NCMA's Board of Directors

Megan Dake began her current role at Lockheed Martin in February 2025 as the Vice President of Corporate Contracts and Estimating. Megan’s experience spans multi-billion dollar budget management, change management, contract execution and policy development.

Prior to her current role, Megan served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement. In this position, she served as the Enterprise Head of Army Contracting leading over 9000 professionals in the execution of the contracting for weapons systems and critical services to support the warfighter. She led all aspects of Army contracting of new capability supporting modernization efforts to the life cycle management and sustainment of weapon systems. Additionally, she served as the Senior Services Manager and was responsible for the oversight of $60B in service acquisitions.

Megan has demonstrated expertise in strategic acquisition planning, program execution, and talent development. She has a proven record of building strong partnerships with internal stakeholders, Government and industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. She previously served as the Senior Contracting Official for the National Guard Bureau as well as the Marine Corps Systems Command. Megan also was in leadership roles at the Missile Defense Agency, Army Contracting Command and the Program Executive Office Soldier.

Megan’s exceptional service to the American people was recognized with the FY24 Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, a testament to her outstanding leadership and dedication. She holds a Master's degree in Contract Management as well as a Bachelor's degree in Business and Management. Megan is an active board member of the National Contract Management Association and has served as a Presidentially Appointed AbilityOne Commissioner.

Kraig Conrad joined NCMA as Chief Executive Officer in November 2018 to help the Board advance growth in service of members and the mission. He has more than 20 years of association leadership experience. Prior to NCMA, he served as CEO of Professional Risk Managers’ International Association, where he guided the PRMIA Board of Directors and its global network of more than 50,000 risk professionals. Prior to PRMIA, Kraig held many roles at the National Investor Relations Institute including Acting Co-Chief Executive Officer, Vice President for Programs and Development, and Vice President for Professional Development. He also has served as Research Lead for Strategy Practice at Corporate Executive Board, Director of Corporate Finance and Risk Management and Director of Strategic Alliances at the Association for Financial Professionals, Senior Consultant for Braun Consulting, and Financial Analyst for Credit Suisse. 

Kraig earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Southern California and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a Certified Association Executive and member of the American Society of Association Executives, and a Certified Treasury Professional and member of the Association for Financial Professionals. 

Clara Anderson, Director of Contracts at Amentum, is a strategic contracts leader with more than 20 years of experience across defense, federal civilian, commercial, and international programs. She oversees multiple business areas within the company and leads initiatives in contract strategy, compliance, and professional development. An NCMA Fellow, Anderson has served the association in numerous leadership roles, including chapter president and national committee leadership.

Timothy M. Applegate, is currently an AF civilian at a Major Command serving as the senior business and technical manager of all services acquisitions for major operations and maintenance programs, command Advisory and Assistance Services, and command strategic sourcing. Mr. Applegate retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force in June 2013 and has over 37 years of acquisition and contracting expertise. He is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certified in Contracting. He is currently a member of National Contract Management Association's (NCMA) Board of Directors and a previous member of the Board of Advisors and has served as President of the Dover Delaware Chapter. He earned the prestigious Certified Professional Contract Manager certification in 1995.

Wes Bennett is a former member of the Senior Executive Service and is currently the Vice President of Contracts at Booz Allen. He is an expert in acquisition and contract management with over 20 years’ experience in various contracting leadership roles within the government and private industry. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Legal Studies and a minor in Philosophy and later earned a master's degree from Bellevue University in Acquisition and Contract Management. He has also completed the Federal Executive Institute's Leadership in a Democratic Society program, which prepares leaders for public service.

He has served in various roles in the Department of Defense, including the Senior Procurement Executive at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he received the Distinguished Civilian Award. He has also been awarded the Presidential Rank, Meritorious Executive Award, and several military medals for his contributions to national defense and the global war on terror. In addition to his professional achievements, Wes Bennett is an active member of the National Contract Management Association, where he previously served on the Board of Advisors and is currently serving on the Board of Directors. He is also an advocate for his local community coaching for various youth sports teams, such as wrestling, field hockey, and lacrosse.

Phillip W. Christy serves as Chief Acquisition Officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he advises the Secretary on acquisition strategy and leads a workforce of more than 17,000 acquisition professionals managing an annual procurement budget of approximately $75 billion. A retired Army officer and decorated combat veteran, Christy is also a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive.

William J. Innes, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Department of the Air Force Senior Services Manager and Program Executive Officer for Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C. He provides leadership in the acquisition of Air and Space Force services and is responsible for a portfolio of more than $231 billion in existing and planned acquisitions. As senior advisor to the Service Acquisition Executives on all services acquisition matters, he provides oversight for acquisition planning, competitive selection processes and performance-based efforts, and ensures deployment of proper management controls for services acquisitions.

