Ben Hafer Email & Phone Number

I founded the Digital Services Group as a United States Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with a mission to foster a culture of government transformation and civic engagement by transforming the way governments procure, develop, and deliver digital services. It's finally time to use modern design and technology to deliver better services to the people. By building digital services that meets government's needs we can make the delivery of policy and programs more effective. The Digital Services Group is a California certified Small Business (Micro) and a California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE).

Sacramento, California, Us

I currently serve as Executive Officer of the California Joint Task Force Rattlesnake Reserve Company responsible for fire mitigation and fire/emergency response throughout the state in order to protect life, property and provide public safety in support of state/federal wildland firefighting operations. JTFRS provides trained and equipped Type I Hand Crews for ground fire suppression and mitigation for severe weather to include floods, snow, and other necessary containment. We also maintain All Hazard general purpose and security capabilities for wildfire incidental support and humanitarian missions as well as response to simultaneous All Hazard emergencies. Awarded 13 medals and ribbons, including 4 California State Service Ribbons, and a California Commendation Medal for my role in the North Complex Fire campaign.

Eden Prairie , Mn, Us

Led business development in the West US as the Client Relationship Executive (CRE) responsible for developing strategies to meet State's goals for data management & analytics, Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), and integrated eligibility and program integrity enterprise solutions. Optum supports forty state Medicaid agencies with an array of effective complex population health services, advanced analytics, policy and program consulting, program integrity services, and health information technology solutions.

Fort Lauderdale, Fl, Us

VP of Business Development helping build a world-class professional services operation focused on delivering successful implementations of comprehensive healthcare solutions and purpose-built, modular software products for modernization and operation of systems across a wide spectrum of health and human services programs. This included Medicaid, Medicare, Child Welfare, SNAP, and TANF, with products and solutions designed and focused to support Financial Management, Provider Management, Case Management, Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment Management, and Systems Integration.

Lafayette, California, Us

Led all business development activities for CivicActions, including new State and Federal opportunities, products and partnership relationships, and marketing and event activities. I built relationships with partner executives and senior level public sector clients to determine ways in which CivicActions could best support the business and technology needs of customers. Managed business goals covering wide range of disciplines including strategic planning, market research, business development, and long-range business planning. Developed and strengthened strategic relationships while fostering, promoting and facilitating sales and delivery of digital services.

Sacramento, California, Us

Helped start California's Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) responsible for the overall technology approach, strategic planning, implementation, and maintenance & operation of the CWS/CMS and CWS-CARES applications assuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Led multiple State and hired contractor teams working in a variety of environments to develop web/mobile applications, underlying technology platform, data architecture, and associated cloud infrastructure. Provided technical and managerial leadership for diverse engineering teams utilizing an agile methodology based on the principles of user-centered design and iterative development.

Sacramento, California, Us

Served as the Principal Solutions Architect for the Office of Systems Integration (OSI) overseeing eight major projects that spanned Federal, State and Local government. Responsible for delivery of the projects with partner companies (ACS, HPIS, Deloitte, IBM, Accenture, CGI, Oracle, and SAP), and ensured they met the needs of the State, counties, and stakeholders. Ensured alignment with business and IT strategic plans, and identified opportunities to minimize overlap and reduce redundancy and cost in government operations. Championed the advancement of State frameworks, and associated policy and guidance, by identifying reusable and/or shareable solutions from Statewide IT projects.

Sacramento, California, Us

Charged with standing up a new information security program for the Office of Systems Integration (OSI) to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of state systems and applications, and ensuring the protection of information assets. Advised OSI's eight major projects that spanned Federal, State and Local government on security requirements for applications and the associated cost of meeting state and industry security standards. The program I established included information security risk assessments, policy and strategy development, security product selection and integration, and security personnel training and mentoring.

Sacramento, California, Us

Managed delivery for the State of California's Welfare to Work (WTW) employment service and the Interim Statewide Automated Welfare System (ISAWS) technical infrastructure across 35 counties. Oversaw the ISAWS Service Delivery Framework (SDF) with a set of principles, standards, policies and constraints used to guide the design, development, deployment, and operation of information technology services. Provided ownership, design and delivery of all Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Service Management functions.

Washington, Dc, Us

Operated the BioWatch Laboratory Data Integration (LDI) project, an electronic laboratory reporting system for BioWatch laboratories throughout the United States for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to monitor the air for pathogens that may be used in a terrorist attack on major cities. Integrated the gathering of air filter samples from collectors, transportation of samples to testing laboratories, processing and synthesis of data, and the dissemination of test results to federal agencies.

Participated in the development and implementation of comprehensive national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist threats and attacks. Helped coordinate efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks within the United States.

Washington, Dc, Us

Washington, Dc, Us

Proudly served as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer (AIRR) charged with saving pilots of downed aircraft. Performed Medical Evacuations (MEDEVAC), passenger transport, small arms handling, diving and salvage unit support, and Naval Special Warfare (NSW) insertion and extraction operations for Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Seven (HSC-7) and Amphibious Squadron Three (PHIBRON-3). Honorably discharged with 19 medals and ribbons awarded, including the NATO and Armed Forces Service Medal for the Operations Deny Flight, Sharp Guard, and Provide Promise over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a pair of Southwest Asia Service and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals for two Operation Southern Watch campaigns over Iraq.