Kris Saling

Director of Innovation, Army Talent Innovation Directorate, U.S. Army

COL Kris Saling is a recognized leader in people analytics, data-driven talent management, and innovation across the U.S. Army. Think of her as the Army’s "Nick Fury for HR Avengers;" she brings a bold, mission-focused approach to transforming the military’s most complex human capital challenges. Currently serving as the Director of Innovation for the Army Talent Innovation Directorate, COL Saling leads teams at the forefront of AI, data analytics, and advanced workforce technologies to modernize how the Army attracts, develops, and retains its talent.

With more than a decade of experience driving experimental initiatives in recruitment, retention, and Soldier experience, COL Saling is widely respected for bridging operational needs with cutting-edge research and innovation. Her thought leadership extends beyond the Pentagon—her work has been published in academic journals and leading industry publications. She is also the author of Data-Driven Talent Management, a practical guide for HR professionals to leverage data in building engaged, high-performing teams.

COL Saling has held several key innovation roles, including Acting Director of the Army Recruiting Innovation Directorate, Chief Analytics Officer for the Army Talent Management Task Force, and Acting Director of Army People Analytics. Whether building coalitions across sectors or navigating the complexities of emerging technology adoption, her work continues to shape the future of Army personnel.

Phil Potter

Dr. Philip Potter is the Executive Director of the National Security Data and Policy Institute (NSDPI), the University of Virginia’s sixth university-level institute. A professor of Public Policy and the founding director of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy’s National Security Policy Center, Dr. Potter’s decades of research have focused on US foreign policy, military affairs, data analysis, and international security. He has published dozens of articles, policy papers, and government reports on these topics as well as two books, and serves as a university expert for the Intelligence Community and a senior advisor in the Department of Defense. An active voice in both academia and government on national security research and policy, Professor Potter launched the NSDPI to build collaborative networks of experts and practitioners across government, industry, and academia to address the country’s most pressing national security challenges.

Seth Berl

Dr. Berl is the Global GTM, Government Technologies Chief Technologist for Intel Corporation. He previously served as the Deputy Chief Data Officer at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) where he utilizes his technology, scientific research, academic, and leadership expertise to drive a cohesive technology and implementation strategy for the DOE Enterprise Data Management program. 

He previously served as the Chief Technology Officer for GovSmart, Inc., a federal government contractor with over $397 Million in revenue in 2023 and over 15% average year-over-year growth during his tenure. Here, he led innovation and partnership efforts with a future strategic vision while working with account managers, partners, and US Federal Government civilian and Department of Defense and clients to solve complex technical problems and mission challenges. 

Dr. Berl has a formal education in physics and electrical engineering with his Ph.D. and M.A. in experimental atomic physics earned at the University of Virginia and dual B.S. degrees in electrical engineering and physics with a mathematics minor at Old Dominion University. He has worked on projects led by various government agencies, including: Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Operations Command, DIA, DARPA, Dept of Energy, NASA, Health & Human Services, Dept of Commerce, and NSF. Using his scientific, engineering, and problem solving skill-sets, he founded and operated a technology consulting company with clients including Fortune 500 companies prior to his tenure at GovSmart.

Some of Dr. Berl’s business and technology interests include, but are not limited to: high performance computing, data science, AI/ML, IoT, tactical/mission edge, enterprise networks, storage systems, cybersecurity, software development, embedded systems, aerospace/defense satellite communications, research & development, and general problem solving. Dr. Berl seeks to assimilate and integrate his expertise in support of the DOE mission. He always welcomes new opportunities and considers it a privilege to contribute to mission success.

When not at work, Seth can be found enjoying tennis, guitar, rock climbing, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Diana McSpadden

Diana McSpadden is a Data Scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), where she plays a pivotal role in leveraging artificial intelligence and data science for scientific and regional resilience initiatives. She works closely with laboratory scientists to calibrate particle detectors and ensure optimal performance of high-throughput physics data systems.

At the forefront of innovation, Diana leads machine learning operations (MLOps) for a landmark project in Jefferson Lab’s data center. Her “Next Top Model” initiative employs a continual-learning ensemble of neural network models to autonomously identify and elevate the best-performing algorithm—termed the “daily champion”—thereby enhancing system reliability and efficiency.

A champion of interdisciplinary research, she contributes to the Hampton Roads Digital Twin project to advance climate resilience and public health, merging environmental data, digital modeling, and community engagement. She also collaborates in the Joint Institute on Advanced Computing for Environmental Studies (ACES)—a partnership between Jefferson Lab and Old Dominion University—focused on applying uncertainty quantification and AI-driven insights to inform environmental and health decision-making in the Hampton Roads region.

Diana’s scholarly work includes a peer-reviewed 2024 co-authored study, “A Comparison of Machine Learning Surrogate Models of Street-Scale Flooding in Norfolk, Virginia,” where she led methodology, software development, validation, formal analysis, and visualization. The study compared Random Forests, LSTM, and GRU models for real-time urban flooding predictions.

Previously, she developed innovative data tools for collecting, analyzing, and publishing U.S. state court data at the National Center for State Courts, demonstrating her adaptability across civic, environmental, and scientific domains.

Education: Diana holds a Master’s degree in Data Science from the University of Virginia.

Rob King

Rob King is a proven leader in data and technology with more than 20 years of experience driving enterprise data strategy across government and industry. He most recently served as Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Department of Energy, where he advanced data management, governance, and analytics to strengthen mission execution and evidence-based decision-making. Previously, he was the Chief Data Officer and Associate Commissioner at the Social Security Administration and directed large-scale IT modernization efforts at the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier in his career, Rob worked as a systems and enterprise architect advising Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies. He holds a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School and a bachelor’s degree from Stockton University.

Kshemendra Paul