ACT-IAC Partners Program Announces Graduating Class, Accepting New Applications for 2012

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) today announced the successful completion of the Partners Program by the 15th graduating class in program history. The latest class of graduates completed the program at the organization's 2011 Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) on Oct. 24, 2011, in Williamsburg, VA.

“We are thrilled to congratulate the 15th graduating class in ACT-IAC Partners Program history,” said John Nyce, 2011 Partners Program government chairman. "This class, like those before it, cherished the opportunity to learn from their peers about what it means to ‘walk in each other's shoes' and how better government and industry collaboration is critical to improve citizen services.”

The ACT-IAC Partners Program is an executive leadership development program that pairs 16 government and 16 industry professionals for a nine-month period, to help prepare them for their future roles at the Senior Executive Service (SES) and company officer levels. The program is the only program of its kind that allows for a direct partnership between government and industry professionals. Graduates of the program enhance their abilities to make critical decisions in the information technology arena and to be more effective leaders.

2011 Government Partners Program graduates are:

• Prem Aburvasamy, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security
• Peter Burr, GSA - FEDSIM
• Charlene Cameron, Patent and Trademark Office
• David Curtis, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Loraine Dawkins, Department of the Interior
• Don Johnson, Department of Defense
• Shawn Kingsberry, Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board
• Caterina Lasome, National Cancer Institute
• Karen Maher, Environmental Protection Agency
• Celeste Matthews, Department of Veteran Affairs
• Thomas Miglin, NASA
• Michael Nelson, Department of State
• Juliette Sheppard, Library of Congress
• Cynthia Stowe, GSA - ITS
• Ron Thompson, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury
• Guy Torres, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security

2011 Industry Partners Program graduates are:

• Mario Bazan, ICF International
• Ann Marie Bryant, Beacon Associates, Inc.
• John Bush, Hitachi Consulting
• Tammy Calder, Keane Federal Systems, Inc.
• Brian Cole, OST Global
• Atacan Donmez, Converge Networks Corporation
• Steve Furman, Robbins-Gioia, LLC
• Christie Harris, CSC
• Everett Johnson, E3 Federal Solutions, LLC
• Willie Nelson, Pragmatics
• Kim Thoa Nguyen, CGI
• Laura Osburnsen, Unisys
• Michelle Smith, B3 Solutions
• Sherri Thomas, IBM Corporation
• Herbert Watson, ASI Government

ACT-IAC also announced the opening of the application process for the 2012 Partners Program. 2012 Partners Program participants are nominated for the highly competitive program by their respective agency or company, which also must sponsor the participants. Prospective participants must complete and submit an application. Each application is reviewed and evaluated by a panel of senior government and industry executives on their individual professional leadership accomplishments and their potential for future advancement within their organization.

“The experiences gained, along with the relationships forged at the ACT-IAC Partners Program, transcend those of standard professional development programs,” Sherry Weir, 2012 Partner's Program industry chairwoman. "We look forward to ushering in the new class of government and industry ‘rising stars' who are eager to take the next step in their federal technology careers.”

After successful completion of this foundational program, individuals continue their executive development in the highly regarded community of ACT-IAC Fellows, a trusted, collaborative network made up of more than 500 government and industry executives.

The application deadline for the 2012 Partners Program is December 22 at 5:00 p.m. For more information on the ACT-IAC Partners Program, and to apply for the 2012 class, please visit: www.actgov.org/education/partners.

About ACT-IAC – Advancing Government Through Collaboration, Education and Action

ACT-IAC is recognized as the premier government IT community's public-private partnership and is an example of how government and industry work together. We are a non-profit educational organization created to advance government in serving the public through the effective application of IT resources. Our education, training, programming and collaboration opportunities enhance and advance the government IT profession. ACT-IAC's objective, vendor and technology-neutral, and ethical forum allows government and industry to collaborate and improve government through technology.

Learn more about our organization and how to become a member at www.actgov.org or call (703) 208-4800.