Chris Bennethum is the Assistant Commissioner for GSA’s Office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) within the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). In this position, Mr. Bennethum is responsible for overseeing AAS’ delivery of over $9 billion in custom acquisition, project and financial management services, enabling customers’ missions worldwide. AAS specializes in complex, sensitive and mission-critical projects that are offered to federal clients on a fee-for-service basis through twelve nationally-located Client Support Centers (CSCs).

Previously, Mr. Bennethum served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for AAS. As Deputy Assistant Commissioner, he oversaw the AAS Portfolio’s business strategy and operations, systems development, acquisition policy, communications, financial management and workforce recruitment, development and engagement.

In his more than 25 years of service with various GSA components, Mr. Bennethum has held roles in several regional, central office and overseas locations. Some of his previous roles include serving as FAS Chief of Staff, Deputy Regional Commissioner for the National Capital Region, Director for GSA’s Travel and Transportation Northeast Zone, and Director for Marketing and Business Development in GSA’s European office.

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Chris Hamm is the Client Executive of AAS Defense. Chris leverages 21 years of experience in managing complex acquisitions and project delivery to provide innovative solutions for AAS Defense clients. His organization manages over 1% of federal discretionary spending.

Chris serves as GSA’s Acquisition Innovation Advocate and leads GSA’s implementation of Commercial Solutions Opening. He was recognized as one of the “FED100” by Federal Computer Week. He serves on the board of the American Council for Technology (ACT-IAC) and Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA).

Chris hails from Harrisburg, PA. He attended Elon University in North Carolina, and has a masters degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was selected to the Presidential Management Internship Program and was a senior executive fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

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Mark Aucello is AAS Defense's Director of Regional Outreach. He routinely interacts with the AAS PMO, Regional CSCs, Customer Accounts & Stakeholder Engagement Directors, and Regional Commissioners to resolve issues, coordinate interactions, and establish better lines of communication with AAS Defense. He also works with AAS Defense's senior management team on the analysis of the portfolio.

Prior to AAS Defense, Mark was the Mid-Atlantic Region's (R3) AAS Director for over 19 years. His experience also includes positions as the CIO of a startup biomedical company, the Technical Director of a business process improvement/re-engineering effort for the Defense Logistics Agency’s Medical Directorate, and as a Systems Analyst for the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales Program.

Mark holds an M.B.A. from LaSalle University, an M.A. in International Relations/Business from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A from Villanova University.

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Erin Childs serves as the Director of the Program Management Office for AAS Defense. Erin directs all management and program decisions to deliver innovative, mission-focused results for AAS Defense clients. Erin develops internal human capital strategies and initiatives, manages the financial health of the organization, and ensures quality acquisition processes and practices. She has over eight years of experience in project management, human capital, facilitation, and process improvement.

In her prior role at AAS Defense, she created and implemented AAS Defense University, a competency- based learning and development program. Erin holds a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.

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Erin Childs serves as the Director of the Program Management Office for AAS Defense. Erin directs all management and program decisions to deliver innovative, mission-focused results for AAS Defense clients. Erin develops internal human capital strategies and initiatives, manages the financial health of the organization, and ensures quality acquisition processes and practices. She has over eight years of experience in project management, human capital, facilitation, and process improvement.

In her prior role at AAS Defense, she created and implemented AAS Defense University, a competency- based learning and development program. Erin holds a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.

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As the Deputy Client Executive of AAS Defense, Erin Quick manages the organization's daily operations. Erin ensures that each AAS Defense client receives continuous high-quality acquisition and program management support across the life cycle of each contract. Erin was previously the Acquisition Quality Sector Director. She has also served as an Acquisition Project Manager and was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany from 2016 until October 2020 directly supporting the U.S. Africa and European Commands and their components. While in Germany, Erin was instrumental in growing AAS DEFENSE’s opportunities with Department of Defense (Defense Health) clients across Europe and Africa.

Erin has been with GSA since 2009 and with AAS Defense since 2012. In addition to serving as an Acquisition Project Manager, she previously served as a Project Manager/Contracting Officer’s Representative and as a Contract Specialist. Erin earned her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University in 2009.

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Kelly serves as the AAS Defense Army Sector Director in the Army Sector. Her portfolio supports hundreds of Army, Department of Defense, and Civilian agency clients across the globe. The main clients in the AAS Defense Army Sector are Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Program Executive Office Soldier (PEO Soldier), Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS), Program Executive Office Aviation, and Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). The AAS Defense Army Sector manages an estimated $13.7B of client requirements and $5.5B of contract obligations.

Kelly received her Bachelor's and Master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She has a Masters of Teaching in Special Education and a Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) from Project Management Institute (PMI).

