CEOs You Should Know - Washington DC

Deborah García-Gratacos is the Founder and President and CEO of DEVAL LLC, a non-bank Hispanic woman-owned special residential loan servicer and lender, and multifamily owner and manager. Ms. García-Gratacos is responsible for the overall strategic direction and operating results of the company.

Ms. García-Gratacos is a licensed attorney with a background in real estate and finance and has served both private and public clients, such as the FDIC, USDA, HUD, VA, American Express, and HSBC. She has a passion for serving the public and supporting the loan servicing industry by providing a range of solutions in order to increase homeownership nationwide.

During her experience within the real estate industry, Ms. García-Gratacos increasingly felt that the established processes for restructuring borrowers’ debt was lacking and did not provide long lasting solutions which affected homeownership retention. In an effort to support the improvement of this industry, Ms. García-Gratacos founded DEVAL in 2002 with the mission of providing organizations with exemplary services supporting the life cycle of the loan process.

For the past 20 years, DEVAL, has serviced and monitored more than 900,000 loans valued at over $275 Billion and has been a steadfast advocate for housing counseling and increasing homeownership to Hispanic communities.

Ms. García-Gratacos, a native of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is fluent in Spanish and is a leader in her industry, incorporating Spanish-language services and supporting the translation of key loan documents into DEVAL’s service offerings.

Ms. García-Gratacos sits on the Truist Bank (formerly BB&T) Dulles/Reston Advisory Board, MBA National Diversity and Woman Inclusion Committee; Five Star Hispanic and Inclusion Committee, and the Board of the American Bible Society.

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Ana Quintana
Ana founded Crocus in 2021 after purchasing the assets of the technical group of UPD Consulting, her previous firm. She is an expert in education technology, performance management, and statistical analysis. Ana led her teams with large deployments of technology systems with states, school districts, universities, nonprofits, and other organizations across the country. She led the design of an open-source, Ed-Fi compliant, early warning system module, a talent management module, and the Educator Preparation Data Model (EPDM).

Ana has over 22 years of experience in public and private sector analytics and consultancy leading to measurable results in the implementation of methodologies, process reengineering, and business solutions in the fields of risk management, finance, education, and policy creation. She has strong analytical skills that make her an expert in using data to inform organizational decision-making. Her expertise in establishing performance management processes within organizations allows clients to monitor progress toward desired outcomes.

Ana was the recipient of the 2022 Ed-Fi Partner of the Year award for her accomplishments in the field.

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Hugo Garcia
Growing up in the family business, Hugo realized that trash service was more than a family business and set out to learn all aspects of the business. He first started working with his father at the age of 15 learning waste management from the inside out. Hugo took a break to pursue his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and Physiology while obtaining a minor in Business Administration from George Mason University. While following his aspiration to be an NFL Coach, he was hired to be an Assistant Strength Coach for the Washington Redskins for eight years.

His heart remained with the family business, and he knew he would return to the waste management industry and did so when he founded kmG in 2001. While having two children at the time, the company name kmG was founded. The lower case “k” is in honor of his son Kyle, the lower case “m” is in honor of his daughter Miranda, and of course the capital “G” for the family last name Garcia. The boxes you see on the company logo were colored for each of the children’s favorite color Teal and Pink.

Knowing that image was everything in the trash industry, the concept of kmG was to develop a more strategic and environmentally effective method when dealing with all refuse matters. Hugo’s primary focus has been to ensure kmG remains innovative and seen as an industry leader that places emphasis on customer service and the idea to bring a whole new concept and ideology to the trash industry. This commitment to being innovative was prominent as Hugo secured our partnership as an exclusive supplier for PIIAN Odor Neutralizing system.

The only way to do this was to experience each and every facet of the business from the ground up and to take a hands-on approach with each department of the company. Hugo transitioned into learning the outside operations by becoming a skilled CDL driver. It was not long before he had his own route and provided personal service to over 100 customers. His first customers were Cactus Cantina and Lauriol Plaza, who remain customers today.

Whether providing education and awareness to schools and community outreach on the importance of recycling during Green Day or bringing awareness and support for several Cancer diseases by designing trucks that serve as billboards on the road, Hugo continues to drive creativity in the trash business. His strategic direction expands our portfolio and ensures kmG remains a nationally recognized waste management company.

