ServiceNow Series E155: Gino Sferra, Managing Director of Platforms at Accenture Federal Services

Today's guest is Gregg Aldana, Global Area Vice President, Creator Workflows Specialist Solution Consulting at ServiceNow. Based in Virginia, Gregg leads ServiceNow’s Global Creator Workflows Specialist Solution Consulting organization where his teams work with customers across many different countries and cultures in various industries in kick-starting their digital transformation journeys by innovating and solutioning with ServiceNow’s low-code App Engine development platform. Gregg is a proven software industry thought leader and a true business and technology maverick that takes an independent and sometimes unorthodox stand against prevailing modes of thought and action. His authentic and unique approach to leading effective organizational change to successfully execute technology initiatives have helped countless businesses and governments drive significant transformation over the past 25 years. In this episode, Gregg talks about: His leadership experience in software pre-sales & solution consulting, How Generative AI investment drives business transformation & competitive advantage, ServiceNow’s role in accelerating workflows and monitoring ROI in real time, How Generative AI transforms legacy modernization, Why this is vital for companies to innovate and modernize effectively

Today's guest is Vikhyat Chaudhry, Co-Founder, COO and CTO at Buzz Solutions. Founded in 2017, Buzz Solutions are on a mission to Safeguard The World’s Energy Infrastructure. They are delivering the most accurate AI and predictive analytics software to power more efficient visual inspections for transmission, distribution and substation infrastructure. They want to solve the biggest problem in utility operation harm reduction by proactively identifying and fixing hazards before they put people and physical assets at risk.  Buzz Solutions' AI-powered analytics platform enables field teams to prioritize and perform maintenance promptly, reducing the likelihood of wildfires, forced shutdowns and power outages resulting from failed grid infrastructure. They also enable operations to monitor substation infrastructure for security, safety, and high-energy events. To do this, they created the most accurate AI for efficient and effective infrastructure inspections. They aim to make this AI data available to as many energy companies as possible.  In today's episode, Vikhyat discusses: His background and journey to Buzz Solutions, Launching Power AI to streamline power grid inspection and maintenance, Automating power grid inspection with computer vision to enhance reliability, Utilizing Generative AI to refine power grid anomaly detection models, Growing the team, emphasizing accuracy and diverse expertise, Their global expansion with a focus on scaling and hiring diverse talent, Bridging tech with energy challenges, fostering innovation and growth

Today's guest is Paul Webb, Global ServiceNow Practice Leader at EY. Based in San Francisco, Paul is responsible for EY's services and solutions that leverage the platform for both IT and the Enterprise. He brings three decades of experience in IT strategy, organizational alignment, application development, systems implementation, operating model transformation and IT infrastructure management, cost optimization and benchmarking to his work. Paul has helped Fortune 1000 companies derive added value from information technology and has deep experience working in diverse industries ranging from high technology, aerospace & defense, automotive, healthcare and financial services. His strategic guidance has encompassed IT centralization, M&A integration, strategic sourcing, offshore/near shore product development, data center consolidation/rationalization, acquisition integration and business/IT alignment. In this episode, Paul talks about: His background in Digital Transformation & growing multimillion-dollar businesses, Navigating EY's decentralized structure, fostering collaboration and driving strategy, Having mutual concern & emphasizing building relationships, Their focus on Responsible AI and operational technology growth, How servant leadership fosters team loyalty and success, Why managing up and effective communication is crucial, Focus on AI, risk management, cybersecurity and consumer-grade experience

Today's guest is Joe McMahon, Senior Director of Special Programs at Iron EagleX. Founded in 2018, Iron EagleX is a rapidly growing small business consisting of people out of uniform who have a passion for supporting people in uniform. They are committed to “excellence in execution” and to providing mission-focused, high-quality big data and cyber solutions along with on-the-ground mission support. This ensures that their customers can make the right decisions and take the right actions at the right time rapidly and consistently. Joe is a highly experienced Technology Executive with expertise driving business innovation and transformation for strategic and sustainable growth. He fosters exemplary partnerships with clients and customers at all levels, serving as subject matter expert and liaison across technical and non-technical audiences. Joe helps bridge the gap between technical capabilities and business imperatives, offering a decisive perspective that enhances corporate performance and ensures the integration of seamless, secure and dependable technologies. In today's episode, Joe discusses: His background and the mission of Iron EagleX, His role to oversee multiple programs, manage operations & set technical direction, Five steps to breaking down industry hype around big data, Iron EagleX’s approach from prototype evaluations and specialized pod teams, An insight into how the team are utilizing innovative AI/ML solutions, Why Iron EagleX is a great place to work

Today's guest is Ulrik Christensen, ServiceNow Lead at Gavdi Group in Copenhagen. Founded in 1999, the Gavdi Group is an employee-owned company with a proud heritage and an outstanding reputation for delivering award-winning SAP workforce management solutions built around human experience management. Gavdi has built an enviable reputation amongst peers and SAP of providing an unrivalled depth of reliability, trust and partnership with all their customers in both private and public sectors. Ulrik is passionate about helping organizations create business value and great workplaces enabled by HR technology. He has more than 15 years of experience in designing and implementing technology in complex, international organizations. Ulrik's key skills lie in HR Transformation, HR Technology, Selecting and Implementing HCM-solutions with extensive experience in all market leading HCM suites, including Workday, ServiceNow HR and SuccessFactors. In this episode, Ulrik will discuss: An overview of his 20 years of expertise in HR Transformation, How ServiceNow addresses cloud fatigue, integrates HR processes & offers customization solutions, How Gavdi transform onboarding & enhances the employee experience, Exciting trends in HR tech evolution, innovation and client-focused sustainability

