Congratulations to the winners of the CY2023 ASMC Individual Achievement Awards!
This award category recognizes individuals for outstanding accomplishments within the functional fields of defense financial management.
Ernest J. Gregory Award
LTC Deepak Mathew, CDFM
LTC Mathew, as the Business CFO of the Defense Health Agency, lead MHSER cost estimation, proponent for direct care system performance-based budgeting has saved over $350M in the past two years and have established approved programs by senior leaders which will save DOD and Taxpayers over $600M in FYDP 25-30.
Accounting Category
Distinguished
Corina S. Kelly
Ms. Corina Kelly was vital in the identification, research, and resolution of improperly executed sales orders to stave off an ADA violation while also assisting in the reduction of FY18 unpaid obligations by 99% line count, or 97.6% in funding, and facilitating a successful year-end closeout.
Meritorious
Rebecca L. Mennig
Ms. Mennig managed Project Cupid efforts, successfully completing research and analysis on 16,000 GFEBS records using her knowledge of DFAS systems, business processes, and research skills. Ms. Mennig identified root causes that enabled 24,800 records, totaling $2.9B, to be systemically corrected to reduce the FBwT Level 3 variances.
Tamara K. Bryan
Ms. Bryan consistently demonstrates the highest degree of integrity and dedication by leading the Financial Reporting Team as the Senior Accountant, and efficiently manage SDDC’s global financial resources. Under her leadership, SDDC’s Financial Reporting Team improved visibility of assets and financial resources and thereby enhanced SDDC’s decision-making capabilities.
Acquisition/Cost Category
Distinguished
Samantha Fitzgerald
Ms. Samantha Fitzgerald demonstrated exemplary performance and was essential to the overall success to the Agile Weapons and Stand-In Strike Divisions goals to meet war fighters’ needs. She led multiple efforts to the successful completion and approval of Program Office Estimates totaling $15B+.
Meritorious
Gregory A. Hogan
Mr. Hogan is a premier space cost expert sought out for his extensive knowledge and invaluable contributions to National space programs cost & schedule analysis. He ensures robust analysis of the entire $200B Space Force acquisition portfolio and is a leader in education and oversight committees for space cost analysis.
Joe W. Patterson Jr
Joe’s technical expertise and adaptability traits were some key ingredients in supporting the mission with practical and reliable cost data. Joe played a significant part in the IMOD and IAF committal on 14 December 2023 to proceed with purchase of 25 F-15IA aircraft at ~$5.1B during rigorous meetings.
Auditing Category
Distinguished
Tiffanie M. Vieira
Ms. Vieira’s technical skills, digital skills, leadership, and collaboration combined to support criminal investigators and conviction of 10 individuals in Federal Court in Alabama involving the loss of $4 million of sensitive items. This removed bad actors who compromised the safety of Servicemembers on future battlefields.
Meritorious
Ethan A.D. Williams, CDFM
Mr. Williams determined that the Army over-executed funding for RC mobilizations by $515 million in FYs 20–22. He led the Army to interface its order-writing pay and financial systems which will improve visibility of about $3 billion annually and properly report these transactions in the Army’s financial statements.
Michelle Lynnes, CDFM
Ms. Lynnes expertly conducted an enterprise-level audit of select Air Force personnel actions requested by the Secretary of the Air Force. She determined the Air Force could reduce processing times for select military justice-related actions by up to 48 percent, providing quick resolutions for members and ensuring timely military justice.
Budgeting Category
Distinguished
Gina M. Russomano
Ms. Russomano’ s leadership, expertise, and fiscal compliance perspective contributed to a massive consolidation and savings in CECOM’s FMS program. She generated efficiencies that saved CECOM countless man-hours and $897.80 Million in expiring funds, while simultaneously conducting her normal duties of managing/executing approximately $10 Billion in FMS funding.
Meritorious
Hilary L. Brown
As an AFMC/FM Branch Chief, Ms. Brown led a team of seven Financial Managers to optimize over $14.5B across 100+ programs, enabling Air Force mission readiness. Her selfless stewardship and innovation slashed bureaucracy, delivering Air Force level accounting improvements to support national Great Power Competition efforts.
Contractor Support Category
Distinguished
Joshua B. Johnson, CDFM
Through sheer dedication and determination, Josh Johnson strives to make everyone else’s work more efficient, more accurate, and easier. He solves problems users didn’t realize they had with incredible speed and innovation. I emphatically feel Josh Johnson has a direct positive impact across the entire AF Financial Management community.
Meritorious
Jeremy T. Lemaire, CDFM
Jeremy’s leadership, financial acumen, and commitment to fiscal responsibility is focused on improving the quality of life for AF Airmen all while transforming the Air Force PCS process to be auditable, cost efficient, and deliver an improved user experience.
Damon D. Taylor
Through exceptional leadership, expertise, and dedication, Damon Taylor had wide-reaching impacts across the broad spectrum of Air Force Financial Management. His contributions to resolving long-standing challenges surrounding cancelled funds, reimbursements, and foreign currency issues exemplify his immense value as a support contractor to the Air Force budget team!
Finance Category
Distinguished
Lindsay Miller, CDFM-A
Ms. Miller has been instrumental in advancing FM’s data analytics efforts. She developed dynamic visualizations and automated processes in many critical areas. Lindsay is also breaking down barriers with other functionals, working automation and analytics initiatives. Her contributions have resulted in numerous innovative solutions with long-term, positive impacts across the AF.
Meritorious
David Bruening
Mr. Dave Bruening distinguished himself by exception service. His stellar execution skills ensured excellent support to a $1.5B portfolio while also acting as the USAF representative for a Hellenic SAR and Tri-service meetings. Dave’s exceptional reconciliation resulted in multiple corrections including $369M in overcommitments and avoiding $52M in billing errors.
Financial Systems/Digital Transformation Category
Distinguished
Adam B. Watson
In support of DCSA’s national security mission, continuous vetting, Mr. Watson envisioned, developed and implemented a billing solution to support the Department of Defense transition of civilian, military and contractor personnel from a General Fund to Working Capital Fund model,
Intern/Trainee Category
Distinguished
Tiffany Barnhardt
As a first-year trainee (GS-09), she performs seasoned GS-12 work; She manages the High Priority $4.5B Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile Research & Development budget, teams well with her Integrated Product Teams (IPT), FM leadership, and external stakeholders (F-15 SPO, CPTS, etc), to review requirements, develop spend plans, and prepare funding documents.
Resource Management Category
Distinguished
David W. Sommers
Dave was instrumental in managing an $88.5M Nuclear Deterrence program facilitating the largest ICBM muscle movement since 2017. Validated $18.2B in Missouri state defense projects, leveraged Innovation promoting Decision Support of $123.8M in UFRs to AFGSC/CC supporting two NAFs, nine Wings and 33.7K Airmen.
Meritorious
Joshua T. Coover, CDFM
Mr. Coover conducted a Business Process Review of the PPBE process for the staff of the Secretary of the Navy. The reengineered process has increased transparency, trust, and understanding across the Secretariat staff, which resulted in superior performance during the development of inputs for the President’s FY25 budget request.
Cassaundra M. Wolfe
Cassaundra exemplifies an “accelerate, change or lose” mindset in AFRL, serving both Air Force and Space Force. Cassie’s partnership mentality resulted in identifying and optimizing trade-space of $54.8M to best support operational imperatives. Further, she implemented a sustainable and digital reporting solution that is leveraged across functions and services.