Featured Speakers

Julie Vida is a technology and business executive specializing in the government and public sector space. She is the VP, Defense Growth at ManTech, leading teams who expand opportunities to deliver high end technology and engineering solutions for military Services and defense agency clients. Prior to joining ManTech, she held VP roles in advisory and consultative selling at both Splunk and Gartner, targeting executive engagement with federal government Chief Information Officers (CIO) and IT senior leaders.

She served honorably for 24 years in the US Navy, retiring as a Commander in 2012 before her career pivot to technology in the private sector. Initially an Enlisted Russian linguist, she switched tracks to the Officer community and earned her commission from the US Naval Academy in 1994. She served as both a Surface Warfare Officer and Naval Aviator (helicopter pilot) in various combatant ships and helicopter squadrons. Her highest military award is the Navy Air Medal, recognizing her superior airmanship and bravery in armed conflict, earned during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Her final role in government was the Navy’s Deputy Chief Information Officer in the Pentagon.

Julie regularly mentors and guides transitioning veterans as they leave the service. She is passionate about supporting and encouraging women and girls in technology, speaking at events to encourage pursuing STEM career fields, building confidence, and learning through setbacks.

A lover of word puzzles and trivia games, she is a former champion of two televised game shows, “The Weakest Link” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach is a 1990 graduate of George Washington University.  She received her commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps and was designated a naval intelligence officer.

Aeschbach’s operational assignments included Patrol Squadron (VP) 6, with deployments to Adak, Alaska, and Okinawa, Japan; Amphibious Squadron One, deploying to the Western Pacific and the Arabian Gulf; and Carrier Strike Group Nine, taking part in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Her ashore assignments were Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, Aiea, Hawaii; Tactical Training Group Pacific, San Diego; Naval Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee; U.S. Naval Forces Europe, London; U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida; a military fellow at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, McLean, Virginia; Office of the Chief of Naval Operations staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; and Naval Information Forces, Suffolk, Virginia. She commanded Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic, Norfolk Virginia from 2013 to 2015.

As a flag officer, Aeschbach served as deputy director of Intelligence for U.S. Forces–Afghanistan, director of Intelligence for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, director of National Maritime Intelligence Integration office and commander, Office of Naval Intelligence.

Aeschbach’s personal awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for Defense One. She previously covered defense technology and cybersecurity for FCW and Defense Systems. Before then, Williams has reported on several issues, including internet culture, national security, health care, politics and crime for various publications. She has a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware.