Artificial Intelligence for Federal Government Senior Leaders

Next Cohort Start Date: Monday, August 24, 2026

For senior US government leaders (GS 14-15, Military 05-06) tasked with integrating AI in their organization.

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Delivered in a cohort learning model, the program enables senior leaders to:

Exchange perspectives across services and agencies
Build trusted peer networks for ongoing collaboration
Apply the framework to real-world defense challenges through shared dialogue and case studies
Take an action-oriented approach—translating concepts into immediate, practical steps for their organizations

Next Cohort Start: August 24, 2026

$2,450

Online Live, Online Self-Paced

Lead With Clarity in a Time of AI Acceleration and Uncertainty

Federal missions are being reshaped by rapid technological acceleration, rising geopolitical competition, and overwhelming information complexity. Federal government senior leaders are expected to make faster, more defensible decisions — even as the environment becomes harder to interpret and the consequences of error grow more severe.

AI is now central to how agencies plan, operate, protect the nation, and serve the public. The question is no longer whether AI will shape your mission — but whether you are prepared to lead through it.

The Challenge Seniors Leaders Are Facing

Military and civilian leaders are being asked to:

Navigate overwhelming data, systems, platforms and ambiguous intelligence
Make faster operational decisions that incorporate AI
Oversee AI systems they didn’t design and don’t fully trust
Implement federal AI mandates without clear playbooks
Reassure a workforce anxious about automation
Maintain readiness while adversaries accelerate AI‑enabled capabilities

In this environment, hesitation poses risks to missions, institutions, and national security.

What Senior Leaders Will Walk Away With After Course Completion

This course is for senior US government leaders (GS 14-15, Military 05-06) who are tasked with integrating AI in their organization. This course is designed to give senior leaders immediately usable tools, not abstract theory. This course aligns with federal priorities and goals as defined by the White House, NDAAs, Congress, and the Intelligence Community.

You will leave with:

A mission‑aligned AI leadership framework to guide decisions across your organization
A responsible AI governance model you can implement on Day One
A decision‑making and risk mitigation playbooks for evaluating AI systems, data standardization, risks, and tradeoffs
A roadmap for AI adoption and enterprise scaling tailored to federal missions and constraints
Clarity on how to lead your workforce through AI‑enabled change with confidence
A cross‑agency network of peers facing the same challenges and mandates

This is practical, operational preparation for the environment you are leading in right now.

Course Topics

Holistic AI: Implementation using the R.O.A.D Framework (Requirements, Operationalize Data, Analytic Methods & Deployment)
Ethics in AI
Pioneering Research with Mission Intent
Responsible AI
AI Test and Evaluation
Generative AI
DoD Projects and Case Studies
Human Systems Integration

Course Structure

This executive education program is designed for busy federal leaders who need practical AI leadership capabilities without having to step away from mission responsibilities.

This program combines:

Self-paced online learning modules that provide foundational knowledge and frameworks
Weekly live faculty-led masterclasses that translate concepts into real-world federal applications
Interactive discussions and case studies drawn from defense, intelligence, healthcare, and civilian agency environments
Peer engagement opportunities with senior leaders across government organizations

Participants should expect approximately 4–6 hours per week of engagement, including self-paced coursework and live sessions.

The course is intentionally structured to help leaders immediately apply what they learn to mission planning, workforce leadership, governance, risk management, and AI adoption decisions.

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Johns Hopkins University Executive Education Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Federal Government Senior Leaders.

Upcoming Cohort Dates

Cohort Start Date: Monday, August 24, 2026
Registration Deadline: Monday, August 10, 2026

This cohort is designed specifically for:

GS-14 and GS-15 civilian leaders
O-5 and O-6 military officers
Senior managers responsible for mission execution, workforce leadership, technology adoption, and organizational transformation

Enrollment is intentionally limited to support meaningful discussion, peer learning, and direct interaction with Johns Hopkins faculty.

Federal agencies are encouraged to register participants early to secure seats before the registration deadline.

Why Johns Hopkins Is the Federal Government Provider of Choice

Johns Hopkins Engineering is one of the federal government’s most trusted partners in national security, healthcare, intelligence, and emerging technology. Johns Hopkins is structured around the needs of the federal enterprise — designing programs, research, and mission support specifically for government leaders.

Since 2022, Johns Hopkins Engineering has partnered with military and civilian executives to develop courses that reflect the realities of the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and the broader federal workforce.

Federal leaders chose Johns Hopkins Engineering because:

The Applied Physics Laboratory supports critical missions across DoD, DHS, HHS, and the Intelligence Community, giving Hopkins unmatched insight into how AI and emerging technologies are actually used in federal operations.
Faculty bring real operational experience — not theoretical backgrounds, with careers spent advising, supporting, and leading federal missions.
The curriculum is built around federal use cases, with relevant commercial applications introduced only when they strengthen government decision‑making.
JHU has trained thousands of senior leaders in AI, data, and emerging technologies across the public sector.
An institution that combines world‑class research, national‑security expertise, and direct mission support at this scale, making Hopkins one of the few academic institutions truly aligned with federal priorities.

Ready to lead confidently in an AI-enabled future? Register today to reserve your place in the August 2026 cohort.

Meet Your Instructors

Dr. Ian McCulloh leads the AI portfolio for Executive and Professional Education with faculty roles in Computer Science and Public Health. His research combines AI, neuroscience, and human behavior to create scalable AI systems that improve access to products, services, and healthcare. Previously, he was Accenture’s Chief Data Scientist, where he built and led a 1,200-strong Federal AI practice. A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. McCulloh founded the West Point Network Science Center and served as Chief Strategist for Information Warfare at CENTCOM. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and has authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers.
Kevin Ligozio is the Chief AI Architect of the Asymmetric Operations Sector (AOS) of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He is an adjunct professor in the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering’s Computer Science Master’s Program
Dr. Jane Pinelis serves as the Chief AI Engineer of the Applied Information Sciences Branch at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. She served as the inaugural Chief of AI Assurance at the Chief, Digital and AI Office (CDAO) and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) at the Department of Defense.
Dr. Christopher Ratto is the supervisor of the Artificial Intelligence group in APL’s Research and Exploratory Development Department and has over 15 years of experience applying AI/ML to problems in national security and defense. He was previously Program Manager in APL’s Sea Control Mission Area for Maritime Remote Sensing.