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Ali Reza Manouchehri
MetroStar is a leading digital information technology (IT) services and solutions provider for the public sector. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ali Reza Manouchehri co-founded MetroStar as a student at George Mason University in 1999. Studying philosophy, he developed a passion for people, design, and technology.

The unique culture at MetroStar is rooted in Ali’s unwavering quest to put his people first, and he has built a team of curious go-getters. Through his vision for MetroStar, the company has earned respect in the industry and grown from a small team to over 400 people.

Ali has successfully led MetroStar to graduate from a small business and is charting the course for a trajectory to navigate the full and open market successfully. Through his strategic focus, MetroStar supports a unique customer portfolio for a mid-sized company. MetroStar supports customers in over 30 programs across various agencies, including Department of State (DOS), Department of Defense (DOD), the Presidential Information Technology Community (PITC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Under Ali’s leadership, MetroStar recently won three multi-million-dollar contracts supporting the Marines, USCIS, and the Air Force. In addition to these wins, the team’s created impact through countless tech challenges, hosting in-person PyData events, and launching the newest DevSecOps solution—Quartz; all of which push them forward and build dynamic tech communities.

MetroStar has been a 12x awardee for the nationally recognized Computerworld's Best Places to Work in IT award, and Ali’s commitment throughout the years has won him a 2022 WashingtonExec Chief Executive Officer award.

As MetroStar develops, technology advances, and AI shapes the world, our biggest strength continues to be our people. Ali and his team are adamant about creating a diverse working environment. MetroStar’s workforce is 49% people of color, exceeding the EEOC benchmark for high-tech companies, and MetroStar's management leadership is 49% female. Our DE&I program also hosted three annual International Women's Day panels, supporting thought-leaders and women in tech along the Capital Beltway.

Furthermore, Ali’s passion for education has resulted in MetroStar maintaining six formal partnerships with universities across the Nation, including three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)’s. Additionally for the community, after years of partnership, Ali served as the Executive Challenger for the DC-Metro region for Light The Night with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and MetroStar raised over fourty-thousand dollars.

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Gregory Llinas
Mr. Gregory Llinas is the founder of GL-Solutions, an SBA Certified small business 8(a) and a Virginia SWaM certified minority-owned small business, specializing in management, financial and information technology consulting firm supporting federal, state, and local governments as well as government contracting firms in the areas of accounting, financial management, program and project planning and control. Mr. Llinas has more than 31 years of experience in Federal Government Contracting, has managed over half a dozen organizations at the executive level, including Business Development, Operations Management, and Executive Leadership.

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Rafael Fagundo
Rafael Fagundo has more than 30 years of business experience and more than 23 years in information technology, client care, and business development. At Sierra 7, Rafael is responsible for Sierra 7’s overall success. Previous to Sierra 7, Rafael was CEO of Xcalibur, Inc, an IT Government Consulting firm based in Reston, VA.

Prior to joining Xcalibur, Rafael was responsible for business development with Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors group. At Lockheed Martin, Rafael worked to grow the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest recapitalization effort, the $17 billion dollar Integrated Deepwater System.

Before joining Lockheed Martin in 2003, Rafael served as President and CEO of ASPEN, an Application Service Provider based in Reston, VA. Rafael successfully led the sales, consulting, and operations units, ultimately executing a successful sale of the business to OutTask, a larger Application Service Provider based in Alexandria, VA.

Prior to ASPEN, Rafael served as Chief Technology Officer at Warmcorners.com. In this capacity, Rafael successfully guided the development of Warmcorners’ e-commerce portal. Rafael also served as a Senior Manager at KPMG (now BearingPoint, Inc., delivering client relationship management solutions for Fortune 500 organizations.

Rafael also served as Vice President of Information Technology and Operations and ultimately Chief Information Officer for Max Worldwide, a leading strategic marketing firm with a significant client care specialty in Herndon, Virginia, Toronto, and London. In this capacity, he was responsible for all aspects of client care, including service delivery, technology, staffing, quality assurance, and training. Rafael also worked with USEC, a Global Energy Company, as Director of Information Systems. At USEC, Rafael led the re-engineering of all plant-wide business systems and all information systems at the newly created headquarters.

