A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business owner and an executive with extensive experience in leadership and management across a 30-plus year career, Scott Jensen is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Veteran Small Business Coalition and owner of Alpine Global Solutions. He has served as the Chief Operations Officer for Team RWB, Chief Executive Officer for Protect Our Defenders and as the Assistant Vice President for Leadership Development Programs at the American Council on Education. 

Timm Johnson has been the Director of the Mason Small Business Development Center since January 2018. With broad business experience, he is respected for business strategy management, strategic planning and partnerships, marketing strategy, and program management, making him a perfect fit for the SBDC. 

His business expertise includes key positions such as CFO of Nexus Technology Services, LLC, serving domestic and global commercial technology business enterprises in the Unmanned Systems marketplace, and Managing Director of Venture Mentors, LLC, providing strategic marketing, financial, and operations planning services. 

Lisa Wood is the Statewide Director of the Virginia APEX Accelerator, hosted by George Mason University. Before joining the APEX community in 2010, Lisa was a Procurement Specialist for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. In this role, she performed contract administration and negotiation duties. She also recommended bidders, handled issue inquiries, negotiated bids, performed cost and price analysis, and prepared comprehensive letters to justify recommended contract actions. Ms. Wood holds an MBA from the University of New Haven and is also an Adjunct Professor of Management at George Mason University.

John Hale III is CEO of the Cornerstone Group, and corporate board director with expertise in the growth, and scaling of small and middle market companies. The Cornerstone Group is a business advisory firm assisting high potential small businesses and mid-market firms accelerate growth and scale their businesses. Our services are based upon three pillars for growth acceleration – C.P.R.

(Capital/Partnerships/Revenue). Prior to launching The Cornerstone Group, LLC, Mr. Hale served as a senior federal government official. First as the Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access at the U.S. Small Business Administration. Secondly, he served as the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at the U.S. Energy Department (DOE), a Senior Executive Service position.

Scott is the Founder and current President, and CEO of DuraBante LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business in Sparks, Maryland that specializes in business management consulting for transformational changes. Scott is an accomplished executive, entrepreneur, Veteran, community leader, and philanthropist with an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also a Retired Army Field Grade Officer who served for 22 years. Since serving, Scott has successfully led numerous Fortune 500 companies through transformational business initiatives and has been a member on multiple community boards of directors. His passion for expanding opportunities and support for Veteran businesses, paired with his background in business transformation, continuous improvement, and strategic planning, will make him an invaluable addition to the NVSBC team as it broadens its offerings to help meet the needs of the 47,000 Veteran businesses involved in government contracting. 

Sharon B. Heaton is the CEO and Founder of sbLiftOff, a nationally recognized M&A advisory firm with a strong track record serving veteran-owned and GovCon businesses. An in-demand speaker and author, she wrote the Amazon‑bestselling LIFT OFF: 12 Things to Know Before Selling Your Business, published by Forbes, and contributes to outlets including Harvard Business Review, Federal News Network, and the Washington Business Journal. Her career includes senior legal roles at global law firms Skadden Arps and Latham & Watkins, leadership positions on multiple U.S. Senate committees, and co-founding Wellford Energy Group. Ms. Heaton holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a B.A. from Barnard College.

Cy Alba is a Partner at PilieroMazza. He counsels clients in a broad range of government contracting matters before government agencies and federal courts that include overall regulatory compliance with numerous regulatory schemes, including FAR and DFARS requirements. Cy also represents companies of all sizes with compliant corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and small business rules and regulations. He handles the prosecution and defense of small business size and status protests and appeals, as well as bid protests and claims and appeals before administrative agencies and federal courts 

Over the course of 25 years, John Mongold has built a career defined by continuous learning, real-world experience, and a deep commitment to serving clients. John has worked with ultra-high-net-worth families, entrepreneurs, and executives, guiding them through complex financial events and decisions.  He has served both as portfolio manager and wealth advisors for his clients.  He is well-versed in retirement strategies, executive compensation, business transaction and succession planning, philanthropic planning, and trust services and estate planning strategies – bringing guidance to everything from exit planning to legacy preservation. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, John served as both a senior investment advisor and senior wealth advisor at Wilmington Trust. Earlier in his career, he served as managing director and head trader for Group One Trading. In addition, was an analyst at FolioFn and American Management Systems.

With over 30 years of experience, Tim Ross leads the Commercial Services Practice of the DC Metro office at Withum. He serves clients in several business segments and industries, including Life science, Manufacturing, Distribution and logistics, Technology, Private Equity, and Government Contractors, in both the private and public sectors. He has provided entity and corporate tax services to publicly traded and closely held companies with operations in multiple international and domestic locations. 

Tim’s technical experience includes business entity taxation, tax accounting, commercial transactions and structure, private equity, and domestic and global taxation. He routinely advises clients on a wide variety of high-level tax and business issues, including complex corporate tax planning and structuring, tax accounting, R&D tax credits, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate international tax. 

