Leading the Future: Delivering Tomorrow’s Defense Network Today. Part 6.

Mike Leff is Vice President of AT&T Public Sector Solutions Defense business leading a highly skilled team that delivers global information and communication technology solutions that is focused on network transformation and modernization, cloud, IoT, and advanced cyber capabilities.

Over the course of Mike’s career, he has held several leadership positions. Most recently at AT&T, he led Strategy and Operations for AT&T’s Global Public Sector business, and prior, He led the Civilian business delivering network-enabled, mobile, cybersecurity, cloud computing and IPbased services to federal civilian agencies.

Before joining AT&T, Leff served as Managing Director for the Federal Health Business at Accenture, leading the development and implementation of the company’s federal health strategy across the defense and civilian sectors. He also worked at Lockheed Martin serving as Director for the company’s Enterprise Solutions business where he provided the full spectrum of mission and information technology services to the Federal Government and served as Chief Technology Officer for the Health and Human Services line of business.

Mr. Leff is the recipient of numerous company, industry, and government awards to include the Federal 100. He is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Project Management Institute, and the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium. Leff serves on the Advisory Board of Loyola University’s Sellinger School of Business and the, Baltimore Economic and Workforce Development council.

He holds an M.S., Applied Information Technology, from Towson University and a B.S., Electrical Engineering and Mathematics, from Bucknell University.

Chris Smith brings 20 plus years of government and technical experience and a strong background in cloud, mobility, and security to Business Solutions - Global Public Sector where he leads a growing team of 200 plus technologists charged with developing AT&T products and services to meet the unique needs of the federal marketplace.

Prior to his current leadership role at AT&T, Mr. Smith was the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer with Accenture Federal Services. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing the technology agenda for Accenture’s federal business portfolio and overseeing the services provided by Accenture to federal clients in strategic areas such as secure cloud computing, big data, logistics and supply chain and cost reduction.

Previously, Mr. Smith served as the Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Agriculture where he led one of the largest federal government transitions to cloud computing. His federal government experience also includes senior positions with the General Services Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.

During his military service, Smith led multiple missions around the globe as a Joint Tactical Communications Officer in the Air Force, Air National Guard and Army National Guard. Now retired, he also served as a communications officer in the Reserve Air Force.

Mr. Smith has also served as a co-chair of the Best Practices Committee for the Federal CIO Council and government chair of the American Council for Technology/Industry Advisory Council’s Executive Leadership Conference. In 2011, Smith was named Federal CIO of the Year by Government Executive magazine. Federal Computer Week magazine selected him as a Federal 100 honoree in 2011 and 2012. Also in 2012, he was named a premier 100 honoree by Computer World magazine.

Mr. Smith received his B.A. and M.P.A. from the University of South Florida and also holds a master’s degree in Management Information Systems from George Washington University. Chris currently serves on TechAmerica’s Public Sector Board of Directors.

Jason Miller is an executive editor and reporter with Federal News Network. As executive editor, Jason helps direct the news coverage of the station and works with reporters to ensure a broad range of coverage of federal technology, procurement, finance and human resource news.As a reporter, Jason focuses mainly on technology and procurement issues, including cybersecurity, e-government and acquisition policies and programs.