FEDSIM Leadership

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 Director of FEDSIM. Chris leverages 21 years of experience in managing complex acquisitions and project delivery to provide innovative solutions for FEDSIM 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 FEDSIM'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 FEDSIM. He also works with FEDSIM's senior management team on the analysis of the portfolio.

Prior to FEDSIM, 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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As the Deputy Director of FEDSIM, Pete Burr manages the daily operations of the organization. Pete ensures that each FEDSIM client receives continuous high-quality acquisition and program management support across the life cycle of each contract. Pete brings nearly 30 years of government and industry acquisition and program management experience to FEDSIM.

In his previous role at FEDSIM, Pete led the FEDSIM Civilian Sector supporting civilian federal agencies in the acquisition and management of information technology and professional service solutions. He brings additional expertise in these areas gained from positions held at the Department of Health and Human Services and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

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Erin Childs serves as the Director of the Program Management Office for FEDSIM. Erin directs all management and program decisions to deliver innovative, mission-focused results for FEDSIM 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 FEDSIM, she created and implemented FEDSIM University, a competency- based learning and development program. Erin holds a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.

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Erin Quick serves as FEDSIM’s Acquisition Quality Director where she is responsible for managing FEDSIM’s team of Acquisition Project Managers who lead pre-award activities across FEDSIM. Erin previously 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 FEDSIM’s opportunities with Department of Defense (DoD) clients across Europe and Africa.

Erin has been with GSA since 2009 and with FEDSIM 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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Kristen Knapper serves as the Director of FEDSIM’s Civilian sector, overseeing acquisition support services for FEDSIM’s federal civilian departments and agencies. Kristen served as a Civilian Group and Air Force Group Manager and managed several portfolios, including the U.S. Homeland Security, U.S. Air Force Joint Strike Fighter PMO, U.S. Air Force Modeling and Simulation Agency, Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration (GSA), and Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Kristen began her federal career in 1989 as a supply intern at 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, including seven years as team lead for the Pentagon Consolidated Technical Control Facility and the Network Systems Management Center.

Kristen received her bachelor’s degree in business logistics from the Pennsylvania State University and a graduate certificate in project management from the George Washington University.

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Ken Evans is the Director of FEDSIM’s DoD and Air Force sectors. Ken oversees the procurement and management of task orders supporting over 45 DoD 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 FEDSIM, 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 Director for the Army/Navy sectors. Mike oversees the procurement and management of contracts and task orders supporting the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. He also supports Combatant Commands including AFRICOM, EUCOM, PACOM, and SOUTHCOM.

Prior to joining FEDSIM, 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 contracts for the VIRGINIA Class and OHIO-Replacement submarines. Mike also worked at Naval Sea Systems Command 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 of Government as a senior executive fellow.

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Jim Piché serves as FEDSIM's Geographic Combatant Commands (GCC) 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 FEDSIM’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 FEDSIM, 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 serves as the Acquisition Director (AD) for the Civilian sector at GSA FEDSIM. 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 FEDSIM 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 FEDSIM.

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 FEDSIM DoD. Stacey returned to FEDSIM 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 FEDSIM include Sector Director for Acquisition Quality and Compliance, Civilian Acquisition Group Manager, FEDSIM 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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Jeff is the Acquisition Director (AD) for the Army sector at GSA FEDSIM. He began his contracting career at GSA's Kansas City office, where he worked for two years before transferring to FEDSIM in 2012. Since then, Jeff served as a Contract Specialist, Contracting Officer and Team Lead within FEDSIM's legacy Enterprise and Army/Navy Sectors. He oversees a staff that handles the award and administration of a highly complex portfolio supporting Army customers.

Jeff earned his Bachelor’s degree 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 FEDSIM Acquisition Director (AD) for the GCC sector, where he leads a team of FEDSIM 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 FEDSIM’s Innovation sector championing GSA’s Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III acquisition projects.

He is active as a member of the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) by serving on the ACT executive board as the NexUS Government Chair.

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Angie currently serves as the GSA FEDSIM Acquisition Director (AD) 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 FEDSIM 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 Director (AD) for the Air Force sector at GSA FEDSIM. 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 FEDSIM to manage the processes for acquisitions, documents, and policies. Greg began his FEDSIM career in 2017 as a Contracting Officer (CO) for the Homeland sector. Prior to joining FEDSIM, 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 degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Florida Institute of Technology, and a bachelor's degree in English from St. Mary's College of Maryland.

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Dennis Bailey serves as the GSA FEDSIM Acquisition Director (AD) for the Navy sector. Prior to joining FEDSIM, he had 6 years of contracting experience with the U.S. Naval Air System Command (NAVAIR), the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and the Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dennis also has experience as an attorney, financial advisor, and tax accountant. Dennis is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served six years in a communications electronics (crypto) occupational specialty.

Dennis holds a Bachelor’s in Information Systems Management from University of Maryland University College, a Bachelor’s in Finance from Park University, a Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Oklahoma College of Law, and a Master’s of Laws in taxation from the Golden Gate University School of Law.

His certifications include FAC-C Level III, NCMA Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM), NCMA Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM), and NCMA Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM). Dennis is also an active member of the Oklahoma and Maryland Bar Associations, the American Bar Association and its public contracts law section, as well as the ABA's Federal Procurement Institute.

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