Leadership

As founder, Jeff uses a ‘customer first’ business philosophy to drive VFI’s growth and success. Jeff is a retired Naval Officer who excels in program management, organizational development, and strategic planning, skills he honed over 30 years in the fields of IT and Intelligence. He offers specialized knowledge in Information Operations, which encompasses computer network operations and operations security, and Cyber Operations, gained during joint assignments with the Department of Defense/Department of War (DoD/DoW), National Security Agency (NSA), and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). His expert analysis and help in developing policies and procedures impacted DoD/DoW’s cyberspace operational domain. Jeff has fulfilled numerous IT CONUS and OCONUS contract assignments for Federal agencies, including the Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS).

Jeff earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a BS in Human Services from Wayland Baptist University.

As VFI’s Chief Growth Officer, Jim is accountable for driving sustainable, compliant revenue growth across the federal market. Because growth is a shared responsibility at VFI, Jim continues to lead the organization’s converged growth model, which is centered on the delivery of high-quality, timely, and accurate services and solutions to VFI’s Customers and Partners.

Jim’s IT and Telecommunications career began soon after the passage of the Telecommunications Act in 1996 with Comtel Group, Inc. He then went to work for Bolt, Beranek, and Newman (BBN) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which later became “GTE Internetworking, Powered by BBN.”

Prior to joining VFI in 2019, Jim worked for the same organization,  for 17 years; Mutual Telecom Services as a Program Manager and Deputy Director of Managed Services, and later as the Director of Sales for Black Box Government Solutions, now Tyto Athene. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio University.

As Chief Financial Officer, Rich will be partnering with the CEO and CGO in setting financial strategy, driving long-term growth, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring the organization’s financial structure and compliance with government regulations.

In his prior experience, he has spent his career building and leading finance and accounting organizations within government contracting and regulated environments, progressing from audit and systems roles into senior leadership positions as Controller and Vice President–Controller for mid-sized to large organizations. His experience includes financial reporting, treasury, budgeting and forecasting, M&A support, systems integrations, and Sarbanes-Oxley and government compliance, while serving as the primary liaison to banks, auditors, Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), and various other government agencies.

Emily is the Senior HR Manager at VFI, where she leads all human resources efforts with a strategic, people-centric approach focused on employee experience, engagement, and organizational effectiveness. In her role, she supports talent acquisition, performance management, employee relations, benefits administration, and initiatives that cultivate a positive workplace culture.

Before joining VFI, Emily developed a strong foundation in human resources within the staffing industry, where she worked closely with leaders and employees to support growth, engagement, and positive workplace experiences. Earlier in her career, she gained exposure to both public and private sector environments through work with a Northern Virginia-based IT services and consulting organization and strengthened her people-first skill set by assisting a destination management company with event planning and coordination.

Emily earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Longwood University, with concentrations in Marketing and Management.

Richard Courtney is a seasoned Program Manager at VFI, where he oversees operations for U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and DoE contracts while directing network modernization initiatives across CONUS and OCONUS sites. With more than 20 years of combined expertise in program management, cybersecurity, intelligence operations, and IT/network systems, he has also supported mission-critical efforts for the DoD/DoW, NSA, and NGA.

Richard's career includes extensive leadership on major airborne ISR programs in OCONUS environments—integrating multi-intelligence sensor systems and aircraft platforms—as well as serving as Deputy Program Manager for a $750 million ISR program in Afghanistan. He has directed complex network modernization projects, led cross-functional teams in high-stakes settings, and managed secure systems across military and government installations in Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.

A U.S. Navy Cryptologic Veteran with deployed experience supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Richard holds a Master of Professional Studies in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations from Penn State University, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems from Texas State University, a Graduate Certificate in Information Systems Cybersecurity and several professional certifications.

Dante Brooks is a 22-year retired U.S. Air Force veteran and a Senior Program and Contract Manager at VFI, leading on-site contract operations for HQ AFRC/A6. He is a detail-oriented leader with expertise in managing complex acquisitions, overseeing OEM software development, and ensuring program cost and schedule align with budget goals. This was demonstrated in his prior role as the Air Force DCGS CICS program lead. Mr. Brooks holds a B.S. in Business Administration, multiple certifications, and is an experienced senior-level presenter.