Symposium Home Agenda Abstracts and Bios
Al Mink
Systems Spirit
Managing Partner
BIO
Dr. Mink is the Managing Director of Systems Spirit, a consulting firm influential in shaping strategies for technology companies serving the evolving needs of the Department of Defense (DoD). He’s held several leadership positions in industry, to include CTO & COO of the Systems and Software Consortium, VP of Defense and Intelligence for Unisys Corporation, and business growth lead for SRA International’s largest business unit. Al retired from the United States Air Force as a Colonel and decorated combat pilot. His final assignment was at Headquarters Air Force, leading the USAF’s portfolio of thirteen technology initiatives, a role similar to today’s CTO for the USAF A6/CIO. He’s Past President of the Armed Forces Electronics Association (AFCEA Northern Virginia) and currently serves on the Board of AFCEA International. He is an Advisory Board Member of the MIT Enterprise Forum, which informs, advises, and coaches technology entrepreneurs to start and grow firms with world-changing impact. He co-founded the MIT Alumni Angels of DC, which helps drive investment into the region’s technology start-ups. He’s also an Adjunct Professor teaching a graduate course in technology strategy for American University and serves USAF’s senior leadership directly as an USAF Adjunct Contract Professor. Al is an avid cyclist and rides with the 2019 Air Force Cycling Team.
Frank Konieczny
Chief Technology Officer,
Office of Information Dominance,
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force
May 21, 2019 at 09:00
Frank Konieczny, a Senior Level executive, is the AF Chief Information Technology Officer, Office of Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He has primary responsibility is to advance the IT technology landscape of the Air Force. His current focus areas include the developing the future technical target baseline, mobility enterprise solutions, data management, ICAM access/claims management, mesh networks, artificial intelligence/quantum capabilities, cyber and technology innovation pathfinders and advancing the Joint Information Environment.
Mr. Konieczny has completed advanced degrees in computer science engineering and administrative science, and in 1987 he completed all coursework for a doctorate in computer science. He has extensive experience as a systems analyst and chief programmer, working with a variety of firms including Teledyne Brown Engineering, SAIC and General Research Corporation. He has supported the programming and analytical analysis for a wide spectrum of government projects including ballistic missile defense, network design, missile test analysis, radar systems analysis and simulation, and operations research and statistical analysis. Mr. Konieczny would go on to serve as a project manager, business unit manager, Chief Scientist and Chief Technology Officer. He has managed more than 20 significant government sector programs involving multiple large and small business subcontractors and academic institutions in areas of Army and Navy manpower, logistics, force structure, undersea warfare, real time statistical analysis, biometric authentication, enterprise architecture, work flow management, and simulation and modeling.
Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Konieczny was employed for 10 years with AT&T Government Solutions professional services business unit. He served as the CIO, CTO and Executive Director for Operations where he managed internal research and development efforts; multi-location infrastructure management and upgrade; process improvement and standardization; support organization coordination; and development of technical solutions for a wide spectrum of projects within the government sector.
William Robinson
Chief Technology Officer
(Sec Army Staff for Acquisition Logistics and Technology)
US Army
May 21, 2019 at 09:00
Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) William Robinson serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Senior Technical Advisor at the Headquarters, Department of the Army, Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6.
As the CTO and Senior Technical Advisor, CW5 Robinson reports directly to the Army CIO/G-6. He assists in establishing and directing strategy, policy, guidance, planning, and functional proponency for Army worldwide current and future Command, Control, Communications, and Computers and Information Technology support during peacetime, crisis, contingencies and war.
CW5 Robinson is a third generation Soldier from a family with a long tradition of serving in the Army.
CW5 Robinson has served in numerous positions during his career, from a young enlisted Network Switching Systems Operator/Maintainer to Chief Technology Officer. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Command Chief Warrant Officer, 7th Signal Command. His previous assignments include Chief Technology Officer, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology; Senior Technical Advisor to TRADOC Capabilities Manager Network and Services, Senior Technical Advisor, 35th Signal Brigade, Task Force Odin, Senior Signal Warrant , S3 Network Operations Officer-in-Charge, 112th Special Operations (Airborne) and Battalion Network Plans Officer, 10th Signal Battalion, 10th Mountain Division. He also has five combat deployments to Iraq (4) and Afghanistan (1).
CW5 Robinson holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Systems. His military education includes the Warrant Officer Candidate School, Warrant Officer Basic & Advanced Courses, the Warrant Officer Staff Course, and the Warrant Officer Senior Service Education Course.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)), the Meritorious Service Medal (four OLCs), the Army Commendation Medal (one OLC), and the Army Achievement Medal (one OLC), among others. He also holds the Army Parachutist & Army Air Assault Badges.
