Leadership

data analytics for customers conducting global operations.

Melo served on active duty for over 23 years, as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. Upon retiring from the U.S. Navy, he was the director of the Virginia Troops to Teachers Program prior to founding ITA.

Melo serves on the board of directors for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula Campaign and the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund. He is the Chairman of the Deans Advisory Board, the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech. He also served on the Governor’s Commission on Job Creation and Economic Development and the Secure Commonwealth Panel.

He received a bachelor’s degree in forestry (environmental conservation) from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1979 and a master’s degree from Old Dominion University in 1993.

to over 360 full and part time employees in 20 different states within the US and overseas in the Middle East. ITA International provides integrated services in the areas of operational support, marine engineering and data analytics for customers conducting global operations.

Prior to joining ITA, Mrs. Melo worked as an Early Childhood Educator for over 20 years in over 10 different schools across the country.

Mrs. Melo serves on the York Foundation for Public Education Board of Directors and the Mary Baldwin University Advisory Board of Visitors.

She received her Bachelor of Science from Mary Baldwin University in 1981 in Psychology with K-4 Teaching Certificate.

McGhee holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech, an MBA from The College of William and Mary, and a master’s in computer science from Old Dominion University. He is also a certified Project Management Professional with executive education from renowned institutions like Harvard and Stanford.

specialized teams within Enterprise Services have been formed to ensure seamless operations and promote a culture of continuous improvement and shared success. These teams include Contracts, Communications & Branding, Corporate Development, Human Resources, and Proposals, all of which collaborate harmoniously to elevate ITA’s performance.

Byrd’s journey at ITA has been marked by a series of progressive leadership roles since joining the organization in 2014. She has made significant contributions across various functional areas, including Customer Solutions, Operations, Marketing and Communications, Chief People Officer and her previous role as Chief of Growth.Before her tenure at ITA, Byrd held the position of Director of Administration, where she served under the esteemed Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli III. In this capacity, she oversaw support services in Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Office Operations for the Commonwealth of Virginia, demonstrating her exceptional leadership and organizational skills.Byrd’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business.

at Incirlik Airbase. In Egypt, John was the Country Controller for a large construction company performing contracts for the Army Corps of Engineers.

In the commercial sector, he worked as CFO for a builder of Custom Carolina Sportfishing boats in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Mr. Altizer, a Virginia native, graduated from Virginia Tech in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Major in Accounting. He received his CPA certification in 1988.

Lempke’s distinguished career encompasses an impressive tenure in the public sector, during which she served as a member of the Senior Executive Service. Her roles in public service included her most recent position as the Chief Human Resources Officer for the U.S. Census Bureau, where she played a pivotal role in shaping human resources strategies and initiatives.Throughout her career, Lempke has also held strategic human capital management positions within esteemed organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Energy, and FEMA, further solidifying her expertise in the field.

A native of Georgia, Lempke embarked on her professional journey as a U.S. Naval Supply Corps Officer following her graduation from Rhodes College with a B.A. in International Studies and Economics. Her commitment to serving her country led her to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, also known as Naval Reactors, in Washington, DC. In this program, she served as the program’s human resources director, contributing significantly to its mission.

Lempke’s commitment to continuous learning and professional development is evident in her educational achievements. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University’s School of Political Management and a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Maryland, University College. Additionally, she has earned certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), highlighting her dedication to excellence in her field.

of ITA to ISO 45001:2018 as well as the company’s transition to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 Management Systems.

Glenn is a nuclear trained U.S. Navy veteran with over 30 years’ experience in Program Management, Data Analytics, Leadership, People Development, Quality Assurance, Reactor Controls Maintenance, Operations, and Training. Prior to joining ITA, Glenn served as Command Master Chief for U.S. Second Fleet, Battle Force Seventh Fleet/Carrier Strike Group 5, Task Force 20, USS Carl Vinson (CVN70), Training Center Great Lakes, HM-15, and USS Oak Hill (LSD15).

Before joining ITA in 2020, Barnes served as manager of Strategic Communications at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Technical Solutions Division (TSD), where she developed integrated business communications strategies, products and marketing campaigns in support of major business pursuits. She also collaborated with the HII Corporate Communications team to develop an enterprise media engagement strategy for the division. Prior to that, she was manager of Communications for HII TSD’s Nuclear & Environmental Group where she managed the group’s communications strategy to align with the division’s goals to achieve marketing, public relations and talent acquisition objectives. Barnes began her career with Northrop Grumman where she held various public relations and communications roles with increasing responsibility for over 13 years.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University in 2001.