Today's guests are James Fiorendino, Senior Research Data Scientist and Sadie O’Neill, Deputy Director of Data Science at Two Six Technologies. Founded in 2021, Two Six Technologies build, deploy and implement innovative products that solve the world’s most complex challenges today. Through unrivaled collaboration and unwavering trust, they push the boundaries of what’s possible to empower their team and support their customers in building a safer global future. Through private R&D, relentless innovation and deep technical expertise in cyber, information operations, data science, electronic systems, mobility, and user experience, Two Six Technologies serve customers that include DARPA, the Department of State, U.S. Cyber Command, the Department of Homeland Security and beyond. Their leaders bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in data science, cybersecurity, R&D and more, which enables them to provide effective solutions that help clients around the world meet their mission needs. In today's episode, Sadie and James talk about: Their non-traditional journeys to joining Two Six Technologies, An overview of their next-gen security platform and diverse products, The day-to-day life of the Data Science team, Excitement for their "Discover Next" platform leveraging large language models, Valuing diverse backgrounds, problem-solving and skill development, What makes Two Six Technologies a great place to work

Today's guest is Gino Sferra, Managing Director of Platforms at Accenture Federal Services. Headquartered in Virginia, Accenture Federal Services believe nothing matters more than helping the federal government do the extraordinary things it takes to make the nation stronger, safer and life better for everyone. They bring the most advanced R&D, the latest technologies, and human-centered design together with the power and commercial innovation of Accenture’s global network to the federal government. With more than 10 years of experience running complex, large-scale Platforms implementations for federal agencies, Gino has helped government C-suite executives maximize their investments in SaaS products. As MD for their Platforms work at the AFS Energy account, he supports pre-sales, sales, project mobilization and delivery oversight, as well as advocateing for developing and empowering their people. Gino provides solution advisory support to government clients, aiming to be their partner of choice to guide them on their Digital Transformation journey. In this episode, Gino will discuss: His journey to leading the ServiceNow federal business at Accenture, How Accenture leverages ServiceNow beyond IT, transforming federal processes, AFS’s focus on ERP modernization with ServiceNow integration, Prioritizing generative AI, cybersecurity and governance for ServiceNow, Seeking diverse talent passionate about mission-driven work

Today's guest is Mark Brady, Deputy Chief Data Officer for TRMC (Test Resource Management Center) at KBR. KBR partner with government and industry clients to provide purposeful and comprehensive solutions with an emphasis on efficiency and safety. With a full portfolio of services, proprietary technologies and expertise, KBR's employees are ready to handle projects and missions from planning and design to sustainability and maintenance. Whether at the bottom of the ocean or in outer space, their clients trust them to deliver the impossible on a daily basis. Mark works as the Deputy Chief Data Officer of the Test Resource Management Center at KBR, which provides testing and evaluation capabilities to develop, acquire, field and sustain reliable and effective weapons systems to meet current and future needs of the warfighter. In previous roles with the US Space Force, Air Force Space Command, Department of Justice and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Mark established the first data management programs and data policies for all four organizations. In today's episode, Mark talks about: His fascinating background and journey to KBR, Advocating next-gen data management to tackle low Data Science maturity, Why Data as a pipeline is vital for Next Generation data management, Addressing AI safety concerns with six laws, Building diverse data teams by prioritizing skills and training, Key skills needed to excel in the data world

Today's guest is Shannon Chapman, Director of IT Service Delivery at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Founded in 1966, Norwegian Cruise Line has been the premier innovator in the cruise line industry for nearly 60 years. They were the first to eliminate set dining times and provide guests with the freedom to cruise on their timetable to over 450 incredible destinations around the world. In the coming years, Norwegian’s commitment to innovation will continue to raise the bar for the cruise industry. Shannon leads their ServiceNow team to enable delivery of IT Services to end-users. She partners with business owners and IT service owners to implement automation and achieve overall labor cost-savings, along with improving the user experience. Shannon and her team manages the end-to-end development lifecycle and leads the creation, implementation and streamlining of IT Service Management processes. She also leads delivery of ServiceNow development along with overall platform manageability including upgrades. In this episode, Shannon will discuss: Her background and ServiceNow journey to date, Her current work in prioritizing ServiceNow enhancements for NCLH, Boosting ServiceNow adoption with personalized work anniversary celebrations, Enhancing the workplace experience by streamlining hardware asset management for efficiency, Automating credit card merchant tracking to significantly reduce processing time, How the automated test framework cuts testing time & streamlines ServiceNow upgrades, Her key advice for a successful platform implementation

Today's guest is Nilanjan Chakravorty, Chief Data Officer at EmpiRx Health. Founded in 2014, EmpiRx Health is on a mission to build and grow a highly elastic and resilient value-based healthcare company. Their mission is a ‘bend don’t break’ mindset with one purpose―giving people the greatest access to great care and saving healthcare dollars along the way. EmpiRx Health are champions of health equity and take seriously the imperative to address disparities through compassionate, culturally competent care. An entrepreneurial and result-oriented leader, Nilanjan is responsible for leading all aspects of technology architecture and delivery at EmpiRx Health, including the enablement of a cloud-native digital footprint. He brings a security-first mindset to the company and an excellent track record of delivering solutions across a wide spectrum of technologies, including systems integration, process automation, information management and cloud-based digital transformations. In today's episode, Nilanjan will talk about: His varied IT journey from finance to healthcare, EmpiRx Health’s efficient pharmacy benefits with a member-centric focus, Use cases on how they use ML and Data Science to impact the sector, An insight into the life of the data team, Innovating in pharmacogenomics and prioritizing value-driven success, What makes EmpiRx Health a great place to work