SDFM hosts the Federal CFO Academy through a partnership with McKinsey & Company. This event brings together aspiring federal CFOs in the national security sector to discuss becoming a strategic thought partner, identifying effective trade space, digitizing the finance/accounting function, and growing financial management talent for the future.
In today’s rapidly evolving defense sector, financial leadership is more crucial than ever. SDFM’s Federal CFO Academy is designed specifically for professionals who aspire to rise to the level of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) within defense organizations. The day will focus on the unique challenges of the defense sector, including government regulations, budgeting, PPBE processes, and audit compliance. This program will help provide you with the tools and insights needed to navigate the complexities of defense financial management and take your career to the next level.
This event is open by invitation only. This exclusive program is designed for a select group of approximately 30 participants that include CFOs, comptrollers, resource managers, and direct reports at around the GS-15/O-6 level. Reach out to Caroline Smith (csmith@sdfm.org) if interested in the event to confirm eligibility.
Schedule
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
| 9:00 AM – 09:10 AM | Introductions | Rich Brady, CDFM, CGFM, CMA |
| 9:10 AM – 10:00 AM | Senior Leader Discussion | Hon. Chip Fulghum, Former CFO and Acting Under Secretary for Management, Department of Homeland Security |
| 10:00 AM – 10:10 AM | Break | |
| 10:10 AM – 10:45 AM | Being a strategic thought partner to mission leaders | Chris Griggs |
| 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM | Private Sector Budgeting – Tying Strategy to Resourcing | Chris Griggs, Jihye Gyde |
| 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Mission Return on Investment (ROI) | Mary Helen Matthews |
| 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM | AI and automation within the finance function | Vishesh Ramesh |
| 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM | Talent management for CFOs | Megan McConnell, Sarah Lu |
| 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Break | |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Fireside chat with former CFOs | Hon. Kristyn E. Jones, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (FM&C) and Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force, Hon. Robert M. Speer, Former Assistant Secretary of the Army (FM&C) and Acting Secretary of the Army |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Happy Hour/Departure |
A Worthwhile Investment of Your Time
Past participants consistently give high ratings in the Federal CFO Academy surveys, with 100% of rating the program materials and content as helpful in their ongoing roles as finance executives.
“This was tailored, relevant, and high-quality training. I enjoyed how this was a small group – it enabled more dialogue and opportunities to hear others’ successes/challenges. AMSC and McKinsey did an impressive job. Thank you for putting this together!”
“I feel like we rarely have time to sit down and digest aspirational content. I really enjoyed listening to the speakers talk about how the role of the CFO is evolving and the direction industry and public sector leaders are going.”
“It was great having the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss pertinent issues with other comptroller personnel. I particularly enjoyed the fireside chat with CFOs.”