CW5 Robinson and his wife, CW4 (R) Angel Robinson, have three daughters, Alexis, Dashona, and Jasmine, and two sons, Shabazz and Alan.
Stephen M. Wallace
Systems Innovation Scientist, Emerging Technologies (EM) Directorate
Defense Information Systems Agency
May 21, 2019 at 09:00
Mr. Steve Wallace is Systems Innovation Scientist of the Emerging Technology Directorate at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Previously, Mr. Wallace served as the Chief Technology Director and the Chief Engineer for DoD Enterprise Email and Defense Collaboration Services.
Prior to joining DISA, Steve was an employee of Computer Sciences Corporation as a government contractor. During this time, he worked to build a variety of enterprise class collaboration, identity management, and authentication systems for the Federal Government.
Dr. Daniel P. Corbin
Chief Technology AdvisorHeadquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
May 21, 2019 at 09:00
Dr. Corbin currently serves as the Chief Technology Advisor (CTA) of the Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) Department at Headquarters Marine Corps. In this capacity, he provides advice for all matters pertaining to identification and validation of IT requirements, lead for continuing assessment and identification of promising emerging C4 and information technologies for exploitation and application in the war fighting and business domains.
Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Program Manager for USMC Information Systems and IT Infrastructure at the Marine Corps Systems Command in which he was responsible for over 120 systems critical to the USMC’s business and IT operations. His previous senior acquisition assignments include the Program Manager for the ACAT ID MAIS Global Command Support System, Navy DIHMRS Program Manager, and the Next Generation Enterprise Networks Deputy Program Manager.
He served in the Navy for over twenty years in numerous jobs ashore and at sea in complex operational and acquisition billets. Jobs that include the PrincipleInvestigator for the networked Anti-Submarine Warfare Sensor Performance Prediction Tactical Decision Aids; the Electronics Material Officer in the SECOND FLEET Command Ship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20); APM for the Remote Minehunting System in the Program Executive Office for Mine and Undersea Warfare; the NMCI Performance Department Head at the Direct Reporting Program Manager NMCI Office; the Division Head for the Chief of Naval Operations’ Enterprise Information Technology-Resource & Assessment Division.
His education includes a BS in Mathematics from University of Florida, MS in Computer Science (Networks, Graphics, and Distributed Simulation) from the Naval Post Graduate School, and a MS in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Gregory Shaffer
Assistant Chief Engineer Mission Architecture and System EngineeringNational Competency Lead ISR/IOSpace and Naval Warfare Systems Command
May 21, 2019 at 09:00
Mr. Shaffer servesas the Assistant Chief Engineer, Mission Architecture and Systems Engineering, at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Headquarters where he is responsible for establishing architecture and engineering policy and processes for C4ISR, Business/IT andSpace Systems. He is the authority in the area of Systems Engineering and Systems-of-Systems Engineering. He is also the SPAWAR National Competency Lead for Intelligence, Surveillance,and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Information Operations(IO).As the SPAWAR Chief Engineer’s Deputy Warranting Officer for Mission Engineering, he is responsible for implementing and exercising technical authority in the ISR and IOdomain.Previously, Mr. Shaffer servedas the Assistant Chief Engineer, Mission Engineeringat Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.
Mr. Shaffer began his federal career in 1990 as a software engineer in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Fire Control System program for the undersea warfare community at the Naval Ocean Systems Center, now the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific)in San Diego, California.He led a variety of technical projects developing innovative capabilities for the Navy, Special Operations,and the Intelligence Community. He led the technical developmentof several capabilities supporting National Systems.
In April 2005, Mr. Shaffer was selected as the Manager for the Information Operations Division at SSC Pacific. The Division focused on basic research and emerging technologies used in maritime surveillance, signals processing and exploitation, datacorrelation and fusion, electronic warfare, information operations, and military deception for a variety of Navy, Joint, National,and Intelligence Community sponsors.In September 2008, Mr. Shaffer was selected as the Deputy Department Head fortheIntelligence, Surveillance,and Reconnaissance and Information Operations Department.
Mr. Shaffer was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in December 2011 as the Head of the Intelligence, Surveillance,and Reconnaissance and Information Operations Department at SSC Pacific. He led a diverse and highly technical team of over 600 scientists, engineers, technical specialists,and administrative staff members. He was responsible for an annual budget of $400 Million supporting research, development, acquisition, test and evaluation in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and information operations domains.
Mr. Shaffer received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from San Diego State University in 1988and a Master of Science in Software Engineering from National University in 1990.He received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2010.