Mark Johnson
MANAGING PARTNER
Mark Johnson is a seasoned entrepreneur who leverages his forty plus years of federal business experience to help small and mid-sized businesses achieve success in the federal market. Mr. Johnson began his career at General Electric where he developed strong accounting and financial management expertise. He then managed large complex global IT programs for Fortune 500 companies and ultimately achieved the level of Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2000, he transferred to the Federal practice where he brought global best practices to the Federal market. Several years after IBM acquired PwC (2002), Mr. Johnson was appointed Vice President managing a large practice in the Federal market. Throughout his career he has helped transform business and government through technology. In 2010 Mr. Johnson started what is today Catapult Growth Partners to focus on providing small and mid-sized businesses with the tools and expertise they need to accelerate their business growth and achieve their dreams.
Tim Spadafore
SENIOR PARTNER
Tim Spadafore has over 29 years of federal government experience, Tim joins CGP as an
accomplished senior executive with proficiency in business operations, company growth,
engagement management, mergers and acquisitions, corporate staffing, and business
development. Tim has participated in and led four mergers and acquisitions within the past 12
years. Tim has held positions responsible for the day-to-day operations of multiple large
businesses (emerging large, mid-tier, and public), including oversight of multiple strategic
initiatives across the organization including member engagement, growth enablement
strategies, multi-year planning, market engagement, and government relations. Tim has led
measurable improvements averaging double-digit CAGR growth across multiple organizations
while penetrating emerging strategic markets and enterprise program satisfaction. Tim has led
integration of contracts, staff, delivery, and IT through multiple transactions across 4
companies.
Tim was recently the COO of CSA, a Blue Delta Capital Partners, a Private Equity backed
company. Prior to that, Tim served as the senior vice president for CGI Federal Defense,
Intelligence, and Space business unit. He was responsible for all aspects of the business and
growth strategy. Before CGI, Tim was the president and COO for TeraThink, which was
acquired by CGI in 2020. Tim also served as COO of Dominion Consulting prior to its merger
with TeraThink.
Tim has a B.S. in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where is also the vice
chairman of the Lally Management School Leadership Council.
Carlos Otal
SENIOR PARTNER
Carlos is a transformational leader with over thirty years of experience serving government entities spanning a full range of services — from internal and financial statement auditing to organizational and process improvement to the assessment and implementation of enterprise systems, including program management, strategy, acquisition and business model development for clients installing enterprise solutions, implementing custom solutions, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and cloud-based solutions, or migrating to a shared service provider. He is formerly National Managing Partner of a large Public Sector consulting firm in which he led the acquisition and transition through all aspects of the integration of the firm’s strategy, market development, service delivery, financial performance and talent management.
Fran Vogel
PARTNER
Fran has spent her career in Federal Sales and Business Development working for both large and small businesses in the IT services sector. She is highly experienced in full-lifecycle business development from identification through the capture and proposal process. As an accomplished senior executive with demonstrated success, she has developed strong professional relationships and networks with high-level executives to expand contacts and aid clients in their opportunity pursuits. Her primary focus has been in the Federal Civilian Agencies and since joining Catapult Growth Partners, supported clients in the Civilian and DoD Agencies.
Paul Dillahay
SENIOR ADVISOR
Paul is an accomplished technology executive and business leader with a proven track record of driving growth, innovation, & profitability in complex and dynamic environments. He has served as the CEO of Harmonic AI, Empower AI and ASRC; and held executive positions with CACI, Lockheed Martin and General Electric. He is known for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to build high-performance teams that deliver results in competitive markets. Dillahay has a deep understanding of the federal contracting landscape and a proven ability to build strong relationships with customers and partners.
At CGP, Paul will leverage his extensive knowledge, experience, and professional network to provide impactful advisory services to best position companies pursuing the adoption of AI for both growth and operational efficiency.
David Hollis
PARTNER
David is a proven leader with nearly 30 years of public sector management consulting experience. Before joining Catapult Growth Partners, David served in senior management and executive positions at PwC, IBM, The MITRE Corporation, EY, Grant Thornton, and Guidehouse. David is an accomplished growth leader who helps organizations strengthen business development capabilities, grow, and manage qualified sales pipelines, execute winning proposals, and improve business processes through technology. His federal clients included the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Smithsonian Institution, and the California Public Employees Retirement System.