. He served in the East Wing as the Director of Administration for the White House Military Office and in the Pentagon as the Executive Officer to two different A1’s. He also served as the Vice Wing Commander of the 501st Combat Support Wing at RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom. Before retiring, he served as the Director of Manpower, Personnel & Services for Air Combat Command Headquarters and as the Installation Commander for Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE).

As the 633 Air Base Wing Commander at JBLE, Ross commanded three groups, providing installation support to more than 18,000 Air Force and Army personnel, including Headquarters Air Combat Command, Headquarters U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, four operational wings, eight brigades and more than 20 major associate units. He was directly responsible for providing mission-ready expeditionary Airmen and Soldiers to combatant commanders in support of joint and combined operations worldwide.

Clint holds a bachelor’s degree in human factors engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a master’s degree in operations management from the University of Arkansas, a second master’s degree in military arts & science from the Air Command & Staff College, and a third master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College. Additionally, he completed the University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School Executive Development Program.

Greene’s remarkable career also includes over 28 years of service in the U.S. Navy, where he held various leadership positions of increasing responsibility. Notable roles within the Navy include serving as the Commanding Officer of USS McInerney (FFG 8), serving as the Reactor Officer on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and holding the position of Commanding Officer at Combat Direction System Activity, Dam Neck in Virginia Beach, Virginia.Following his distinguished military career, Greene transitioned to Virginia Tech, where he continued to make significant contributions. He took on roles such as Associate Director for Strategic Development of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, where he played a key role in advancing various research activities. These activities spanned a wide spectrum, including unmanned systems, data analytics, wireless communications, weapon systems, computation, and space science. He also served as the founding Executive Director of the Mid Atlantic Aviation Partnership, Virginia Tech’s FAA-sponsored UAS Test Site, further highlighting his leadership in cutting-edge technology initiatives.

Greene’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in general science from the United States Naval Academy. He has also earned a Master’s degree in national security affairs with a focus on Strategic Planning from the Naval Postgraduate School, underlining his dedication to continuous learning and professional growth.

for establishing and leading the research and innovation portion of the 100-acre, $450 million mixed used Tech Center. He identified, recruited and supported technology-based companies to commercialize innovation and accelerate the lab to market process.

Johnson has extensive experience working with well-known domestic and international brands in competitive analysis and positioning, strategic marketing and branding, business organizational development, manufacturing management, strategic planning, and predictive analytics. With over 20 years of corporate experience, Johnson has held director and senior-level executive leadership positions with profit and loss responsibilities in leading global industries such as automotive tires and building material finishes.

Well versed at advising early-stage entrepreneurs and innovative high growth firms, Johnson founded his own consulting company, Averitas in 2009. Averitas helps small and medium-sized businesses grow. Before Averitas, Johnson was the founding CEO and executive director of an innovative healthcare-based workforce training program for adults and an arts-based education program for high school students.

Johnson is a certified Six Sigma Champion trainer and has earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech. He also has an executive master’s degree in business administration from Tulane University. Johnson serves on various Virginia and international boards and advisory committees, including: LEAD Virginia, AURP International Executive Committee, Primis Bank Advisory Board, Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, Greater Peninsula Now Leadership Committee, Friends of Jefferson Lab and StartWheel.

Before his tenure at ITA, Akhbari served as vice president of the Air, Space, and Intelligence sector at Frontier Technology Inc. (FTI). During his time at FTI, he played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic development and execution of operations for multiple business units dedicated to serving the federal sector. These units specialized in innovative technologies, with a primary focus on decision and data analytics, engineering, logistics planning and analysis, and acquisition support.Akhbari’s career also includes an impressive 13-year tenure with Reston, Virginia-based NCI Information Systems Inc. Here, he assumed roles of increasing operational responsibility, culminating in his assignment as Vice President for NCI’s Acquisition and Logistics Services group. This division, one of four business units at NCI, predominantly concentrated on Army Acquisition support activities. Akhbari embarked on his career as a corporate pricing analyst with MTC Technologies, where he laid the foundation for his extensive and varied professional journey.

With over 17 years of experience, Akhbari has consistently excelled in building and leading large-scale private and public organizations. His expertise lies in providing complex programmatic, acquisition, engineering, data analytics, and logistics-related solutions to the federal sector.

Akhbari holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Denison University and is a distinguished graduate of The Wharton School’s Executive Development Program. He also holds certifications as a Project Management Professional and Lean Six Sigma certified Green Belt, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous professional development.