Gina Abate joined Edwards in 2013 as a Senior Vice President. Appointed President in June 2013 and CEO in May 2016, she is responsible for the direction, leadership, and performance of Edwards. Ms. Abate actively runs day-to-day capture and delivery of products and services across the company’s three Strategic Business Units, contracts, finance, human resources, business development, proposals, and technology solutions.

Under her leadership, Edwards expanded its offerings to include cybersecurity and IT services, complementing a strong enterprise management and training history.

Gina’s strong leadership, industry knowledge, and board positions, enable strategic plan development for growth and to advance the company’s mission. Ms. Abate was on the Board of Directors for The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI) for six years, and served as Chair/Past Chair from 2018-2021. She is featured in multiple publications promoting cyber awareness. She is most recently recognized by The Daily Record as one of their “Most Influential Marylanders” for her contributions to current and emerging technology and “Most Admired CEO” for her vision and leadership.

Before joining Edwards, Gina was a Vice President at NTT Data Federal Systems (formerly Keane Federal Systems) and BAE Systems. She has 30+ years of proven leadership with executive, technical, and business management experience in the Federal Government as a Civil Servant and a commercial sector contractor. Her work includes managing multiple contracts, spanning the full range of IT services from program management through operations, and full responsibility for annual revenues totaling $120M+.

Gina holds a BA in History and Political Science from Texas Lutheran University and a Paralegal Master's Certificate from Southwest Texas State University.

Brooke Edwards joined Edwards in early 2013 supporting marketing and proposal activities and now serves as Director, Proposals & Marketing. Brooke is responsible for leading all marketing initiatives, collaborating with all of Edwards’ Strategic Business Units, and Edwards’ event coordination, including internal, external, and corporate community outreach. Brooke also drives website and social media efforts to promote the growth and influence of Edwards’ capabilities.

Brooke has 10+ years of professional marketing, communications, proposal activities, and event planning experience. Her skills include copy editing, technical writing, project management, document design, and organizational branding. Before joining Edwards, she spent 8+ years working in the customer service industry.

Brooke holds industry certificates, including Shipley Federal Proposal Writing and Management, Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, and Project Management Fundamentals.

Matt Hoeper joined Edwards in October 2021 as a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant. Matt Hoeper is an experienced cybersecurity professional with 25+ years of IT experience. Matt holds a master’s degree in management information systems as well as PMP and CISSP certifications. Before joining Edwards, he worked with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses in the areas of engineering, financial, marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, and health care. Over his career, Matt has conducted security assessments against multiple standards.

Andrea Linton originally joined Edwards in 2013 as the Director of Training & Development (T&D), but has now transitioned to the role of People, Culture, and Education Director (PC&E). In this role, Andrea is responsible for driving the department’s mission to cultivate an organization where quality talent is recruited and retained.

People, Culture, & Education (PC&E) is a new department, joining the forces of HR, recruiting, employee engagement, and training to provide insightful, people-focused initiatives and processes. As the director, Andrea will oversee all subsections of the PC&E department to ensure Edwards’ strong culture and core values remain at the forefront of any employee's experience.

Andrea has 13+ years of professional T&D experience in instructional systems design (ISD) and managing T&D programs and projects in the Federal government space. Before joining Edwards, she spent over six years as an Associate and T&D Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton where she managed teams through the ISD process – including analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.

Andrea holds a Master of Science in Instructional Technology and a Bachelor of Art in Communication Studies and Spanish from Bloomburg University.

Eric Perlstein joined Edwards in 2014 as the Director of our Healthcare Programs, and then Director of our Government Strategic Business Unit. As of 2022, he transitioned to Director of Commercial Programs. In this role, Eric is responsible for all strategic Commercial initiatives. He works to define roles and responsibilities, network with stakeholders and Program staff, and identify an approach for risk management while upholding Edwards’ core values.

Eric has 35+ years of Project Management experience as a contractor to the federal government and commercial clients. Previously, he worked at ManTech where his responsibilities included operational management, business portfolio planning, and oversight of the CMS portfolio PMO. His work with CMS included client relationship management; portfolio and operational management; and process, productivity, and efficiency improvement. Before working at ManTech, Eric supported Applied Integrated Technologies, Special Operations Technology, BAE Systems, and Scientific and Engineering Solutions.