Cindy Gaddis
PARTNER
Cindy Gaddis, a U.S. Army Veteran, speaker, and co-author of "The Veterans Business Guide," is an experienced executive with demonstrated success in winning, executing, and keeping over $1 billion in federal contracts in the information technology and services industries.
Cindy has 18 years’ experience winning federal government contracts; from marketing, business development, capture, and proposal development, to contract and project management. She is a PMI.org certified Project Management Professional (PMP), National Contract Management Association (NCMA), and United States Army Association (AUSA) lifetime member.
Michael Carucci
PARTNER
Michael is a Naval Academy graduate, who has spent his post military career selling software and services for companies like IBM, SAP and CSRA. Since joining Catapult Growth Partners Mike has served both small and large clients seeking to grow their market presence across DoD and Civilian markets.
Richard Klemmer
PARTNER
Richard has more than 25 years of leadership and consulting experience in the public and private sectors. He has held positions with the Department of the Army, USDA, and the Department of Commerce before transitioning into the private sector.
Mr. Klemmer has extensive knowledge and experience in technology, cyber, agile development, finance, strategy, and mission support. He has held executive positions responsible for Growth, BD, Capture, Delivery, and Operations at small and mid-sized companies. In these capacities, he has generated executive strategies (including budget, acquisitions, and all areas of technology: development, operations, governance, capital planning, budget, transformation, and cybersecurity); business development and capture strategy; account strategy; pipeline development; proposal support (including management, development, review, and writing), providing insight from government evaluation and industry development perspectives; and federal policies and regulations.
Wayne Bobby
PARTNER
Wayne has more than 40 years of experience in optimizing federal financial and human capital management processes through the implementation and adoption of several different application software platforms. He began his career with the State Department and held a position as Director of Financial Management Services before taking on a series of VP level positions with application software firms such as Oracle, Infor and Workday.
His career has provided a unique view into the Federal Financial and Human Capital Management business models and their transition to shared services models over the past several decades. He has worked closely with and developed a reputation across the federal CFO/CIO/CHCO community as an expert advisor on applications and technology.
Joc Knispel
PARTNER
Joc’s career spans more than 38 years as a military officer, senior civilian in the Department of Defense (DoD), and Director of Business Development (BD) for Chenega Worldwide Support (CWS) (an 8a native Alaskan Corporation). As a senior federal servant he held various DoD positions, most notably as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon and, before that, as the Deputy Army Commander for the National Security Agency – Georgia (NSAG). Prior to that, Joc retired from the Army as a Military Intelligence Lieutenant Colonel, culminating as the Deputy Chief of Staff at NSAG and Deputy Army Commander at NSAG. After his career serving the federal government, Joc had much success at CWS, including the award of a multimillion-dollar construction project with the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site and a $100M Intelligence and Security Command Global Intelligence Logistics and Engineering contract.
Joc earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and completed International Studies by attending the University of Augsburg, Germany. He was inducted into the UPJ Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. He’s an avid golfer and walking scorer for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Tournament.
Andy Lieber
PARTNER
Andy has a proven track record of increasing revenue through identifying, qualifying, and capturing opportunities that drive business expansion and increase brand recognition. He is well known in the Federal CIO and CFO communities with connections among executives at VA, GSA, DHS, USDA, HUD, DOC, DOJ, Treasury, EPA, and smaller agencies. Since joining Catapult Growth Partners, he has served clients seeking to grow their businesses in both DoD and Civilian Agencies.
Christina Orticke
PARTNER
Christina brings over 30 years of experience working across a variety of business models, market and industries to our team, including energy, financial services, technology (financial technology, cybersecurity, RPA/AI/ML, creative technology), PMO and DEIA. She has led the way in growth strategy development and execution, business optimization, and transaction advisory. She is most passionate about working with small and middle-market businesses, providing a full spectrum of business development services from strategic planning and market penetration assessments to pipeline development and teaming, with growth strategies to include JV's and MP's.
Laura Bennett
PARTNER
Laura Bennett is a knowledgeable and experienced leader and expert in federal sales, business development and marketing. Laura is a 5x Winner of FedHealth IT Magazines (now FORUM)
“100 Award” and was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 2021. With her hands-on approach to
business development, capture strategy, and marketing, Laura has tremendously excelled in
developing and capturing profitable multi-million-dollar results for companies and organizations served across the federal health marketplace. Laura also currently serves as the
Marketing/Communications Chair on the NCMA Woodlawn chapter.
Don Ellison
PARTNER
Don Ellison has 33 years of consulting experience primarily in the Federal sector. Early in his consulting career, he established a practice at ICF focused on international programs in public health, health informatics, counter-trafficking, food security, media, and energy/environment across 4 continents. As a Senior Vice President he managed operating groups, served on the corporate board of Macro International, a subsidiary of ICF, and oversaw the international accounts for ICF. He has a strong entrepreneurial focus with a record of building business units and expanding into new clients and sectors.
Robert (Earl) Johnson
PARTNER
Earl’s career spans more than 45 years as a senior military officer and accomplished senior executive in the defense industry. His most recent position was acting Chief Growth Officer for CSA. Before CSA, Earl was the Advanced Technology Officer for Amentum, a 7-billion-dollar company. He also served in the Strategic Growth Office at Amentum, where he led cyber integration and emerging markets. Earl served as VP, BD for ITT Communications and Senior Director for Sales and International Marketing for Rockwell Collins, where he successfully led efforts to win new business in Army Ground Communications markets. Earl is a retired US Army Colonel with 27 years of service. His critical positions in the Army included Chief of Staff, Communications and Electronics Command (CECOM), Fort Monmouth, N.J; Brigade Commander of Regional Signal Group SHAPE, Mons, Belgium; Battalion Commander, 67th Signal Commander, Fort Eisenhower, GA; and Presidential Communications Trip Officer, The White House Communications Agency.
Earl earned a Bachelor of Science from Fort Valley State University and a master’s in business management from Webster’s University. He is a life member of the Signal Corps Regimental Association and on the Board of Directors for the Fort Eisenhower Association of the United States
Caroline Hughes
PARTNER
Caroline is an experienced sales professional with a proven track record of sales and revenue expansion, through crafting complex solutions, customer relationship building and tenacity.
Caroline has a background in software and services and has been successful selling in the Federal Civilian market throughout her career. Caroline has worked in sales and business development in the past with companies including Experian, Lexis Nexis, QinetiQ, General Dynamics and Alion.
Dan McNamara
PARTNER
Dan brings over 25 years of expertise driving business growth in the FedCiv Market. Dan has held leadership positions with focus on DHS and Cyber Security with companies including Bechtel, Booz Allen Hamilton, Maximus Federal and Sierra Nevada Aerospace. He has built pipelines, helped identify and connect with key decision makers, structured go-to-market strategies, and branding. He is active in groups like AFCEA NOVA and The Capital Business Development Association. He's a Co-Founder of the Northern Virginia Business Development Group, a Patriot Circle Member of InfraGard and has made presentations at DHS Security Summits. and was a Panel Member at USCYBERCOM’s Dreamport on the topic of ICS Cybersecurity.
Tom Naphor
PARTNER
Mr. Naphor has more than 25 years of experience in the integration, deployment, and optimization of large, complex Federal Enterprise Application portfolio programs using COTS, Low-code/No-code, and Cloud/SaaS application platforms. Tom has held Senior leadership roles including program, solutions, technology, account, and capture manager positions. He has served in Sr. Business growth advisor and Sr. Business Development Executive roles. With his expertise in business development, tech solutions, and delivery, Tom has held key roles leading to the successful capture of $2.5 Billion in single award, open competitive contracts for small, mid-size, and large government contractors.
Mike McKinney
PARTNER
Mike has over 45 years of distinguished service as a senior military officer and an accomplished executive in the defense sector.
Mike has demonstrated exceptional expertise in Growth, Operations, and Leadership throughout his career. He has held positions such as Chief Growth Officer (CGO), Executive Vice President (EVP) of Growth, and Chief Operating Officer (COO). He possesses strategic acumen in proposal operations and pricing strategies. He has developed go-to-market strategies focusing on developing joint ventures, winning Best-In-Class IDIQ’s, and direct award opportunities for 8(a) companies. Mike also has expertise in creating tools and processes that drive business development success, including a pipeline management system, a win bonus plan, and comprehensive review procedures. As a COO, Mike has streamlined operations and consistently delivered superior financial performance while enhancing customer relations. He is adept at implementing winning policies and procedures that exceed organizational goals.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master’s in business management from Troy State University. With over 3,200 flight hours in various fighter aircraft, he has led numerous organizations within the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission area, further enriching his extensive expertise.
Rick Cirigliano
PARTNER
Rick Cirigliano brings over 35 years of executive experience solutioning and selling software and
hardware for some of the largest corporations in America. Through these experiences Rick has
grown into and is recognized across the industry as a cloud engineering product and operations
leader. He possesses extensive experience in all aspects of designing, developing, implementing,
and successfully managing services and products globally, including for Oracle, Infor and Mitel. He
also brings exceptional technology and customer facing skills combined with proven ability to drive
market strategy, manage and nurture talent, deliver sales growth, form strategic partnerships, and
successfully implement and oversee complex operations. With a proven track record for launching
new services and products including Cloud based solutions and engineered products. He is highly
experienced in managing large groups of employees and customers. Dedicated to customer
satisfaction and world class products and operations with a focus on fundamentals of team
collaboration, knowledge supported by data and professional respect.
Rick received his BS in Physics from California State University, San Jose. He received his MS
in Electrical Engineering from California State University, San Jose and his MBA from the
University of Phoenix. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi (general engineering) and Etta Kappa
Nu (electrical engineering) national honor societies and IEEE.
Corbett Landes
PARTNER
Corbett M. Landes is a retired U.S. Army Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Officer who excels at building partnerships across the federal landscape. He has established an extensive network of professionals which he leverages to help his clients in augmenting technical expertise and ensuring their success.
Corbett has developed a reputation for solving the most challenging opportunities throughout his career. He has successfully worked on opportunities spanning advanced intelligence analytics, solution architecture, sentiment analysis, signals intelligence, and software development, cybersecurity, intelligence collection, and data analytics. In prior roles, Corbett led cutting-edge initiatives supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Intelligence Community, MITRE, and multiple Federal Civilian Agencies.
Corbett possesses an unmatched passion for success regardless of the opportunity or role. He has successfully navigated and collaborated to support business development, program management, and technical writing. He brings innovation to everything he does and ensures that solutions are strategically aligned with evolving user needs and organizational goals. Whether advising on technology ecosystems, integrating COTS solutions, or driving Agile methodologies, Corbett’s leadership fosters shared values and operational excellence.
Corbett is a service-disabled Veteran and amputee and is actively supporting both Veterans and amputees at every opportunity.
Ernie Hinojos
PARTNER
Ernie’s career spans more than 30 years as a military officer and accomplished senior executive in the defense industry. Ernie brings three decades of experience in military intelligence and strategic consulting, having served as a Counterintelligence Team Chief at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and as an Intelligence Officer and commander with the U.S. Army. He has supported small businesses, minority- and veteran-owned enterprises, and clients in the government and private sectors through complex regulatory and operational landscapes. His work includes developing efficiency-driven systems, leading cross-functional teams, and improving project management practices to align with strategic goals. Ernie continues to serve on the intelligence partnership agreement with Guatemala’s Office of National Intelligence on matters of combatting human and drug trafficking and the continued development of the intelligence infrastructure connecting government and international industry.
Ernie has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas in Strategic Defense Intelligence. Graduate internship with the State Department with Eastern European Affairs, and will be applying for doctorship next year with the University of Missouri. He is a life member of the Military Intelligence Association, International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE), and the International Association of Law Enforcement Analysts (IALEIA).
