Making Outcome Driven Government a Reality
GCOM is led by government innovators who recognized a need in the market for a new way of doing things. We’re a diverse team of former public servants, mission-oriented technologists, and industry thought leaders. With decades of experience supporting state and local government, we’re skilled at spotting – and surmounting – the innovation roadblocks our customers face.
Instead accepting the way things have always been done, we’re determined to find creative solutions. We ask tough questions, and we relentlessly pursue what’s best for our customers and the residents they serve.
The Leaders in Outcome Driven Government
Historically, government performance has been measured by inputs – cases processed, user volume, transactions – and success has meant being close to on-time and on-budget. But on-time and on-budget doesn’t mean on-value, and community outcomes are often left behind.
To become truly outcome-driven, government needs a new kind of partner, one that recognizes that the goal of innovation is more than “better, cheaper, faster.” As an outcome-driven firm, GCOM understands that the value of technology is defined by its human impact, and that every technology modernization effort should begin and end with a single-minded focus on community outcomes.
We’re not just an IT company, we’re an outcomes company.
Executive Leadership
Chief Executive Officer
Kamal brings more than 30 years of global technology and operating experience with multibillion-dollar enterprises across both the public and private sectors in CEO (Chief Executive Officer), CIO (Chief Information Officer), CTO (Chief Technology Officer), and CDO (Chief Digital Officer) roles. Most recently, he served as the Chief Technology Officer of Inversora Agroindustrial Global, leading technology strategy, architecture and operations as well as global private and venture capital technology investments. He has also spent a significant portion of his career in New York City under the administration of multiple Mayors, including as the first Chief Information Officer of the City’s Health and Human Services domain, comprised of several agencies focusing on social services, criminal justice and health.
Kamal Bherwani
Chief Executive Officer
Jodi Huston
Chief People Officer & Administrator
Jodi Huston is an accomplished Vice President with 18 years of success in the transportation, professional consulting, and public-sector industries. She leverages extensive experience in strategic planning, organizational development, and building high-performing teams to drive growth, coupled with a strong understanding of the challenges that can prevent a company from achieving its mission. She has a proven record of managing government contracts and advising with companies of all sizes to guide change management and scaling strategies. Her broad areas of expertise include IT, PaaS, SaaS, cyber security, turnaround/restructuring, business development, and strategic relationships.
Jodi has been in senior leadership and executive positions since 2011. She has led multi-faceted teams in various portfolio leadership roles, serving as the Vice President of Consulting Services where she oversaw 60% of a $50M company that covered 20 federal agencies across IT consulting, cybersecurity, and application delivery. She led her business unit to exceed revenue target by 13% in 2015, driving 11% growth in a distinctly slow-moving Federal market. After assisting in a highly successful acquisition of her previous company, Jodi is now leading the growth and delivery in a new small business as a Vice President at Savan Group.
Prior to these roles, Jodi’s career focused on unifying visions and driving business growth. She implemented risk management programs and cost avoidance strategies by providing exceptional client engagement, attentive project management, accurate financial tracking, and timely contract/subcontract oversight. She is extremely adept at communicating with a wide range of perspectives and authority levels in order to align to a corporate vision, standardize initiatives, build critical processes, and implement new growth strategies.
Jodi has served as an advisory board member of the Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia, ensuring their mission is being successfully carried out through volunteering and scholarships. This non-profit organization has empowered over 50,000 confident young women by positively impacting their health and well-being. She is also served as an advisor to the McLean Bible Church IT Roundtable. In 2015, she was a finalist for the Women in Technology award, a prestigious leadership award for professional women in the Washington, D.C. area. This award recognizes female leaders in the technology field who bring a unique vision to the industry.
Jodi holds a B.A. in International Affairs and International Economics from George Washington University. She also holds a Business Strategy Certificate from Booz Allen Hamilton.
Jodi Huston
Chief People and Administrative Officer
Michael Stavrianos, PMP
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Mike Stavrianos joined GCOM in 2021 through the acquisition of ASR Analytics, a firm that he co-founded in 2004 with Dr. Peter Arena. Mike has more than 30 years of professional experience in the fields of data science, policy analysis, and project management – including specialized expertise in the use of analytic methods and models to provide decision support for government clients.
Throughout his career, Mike has served as a technical expert on a broad range of analytic consulting engagements with Federal government clients, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Treasury, and others. He is a recognized expert in the field of tax analytics and is a frequent speaker at industry events and tax research conferences. Mike’s recent work has focused on leading a portfolio of data science initiatives for the Internal Revenue Service, aimed at identifying and preventing tax fraud, enabling voluntary tax compliance, and delivering high-quality service to America’s taxpayers.
Mike has been a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2004. He holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Statistics and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis.
