Humble Beginnings

Warren Kohm didn’t grow up with a silver spoon — he grew up learning how to make things work, and how not to take anything for granted. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Warren, CEO of Aurex Defense, to trace the formative experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy, from growing up as the youngest of five in a modest Long Island home to leading a private equity–backed defense company.

Raised by two teachers, Warren learned early the value of independence, discipline and learning by doing. He started working at age 12, paid his own way through college, balanced academics with collegiate athletics and took on multiple jobs to stay afloat. Through it all, he gained lessons that would later inform his approach to leadership and finance, and define his values.

Warren shares candid stories from the early stages of his career, including his grind in commission-only sales at John Hancock, a humbling rejection from a movie theater job, and the pivotal moments that led him from IT programming to finance leadership roles at Accenture, American Management Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton and CGI. Along the way, mentorship, curiosity and a willingness to say “yes” opened unexpected doors and ultimately led him to the C-suite.

Now a CEO, Warren reflects on what it takes to lead people well: knowing when to push, when to step back and why results matter — but people matter more. He also opens up about the deeply personal impact of mental health on his life, the loss of two sisters and why supporting employee well-being is essential.

Tune in for an honest look at work ethic, resilience, leadership, humanity, and a reminder that long-term success is built one decision, one mentor and one lesson at a time.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Deb Alderson, CEO of ViaPath Technologies, as she shares of her upbringing in Norfolk, Virginia; and how she'd later turn every challenge into an opportunity. Deb was raised by her mother and grandmother in a farming community near a military area, where she learned early lessons in hard work, giving back and breaking barriers. She was the first woman in her family to earn a college and graduate degree.

From starting her career as a GS4 clerk typist (without knowing how to type!) to navigating male-dominated defense and tech industries, Deb shares candid stories of early career setbacks, lessons from mentors and pivotal moments that shaped her leadership philosophy. Today, she leads Viapath with a mission to drive meaningful change in the lives of incarcerated individuals and their families, proving that empathy, transparency,and grit can create lasting impact.

Tune in to hear how Deb’s upbringing, family values and unshakable resilience propelled her from humble beginnings to the C-suite — and why she believes there truly is no glass ceiling.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," host Amanda Ziadeh sits down with Rohit Gupta, CEO of Aretum, as he shares his extraordinary journey leading a major GovCon company in the U.S. Before the executive title, before the acquisitions and AI strategies, Gupta's journey began in a one-bedroom apartment in Bombay — and a one-way ticket to the U.S. with just enough money to support him during his master’s degree program.

Gupta discusses his upbringing in India, educational and career path that took him all over the States and internationally, significant life transitions, as well as his experience with computer engineering, branching out on his own, commercial consulting and his shift to federal contracting. Learn about his challenges, triumphs, and what drives him to give back to the community. Tune in for an inspiring story of curiosity, resilience and creating your own path to success.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh interviews Scott Goldstein, senior vice president and fellow at Parsons Corp. Goldstein shares his unique journey from an Army infantryman to a major general in the Air Force, and finally to his current role in the private sector.

Goldstein's story is marked by academic achievements, significant pivots in his career and impactful mentorships. He discusses his upbringing in Silver Spring, Maryland, the influence of his father's World War II service, and his deep-seated passion for history and technology. Goldstein also reflects on the challenges and accomplishments that shaped his non-linear career path, including his time at the National Reconnaissance Office during 9/11 and his roles at SAIC and Parsons.  

In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Vernon Saunders, CEO of Freedom Technology Solutions Group, as he shares how he journeyed from grappling with a nearly paralyzing fear of public speaking to communicating boldly and effectively while leading with intention.

His story is one marked by life in the military, navigating the transition to civilian life, and now bringing all of his experiences together in the world of GovCon.

None of his successes happened overnight. From his first job delivering newspapers on a bicycle to relying on college mentors to help him navigate greater learning and success, Saunders recounts key moments in his life and shares how he arrived at his current position. 

Tune in to hear the complete story.

In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Garland Garris, Associate Director - Lead for Quantum Science, Zero Trust and Cloud Security at Accenture Federal Services, as he shares his journey from growing up in the coal mining town of Eccles, West Virginia, to finding a place in state and federal IT leadership.