Gerald Ford
PARTNER
Gerald’s career spans 48 years and includes business development support to major corporations, including winning multi-million dollar contracts in DHS. Earlier in his career, Gerald was a program manager for a large Immigration and Customs Enforcement O&M contract with a staff of approximately 100, where he introduced Agile practices and cloud migration strategies. He was also the program manager for several TSA IT programs. Prior to this Gerald was the director of the TSA Technology Solutions Division with a staff of 110 FTE and 200+ contractors. Gerald was responsible for leading the development of the initial operational capability for Secure Flight, satisfying a key 9/11 Commission recommendation. Gerald also served as the Senior Technical Advisor for the TSA CIO.
Gerald obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Oakwood University and a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma State University.
James Simpson
PARTNER
James brings 38 years of distinguished service and vast experience to drive growth and
success for our clients in the defense and health sectors. James has served as a
senior military officer, a Senior Executive Service (SES) member, and an accomplished
consultant and board member in the defense sector.
James has demonstrated exceptional leadership expertise throughout his career and
provided strategic, operational, and tactical level acquisition and business advice.
James served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition (DASA) at the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He transitioned eleven agency
telecommunications contracts that support more than 80,000 employees into one GSA
Enterprise Infrastructure Solution task order, saving the Department over $700M.
Additionally, James served as the Senior Procurement Executive for the Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA). While on active duty, James served as the Commanding
General of the Army Contracting Command (ACC) where he streamlined acquisition
processes and ensured all procurement regulations and policies were followed. He led
and managed a diverse workforce of over 6,200 military, civilian, and foreign national
professionals.
James is a graduate of Lander University, Greenwood, SC. His advanced studies
include multiple Masters level degrees (in Public Administration from Central Michigan
University, National Resource Strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National
Defense University, and Business Administration from the University of Texas at
Arlington). He also holds a certificate in management from the Darden School of
Business, University of Virginia; and a master’s certificate in government contract
management from George Washington University.
Marshall Denney
PARTNER
Marshall Denney is a 27-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he distinguished himself in Tactical Airborne Electronic Warfare and concluded his military career at U.S. Cyber Command. Following his military service, Marshall amassed over eight years of corporate experience, driving exponential growth across multiple industries.
An expert in strategic account management, pipeline development, and the end-to-end business development lifecycle, Marshall has demonstrated success in critical domains including Information Assurance, Information Technology, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Cyberspace Operations, and Training & Readiness. His ability to seamlessly bridge operations, proposals, contracts, and finance has proven instrumental in accelerating organizational growth and achieving competitive advantage.
As a seasoned executive, Marshall has held Vice President roles in companies with annual revenue ranging from under $200 million to over $13 billion. He has led cross-functional teams in diverse, geographically dispersed environments, fostering innovation, creating customer value, and enhancing market positioning in complex technological and cybersecurity landscapes.
Marshall is recognized for his unwavering commitment to strategic and operational excellence. He delivers measurable results and enables long-term success in high-value, competitive markets. He is a trusted leader and growth strategist dedicated to advancing the missions of both his clients and the organizations he serves.
Fred Altimont
PARTNER
Fred Altimont is an accomplished business leader with over three decades of experience in developing teams and creating innovative IT solutions for health conditions. In his capacity as the Senior Vice President of Health Solutions Growth at Ventech Solutions, Fred was responsible for driving strategic growth and revenue, while also building a partner ecosystem. Fred has established strong relationships with public sector health agencies, including the VA, DHA, and HHS, and is a recognized expert in digital programs for chronic disease management, tele-behavioral health, and patient experience platforms.
Fred was the Vice President of Business Development at OptumServe, where he led the Total Resilience for Veterans program. His mission to simplify the management of personal health has earned him a reputation as a champion for healthcare accessibility, affordability, and accountability. From 2013 to 2017, Fred served as the President of ViiMed, a Virtual Interactive Healthcare software company. During his tenure, he executed the company’s mission to connect virtual care teams and personalized pathways for healthier patients. He raised over $24M in capital for the company. Prior to his work in the startup space, Fred was the Program Executive at Microsoft, where he led the Federal Healthcare Solutions Group. His team focused on public sector health applications, federal and state health programs, government policies, and meaningful technology solutions. Fred’s tenure at Microsoft was marked by numerous awards, including the President’s Circle of Excellence for leadership.
Fred earned a B.S. in Business from Virginia Tech and lives in Olney, Maryland, with his wife and daughters.