Senior Leadership

Will Gaskins

Managing Director

Will has over fifteen years of experience serving the public sector, with a concentration in the areas of mission-focused IT strategy, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and secure mobile computing. He has been working with the Department of Homeland Security since its inception, delivering innovative information sharing solutions that bridge US and foreign governments with their stakeholders in new and creative ways. Will manages the consulting arm of Efiia, working with innovation hubs spanning DHS, DOJ, and DOD. Will is dedicated to harnessing the power of Efiia’s public/private relationships in support of community resilience initiatives.
 

Chris Gorman

Managing Director

Chris has been working in the public sector IT market for over twenty years, with a strong track record of building revenue for emerging small-to-medium-sized companies new to the government marketplace. Chris has experience working directly for software manufactures, value added resellers, and system integrators. Through this combination of perspectives, Chris has been able to drive Efiia’s strategy for delivering innovative, integrated solutions to its customers through the combination of consulting, custom development, and COTS solution implementation. Chris maintains Efiia's strong relationships within the DoD and Civilian IT communities with a focus on solution enablement.


Advisors

Michelle Mrdeza

Policy Advisor

Michelle has over twenty-five years of experience in public service, working primarily in the Executive and Legislative branches of government. Ms. Mrdeza is recently retired as the majority clerk of the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which she directed since its inception in 2003. Ms. Mrdeza earned a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University, a BS in Education from the University of Virginia, and has served as a senior research fellow at the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research. Michelle is the President of MXM Consulting, and serves as a senior advisor to the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council.
 

John Ortego

Strategic Advisor

As President of Ortego & Associates, Mr. Ortego has been advising companies in pursuing business with companies that service Federal agencies since 2003. Mr. Ortego is a career civil servant with over 30 years experience in Federal Government, serving as Director of the USDA National Finance Center, and Director of the New Orleans National Finance Center. Mr. Ortega has held leadership positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Council for Technology and the Government Information Technology Executive Council. A native of Louisiana, Mr. Ortego holds a B.S. degree in business management from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.