Eric also served as the President of the PMI Baltimore Chapter, aiding the Board since 2006. During his tenure, he established programs and processes to improve communication with its membership, developed newsletters, added additional education seminars, and provided effective social media for membership outreach. Eric received the 2012 PMI Leader of the Year Award for his commitment and support that led to membership growth and educational offerings. Under his leadership, the Baltimore Chapter received the top international award for Communication and Collaboration, as well as Member Services (2010-2012).

Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Hartford. He is also a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Risk Management Professional (RMP), ITIL Service Management Professional, and a PMI Agile Certified Practitioner.

Sam Bell joined Edwards in 2019 as a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant and serves as the Cybersecurity Assessments Program Manager, responsible for overseeing Edwards NIST 800-53, HIPAA, NIST CSF, and CMMC assessments, as well as managing Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing capabilities.

In his role as Chief Information Security Officer, Sam leverages 35+ years of information technology, security, project management, and process improvement experience to ensure Edwards continuously refines and enhances its ability to protect its clients’ information.

Before joining Edwards, Sam spent 16 years at T. Rowe Price in several security and program management roles. Sam managed numerous platforms in their Enterprise Security Identity Management infrastructure and established the Enterprise Security Data and Analytics capabilities. In his software program management roles, Sam oversaw multiple software platforms including a data warehouse, call center, and translation infrastructures.

Steve Edwards founded Edwards Industries (d/b/a; Edwards Performance Solutions) in 1997 to provide tailored business services that result in greater operational performance. Since its inception, he has devoted himself and the company to specializing in the implementation of proven processes and methodologies, as well as emerging technologies and tools to drive mission success for commercial businesses, Government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

As Founder and member of the Corporate Board, Steve focuses on strategies that build relationships and leverage market conditions to promote corporate growth, while holding to the company vision and fundamental values.

“Edwards was founded and built based on two of my guiding principles: business morality/ethics and employee empowerment. The success of Edwards hinges on trust and integrity in our business practices. My personal faith in the Lord guides me in all that I do, as such, we aspire to the highest level of ethics and moral principles. Our employees are the reason we succeed; therefore, I always want to create an environment where employees are engaged and given the resources to achieve their full potential – making Edwards the best place to be employed,” states Steve Edwards.

Mr. Edwards is the originator of many of the methodologies used by the company, as well as the primary or contributing author to many of the training courses/books the company offers. He is also active in many industry-relevant organizations, including the Project Management Institute (PMI), Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI), Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Greater Baltimore Committee, and BWI Partnership.

Steve firmly believes that community involvement leverages community strength – bringing out the best that each contributes. Steve serves on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) – Baltimore Area Council (BAC). Mr. Edwards is an Eagle Scout (class of 1974), an active member of the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA), and a recipient of the NESA Outstand Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) for exceptional and progressive local achievement.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Maryland, as well as degree certificates in Engineering Technology and Biomedical Electronics Technology.

Mary Holland joined Edwards in July 2015 as a Program Manager. In her role as Chair of the Edwards Management System, she is responsible for developing, maintaining, and improving the Company’s quality management system to support our business objectives and to deliver high-quality solutions to our customers. She ensures alignment with our ISO 9001:2015 and CMMI for Services certifications. Mary also advises on risk management, reporting, and analysis. Mary also serves as our Enterprise Management Solution Area Lead.

Mary has more than 30 years of experience in program, project, and operations management in scientific and technical organizations, including Dell, the National Safety Council, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and NASA. Her experience has spanned corporate, federal state government, and non-profit sectors. She is a leader, problem-solver, and mentor with a sense of humor. Mary enjoys collaborating with teams and stakeholders to develop strategies and products – through building consensus among participants with disparate views, gathering information to solve problems, implementing solutions, developing staff, and driving financial results.

Mary has a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from The Ohio State University. She is a certified PMP and PMI-ACP.

J.D. Urbach partners with Federal, State & Local government agencies to understand their needs and challenges and propose solutions from across the Edwards portfolio. J.D. joined Edwards in 2011 supporting initiatives at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Over the past twenty-five years, he has led major projects at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI,) McCormick & Company, Laureate Education, and Lucent Technologies.

In the community, J.D. Urbach is a member of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) Board of Directors and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC.) He also chairs the Alumni Committee of the Baltimore Area Council – Boy Scouts of America and is an active Assistant Scoutmaster.

J.D. received his BA from Drew University and MBA from the Johns Hopkins University. He is an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) which has awarded him the Project Management Professional (PMP); PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP); and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) designations.