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Kristen Knapper has served as AAS Defense’s Civilian Sector Director, since 2014 overseeing a cadre of acquisition and project management professionals supporting many federal civilian department and agency clients, such as the Departments of State, Agriculture, Justice, and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Kristen began her federal career as a supply intern with the Department of the Army, assigned to the Information Systems Management Activity (ISMA) at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. She has since served in several logistics and project management positions most notably, the Pentagon Renovation (PENREN) Program, the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN) Program and the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Command, Control, Communication & Information (ASD, C3I).

Kristen received her BS in Business Logistics from Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a Program Management certificate from the Defense Systems Management College, as well as a Project Management certificate from George Washington University.

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Ken Evans is the Sector Director of AAS Defense’s Defense Health sector. Ken oversees the procurement and management of task orders supporting over 45 Defense Health organizations, including Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO), U.S. Central Command, Army Human Resource Command, Joint Strike Fighter, and the NAVAIR Rapid Response Program Office.

Prior to joining AAS Defense, Ken worked for SAIC providing program management support to U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Command. Ken is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

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Mike Marquez serves as the CapX Sector Director. Mike oversees groups of contracting officers and specialists, project managers, and property administrators in the procurement and management of contracts and task orders supporting the U.S. Army, Combatant Commands, several Department of Defense agencies, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mike joined AAS Defense as the Acquisition Division Director of the Civilian Sector. He moved to the Enterprise Sector as the Acquisition Division Director and later transitioned as the Sector Director.

Prior to joining AAS Defense, Mike was the Chief of the Contracting Office and Business Operations for the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair in Groton, Connecticut for the U.S. Navy. He administered the production, modernization, and repair contracts for the VIRGINIA Class, LOS ANGELES Class, and OHIO-Replacement submarines. Mike transferred to Groton from the Naval Sea Systems Command at the Washington Navy Yard where he served as a Procuring Contracting Officer for the Advanced Surface and Undersea Systems Capabilities Programs.

Mike earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of San Diego and a Master’s of Business Administration with an emphasis on acquisition and contract management from the Naval Postgraduate School. Mike also attended the Joint Forces Staff College and the Harvard Kennedy School as a senior executive fellow.

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Jim Piché serves as AAS Defense's Global Sector Director. He has overall responsibility for leading a team of project managers and contracting officers in soliciting, evaluating, awarding, and administering a portfolio of complex IT and Professional Services acquisition projects for the Department of Defense Geographic Combatant Commands valued at over $9 Billion. He previously served for 6 years as AAS Defense’s Homeland Sector Director, providing Assisted Acquisitions Services for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Operational and Support Components, most notably, the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program.

Prior to his assignment at AAS Defense, Mr. Piché was the Customer Service Director for Navy Enterprise Business Solutions (NAVEBS), providing customer education, advocacy, communication, and incident response to 64,000 Navy ERP (SAP) users across six Major System Commands.

Mr. Piché has a career spanning over 25 years working in major systems acquisition and program management, including:

• U.S. Coast Guard: Buoy Tender Replacement Program (G-AWL)
• U.S.Army PEO EIS: Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS)
• DHS: United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT)
• NAVSEA: VIRGINIA Class Submarines and Littoral Combat Ships
• SPAWAR: Navy Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN)

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served both afloat and ashore.

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Laurel Weiskopf Smith serves as the Acquisition Division Director (ADD) for the Civilian sector at GSA AAS Defense. Laurel and her team support all civilian agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture, the Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency, among others. She is responsible for leading all of the civilian sector contracting officers and contract specialists while partnering with ADs across AAS Defense to manage the processes for civilian acquisitions, documents, and policies. Laurel has been with GSA for her entire career, which began in 2005. She started as a contracting officer (CO) at GSA automotive, served as CO in General Supplies and Services in the 4PL Program, and before becoming an AD was CO at AAS Defense.

Laurel is FAC-C Level III certified, and graduated from American University.

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Stacey is the Acquisition Group Manager (AGM) with the AAS Defense Health. Stacey returned to AAS Defense after six years with the Department of Justice. During her time at DOJ she awarded and administered the $10B Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) MAIDIQ contract which was the largest contract ever awarded in the Department’s history at that time. Stacey has a long history with GSA prior to her time at DOJ. Positions held at AAS Defense include Sector Director for Acquisition Quality and Compliance, Civilian Acquisition Group Manager, AAS Defense Acquisition Operations Manager and Contracting Officer.

Stacey received her bachelor's degree from George Mason University. Stacey’s awards include the Special Commendation Award from the DOJ Assistant Attorney General and the GSA FTS Commissioner’s MVP Award.

