2025 Government Contracting Conference

Todd Overman

Ranked by Chambers, the IFLR1000 and The Legal 500 for his government contracts experience, Todd Overman has established himself as a leading government contracts practitioner. Todd is Managing Partner of Bass, Berry & Sims’s Washington, D.C. office and chair of the Government Contracts Practice Group, and has nearly two decades of experience advising companies in meeting the demanding and ever-changing regulatory environment of contracting with the federal government. Over the last decade, he has advised on more than 50 transactions involving the purchase or sale of a government contractor. Todd has particular experience in structuring transactions and corporate reorganizations to ensure compliance with the Anti-Assignment Act, as well as navigating the rules impacting the acquisition of small businesses. He also has significant experience in advising on issues that may arise during the sale of government contractors to foreign-owned businesses, including national security reviews under Exon-Florio by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) mitigation by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).

Brigitta Scott

As a Partner in Cherry Bekaert’s Outsourced Accounting Services practice for Government Contractors, Brigitta provides accounting outsourcing and advisory services to government contractors and various other professional services organizations. She has over 25 years of professional experience in all facets of accounting operations, compliance, internal audit, and internal controls, with extensive expertise in U.S. GAAP, FAR, CAS, and Uniform Guidance. Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert, Brigitta was a partner at Cordia Partners in the Government Contracts practice and held leadership positions in the Advisory practice of a national accounting and advisory firm. Her background also includes corporate finance operations experience and public accounting assurance and tax services. Brigitta’s experience in areas including accounting department management, revenue recognition, and cost allowability provides her clients with the industryleading expertise and compliance best practices needed for their successful growth. Additionally, she has expertise with nonprofits receiving federal awards around indirect cost rate design and development, NICRA proposals, and Uniform Guidance requirements.

Sarah Tucker

Sarah Tucker is a senior audit manager in the Washington, D.C. practice of Cherry Bekaert. She provides accounting and assurance services to government contractors, technology companies, and not-for-profit organizations. As a member of the Firm’s Government Contractor Services Group, she works with clients to ensure appropriate contract revenue recognition policies, indirect rate reporting and general adherence to the Federal Acquisition Regulations. As an audit manager, Sarah performs planning procedures to obtain an in-depth understanding of her client’s situation, including the internal control environment. In this role, Sarah works extensively with the partner to develop an overall risk assessment and the respective audit procedures. In addition, Sarah oversees all work performed by the audit staff. She plays a significant role in drafting the audit deliverables, including the financial statements and required audit communication. In addition to supervising the audit process, Sarah has extensive knowledge of cost allowability and performing indirect rate audits. She has an in-depth understanding of the Uniform Grant Guidance, as several of her clients receive federal funding.

Garrett Datz

Garrett Datz is a Principal in SC&H Groups Technology Advisory Practice, where he helps clients manage and improve their IT function and business outcomes. He specializes in technology infrastructure, cloud solutions, strategic IT planning, and cybersecurity and has worked with clients across various industries and verticals with extensive experience that spans the nonprofit, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and professional services sectors.

Garrett has more than 25 years of experience leading companies through transformation and modernization initiatives, especially as the information technology footprint for businesses continues to rapidly evolve. He firmly believes that a robust foundational approach is key to building the proper IT function for business success. Recognizing that all businesses must develop efficiency without adding staff, effectively and securely enable remote work, and reduce IT overhead, Garrett has successfully structured and executed strategic plans for his clients aligned with these objectives.

Jospeh Zajac

Joe is a partner in KPMG’s Washington DC office. He has over 20 years of experience performing financial statement audits and delivering financial transformation advisory services across a variety of industries, primarily retail and aerospace & defense. Joe leads initiatives related to technology enablement and generative artificial intelligence solutions to modernize the finance function and empower CFOs and their teams to be leading voices for AI adoption across their entities. Joe has spoken on AGA’s Wake Up Wednesdays and is a frequent speaker at Defense financial management events on AI and the future of finance. Joe lives on a farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley with his wife Kathryn and three young children, where they raise pureblood Akaushi wagyu cattle.

Eric Poppe

Eric Poppe is a Partner, Managed Services in Aprio’s Government Contracting Services Group. He is a CPA who works with companies of all sizes in a variety of industries to navigate and develop practical solutions when working with the federal government. Eric particularly enjoys working with organizations who are new to government contracting or emerging businesses. Eric is a strategic advisor that empowers his clients to use new accounting and/or reporting requirements, forecasting, internal controls, or other compliance requirements as a springboard for growth.

Eric has worked with government contractors from various industries, with a focus on professional services, manufacturing, and technology companies. Having spent his career at both Big 4 and other Top 25 firms, Eric brings an exceptional track record in helping companies develop practical solutions to drive growth when working with the government. When working with Eric, clients can expect to feel informed, guided, and supported by using thoughtful, causal, and helpful advisement techniques. His focus is on providing strategic guidance to companies in the areas of budgeting, forecasting, indirect cost rate development, and cost accounting compliance. He has deep expertise in evaluating and enhancing internal controls and business systems to meet regulatory standards, with a strong emphasis on compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Service Contract Act, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). He also supports internal audits and compliance & performance audits. Lastly, he has also advised companies during M&A integration activities to ensure alignment of practices with applicable government contracting requirements.

Eric earned a B.S. in Accounting from Virginia Tech. He is a CPA in the state of Virginia and is a member of PSC and NDIA. When he is not at work, Eric loves being outdoors with his family. Most weekends, Eric and his family enjoy their time exploring the mountains of Virginia, and love going to Shenandoah National Park or other parks. They love camping, backpacking, and hiking, and he has a goal of visiting all the National Parks.

