About Public Spend Forum

Raj Sharma is a social entrepreneur and thought leader focused on public sector management and public procurement. As founder of Public Spend Forum, Raj is working with leaders and stakeholders across local, state and federal governments across the world to build practical frameworks, tools and communities to address the most common challenges in public procurement. Raj also founded Censeo Consulting Group, a firm recognized nationally for its focus on operational excellence in the public sector. He also serves on several boards, including Girl Rising, University Of Pennsylvania’s Center for Asian Law, Michigan State University’s Executive Advisory Board and NCMA’s Board of Advisors. Raj has also written as a fellow for the Center for American Progress and the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars.

Ben is a nationally-recognized expert, speaker, and author in Federal procurement and non-traditional acquisition methodologies, who spent more than a decade developing some of the most unique procurement solutions for the Department of Defense. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of defense policy and guidance for the use of Other Transaction Authorities and provided training and on-site consulting for more than 5,000 Acquisition personnel as the founder of the Acquisition Innovation Road Show (#AIRS / #FUTAIRS), an organic, Government-to-Government consultancy. Ben is a regular speaker on topics related to alternative acquisition methods, public procurement culture, organizational change management, and acquisition reform. Ben previously served as Chief of the Acquisition Management Office for the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Ground Vehicle Systems Center, and prior to that, as a Procuring Contracting and Agreements Officer for the US Army Contracting Command – Warren. Ben has been a member of the Michigan State Bar since 2008; is DAWIA Level III certified in Contracting; a Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM); and Fellow of the National Contract Management Association.

Ash Bedi is a member of the Public Spend Forum management team, responsible for business strategy and research. Ash has more than 25 years of experience in both consulting and industry, with expertise in the areas of strategic planning, procurement and supply management. Ash brings a blend of private sector and government industry experience, having worked with Fortune companies as well as numerous federal agencies. Ash has also been a frequent presenter at high profile forums including Institute of Supply Management, National Association of Purchasing Managers, Sourcing Interests Group, and National Contract Management Association. Ash previously worked at A.T.Kearney and Censeo Consulting Group, among others.

Prior to joining PSF, Jake received his MA in International Relations from the University of Rhode Island, where he taught introductory courses in American Politics and International Relations while contributing to faculty research projects on climate policy. Jake also received his undergraduate degree from Roger Williams University, where he served as Student Body President his senior year. Jake is particularly interested in the legislative process and its implications for public procurement – a passion derived from his applied learning experiences working in administrative roles for members of both the United States Senate and the Scottish Parliament. Jake has also spent time conducting volunteer research for various academic programs at the U.S. Naval War College. When he is not working, you will likely find Jake partaking in outdoor pursuits in his home state of Colorado or with extended family in Rhode Island. He is also a self-identified “bookworm” who is obsessed with anything related to U.S. presidential history.

Nancy has 25 years of professional editorial and writing experience, including 15 years within the IT analyst publishing industry. She previously served as EMEA Head of Publishing for Gartner Inc. with responsibility for all client-facing analysis and reports, and prior to that as Managing Editor within the Dun & Bradstreet group. Most recently, she was Editorial Director for a technology PR firm. She has extensive experience of producing and authoring customer reference programmes, thought-leadership papers and newsletters. Nancy holds a BA (Honours) in Linguistics and Modern Languages.

John works at the intersection of computer science and economics, with a focus on solving practical problems using stochastic optimization and machine learning.

Anna has a knack for analyzing and rebuilding complex systems and organizations so they can operate at their best. After launching her career in investment banking at BNP Paribas, Anna was a senior strategist at GLG, the world’s largest marketplace for B2B insights and expertise, where she helped redesign client outreach tools and establish the first Client Success team. Following nearly a decade in New York City, she returned to DC to serve as the Director of Operations for a communications tech start-up to support its next phase of growth. She is excited to bring her customer-centric experience to Public Spend Forum as the Director of Client Experience. When not at work, Anna loves pretending to be a tourist in DC, exploring the great outdoors, and caring for her family of plants (mostly alive.)

Harold (Hal) Good, CPPO, has extensive experience in the successful development and utilization of cooperative procurement agreements during his more than 30 years of director-level experience in public procurement and is considered a subject matter expert. His career engagements include city and county government, an international airport, a convention center, and a major university hospital. He has served as national president for two public procurement organizations and is currently very active in social media networking and consulting. He has recently been a presenter at NIGP's National Forum, the California Association of Public Procurement (CAPPO) Conference, and CPORising in Boston . His published articles include, "How to Make Public Procurement More Strategic" (The Public Manager). Hal is a recipient if NIGP's Distinguished Service Award (2002) was inducted into the CPO Rising Hall of Fame (Class of 2016). He curates numerous procurement and contracting related social media groups and Twitter feeds including @Hal_Good on Twitter which has over 22,000 followers.

