why he matters to YOU:

• He knows how tech → actual contracts → funding

• Bridge between your drone/system → real government use

❓ Ask him:

• “What makes a technical solution actually competitive in federal contracting?”

• “How would something like a GPS-denied drone move from research into a contract?”

• “What should students build to stand out in this space?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “So success isn’t just about the tech — it’s about how it’s positioned?”

🟦 2. FRED COSTA — Building Real Systems 🧠 Who he is:

• CEO (MetaPhase)

• Focus: AI systems + mission-driven tech

• Big consulting + implementation background

🎯 Why he matters:

• He builds real deployed systems

• Aligns perfectly with your:

  • drone project

  • AI + systems interest

❓ Ask him:

• “What does building AI systems in government actually look like?”

• “How do systems go from idea → real deployment?”

• “How would a drone system like mine get integrated into a mission system?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “Are you building new systems or integrating into existing infrastructure?”

🟦 3. SCOTT BREZLER — Business + Finance Backbone 🧠 Who he is:

• CPA, gov contracting advisor

• Focus: finance, compliance, structure

🎯 Why he matters:

• He understands why companies succeed or fail

• The part engineers completely ignore

❓ Ask him:

• “What are the biggest challenges companies face financially in gov contracting?”

• “What separates companies that succeed vs fail?”

• “What business-side knowledge should technical people understand?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “So even strong tech fails if the business side isn’t handled properly?”

🟦 4. ANIRUDH KULKARNI — Systems + Strategy 🧠 Who he is:

• CEO of 650-person firm

• Background in operations research + system design

• Thinks in big systems + scaling

🎯 Why he matters:

• This is closest to your mindset

• Systems, architecture, decision-making

❓ Ask him:

• “How do you balance technical design with real-world constraints?”

• “What makes a system actually successful in the real world?”

• “How would you scale something like my drone system?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “Is your work mostly about how system components interact?”

🟦 5. NIKITA SINGH — Security + Risk 🧠 Who she is:

• Cybersecurity / risk / info assurance

• Focus on safe, secure systems

🎯 Why she matters:

• Security is critical in real systems

• Most engineers ignore this → you won’t

❓ Ask her:

• “What are the biggest security challenges in modern systems?”

• “Where do AI/autonomous systems typically break from a security standpoint?”

• “How would you secure a drone system like mine?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “Do most vulnerabilities come from early design decisions?”

🟦 6. TIFFANY BAILEY — Execution + Scaling 🧠 Who she is:

• EVP Operations & Growth

• Expert in:

  • scaling companies

  • integrating systems

  • execution

🎯 Why she matters:

• She knows how things go from:

  “good idea → real-world system at scale”

❓ Ask her:

• “What’s hardest about turning a technical idea into something that works at scale?”

• “When integrating systems, what breaks first — tech, process, or people?”

• “What skills make someone grow into leadership roles?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “So execution is more about alignment than just the idea?”

🟦 7. GRETCHEN McCRACKEN — People + Organizations 🧠 Who she is:

• CEO, founder (20+ years)

• Focus:

  • workforce

  • change management

  • org performance

🎯 Why she matters:

• Systems fail because of people, not code

• This is the missing piece

❓ Ask her:

• “What’s harder — building the system or getting people to adopt it?”

• “Why do some organizations adapt well while others don’t?”

• “What challenges would a new system like mine face in adoption?”

🔄 Follow-up:

• “So alignment matters more than just technical quality?”