Prior to his current role, he held a variety of positions across the Department of Defense including Combatant Command roles with USSOCOM and USTRANSCOM, a 12 month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Senior Analyst for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and engineering and program management positions supporting the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps including C-130, C-17, F-22, V-22, and spanning the range of acquisition in support of theater and national Special Operations Forces.

Karla Smith Jackson is vice president of Contracts of BAE Systems, Inc. Space & Mission Systems sector. In this role, Jackson is responsible for leading all domestic and international contracts, and business agreements.

Most recently, Jackson was the senior procurement executive, deputy chief acquisition officer and assistant administrator for the Office of Procurement at NASA. In this role, she provided senior executive leadership and oversight of NASA’s procurement functions, policy and initiatives to an acquisition workforce of over 4,300 personnel. While at NASA, she also served on the Federal Acquisition Institute Board of Directors and on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council. As a member of the FAR Council, she was one of only three signatory authorities that could execute procurement policies and procedures on behalf of the United States Federal Government.

Prior to NASA, Jackson served as the acting director for acquisition at the Missile Defense Agency. As the senior advisor and authority on all aspects of acquisition, contract planning, and management, she provided guidance and oversight to programs that successfully integrated a single missile defense system into a layered missile defense capability. Jackson serves on the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Board of Directors, the world’s leading association in the field of contract management, where she shares responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the organization, ensuring its financial stability, and overseeing the development and delivery of member services and educational programs.

Jackson has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Professional Services Council and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Public Sector Partner of the Year Award, 2023 Presidential Rank Award, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, and the OSD Medal for Humanitarian Civilian Service. She was also recognized as one of Washington Exec’s Top Contract Execs to Watch in 2023.

Jackson received a B.S. from Hampton University and an M.S. in contract and acquisition management from the Florida Institute of Technology. She also holds an M.S. in national resource strategy with a concentration in acquisition from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (Defense Acquisition University).

Jessica Grant Johnson, Director, Contracts & Proposals at Umbra Lab, Inc., has experience spanning over 15 years across defense, intelligence, technology, manufacturing, and commercial industries, small businesses and tech start-ups.

Known for her passion for tackling unique business challenges, Jessica is dedicated to supporting fellow professionals in their career journeys. She actively engages in educational initiatives, industry collaboration opportunities, and candid conversations to foster growth in the field. Jessica's contributions have been recognized through several prestigious awards, including the NCMA Advancing Professionals Award (formerly Top 40 under 40 award) and the NCMA Fellow Award.

A lifelong learner and former instructor for CFCM and CPCM exam preparation courses, Jessica holds both CFCM and CPCM certifications. She is a graduate of the Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP), a frequent CMLDP career mentor, and is a past President of NCMA's Dulles Corridor Chapter. Jessica is a proud graduate of Howard University (BBA, Marketing) and Virginia Tech (MBA, Organizational Leadership).

As Integral Federal's Chief Financial Officer, Manuel Mendez leads business operations, supporting strategic direction and growth. He manages financial planning, reporting, compliance, mergers, acquisitions, auditing, program finance, contracts, IT, quality, and pricing. Previously, he served as VP of Financial Planning and Analysis at PAE, facilitating its divestiture, IPO, acquisitions, and sale to private equity. With senior financial roles at Engility and Harris Corporation, Mendez brings extensive experience. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

Michelle Miller is an expert in Government procurement policy. She currently serves as the Director for Contract Policy in the Office of the Principal Director, Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP), within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In this capacity, she oversees the development of new, innovative acquisition guidance and policies, and ensures the currency of existing policy to support a responsive acquisition system in support of warfighter mission needs. Michelle previously served as the Director of Procurement Policy in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Procurement). Throughout her career, Michelle has served in various roles within the Department of Defense, including procurement analyst, contracting officer, and contract specialist. Michelle holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Government Procurement from George Washington University Law school; a Juris Doctor (JD) from University of Georgia School of Law; a Masters in Teaching, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Science from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kameke Mitchell, Chief Strategy Officer at MetroStar, is a strategic executive with more than 20 years of experience leading complex, multi-billion-dollar defense and federal programs at the intersection of acquisition, innovation, and national security. At MetroStar, she shapes enterprise strategy and market positioning to drive growth, strengthen mission impact, and align the company’s human-centered, technology-driven solutions with evolving defense and intelligence priorities. Before joining MetroStar, Mitchell held senior leadership roles across NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and the U.S. Air Force. As NASA’s Director of Procurement Strategic Operations and Head of Contracting Activity, she managed a $23 billion procurement portfolio and guided enterprise acquisition modernization. At the U.S. Space Force, she established the Commercial Space Office and built rapid acquisition frameworks that enhanced national space resilience. Earlier in her career, Mitchell served within the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Defense Pricing and Contracting directorate, as a U.S. Senate fellow, and as a contracting leader for the Air Force’s F-16 Program Office, managing international portfolios exceeding $15 billion. Mitchell holds an MBA in Marketing from Troy University, dual Bachelor’s degrees from Auburn University, and a Master’s Certificate in Legislative Affairs from Georgetown University.