Sana brings 15+ years of experience in marketing, communications and community to Public Spend Forum. Her work has spanned government contracting, managing global risk at a Big 4 consulting firm and most recently, founding and being the creative director for her own startup. At PSF, Sana works to share the tremendous, impactful work being done by the team, and to strengthen the community of buyers and suppliers who use the GovShop platform to do their jobs better. Along with her work at PSF, Sana's passion project is her family's foundation to educate girls in the most impoverished regions of India. She is also a published children's book author, frequent blogger, mom to two boys and lover of freshly sharpened pencils.

Jack joined PSF in 2019 following his graduation from Dartmouth College where he was a double major in Government and Environmental Studies. As a Business Analyst, Jacks works with clients on market research, supplier identification, and general supply chain management. Outside of work, Jack is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys skiing, backpacking, surfing, hiking, fishing, kayaking, and learning more about conservation. Additionally, Jack is a certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT), a Leave No Trace (LNT) instructor, and an avid hockey fan.

Frank has 18 years of government and acquisition experience, having supported the Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight program as a Contracting Officer prior to spending four years as a curriculum developer and instructor at the Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy. In this role, Frank applied his subject matter expertise to develop and deliver high impact, practical application courses with a focus on interpreting and leveraging the Federal Acquisition Regulation for pragmatic and innovative contracting solutions. As an acquisition subject matter expert and instructional designer, Frank has developed and delivered technical courses on all phases of the acquisition lifecycle, the federal budget process, business writing, program management, and soft skill courses focused on customer service and the management of public spending.

Connor continues his work with PSF following his graduation with a Masters of Finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. Connor started as an intern at PSF in 2019 during his final semester at UMD while pursuing dual degrees in International Business & Finance with a minor in Spanish. As a Customer Success Associate, Connor's focus is on business adoption, engagement, and development of Public Spend Forum's flagship product, GovShop. Connor assists small and emerging technology companies, as well as large enterprise clients and consortiums, to navigate the government sector. Along with his work at PSF, Connor is the Portfolio Impact Analyst and helps run the Baltimore Angels. Connor's passion is traveling and volunteering around the world. Connor has spent time in both South America and Southeast Asia where he has taught English to school children, reforested acres of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forests, and built sustainable permaculture in the Amazon rainforest. Connor's newest side project is facilitating and operationalizing the foreign direct investment in Afro-Colombian communities, specifically women-owned co-ops, across Colombia.

Meghan rejoins PSF following her graduation from Christopher Newport University. Meghan’s focus on removing barriers and enhancing access to resources makes her a great addition to the GovShop Customer Success Team. When not creating positive customer experiences, you’ll find Meghan involved in volunteer work supporting women in need or listening to a new historical fiction audiobook!

Peter Smith is Director for Public Spend Forum in Europe and leads our work in that region. He is also Managing Editor of Spend Matters UK/ Europe and has been around procurement for 30 years as a manager, CPO and consultant. He was Procurement Director (CPO) for the UK's largest non-military government department in the 1990s, as well as holding that role in two major private sector firms, and was a non-executive director for two major public agencies. As a consultant he has advised government in the UK and more widely on procurement issues at the highest levels. He is a former President of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and is a regular speaker at conferences and workshops. His first book, "Buying Professional Services", co-authored with Fiona Czerniawska, was published in June 2010 by The Economist Books.

Jason Busch is the founder and Managing Director of Azul Partners (a media, publishing and advisory firm with ownership and management interest in a range of ventures). He started Azul Partners in 2004 after leaving FreeMarkets. The firm now controls the largest and most influential set of B2B, procurement and supply chain media and research resources online, reaching millions of readers and members each year through diverse properties including: Spend Matters, Spend Matters Plus/PRO, Spend Matters UK/Europe, Spend Matters Netherlands, MetalMiner, Public Spend Forum, Trade Financing Matters and Healthcare Matters.

Rob Handfield is the Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University, and Director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative. Handfield is considered a thought leader in the field of supply chain management, and is an industry expert in the field of strategic sourcing, supply market intelligence, and supplier development. Handfield has published more than 120 peer reviewed journal articles and is regularly quoted in global news media such as the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR, the Financial Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and CNN.

