In honor of National Veterans and Military Families Month, NCMA DC is honored to welcome Dr. Michael D. Parrish of the Department of Veterans Affairs as our November speaker. Dr. Parrish is the Chief Acquisition Officer and Principal Executive Director for the VA’s Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC). The event will be held on Wednesday, November 20 at the Arts Club of Washington.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE: Your ticket price includes a networking half hour, complimentary drinks, a buffet dinner, and free parking in the Arts Club garage (located off 20th street).
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Michael D. Parrish is the Chief Acquisition Officer and Principal Executive Director for the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC). In this capacity, he serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary, overseeing all acquisition activities within the Department. Dr. Parrish leads a team of 17,000 acquisition professionals, manages a procurement budget of $63 billion, and oversees approximately $100 billion in major programs. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board for VA’s Acquisition Academy, which is responsible for acquisition workforce training, professional development, and career management.
Dr. Parrish has significant senior leadership experience in military, government, corporate, and non-profit organizations. Before joining the Department of Veterans Affairs, he worked as a Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Dr. Parrish has served as Chairman and CEO of several publicly traded companies and as founder and CEO of multiple Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses. Dr. Parrish is a retired Colonel who served on active duty and in the U.S. Army Reserves. He is a senior Army Aviator and Army Acquisition Corps Officer and served as an Air Operations Officer during Operations Desert Storm and Provide Comfort.
Dr. Parrish graduated from the United States Military Academy with a BSME in Aerospace Engineering. He holds an MS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA with Honors from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Parrish earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Engineering Management (artificial intelligence) from Missouri University of Science & Technology. He also graduated from The Air War College and is DAWIA Level III certified in Program Management.