Neil Seitchik joined Edwards in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With 20+ years of business management experience, Neil is responsible for managing all financial and contractual affairs. Neil ensures the company complies with cost accounting, auditing, and tax requirements, following Edwards’ internal financial policies and procedures, as well as Government and private industry regulations.

Neil works closely with Edwards’ leadership to understand the profitability of all existing contracts, ensuring access to sufficient working capital and enhancing financial reporting.

Before joining Edwards, Neil served as the finance and contracts lead for both small and mid-sized Government contractors and executive teams. He is credited with creating and implementing several labor reporting, budgeting, and costing process improvements.

Neil is an active Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island.

Jeff Bongiovani joined Edwards in 2018 as an ISD (Instructional Systems Designer) and was promoted to T&D Manager in 2021. Jeff is responsible for managing training-based customer engagements as well as overseeing the design and development of new and existing Edwards training courses (both internal and external). He has 20+ years of classroom training and ISD experience.

Before joining Edwards, Jeff was a trainer teaching a myriad of subjects, including software, programming, business skills, and other technical topics with New Horizons International Training Company. He took the lead in instructing a variety of courses including Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite, HTML, JavaScript, and SQL. He was also an in-home piano, trumpet, and music theory teacher from 1997 through 2017.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Loyola University of Baltimore. He also holds a CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer (CTT+) Certification.

Fletcher Hearns joined Edwards in 2008 as a Senior Program Manager and Enterprise Solution Specialist responsible for designing and implementing enterprise-level project management (EPM) solutions around Microsoft Project Server. In 2011, Fletcher assumed the leadership role in this area, becoming the Director of Technology Solutions and ultimately Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Fletcher is responsible for the implementation of EPM solutions for Edwards’ clients, as well as custom application development around enterprise IT solutions, as well as IT Solutions Solution Area Lead. Fletcher is also one of Edwards’ leading trainers for Project Management and the use of project management tools.

Fletcher has 25+ years of experience in software engineering, enterprise solutions development, and project/product management. He has directed, managed, and implemented large complex software development and systems integration projects including full system development lifecycle (SDLC) management and Agile Framework from planning through operations support. His experience also includes requirements gathering, design, development, and implementation of enterprise-level project management systems.

Before Edwards, Fletcher served as the Director of Engineering at ODS Medical, a firm specializing in the development of medical industry systems for digital diagnostic image dissemination and recording. He also held various positions involving the design, development, and project management of highly complex, high-performance systems used in the financial and online gaming industries.

Fletcher holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Denison University. He is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), and is an active participant with PMI. Fletcher is also a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) AND Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) in both Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server.

Eric Levitas joined Edwards in 2019 to lead commercial sales as the Director of Commercial Growth. At Edwards, Eric builds relationships with partners and clients; currently supporting clients globally to strategically meet their security goals and implement a proactive cybersecurity approach.

Eric has over a decade of successful enterprise selling experience, working in a variety of industries, such as supply chain logistics, cybersecurity, golf, and virtual reality. Throughout his career, Eric has been known for his aptitude in working with clients to solve their needs through budget-friendly solutions.

Eric currently sits on various boards and committees around the State of Maryland, such as Boy Scouts of Central Maryland, Howard County Young Professionals Network, and Towson Business Leadership Association. Eric holds his bachelor’s degree in business, with a concentration in Marketing from Towson University. Eric graduated at the top of his class, receiving the Dunbar Scholarship of Excellence award.

Anthony McDuffie joined Edward in early 2023 as the Government Business Development Manager. In this role, he applies his executive leadership skills and expertise, encompassing sales, business development, capture management, marketing, proposal, operations, and delivery excellence.

Anthony’s career includes 25+ years of business development and capture management leadership strategies – resulting in $300M+ in federal, as well as state and local, technical, and professional services contract awards. Previous roles include CEO of his 8(a) company, Senior Director of Business Development for both small and midsize companies, Project Manager, and implementing strategies/tactics for a new federal business unit within a Commercial Consulting and IT firm.

Anthony combines industry and innovative capture best practices that result in high probability wins for new and expanding business opportunities. He is adept at building viable and complementary teaming relationships, negotiating teaming agreements, and implementing winning go-to-market strategies designed to drive growth.

Anthony also draws upon his extensive accounting education at Prince George's Community College.