In addition, Rafael worked on Capitol Hill as an aid to a member of the U.S. Senate. Rafael also worked for several political organizations ensuring appropriate operations and information technology. Rafael served more than 4 years in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Kidd as well as for the Navy Judge Advocate General in Alexandria, VA. Rafael studied Business Management at the University of Phoenix and has also completed Six Sigma Training.

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Mirna (Lupi) Quinteros-Grady
Mirna (Lupi) Quinteros-Grady, President & CEO of LAYC, is a strategic, forward-thinking leader with over 20 years of experience working in socio-economically challenged communities serving a diverse population of youth. Since assuming her role in 2018, Lupi has intertwined LAYC’s mission with the new and evolving needs of Washington, DC and Maryland’s Black, Latino, and immigrant communities to ensure our services are responsive, relevant, and reliable to over 4,500 youth and families each year. Over her four years as president & CEO at LAYC, she has transformed LAYC operations and directed staff through an unprecedented global health crisis; leading LAYC to provide culturally-relevant and linguistically-inclusive services where many other organizations could not.

As a regional leader in the youth development field for over 20 years, Lupi has been responsible for the implementation of over 45+ multicultural, comprehensive, and innovative programs addressing youths' social, academic, and career needs. She previously served as LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Center’s (LAYC/MMYC) managing director, providing vision and oversight for all our Montgomery and Prince George’s County operations. She has extensive knowledge of the development, design and replication of programs in the field of youth development and initiatives that govern community-based organizations in DC and Maryland. In her commitment to youth development, she has been invested in the development of LAYC Positive Youth Development (PYD) curriculum; a culturally-relevant, youth-centered approach created by the communities we serve, for the communities we serve. Lupi is the first Latina to ever lead LAYC, and her connection to LAYC began as a 14-year-old participant in LAYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program; a program she would go on to lead as a college student in her first position at LAYC. As an immigrant from El Salvador, Lupi uniquely understands the challenges and triumphs of the families we serve and maintains a personal connection to our youth through volunteering in our direct service programs. In addition to her master’s degree in bilingual and special education from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College, Lupi credits our PYD approach as helping her build the confidence, advocacy, and communication skills that guide her to this day. Under her new strategic plan, launched in 2019, LAYC has prioritized racial equity and youth voice as central components of our ongoing mission: returning power to communities of color through grassroots programming.

LAYC is proud of the recognition Lupi has received as a leader across wider DC and Maryland communities, as she amplifies the voice of our more vulnerable youth and families within key political and communal forums. In 2014, she was elected to the school board of Prince George’s District 2, providing leadership and expertise on academic and cultural barriers Latino and immigrant youth experience in Maryland’s public schools: at the time, she was one of only two Latinas serving on the board. In 2019, she became a member of Leadership Greater Washington, graduating Class of 2020. From 2020 to present, she and LAYC have been selected to participate in a series of COVID-19 education and recovery coalitions in DC and Maryland, including DC Health Scientific Advisory Committee, Montgomery County Community Advisory Board, and Prince George Forward Taskforce’s Education Recovery Work Group, to help accelerate recovery efforts and dispel health misinformation targeting communities of color. She also served as a member of the Presidential Transition Committee for Montgomery County Community College.

Her most recent accolades also include 2023 Washington Woman of Excellence from Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Commission for Women, and the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives; 2023 Legacy Builder...

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Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor is the CEO of Aalyria Technologies, Inc. – a Google spinout and aerospace tech company. He was also the CEO of Govini, a commercial data and analytics company focused on transforming the business of government through data science. He is the Senior Advisor to the Managing Director of the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) at the Pentagon. Chris previously founded Novitas Group, a tech startup that used a unique talent-opportunity matching technology platform to aid veterans in their search for meaningful employment in the communities of their choice. He conceived of and convinced The White House and ABC’s Shark Tank to collaborate on the first all-veteran episode – which aired on Veteran’s Day 2014. For his work, he was named one of “HillVets’ 100 of 2014” most influential veterans in America.

