AI for Government Panel Series: Literacy, Scale and Strategic Impact

Melvin Brown II (Moderator)

Melvin Brown II recently retired as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), where he oversaw a $200 million IT portfolio and guided a workforce of 300 federal employees and 400 contractors. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) at OPM and held various leadership positions at the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Melvin is a United States Marine Corps veteran and actively contributes to professional and community organizations. He holds two Master of Science degrees and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. His outstanding contributions to federal IT have earned him widespread recognition, including being named a Top Fed100 Winner by Federal Computer Week and Top Government Executive of the Year by ACT-IAC. 

Taka Ariga (Panelist)

Taka has over 25 years of track record delivering data-centric innovations at scale to empower organizations redefine productivity. As a seasoned Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Chief Data Scientist, his executive leadership is marked by a blending of tech-savvy, risk management, and talent building to create enduring value beyond hype cycles. He was the lead author of the Government Accountability Office's AI Accountability Framework that applies evidence-based perspectives to responsible implementation of AI solutions.

A sought-after speaker and writer on AI, emerging technologies, and innovation practices, Taka is also the founder of Sol Imagination where he helps public and private sector entities use data to effectively tackle complex policy, regulatory, risk, legislative, and operational challenges. Fluent in both Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, Taka brings a global perspective to his work. Outside of his professional endeavors, he is a dedicated classical chamber musician and a competitive tennis player. 

David Brown (Panelist)

David Brown, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer of Learning Tree International, a global leader in workforce development solutions for businesses and government agencies. With over 25 years of executive leadership experience in the education, information services, and technology industries, David is known for his strategic vision, values-driven leadership, and ability to drive business transformation. Since joining Learning Tree, he has led a modernization effort that includes expanding digital delivery, enhancing cybersecurity and enterprise solutions, and implementing AI-powered learning strategies. These initiatives have positioned Learning Tree to better align its offerings with the evolving needs of organizations, leading to improved outcomes, sustained growth, and increased customer satisfaction.

Before his role at Learning Tree, David held senior executive positions at Fortune 500 companies and EdTech firms, where he scaled learning platforms, optimized operations, and built high-performing teams. Renowned for his expertise in product development, SaaS sales, mergers and acquisitions, and organizational change management, David has a proven track record of turning visionary strategies into actionable results. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. David is also a sought-after speaker on workforce transformation, leadership development, and the future of learning. Under his guidance, Learning Tree empowers professionals and organizations worldwide to thrive in a rapidly changing world through innovative solutions that prioritize people, processes, and technology.