Gloria Glaubman has been elected chair of the WashingtonExec CTO Council, stepping into the role at a moment when the technology questions facing federal leaders have evolved from theoretical to operational.
As CTO of Acclaim Technical Services, Glaubman leads technology modernization, cybersecurity strategy, AI adoption and emerging technology initiatives in support of national security missions. Her career spans the intelligence, diplomatic, defense and private-sector communities, a vantage point she plans to bring to council discussions focused on execution over abstraction.
Glaubman sat down with WashingtonExec to discuss her priorities for the year ahead, why she wants the council to move past buzzwords, and how she sees the value of putting government officials and industry executives in the same room while AI, quantum, cloud and cyber automation outpace traditional acquisition models.
Based on your extensive experience, what are some of the focus areas/hot topics you want to discuss with the CTO council this year?
This is a year where CTOs need to move beyond talking about emerging technology in abstract terms. The real conversation is about execution: how we adopt AI responsibly, modernize securely, build resilient digital infrastructure, and help customers move faster without creating new risk.
Some of the topics I’d like to focus on include AI governance and adoption, cybersecurity resilience, post-quantum readiness, cloud and edge modernization, data management, secure software development, and the workforce implications of all of this. We also need to talk about how CTOs help their organizations avoid “innovation theater.” The question is not just whether we are using new technology, but whether it is producing measurable mission, business, and operational outcomes.
How will your personal and career experience and expertise within the CTO community help lead the council in discussions on trending technology-related topics?
My career has sat at the intersection of national security, cybersecurity, technology modernization, diplomacy, and industry. I’ve worked inside the government, with international partners, in the private sector, and now as CTO of ATS, a company supporting defense and intelligence missions. That gives me a practical perspective on both the promise and the friction points of technology adoption.
I understand the pressure government leaders face, the speed industry wants to move, and the reality that not every shiny new tool is ready for mission use. My goal is to help guide conversations that are candid, useful, and grounded in operational reality. CTOs do not need another panel full of buzzwords. We need discussions that help us make better decisions, reduce risk, and lead our organizations through real transformation.
What does it mean for you to be chairperson of this council?
It is an honor, but more importantly, it is a responsibility. The CTO role is becoming more central to how organizations compete, modernize, secure themselves, and deliver value to their customers. Chairing this council is an opportunity to help bring together leaders who are dealing with many of the same challenges, even if they sit in different companies or mission spaces.
For me, it means creating a forum where people can be candid, where we can challenge each other, and where we can move past surface-level conversations. The value of a council like this is not just networking. It is building a trusted community of leaders who can share what is working, what is not, and where we need to collectively push the conversation forward.
Do you feel there is great value in connecting industry executives with government officials to discuss topics facing the CTO community? If so, why?
Absolutely. Some of the hardest technology problems we face cannot be solved by the government or industry alone. The government understands the mission, the constraints, the policy environment, and the operational risk. Industry often brings speed, innovation, technical depth, and new ways of solving problems. The best outcomes happen when those two perspectives are in the same room early enough to shape better decisions.
These conversations are especially important now because technologies like AI, quantum, cloud, cyber automation, and data platforms are moving faster than traditional acquisition and governance models. If industry and government are not talking honestly about what is possible, what is risky, and what is actually useful, we will either move too slowly or adopt technology in ways that create unnecessary exposure. Neither is acceptable.
Do you have any unique plans yet for the council?
I would like the council to be highly practical this year and focused on the issues CTOs are actively navigating AI adoption, governance, technical workforce development, modernization in constrained environments, and how we measure the real impact of technology investments for our companies and for our customers.
I also hope to bring in a strong mix of perspectives, including government leaders, industry CTOs, cyber experts, AI practitioners, and mission operators. Some of the best conversations happen when we hear from people who see the problem from different angles. My goal is for members to leave each session with something useful: a better framework, a meaningful connection, a sharper understanding of a technology trend, or a practical idea they can take back to their organization.
What do you hope to accomplish as chair of this council, and what do you hope council members get out of your leadership?
I hope to help make the council a place where CTOs can have serious, useful conversations about technology leadership at this moment. We are all being asked to move faster, adopt AI, secure our environments, modernize legacy systems, and help our organizations make smarter investments. That is a lot.
I want council members to get value from the community, not just the calendar invite. I hope they leave with stronger relationships, better insight into government and industry priorities, and a clearer view of how other technology leaders are approaching similar challenges. From my leadership, I hope they get candor, energy, and a focus on outcomes. My goal is simple: make the council worth their time.