Dawn Halfaker, an entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and veterans’ advocate, is the Founder of HAFCO Holdings, LLC, a private investment firm based in Washington, D.C. She also founded the Continuing to Serve Foundation, assisting veterans to maximize their post-military potential as business owners and leaders through networking and providing the tools needed to start and grow a business. She serves as a board member of Vail Veterans Program, supporting injured military members and veterans with innovative and transformational programs that build confidence and improve lives. She is also a board member with the USO. 

Educated at the United States Military Academy at West Point, with a Master of Security Studies at Georgetown University, she has extensive experience in program management and strategic planning. 

Christine B. Williamson, CPA, PMP, brings over 35 years of advisory, tax, and consulting experience helping government contractors successfully scale from small to large. As the longtime Government Contracting Industry Practice Leader, she oversaw operations, resource management, technical quality, and on‑time project delivery. Christine specializes in advising on complex financial and accounting matters for government contractors, with deep expertise in GAAP, FAR, CAS, and tax compliance. She is highly experienced with major accounting systems used in the industry and regularly guides companies in system customization and compliance integration. She also helped establish a software implementation and consulting subsidiary focused on project‑based accounting solutions.

Kevin FitzPatrick is an independent real estate professional who has also served at Keller Williams, primarily in commercial real estate leasing and sales. He is recognized as a very detailed and committed professional who takes pride in providing the highest level of customer service. He has been endorsed by a variety of professionals from across the business community, including banking, real estate, financial planning, government contracting, and investing. He has been lauded as one who works hard and always maintains the highest level of integrity, a quality individual and consummate professional.

Bill Cleary is Navy Federal’s Operations Program Manager for Veteran-Owned Business Opportunities.  He is a ten-year Marine Corps veteran and Naval Aviator. He earned his MBA degree from the University of West Florida and began a fifteen-year commercial banking career. He then worked as a vice president at a national Human Resources company and returned to banking seven years ago. Bill currently serves as a board member for the Northwest Florida Better Business Bureau Foundation and as an Executive Mentor for business students at the University of West Florida.

Marvin Clark, Executive Director- Inclusive Banking Business Development, is inspired by the vibrant DC business community to a client-first approach to business development. He helps local business leaders from all backgrounds and communities as they grow and scale. He focuses on those who have historically faced obstacles in accessing capital and other banking tools.

His almost thirty years in the community include banking relationship management with two different firms as well as client management, sales and acquisition. His education includes William & Mary (MBA) and The Wharton School (Executive Education).

Emily Basile is a Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at M&T Bank on the Government Contracting team. She has been with M&T for almost 13 years and is passionate about supporting GovCon clients in our local communities. She partners with her clients to customize lending, deposit, and cash management solutions to their unique needs based on a collaborative assessment of their operating model, industry intricacies, and goals. She holds her Bachelor’s Degree from Washington and Lee University, MBA from University of Maryland, and passed Level I of the CFA program. Emily is actively involved in NVSBC’s Mentor Cohort program as a Senior Mentor.

Matt is a Senior Vice President at Republic Capital Access.  Republic has provided working capital solutions to over 1,000 companies since Republic’s founding in 2009.  At RCA Matt has aided start-ups to publically traded organizations in achieving financing solutions to a variety of challenges posed to businesses in the federal sector.

With over two decades of experience spanning government, private industry, and professional sports, Greg Foscato is a seasoned executive known for driving strategic growth, cultivating high-value relationships, and delivering results across complex sectors. 

Currently serving as a Client Relationship Executive at CohnReznick, Mr. Foscato leads business development for the firm’s government contracting advisory practice, helping position it as one of the premier govcon advisory teams in the United States. He has generated over $10 million in tax, audit, and advisory services and played a pivotal role in establishing CohnReznick as a thought leader in the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) space. 

Vikram (Vik) Singh is the owner of VSINGH CAP, LLC, with an extensive network within the Defense & Aerospace sector and GovConX -U.S. Government Contractors network. Developing financial strategies, delivering exceptional growth for Department of War Government Contractors, and as a corporate controller. He has trained in all facets of government contracting, including Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS).

He possesses a rare mix of strategic and analytical expertise and leads due diligence and post-acquisition integration of corporate finance systems. Among his fortes are budgeting, accounting reviews and financial reporting to assist companies successfully manage accounting and financial responsibilities.

Adam Milliren is a Marine Corps veteran and surety advisor who helps government contractors build the financial strength needed to secure bonding for larger and more complex federal work. As an owner and principal at Parrot Surety Services, he guides construction, manufacturing, and specialty contractors through surety credit challenges by translating financial statements, WIP reporting, and balance‑sheet strategy into increased bond capacity. An active member of NASBP’s Small and Emerging Business Committee and the NVSBC, Adam works to ensure small and veteran-owned businesses have the tools, partnerships, and bonding programs necessary to pursue sustainable growth and compete successfully in the federal marketplace.

Bio