ACCELERATE 125 Health IT Awards! Getting Ready for FY26!

On December 9, 2025, GovTech Connects invites you to an unforgettable experience, the ACCELERATE 125 Awards and Holiday Celebration. This isn’t your typical end-of-year gathering. It’s a high-energy convergence of Federal, Military, and Industry Health IT visionaries, changemakers, and trailblazers who are shaping the future of Federal and Military Health IT Digital Transformation.

More Than a Conference—It’s a Catalyst to Accelerate What's Next

Step into a space where bold ideas take flight. From Generative AI to Agentic AI and the Next Generation of AI shaping 2026, to transformative digital modernization, hear directly from federal government and Military leaders who are pushing boundaries, driving mission success, and rewriting what’s possible in government technology.

Honoring the Best of the Best

At the heart of the celebration, the ACCELERATE 125 Health IT Awards spotlight the pioneers redefining excellence across AI and Data, Agentic AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum Computing, UX/UI, and beyond. These are the innovators who aren’t just keeping up—they’re setting the pace, inspiring others, and creating lasting impact.

INVITED SPEAKERS

Matthew Artz, AI Product Manager, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services*

David Bray, Ph.D., Principal, LeadDoAdapt Ventures, Chair of the Accelerator, Stimson Center, Senior Fellow, Institute for Human-Machine Cognition & Expert, MIT Horizon

Karen Brazell, DSL, Senior Advisor, Department of Veterans Affairs*

Brad Bower, Acting Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, National Institutes of Health*

Barclay Butler, Ph.D., Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Food and Drug Administration*

Jesus Caban, Ph.D., Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Defense Health Agency*

Lee Ann Cronchunis, Deputy Director, Office of Information Technology, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services*

Ben Cushing, Chief Architect, Health & Life Sciences, Red Hat

Hesha Duggirala, Epidemiologist & AI Center Lead, Food and Drug Administration*

William Liu, Ph.D., Director, AI Governance & Implementation, Food and Drug Administration*

Patrick Newbold, Chief Information Officer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services*

Greg Pishko, Lead Data Scientist, Food and Drug Administration*

Andreas Schick, Director, Data Science, ML, AI Development, CDER, Food and Drug Administration*

Nadia Smith, Acting Chief Digital Health Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs*

Anthony Scriffignano, Ph.D., Distinguished Fellow, Alfred Lee Loomis Innovation Council, The Stimson Center, EVP Data & Analytics, Aerospace Venture

AGENDA

• CIO Fireside Chat: Accelerating Digital Transformation
• Disruptive Tech in Action: Generative AI, Agentic AI and Next Gen AI Shaping 2026
• Data Driven Impact: Powering Mission Success
• Driving Transformation through Innovation, AI, Data, Cyber, Next-Gen Tech
• Accelerate 125 Award Recognition
• Holiday Networking Reception

Celebrate. Connect. Accelerate.

Join us for an afternoon of recognition, networking, and holiday cheer as we celebrate the people and ideas that are accelerating progress across the public sector.

THIS SUMMIT IS CLOSED TO THE PRESS AND MEDIA

Interested in Sponsorship Opportunities for this event? Reach out to Mary.Garcia@govtechconnects.com

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