Michael Stavrianos, PMP
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Nurali Jamani
Chief Growth Officer
Nurali Jamani
Chief Growth Officer
Chief Strategy Officer
Dr. Peter Arena has nearly 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, providing expertise in AI and ML models, survey research, statistical sampling, data management, and applied econometric modeling. Dr. Arena has a proven track record in the areas of AI/ML, data analysis, data mining, business intelligence, and project management, using extremely large complex data sets (structured and unstructured). These initiatives have stopped billions of dollars of tax fraud and collected hundreds of millions of dollars in compliance models. He is proficient and a recognized expert in using AI/ML to draw conclusions and effectively communicate and visualize findings with both technical and non-technical team members and stakeholders. He is regularly asked to speak at conferences and panels on the topic of analytics with emphasis on the application of AI/ML to solve tax administration problems. He has held a leadership position for over 25 years. His most recent projects with GCOM have included serving as a Project Executive for the Fraud Detection and Prevention solution and RevHub Remote Seller Module implementation for ADOR. Dr. Arena is also the Project Executive for the CA FTB ITS Modernization effort with direct oversight of a team of 20 data scientists and business intelligence professionals where he defines the Business Intelligence and Reporting Roadmap. He has also served as a SME for the implementation of fraud prevention and compliance solutions for MoDOR, NE Department of Revenue, and MD COM. Dr. Arena has additionally worked for the US Department of Labor and the IRS to provide business intelligence design, statistical predictive modeling, and advanced analytical methodologies using technology platforms that include RevHub, SAP/Business Objects, Cognos, SSRS, SAS, Tableau, and Qlik. In these many roles over the last 20 years, he managed the requirements from users of various departments within tax and educated users on platform capabilities, enhancements, and alternative scenarios. Dr. Arena has extensive experience developing and deploying AI/ML models into enterprise software including RevHub.
Peter Arena, PhD
Chief Strategy Officer
Rahul Puri
Chief Product Officer
Rahul has worked with organizations around the globe to lead innovations in technology strategy, digital transformation, and product management. He has more than 20 years’ experience spanning the public sector, health care, and media. As the former Chief Software Architect for the City of New York’s Health and Human Services, Puri architected and implemented systems that helped redefine the use of technology and data in health and human services agencies in New York City. During his time in Northrop Grumman as a lead architect, Puri led the effort to build a Fraud Waste and Abuse platform and team to win the FPS 2.0 contract at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. Overseas, Puri spent four years in Madrid as the Director of Digital Innovation for Grupo Prisa, the world’s largest Spanish-speaking media company. More recently, as the Chief Technology Officer of Magine (a digital streaming media company based in Stockholm), Puri was responsible for the architecture, buildout, and operations of Magine’s global platform. As Chief Product Officer, Puri will be responsible for ensuring that GCOM’s product portfolio meets customer and market demands. He will work closely with all of the GCOM teams to build business cases, roadmaps, go to market strategies, and platforms that enable GCOM’s customers to be successful.
Rahul Puri
Chief Product Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Rich Harkey joins GCOM with over 20 years of experience leading various professional services providers. Most recently, Rich was the CFO of Highmetric, a consulting company focused on the digital transformation and customer success for ServiceNow customers.
Prior to that, Rich was the CFO at Whitney, Bradley and Brown, Inc., owned by H.I.G. Capital, where he led finance, contracts, facilities, and IT. Rich was instrumental in growing the company organically and through mergers and acquisitions, which led to its successful sale in early 2021.
Before WBB, Rich served as Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller at Engility Holdings, Inc, a $2.1 billion provider of integrated solutions and government services. His responsibilities included SEC reporting and compliance, contract accounting and collections, shared services and integrating acquisitions. Prior to Engility, Rich held senior leadership roles at Sotera Defense Solutions and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Rich also serves on the Board of Directors of Cornerstone Defense LLC which provides technical services to the U.S. Government.
Rich is a Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Virginia and has Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from Miami University and a Masters of Science degree in Accountancy from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Rich Harkey
Chief Financial Officer
General Counsel and Chief of Staff
Vanessa Champion was the Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President at MacAndrews & Forbes where she advised M&F and its portfolio companies on legal, business, and government matters.
Prior to working for M&F, she was the Senior Advisor and Counsel to New York City’s First Deputy Mayor, charged with managing large agency portfolios. Her responsibilities stretched from the Office of Management and Budget to the Department of Information Technology.
Before the Mayor’s Office, she was the Chief of Staff and Counsel to the New York City Comptroller providing management and oversight for the office’s eight bureaus, 750 plus employees, and 90M plus operating budget.
She also worked as a securities litigation and enforcement attorney at WilmerHale LLP. She received a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. from Amherst College.
City and State named her a “40 under 40 Rising Star” and Latino Leaders selected her as one of 25 New York City “Leaders of the Future.”