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Currently the SOCOM Sector Director, Jeff McMullan recently served as the Acquisition Division Director (ADD) for the Army sector at GSA AAS Defense. He began his contracting career at GSA's Kansas City office before transferring to AAS Defense in 2012. He oversees a staff that handles the award and administration of a highly complex portfolio supporting Army customers.

Jeff earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi and his M.B.A from the University of Missouri. Jeff’s leadership and contributions have been recognized within GSA and across the federal Government through GSA’s Administrator’s Award for Excellence, AFCEA’s Bethesda’s Emerging Government Leader of the Year, and NCMA’s Advancing Professional Award.

His certifications include Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Clearance, FAC-C Level III, FAC-COR Level III, Certified Professional Contracts Administrator (NCMA), and Project Management Professional (PMI).

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Michael serves as the GSA AAS Defense Acquisition Division Director for the Global Sector, where he leads a team of AAS Defense Contracting Officers and Contract Specialists to acquisition strategies that achieve superior results for our customers. Michael leads these integrated acquisition teams and ensures the government receives best value solutions from industry.

Michael was the lead acquisition professional for the Homeland Sector for three years and more recently was an integral part of AAS Defense’s Innovation Sector championing GSA’s Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III acquisition projects.

Michael is active in organizations that promote government partnerships with industry, and he has held leadership positions in both ACT-IAC and AFCEA.

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Angie currently serves as the GSA AAS Defense Acquisition Division Director (ADD) for the Innovation sector, where she has been instrumental in the implementation of the GSA Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) pilot. Angie participates in the GSA intra-agency Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) working group, where she reviews policy for assisted acquisition implementation of SBIR Phase III acquisitions for federal agency clients.

Angie joined the Federal Government in 2008 to work for the General Services Administration as a Contract Specialist (CS) through the former Federal Career Intern Program. She joined GSA’s AAS AAS Defense organization in 2011, and has held multiple roles to include Contracting Officer, and Project Manager working on large, complex projects supporting external agency customers. She has also gained industry perspective working at McKinsey’s Public Sector Practice (2016) before she returned to GSA (2017) to help stand up its innovative acquisition service offerings.

Angie holds a Masters in Business Administration and undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech.

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Greg Lee serves as the Acquisition Division Director (AD) for the Air Force sector at GSA AAS Defense. Greg and his team support the Air Force agencies. Greg is responsible for leading the Air Force sector contracting officers and contract specialists while partnering with ADs across AAS Defense to manage the processes for acquisitions, documents, and policies. Greg began his AAS Defense career in 2017 as a Contracting Officer (CO) for the Homeland sector. Prior to joining AAS Defense, he worked for the Naval Air Systems Command for 18 years as a Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist (CS) supporting a variety of program offices.

Greg earned a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Florida Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor's in English from St. Mary's College of Maryland.

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Bobby is the Acquisition Division Director (ADD) for the Innovation sector at GSA AAS Defense. He began his contracting career in 2008 with the Department of Interior’s Governmentwide Acquisition Management Internship Program and joined AAS Defense in 2014 as a Contracting Officer. He has direct acquisition experience in the areas of construction, cybersecurity, military intelligence, enterprise IT solutions, grants, and cooperative agreements.

Currently, he oversees a staff that handles the award and administration of non-traditional contracts such as Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and ASTRO.

Bobby earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration and Technology Management from Villa Julie College. Bobby’s leadership and contributions have been recognized by GSA’s Federal Acquisition Services Assistant Commissioner and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).

His certifications include TS/SCI clearance, DAWIA Level III, and Level III FAC-C, and he is an active member of the NCMA.

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Chiara McDowell serves as the AAS Defense Chief of Staff (CoS) and Senior Policy Advisor (SPA). Ms. McDowell is responsible for GSA and FAS policy, audits, report coordination, administration, Special Projects, and other major AAS initiatives. As a policy advisor, her duties include researching policy, law, statutes, and regulations to maintain internal controls over the program. Ms. McDowell collaboratively works with various levels of leadership to establish and promote consistency and outcomes and facilitates knowledge sharing to implement strategic initiatives. Ms. McDowell also utilizes her proven track record in leadership, organizational development, and cross-functional collaboration to drive operational excellence.

Ms. McDowell began her federal career with the Department of the Navy in the Naval Acquisition Intern Program (NAIP) which led to her serving as a Senior Contracting Officer at the Department of Commerce and for the Federal Systems and Integration Management (FEDSIM) center where she managed an acquisition portfolio of services and commodities for various federal agencies.

She is a 2009 American Council for Technology/Industry Advisory Council’s (ACT/IAC) Voyagers Program graduate with a Certified Federal Contracts Manager certification with the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and is FAC-C Professional certified.

Ms. McDowell holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in business management.

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