Natalie R. Riedel, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of Contracting, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB), California. She serves as the Head of Contracting Activity for all U.S. Space Force Field Commands and advises six Program Executive Officers on acquisition strategy, contract execution, and contracting policy and procedures. Ms. Riedel is responsible for more than 2,570 contracts valued at $81 billion and the career development and training for more than 250 military and civilian contracting professionals.

Ms. Riedel began her Air Force career in May 2003 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. During her four-year Air Force career, she was responsible for a broad range of contracting activities including negotiating and administering multi-million dollar efforts, interpreting acquisition policy and regulations governing DoD procurements, and advising the program manager on key decisions by translating complex requirements into executable and sustainable contracting strategies.

She separated from active duty with the rank of Captain in 2007 and continued working for Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) as a support contractor with MCR Federal. She began her career in civil service in 2011 as the Contracting Officer in Charge of the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) Source Selection in the Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) Directorate at LAAFB. She then moved to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program where she was the Contracting Officer responsible for a suite of contracts valued at over $10B.

Following her time in MILSATCOM, Natalie was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Contracting for the Space Superiority Systems Directorate. She was then promoted to serve as the Chief of Contracting Office (COCO), Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), Washington D.C. In this position, she managed four Divisions and was responsible for a diverse portfolio of contracts including multiple ACAT equivalent programs. She has held an unlimited warrant as a Procurement Contracting Officer since 2011. She also holds an Acquisition Professional Development Program Level III Contracting Management certification and Level I Program Management certification.

MaryKathryn S. Robinson, a Senior Executive Service leader, serves as Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting for Headquarters U.S. Air Force, overseeing policy, workforce development, and acquisition support for global missions. She previously led contract policy for the Department of Defense and managed major services portfolios. Her career spans multiple federal agencies, supporting defense, civilian, and contingency contracting operations throughout her distinguished career.

John Roman is the Vice President of Contracts, Procurement and Pricing at ECS Federal, LLC, where he is responsible for leadership of each of these teams for the company. Mr. Roman has 33 years of experience working in both the government and commercial contract sectors.

Previously, Mr. Roman was the Senior Director of Contracts, Procurement & Pricing for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Defense and Federal Solutions (HII-DFS) Group. In this role he was responsible for the contracts, subcontracts, procurement, pricing, security, facilities, and quality assurance functions of HII-MDIS. Mr. Roman also spent time as a Vice President of Contracts at the Logistics Management Institute (LMI), The Cadmus Group and SAIC where he led a combination of contracts, procurement and pricing departments. Mr. Roman also served as part of the contracts team at both DynCorp EENSP and the Marasco Newton Group.

Mr. Roman has presented “The Contractor View of the Acquisition Process” for the Defense Acquisition University on multiple occasions and has been a presenter at several National Contract Management Association (NCMA) World Congress events. Mr. Roman has participated at several Reverse Industry Day events with the Professional Services Council (PSC) and was awarded the PSC Leadership Award in 2017. Mr. Roman also published an article in CIOReview Magazine on The Decision for Enterprise Contract Management in a GovCon World.

Mr. Roman is a member of the National Contract Management Association, serves on its national Board of Advisors, is the past President of the NCMA NOVA Chapter and maintains both the Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) and Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) certifications. Mr. Roman is an active participant with the Professional Services Council on both their Annual Conference Planning Committee and their Contracting Working Group. He completed a B.A. in Financial Management from The Catholic University of America.

Eugene Scott has more than 30 years of contracting experience leading commercial and government organizations through the complexities of contracting and investment decision-making. Over the last ten years Eugene has led government acquisition policy and oversight organizations. Eugene has been an active member of the acquisition and contracting community having served as a member of the Board of Contract Appeals Bar Association’s (BCABA) Case Digest editorial board, the NCMA Governance and Ethics National Committee and instructing various contracting courses for NCMA. Eugene has also served as an NCMA local Chapter President, is an NCMA fellow, Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and member of the Maryland Bar.