Martin Karamon

As Tax Partner in Cherry Bekaert’s Tax Credits & Incentives Advisory practice, Martin focuses on Federal Credits and Incentives related to R&D, hiring, capital expansion and energy sustainability in key industry areas, such as technology and software development, manufacturing, life sciences, real estate & construction and automotive. With more than two decades of experience, Martin helps clients identify, evaluate and implement an array of tax incentives and planning opportunities including IRC Section 41 research tax credit services, qualified opportunity zones, new markets tax credit financing, employee payroll retention credits, disaster recovery and retention credits, combined heat and power investment tax credits and IRS defense services. Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert, Martin held a leadership role as Tax Principal and a Global Investment and Innovation Incentives and Federal Tax Credit Specialist with a Big Four accounting firm for more than 20 years.

Vivian Kohrs

Vivian is a Partner in Cherry Bekaert’s Tax Credits & Incentives Advisory practice at the Tysons Office. With strong data and analytical skills, including the use of Alteryx, Vivian helps the Firm with strategic developments of numerous firm wide engagement enablement tools. Since 2011, Vivian has helped client teams establish their Research Tax Credit study process and achieve significant tax savings. Her focuses include research credit studies in the automotive, pharmaceutical, health & life sciences, aerospace and defense, financial institutions, manufacturing, and computer software industries. Additional areas of experience include Section 174 Research Expenditures, UNICAP, accrued bonus, inventory accounting, and other accounting method changes and associated calculations. Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert in November 2021, Vivian was in the Accounting Methods and Credit Services group at a Big Four firm in New York.

Scott Ritchie

Scott has more than a decade of experience serving companies across multiple industries, with a primary focus on the technology sector. He specializes in helping clients enhance information security and efficiently achieve compliance. Scott works with forward-thinking CISOs of technology companies that wish to establish and maintain a robust security and privacy program to meet evolving security requirements.

He started his career managing information systems and technical teams before transitioning to the governance and compliance side. Scott’s deep experience and technical insight in internal and external auditing, along with support in developing governance, risk, and compliance software and procedures, has provided him with a broad understanding of compliance requirements. He leverages his technical knowledge to enhance and empower those around him through the development of compliance programs.

Among his multiple assessment and technical certifications, Scott has completed the training and examinations to obtain the Certified CMMC Lead Assessor certification from the Cyber-AB but is waiting for the government background investigation to conclude. Scott earned a Master of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University – Michael J. Coles College of Business and a Master of Science in Information Assurance from Norwich University. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia.

Evan Seward

As a Managing Director for Cordia Resources by Cherry Bekaert, Evan Seward brings a unique combination of direct accounting/finance understanding, executive search, and staffing experience. Prior to joining Cordia Resources, Evan worked for several years in the public accounting industry with KPMG and within corporate accounting at Navy Federal Credit Union. He is also a registered CPA in the state of Virginia and is proud to be a Certified Diversity Recruiter. Based out of Arlington, VA, Evan helps to lead the direct-hire practice focused on staff to the executive level, full-cycle search efforts for finance and accounting professionals in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He prides himself on exceptional client service, focusing on quality, organization, and stellar communication.

Darcy Williamson

Darcy Williamson is the Chief Financial Officer at Nava, a public benefit corporation which emerged from the effort to help rebuild HealthCare.gov after its troubled launch. Nava exists to address some of the most complex challenges in the public sector and works to make government services simple, effective, and accessible to all. The company’s portfolio spans a range of federal and state agencies, including Medicare, Veterans Affairs, unemployment benefits, and paid family leave. Nava has helped tens of millions of people enroll in critical programs, streamlined processes to save decades of labor years, and saved government agencies hundreds of millions of dollars. As Nava’s CFO, Darcy partners with leadership to achieve financial objectives, plays an integral role in company growth, and scales teams and technology that support overall strategy. He is responsible for the company’s finance and accounting, contracts, business operations, legal, information technology, and people operations organizations. Darcy has spent the last 25 years building and leading highly effective teams across industries and at scale. Darcy has held financial and executive leadership roles in companies like Capital One, Treliant Risk Advisors, and FINCA International. Darcy holds a BA from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Richmond.

Reza Mahbod

Mr. Mahbod has over 30 years of Federal audit and consulting experience. In 2008 he founded RMA, a CPA and consulting firm that provides Federal Government-focused audit, consulting, and advisory services. Mr. Mahbod built the firm upon core principles that include listening carefully, respect, the pursuit of professional excellence, and a culture of continuous learning and improvement. In 2009, RMA landed its first two subcontracts for the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, over 15 years later, Mr. Mahbod is responsible for overall firm management and leads RMA in the performance of more than 35 current prime contracts across the Federal government.

Cindy Shephard

Cindy Shephard is a seasoned Chief Operating Officer at The Cadmus Group, Inc., where she leads operations in the management, scientific, and technical consulting sector. With a strong focus on organizational efficiency and strategic planning, she has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation within her organization. Although her educational background is not detailed, her C-level position suggests a wealth of experience and expertise in leadership roles. Cindy is known for her ability to navigate complex challenges and implement effective solutions. Her leadership style emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity, fostering a culture of teamwork. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, she is well-connected in the local business community and is likely to engage in initiatives that support regional development. Outside of her professional life, Cindy may have interests in sustainability and emerging technologies, reflecting the current trends in her industry. Her commitment to excellence is evident in her role, making her a valuable asset to The Cadmus Group.