Joseph High is an accomplished C-suite executive with strategic and operational experience in several global Fortune 500 companies across diverse industries. He delivered outstanding results at corporate, group, subsidiary and plant levels in both Union and Non-union environments. Joseph excels at building and sustaining strong cultures and selecting and developing leaders and teams that meet expectations of demanding customers with excellence to drive company success and shareholder value. His talents are broad and deep. His executive experience in working closely with several corporate boards accelerated his knowledge of the board's role in company strategy, financial performance, governance, culture and executive succession. He received recognition for his role in leading CEO succession and strategies to reposition assets and cost structure to better serve customers and increase growth at Grainger, led the multiple billion dollar people integration of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum, was instrumental in Owens Corning exiting an asbestos-related bankruptcy with an investment grade credit rating and implemented high-performing manufacturing environments at Cummins Engine and Rockwell Automation. Joseph's background also includes consulting with profit and non-profit organizations. Mr. High currently serves on the executive committee and is co-chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School Board of Advisors and is a former Trustee and chairperson for the Nominations and Governance Committee for the University of Toledo. He is a member of The Executive Leadership Council and The Grand Boule Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He earned his master's degree from Central Michigan University and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With 30+ years’ experience in the corporate employee benefit industry, Mark has a proven record in consulting corporations. His core competencies include alignment of strategic and tactical objectives of Fortune 500 corporations to enhance their own future financial position with their total rewards plans and with their insurance carriers. Starting his 18th year in consulting, Mark has generated over $150 million in documented savings for large corporations and their employees relative to their plans. Hub International is the fifth largest insurance broker and largest privately held brokerage in the world with over 12,000 employees and offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. Mark was on the founding team and served as President of a large boutique broker in Chicago which was acquired by Hub International in late 2014. Mark has worked with many of the Fortune 500 companies over his consulting career including Accenture, W.W. Grainger, Gannett, HCR ManorCare, HSBC, ArcelorMittal, Presence Health, Tegna, United Airlines, Union Pacific Railroad and Reyes Holdings. Prior to his consulting career, Mark’s carrier background includes leading the Chicago sales operation of Unum and leading Prudential Financial’s Midwest operation. While on the carrier side of the industry, Mark worked with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council (MCHC) where he led the ancillary side of the account, working with over 70 hospitals in the Chicagoland area. Throughout his career, Mark’s experience also includes extensive training to the industry, product innovation and development specifically directed towards national account sized multinational companies. Mark was chosen to serve on the Board of Directors for Skills for Chicagoland’s Future (Skills) which is a private and public partnership with the City of Chicago and local employers including HUB International who is also a corporate sponsor of Skills. Mark serves as Co-Chair of the Development Committee and Co-Chair of the Employment Champions Breakfast, Skills’ annual fundraiser which has helped raise $2.5 million for Skills’ annual budget the last two years. Skills’ staff has provided training to help over 8,400+ unemployed and under-employed Chicagoland workers with job placement in their newly trained positions with Chicagoland employers over the last seven years. It was originally founded by former Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker.

Sam Kinney is an experienced entrepreneur, investor and innovator in business sector eCommerce. He was co-founder, EVP and director of late 90s business reverse auction innovator FreeMarkets, serving as acting CFO for its $214 million 1999 IPO. Over his FreeMarkets tenure, he was co-inventor on more than two dozen US patents for auction techniques to improve both the technical and economic performance of its auctions for Global 1000 procurement organizations. Also, during his tenure, Sam was a frequent presenter at industry and regulator conferences, at business schools, and as part of the US FTC’s hearings on B2B commerce. FreeMarkets became an important part of Ariba in 2004, and subsequently part of SAP. Sam was an early investor and advisor at Kiva Systems, developer of the warehouse automation platform that is now Amazon Robotics. He served as acting CFO and remains an advisor at Santa Monica based Happy Returns, and is an investor in Austin-based Pensa Systems. Sam holds BA and MBA degrees from Dartmouth College, served consulting stints with Booz-Allen and McKinsey, and was budget director for a tier-two defense contractor.

Shelly is a technology entrepreneur and CEO of Tech HIll Advisors. Shelly also combined her two passions, politics and technology, to launch Root Square, an innovative fundraising platform using gaming to enable political candidates and non-profits to raise funds across social media sites. Shelly has recently been appointed as Vice Chair of the Women in Public Service Project 50x50 Leadership Circle launched by Secretary Hillary Clinton, and is helping to develop women leaders in government and civic organizations on a global level.

