SBIR@Connect Spotlight:
Meet NAVWAR’s Programs
Battlespace Awareness and Information Operations | Innovation Support Services (ISS) in the Enterprise Systems & Services (E2S)
Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NAVWAR
Through a partnership with the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, NIWC Pac, SBIR@Connect hopes to promote economic growth in our region by fostering connections between government, industry, and academia.
Join us to meet two of NAVWAR’s program office representatives to learn what the Navy is working on, their capability gaps, and more!
Tuesday, October 19th, 2021
1pm – 2pm
This month’s workshop will spotlight two different programs at the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NAVWAR.
The Battlespace Awareness and Information Operations Program Office, PMW 120, delivers an integrated portfolio of battlespace awareness and Information Warfare capabilities that enable the Fleet to assess the battlespace and make better decisions faster. PMW 120 comprises three primary mission areas: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Information Operations (IO), and Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC).
ISR capabilities support data sharing and connect Naval operational sensors and platforms to Naval, Joint, and Intelligence Community Enterprises. Expanded surveillance enables ballistic missile defense, enhances maritime safety, and improves the Fleet’s ability to understand and predict adversary actions.
IO tactical cryptologic capabilities fuse and exploit Radio Frequency (RF) signals intelligence at sea, enabling Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare (EMW) and Electronic Attack to protect the ships’ force.
METOC capabilities measure, sense, assess, and exploit the current and predicted states of the physical environment to produce relevant operational information for Warfighters.
The Innovation Support Services (ISS) in the Enterprise Systems & Services (E2S) and ISS Portfolio under Program Executive Office (PEO) Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions (MLB)’s mission is to build a culture of innovation by empowering our customers with an ecosystem of partnerships, processes, and the potential to make work better. ISS leads the PEO MLB Strategic Plan Goal 1 to improve customer experience.
The objective of the workshop is for innovators to meet PMW 120’s Assistant Program Manager for Science & Technology (APM S&T) under the Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I), and PMW 250’s Principal Assistant Program Manager (PAPM), under Program Executive Office (PEO) Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions (MLB) to better understand the needs of the government.
This workshop will shine the light on the two Programs, with program announcements by Shadi Azoum.
Workshop Agenda:
1330-1350: Noelle Shott, PMW 250 Principal Assistant Program Manager (PAPM) for Innovation Support Services (ISS) in the Enterprise Systems & Services (E2S) and ISS Portfolio, Program Presentation
Meet the Speakers
Shadi Azoum
NAVWAR SBIR/STTR Program Manager
Mr. Shadi Azoum is the current Program Manager for the NAVWAR Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) Program Management Offices. He has served in this position since June 2016. Prior to this position, Mr. Azoum led the Science and Technology (S&T) portfolio for PEO C4I, PMW 130 (Information Assurance and Cyber Security Program Office) as the Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Science and Technology (S&T) since May 2011. Mr. Azoum has Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science and Master of Science (MS) in Information Security from Florida State University.
Bryan Akagi
PMW 120, PMW 120 Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Science and Technology (S&T)
Bryan Akagi currently serves as the Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Science and Technology (S&T) in the Battlespace Awareness and Information Operations Program Office (PMW 120) within the Program Executive Office, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I). As the S&T APM, Mr. Akagi is responsible for investigating and evaluating technologies and capabilities that can be transitioned into the PMW 120 Programs of Record (POR).
Prior to PMW 120, Mr. Akagi has worked at the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific as an Integrated Project Team (IPT) lead for two shipboard weather radar programs and as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for multiple NIWC PAC and DARPA programs. He enjoys the outdoors and is married with three children.
Noelle Shott
Ms. Shott currently serves as the Principal Assistant Program Manager (PAPM) for Innovation Support Services (ISS) in the Enterprise Systems & Services (E2S) and ISS Portfolio under Program Executive Office (PEO) Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions (MLB). As PAPM, she is leading the establishment of this new service line within the PEO.
Prior to PAPM for ISS, Ms. Shott served as the Senior Acquisition Manager for the E2S Portfolio. She was responsible for shaping the acquisition strategies and portfolio compliance across all 16 programs and pilots comprising the Business, Enterprise Information Environment, and Weapon Mission Areas. She led multiple program transition and transfers from PEO MLB to PEO Digital and Enterprise Services. She established the E2S & ISS Pilot to Program Process and initiated several Software Acquisition Pathway Programs within PEO MLB.
Ms. Shott has had a diverse career within the Dept of Navy dating back to 2009. Her assignments include: 1) the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Navy Maritime Maintenance Enterprise Solution Technical Refresh (NMMES-TR) BCAT-I Program, as the Product Support Manager leading a team of Logisticians, Instructional Systems Specialists, Organizational Change Managers, Human-Centered Design Experts, Implementation Managers, and Information Technology Service Managers. Most notably, Ms. Shott established a Community of Practice comprised of users across all Naval Shipyards and Regional Maintenance Centers both CONUS and OCONUS. The CoP serves as Product Owners across the NMMES-TR Agile Teams to ensure User-Centered Design approach and OCM. 2) the Naval Information Warfare (NAVWAR), Sea Warrior Program, Product Support Manager responsible for all aspects of Logistics; Training; Afloat Management; and Fleet Support across a complex portfolio of IT systems, ranging from ACAT I MAIS to Abbreviated Acquisition Programs. Sea Warrior Programs enable the Navy’s human resource management, criminal justice, help desk, afloat business applications, training, joint aircraft scheduling, task and records management, and portfolio management. 3) the Marine Corps Systems Command, Global Combat Support System- Marine Corps (GCSS-MC) ACAT I MAIS Program as the Assistant Program Manager, Logistics responsible for the R1.2 Deployable Solution where she led facility site assessments across all MEFs and served as the Ship Installation Manager completing afloat installations on all LHAs and LHDs used by the Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs).
Ms. Shott received a Bachelor’s degree in Government & International Studies from George Mason University, a Master’s Degree in Management from Florida Institute of Technology, and a Certificate in Human Systems Integration from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Gretel von Son
Connect SBIR/STTR Director
Gretel von Son is the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Director at Connect, a position created to support the SBIR/STTR Program by helping make connections between government, industry and academia, more accessible. Gretel previously supported the NAVWAR SBIR/STTR Program Office, and has experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. She has published work in Advanced Materials, ACS Nano and Nature Communications. Gretel has earned a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, and a Master’s in Business Administration.
SBIR@Connect is Connect’s new program to drive innovation through collaboration with government agencies.
In partnership with the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pac), SBIR@Connect hopes to promote economic growth in our region by fostering connections between government, industry, and academia.
The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program aims to bring non-dilutive funding to eligible companies to help address government research and development needs, while striving for innovation and the commercialization of products/efforts. Although there are multiple agencies that participate in the SBIR/STTR Program, the DoD makes up a large percentage of participation. SBIR@Connect’s partnership focuses on the Navy, specifically, the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NAVWAR.
To boost interactions and promote collaboration — SBIR@Connect is developing a set of workshops introducing the various programs and opportunities to work with the Navy.
For more information, please visit the SBIR@Connect page.