As the CEO of a Mission Essential, Chris was named one of, “15 to Watch in 2012” by GovCon Executive magazine for growing the company from $185 million to nearly $800 million in three years. Chris is also an adjunct associate professor of national security studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service Security Studies Program, where he teaches the graduate seminar, “The Business of National Security”, and instituted and taught for three years the “Hacking for Defense” seminar. He is also a Lecturer in Management at George Washington University’s School of Business where he also teaches the Hacking for Defense graduate seminar.

Chris spent 14 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an enlisted infantryman and Force Recon Marine. Twice selected for meritorious promotion, he was the Distinguished Honor Graduate at the NCO Leadership Academy, the Distinguished Leadership Graduate at Amphibious Reconnaissance School, and the Class Commander at Marine Combatant Diver Course 93-40. Chris finished his undergraduate degree at night and left the Marine Corps to attend the College of William & Mary where he earned his MBA in Strategy & Leadership, and received the Dean’s Award for Leadership and Service at graduation. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned a Master of Public Administration degree in Political Economy and International Security and was chosen by his class to lead them into Harvard Yard for graduation. Chris also served as the Director of the Harvard Defense & Security Initiative and as a member of the Defense Leadership Project at the

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Ayesha M. Hudson
Ayesha M. Hudson is a real estate developer & property manager focused on providing sustainable, resident-centered living experiences. She is a native Washingtonian & graduate of Joel Elias Spingarn High School where she was initially exposed to public service. Ayesha began her career with the District’s Fire & EMS Department & later retired from the Prince George’s County Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department (PGFD) in May 2021. During her tenure with PGFD, Ayesha served as Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office where she established a Mediation Program as a first-line tool in alternative dispute resolution among its members. Ayesha continues her work as a conflict management trainer, and executive coach & remains connected to the mediation community.

As Founder & CEO of A-Peace, LLC, Ayesha has grown the company’s rental portfolio over the past 24 years. A-Peace owns & manages it housing stock across 3 of the district’s quadrants & areas within Prince George’s County, Maryland. Ayesha’s intention is to create & preserve housing in under-resourced communities while incorporating resident-centered programming that supports the whole person. She invests in “sustainable” practices through solarization of 70% of the company’s portfolio & hosts a Community Renewable Energy Facility (CREF) as part of the Solar for All Program.

Ayesha established the company’s first onsite urban farm program in October 2022 in honor of her late mother, Lanette A. Burkley. Nettie Farm supports the community-based agroecosystem through partnership, volunteerism & food education. Ayesha gained her farming knowledge from the ECO City Farm’s Beginning Farmer Training Program & enjoys home gardening.

Ayesha holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Maryl& College Park’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, EEO Investigator & mediation certifications & has completed the LEED Green Associate course. She actively serves on various boards & committees & volunteers at two public schools. Ayesha welcomes travel by plane & bicycle, playing chess & is married with kids.

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Ganesh Natarajan
Leading a new startup venture with a mission to enhance the quality of managed services and innovative software products catering to both the public sector and commercial clientele.

Ennoble First Health is our specialization, focusing on Healthcare IT Solutions, including EHR/EMR Implementation, Client Systems management, Network management, and Clinical/Non-Clinical Systems Integration, among other services. Leveraging BMC and ServiceNow platforms, our ITSM capabilities provide vital configuration management, incident management, and asset management services.

Ennoble First Telecom, our dedicated telecommunication and networking division, excels in delivering integration services for ground stations, towers, and network OEMs. Our expertise spans from skilled technicians to software application developers and testers. Collaborations with industry leaders such as CISCO, AT&T, IBM, SYMANTEC, and others enable us to offer tailored solutions that precisely match our customers' requirements.

Ennoble First Professional Services, our management consulting branch, is staffed by program managers, capture specialists, and experts in strategic planning and delivery. They boast an impressive track record of successfully leading large government and commercial ventures. Our team is available to enhance performance and efficiency across various industries, providing practical solutions to complex challenges. Additionally, our technical services team offers a diverse pool of technical talent to supplement our customers' existing teams and provide offsite support as needed.

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