Wendy is currently an independent consultant having retired from the United States Air Force as a Three-Star General. Prior to her retirement in July 2017, she was Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency (2014-2017) where she oversaw a $1.4 billion budget and 12,000 people around the world in oversight of 20,000 contractors performing 340,000 Defense and Federal contracts valued at $6 trillion. Her oversight included business system approvals, quality compliance, production capacity, delivery timeliness, and payment authorizations of $500 million each day across the spectrum of Defense technologies. During her 36-year career, Wendy also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (2011-2014), and Program Executive Officer for the Air Forces $30 billion Service Acquisition portfolio (2007-2011), and deployed to Iraq leading contracting support for military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan from July 2005-January 2016. Wendy’s medals and commendations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star. She is on the board of directors for KBR, Inc. and on the Board of Advisors for National Contract Management Association. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science degree in logistics management from the Air Force Institute of Technology, a Master of Science degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Managers in Government. Wendy is a 2017 Distinguished Alum of Texas Tech University, an Executive Mosaic Wash 100 Award winner in 2015 and 2016, and the 2014 Greater Washington Government Contractor “Public Sector Partner of the Year.”

Pierre Mitchell, Chief Research Officer and Managing Partner of Azul Partners, Inc., has 25 years of procurement and supply chain industry and consulting experience, and is a recognized procurement expert specializing in supply processes, practices, metrics, and enabling tools and services. He is a regular contributor to business publications, a frequent presenter at industry events around the world and counts himself fortunate to have served and interacted with so many CPOs and future CPOs.

Stephen P. Rodriguez is the founder of One Defense, an agile network of market leading, non-traditional technology companies, venture capital firms and research universities dedicated to scouting advanced software and hardware applications and enabling their transition into the Department of Defense (DOD). Mr. Rodriguez serves on the Board of CENSA, ClearChat, Coin.co, WarOnTheRocks, Public Spend Forum, GraySpace and Training Leaders International. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the National Defense University and New America Foundation. A Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations, he also serves on the Term Member Advisory Council and acts as the President of the Foreign Policy Initiative’s Leadership Council. He received his B.B.A degree from Texas A&M University and an M.A. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He has published numerous articles on innovation in the Department of Defense and his graduate thesis on conflict resolution in the Caucasus resulted in an invitation to join Secretary Robert Gates transition team in late 2006. Mr. Rodriguez resides in Washington D.C. with his wife, Laura, a venture capitalist with Bulldog Innovation Group and their son, Fletcher.

Dr. Tim Laseter teaches courses in operations strategy, innovation and emerging technology at Darden. He maintains his connections with practitioners by serving clients as a senior advisor, speaker, workshop facilitator, and expert witness. Prior to joining the Darden faculty in 2002, Laseter was a partner at Booz Allen & Hamilton, helping a wide variety of global businesses with operations strategy, supply chain management and strategic sourcing. Laseter is the author or co-author of four books, including Balanced Sourcing, Strategic Product Creation, The Portable MBA and Internet Retail Operations. He is also a contributing editor for strategy+business, which has featured nearly 50 of his articles over the past 25 years.

Alan B. Thomas, Jr. is the Chief Operating Officer at IntelliBridge and on the Advisory Board of Enlightenment Capital. Alan previously served as Commissioner of the U.S. General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service from June 2017 to October 2019. In this position he led 3,500 acquisition and technology professionals in the delivery of more than $60 billion of products, services, and solutions to save taxpayer dollars and enable federal agencies to accomplish their missions as efficiently as possible. He also served on two government-wide boards created in legislation, the Technology Modernization Fund and the Federal Acquisition Security Council. Prior to his role at GSA, Alan held positions in both industry and government, including as the Chief Operating Officer at Berico Technologies and as a Vice President at Data Networks Corporation. He also served in a number of roles within the federal government, including as a program manager for a portfolio of special access programs, service on the Department of Defense's Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, and as a Presidential Management Fellow on both the Army staff and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he earned the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence and the Vice President’s Hammer Award for innovation in public service. Alan holds a Master in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master in Public Affairs from the University of Texas’ LBJ School, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College.

Ulf Zetterberg is an entrepreneurial growth-oriented global leader with track record of building and scaling enterprise software businesses. Ulf Co-founded Seal Software 2010 together with Kevin Gidney (CTO). Seal created the contract analytics market. It was the first business to use an AI-powered platform to add intelligence, automation and visualization capabilities that augment and enhance the management and utilization of contract data. During his tenure as CEO Ulf oversaw the rapid growth of Seal from start-up to being the market leading provider. Seal Software was acquired by DocuSign May 2020. Today Ulf is an investor, advisor and board member to several business with a primary focus on software and data driven businesses. Prior to Seal, Ulf held senior executive roles with OpenText, Kazeon, EMC and ProAct. He has over 25 years of enterprise software and services experience in both corporate and entrepreneurial environments. He studied Economics at Stockholm University.