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Taylor Wood is an experienced communication and change management strategist dedicated to building and leading proactive teams that go above and beyond for her clients. She oversees a portfolio of more than 18 teams across several government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Science Foundation. In this role, Taylor focuses on growing and expanding Human Experience’s event management capability and enhancing Aptive’s recruitment marketing services through the implementation of technical solutions.

Throughout her career, she has focused on learning various leadership styles and techniques to help others achieve success. Taylor is passionate about training others to lead with empathy and foster positive working relationships, enabling teams to provide exceptional service to clients. In previous roles, Taylor has led numerous communication teams and enterprise-wide transformation initiatives for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of the Navy, VA, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Energy.

• Secret Security Clearance

• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)

• Certified Change Management Practitioner, Prosci

• M.A., Strategic Communications, American University

• B.A., Communication Studies, West Virginia University

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Tammy Czarnecki is a registered nurse and former Veterans Health Administration (VHA) executive with over 30 years of experience working for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). At Aptive, Tammy leads and develops the organization’s health-related capability areas and fosters innovation across programs. She also spearheads initiatives that advance Aptive’s mission as a leader in health solutions for federal agencies.

Tammy started at VA as a bedside nurse in the Pittsburgh Medical Center and spent the last seven years of her career as Deputy Assistant Under Secretary for Field Operations before retiring in 2023. In this role, Tammy served as the principal advisor to the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Operations, directing the day-to-day operations of all 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks, Member Services, VHA Police, Office of Diversity and Civic Engagement and the Office of Emergency Management.

As the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Administrative Operations, Tammy managed 10 national program offices, including Occupational Safety and Health, Procurement and Logistics, Emergency Management, Healthcare Technology and Member Services.

Tammy also worked in Clinical Operations, leading the integration and execution of clinical services throughout VHA, and served as the Director of Performance Management for the Office of Quality and Performance, developing national performance measures for VA’s health care system.

• M.S., Organizational Leadership, Geneva College

• M.S., Nursing Administration, University of Pittsburgh

• B.S., Nursing, University of Pittsburgh

• Diploma, Nursing, West Penn School of Nursing

• Registered Nurse

• Member, American College of Healthcare Executives

• 2022 Presidential Distinguished Rank Award recipient

Emily Howell is a research-driven communications strategist and business development specialist with a decade of experience leading multimillion-dollar campaigns for federal clients. Emily uses her background in service delivery for agencies such as the Departments of Transportation and Veterans Affairs, National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to identify client pain points and develop high-quality, innovative solutions. She has overseen the capture, bid and execution of hundreds of millions of dollars of communications and marketing projects throughout the federal government. She excels at building relationships with partners and clients and developing teams that drive results.

• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)

• George Washington University’s Milken Institute of Public Health 950 Award Winner

• MPH, George Washington University

• B.A., University of Michigan

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