Vanessa Champion
General Counsel and Chief of Staff
Board of Directors
Board Director
Raj is a Managing Director of Sagewind Capital LLC. He has significant experience investing in the government services, technology, business services, and healthcare industries. Prior to joining Sagewind Capital, Raj was at American Securities, a leading middle market private equity fund. He sits on the boards of By Light Professional IT Services, GCOM Software LLC and Skience.
Raj has a BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering and a BS in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Raj Kanodia
Board Director
Board Director
Doug is the founder and managing director of The Chesapeake Group. He has been a financial and economic consultant since 1981. For the past 19 years, he has assisted both public and private firms in all phases of business start-up and growth including feasibility studies, business-plan preparation, equity funding, debt funding, private placements structuring, and initial public offerings. A member of the Board of Directors of several client companies, he is also the founder of Economic Analysis Group based out of Washington, DC. Doug was formerly an executive of Hambro Resource Development Incorporated, an affiliate of Hambros Bank of London, UK. He has a BA in Economics, and an MBA and MA in International Relations from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Douglas S. Land
Board Director
Board Director
Steve Lefkowitz is the founding partner of Sagewind Capital LLC. Steve has helped establish and build three private equity firms encompassing more than 30 years of experience investing in private equity. Prior to Sagewind, Steve co-founded CI Capital Partners, a private equity investment firm, in 1993 where he served as President and COO. While part of the senior management team at CI Capital, Steve oversaw more than 150 acquisitions representing $7 billion in enterprise value, with approximately $1.5 billion of invested equity capital. Before joining CI Capital Partners, Steve was a Vice President at Mancuso & Company.
Steve is committed to philanthropic initiatives and has been involved in serving as a committee member for Northwestern School of Education and Social Policy, Posse Foundation, Kellogg Finance Network, University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Global Lyme Alliance, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Museum of Berlin, and Solelim Venture Philanthropy.
Steve was born in Cleveland and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He received a BA in Economics from Northwestern University in 1986 and a MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of management in 1987.
Steve Lefkowitz
Board Director
Board Director
Sam Levine is the founder of Bagnols Family Office Investment Partners. Sam is an experienced private equity investor who spent 25 years investing in middle market companies. Prior to forming his family office, Sam was the Head of Private Equity at Roundtable Investment Partners. Sam’s private equity experience also includes his role as Head of Private Capital at Blue Mountain Capital and Co-Head of Private Equity at Eos Partners. Sam has led private equity investments in dozens of successful private companies and served on numerous Boards. His industry experience includes business services, industrial services, health care services, transportation and logistics, finance companies, consumer, and petcare.
Sam Levine
Board Director
Chairman
Donna Morea is an Operating Executive focused on technology and business services. Donna is the retired President of CGI Technologies and Solutions, where she led CGI’s multi-billion dollar IT and business process services in the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Her clients included many of the world’s largest and most complex organizations in federal, state, and local government; healthcare; and financial services. Prior to that, she served in numerous executive management roles at American Management Systems, which merged with CGI in 2004. Ms. Morea received a BA with high honors from Wesleyan University and an MBA with distinction from Wharton. She currently serves on the boards of Net Health, Accelerate Learning, and as Chair of KLDiscovery (all Carlyle portfolio companies.) She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of SAIC (NYSE: SAIC) and is the Chair of the Technology Committee of the Truist Board of Directors (NYSE: TFC)
Donna Morea
Chairman
Board Director
Al has 40+ years of diverse business experiences, with the common thread being his deep involvement in a wide range of software technologies. His foundational experience was 34 years at IBM, spending his first nine years in customer facing roles, followed by 25 years growing into various general management roles, primarily in IBM’s software business.
After retiring from IBM in 2011, and spending a year at the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, he began his activities as a tech investor, investing in early stage companies and venture funds. In addition, over the past 20 years, he has applied his technology experience as a public company board director, specifically in insurance, energy and utilities, open source software, financial services and capital markets industries.
Al has spent the last 7 years working as an operating partner with a leading technology-driven private equity firm, where he has been involved with firms in fault-tolerant and edge computing, cybersecurity, fintech, ERP software and digital marketing.
Al Zollar
Board Director
Advisor
Anne Roest has more than 35 years of experience in technology, starting as a programmer for Fidelity Investments in Boston. From there Anne moved to Albany where she worked for a bank before moving to New York State Government. Anne rose through several State positions including Director of Technology for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, and the CIO for New York State Public Safety. She moved to New York City Government in 2004 as Commissioner for the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) and CIO for the City of New York. Upon retirement from the City in 2008 she accepted a position back in New York State to oversee the restructuring of the State’s massive IES program. Anne established a reputation for successfully managing large technology modernization projects, creating a more transparent and open government, and fostering partnerships to improve government efficiency and service delivery. Now fully retired from government she acts as an Advisor to GCOM Software.
Ann Roest
Advisor