Through foraging with his dad, adopting a love of reading from his mom and learning an appreciation of faith from his grandmother, Garris built a growth mindset that reflected the strong work ethic of many in the tight-knit community where he grew up.

Like many in Eccles, Garris went to work in the coal mines nearly straight out of high school. The jobs were physically demanding but also required deep problem-solving skills that drew — or built — strong, smart people. Quickly seeing the toll such a career would take on his health, Garris decided to go to college.

That one decision was the first step to lead him down a nearly three-decade career that would lead him to working in impactful roles, including in IT for the state of West Virginia and later for the FBI. 

Tune in to hear how his career unfolded, lessons learned along the way, and the work he is currently leading at Accenture Federal Services.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Brandy Durham, vice president of MANTECH's Data and AI Practice, as she shares of her upbringing in South Texas, and how her family's history of carpentry and military service instilled a strong work ethic and adaptability that shaped her career path. Growing up in a family of builders and as the first person in her family to go to college, Durham learned the value of creating something from nothing and supporting clients and employees alike. This eventually led her to a successful career in government contracting despite not taking a direct path.

Tune in to hear how Durham's initial interest in a law career quickly pivoted to political science post-9/11 due to a desire to solve pressing national problems, just like her family members who served in the military. Opting for a master's degree over a Ph.D., she began her career at the Drug Enforcement Administration, learning on the job the importance of collaboration and upskilling. This foundation propelled her through roles at IBM and into the world of data and AI, eventually navigating complex AI challenges at MANTECH, and driving emerging technologies to solve real-world problems with a focus on client outcomes.

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US, as she shares her upbringing in Northern Virginia under the values of "family, faith, hard work and doing good to others."

Purvis' parents both worked for IBM, introducing her to computers and the world of technology around the age of 7. Outside of academics -- which came relatively easy for Purvis -- she talks about how she learned to be "comfortable being uncomfortable" as an introvert by joining the cheerleading squad and eventually serving as captain. It opened up a "whole new world" for her, and a lesson she'd carry with her throughout her career. 

Noticing a lack of women of color in technology and with positive influence from her parents and a true knack for math and science, Purvis pursued a computer science degree at Hampton University on scholarship, jumped right into her field with Lockheed Martin after graduation, and soon after, received her master's degree in information systems. Purvis shares her career achievements to follow, but also what she had to overcome as a leader -- like the need to achieve perfection and being an introverted communicator. 

Tune in to hear how her early beginnings, career turning points, foundational values and learnings, and love of teaching ultimately led Purvis' career journey straight to the C-suit. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense, as he shares about his upbringing in a factory town in Pennsylvania surrounded by a large family, strong work ethic and small town values. And while Wagner appreciated his small town and worked in nearby factories throughout college (amongst many other odd jobs during his youth), he knew he'd need to leave to reach his full potential. 

Wagner excelled in high school and received a scholarship to attend university, but academic struggles in college led to their own financial and personal challenges. He overcame them and got his professional start in civil service as an engineer for the Navy in southern California. His career to follow would take him back to the D.C. area and into GovCon. Wagner experienced a career and life turning point shortly after Sept. 11, 2001; pursued higher education; transitioned through several different roles that weren’t always “progressions;” and made various career decisions that would change the course of his career. 

Tune in to hear how Wagner eventually became CEO, the values and experiences that got him there, and what he still hopes to accomplish professionally and personally. 

In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with two chief information officers in government who share their backgrounds, the lessons they learned early on and the impact their upbringings had on their current roles in public service. Mittal Desai ⏤ CIO of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ⏤ and Yemi Oshinnaiye ⏤ CIO of the Transportation Security Administration ⏤ moved up the federal space together and supported each other along the way. They’ve remained friends and champions of one another to this day.

Tune in to this unique episode as Desai and Oshinnaiye, both the sons of immigrant parents with influential stories, take us through the progression of their educational and professional lives in industry and government. They share tales of career turning points and realizations, how they met, the times they've called on one another for advice and more.