Leadership
Faizan Zia is the Founder, President & CEO of Connsci. Faizan started his career working in sales/business development for various technology companies, ultimately working his way up to senior leadership positions in Product Management, Product Marketing and Training & Enablement. Faizan received his B.S. in Public Health, with a Minor in Organizational Leadership from The University of Maryland, College Park, and also obtained an MBA from The University of Maryland Global Campus. Faizan also holds various certifications in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Learning & Development and Product Management.
With over 18 years of Information Technology and Government experience, Faizan founded Connsci in 2017, with a mission to support organizations with their IT needs by delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions. Throughout his career, Faizan has received numerous accolades and has consistently been recognized as a top performer by his peers, clients and partners.
In his personal life, Faizan loves spending time with his family and friends. Faizan is also an avid foodie and likes to explore new cuisines from different geographies across the globe. Faizan is passionate about contributing to and making a change in his community and is involved in various children’s and health causes, due to the health challenges he experienced as a child. Faizan works with many non-profits, hospitals and children’s health organizations to support their missions and impact the lives of those in need. Faizan is also involved in various workforce development programs in the DC Metro Area that serve unemployed and underemployed individuals by helping them obtain or advance their careers in Information Technology.
Raj S. Leyl is the Chief Delivery & Technology Officer of Connsci and has over 27 years of experience in the IT industry, having spent the last 20 years primarily within the GovCon sector, with 16 of these years in senior executive roles. Mr. Leyl’s distinguished career in senior-level positions in both the public and private sectors has provided him with the extensive experience and subject matter expertise that he continues to use in his current leadership role.
From early in his career in 1996, he was hired into the highly selective Leadership “Fast Track” program at American Airlines, where he rapidly climbed the corporate ladder. Since then, Mr. Leyl has served in senior executive roles at both Federal Government and commercial sectors, including being appointed by the US Secretary of Treasury in 2008 to lead numerous initiatives at the Internal Revenue Service. Prior to joining Connsci, Mr. Leyl served as the Executive Vice President of Strategic Growth at TISTA Science and Technology Corporation. Mr. Leyl has also served as COO at other professional services firms, including RelianceNet and eVigilant, where he helped implement repeatable delivery processes and led strategic growth initiatives, helping rapidly grow both firms during his tenure.
Raj holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Maryland, and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from PMI. He also possesses an Executive certificate from the University of Maryland R.H. Smith School of Business and Clark school of engineering in innovation management and entrepreneurship. Outside of the office, Mr. Leyl is an avid classic vehicles collector, and enjoys spending time with his two children, who are also both graduates from his Alma mater.
Sean W. Kelley is the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer of Connsci, bringing a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in both the public and private sectors. With over 25 years of IT expertise, Sean has demonstrated a consistent ability to lead, innovate, and drive growth across diverse industries.Sean's career includes notable roles in the Senior Executive Service (SES) at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency. He is an accomplished P&L Leader (COO) who has successfully managed operations in both small enterprises and Fortune 500 companies, consistently delivering results and steering organizations towards their strategic goals.
Before joining the federal government in 2012, Sean served an illustrious 20-year career in the US Navy, where he retired and served honorably. His tenure in the Navy was marked by a series of pivotal IT positions within Navy Medicine. He served as the CIO for the United States Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort during critical humanitarian missions and disaster relief operations, including the Haitian earthquake response. He also held roles as the CIO for Navy Medicine Corporate Headquarters, Director of Navy Medicine's first Enterprise IT Program Management Office, and IT Manager for the Attending Physician to Congress (OAP).
Sean's leadership extends beyond his government service. He has been instrumental in developing Health IT and cybersecurity offerings for various companies, leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience to create innovative solutions. His expertise has made him a sought-after independent board member and executive advisory board member for several private and public healthcare and cybersecurity companies. Additionally, he has a long-standing commitment to non-profit organizations, contributing his skills and insights to their boards.
Mr. Kelley is a Fellow of the American College of Health Data Management, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and a Project Management Professional (PMP). These certifications reflect his dedication to maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence and staying at the forefront of industry advancements. Sean's strategic vision, operational acumen, and unwavering commitment to innovation have made him a respected leader in the IT and cybersecurity communities. His diverse experience and proven track record continue to drive Connsci's growth and success, ensuring that the organization remains at the cutting edge of technology and strategic development.
Bill Finegan is the Vice President of Solutions Engineering of Connsci. Bill is thrilled to bring his extensive expertise to the Connsci team. In his most recent role at ZeroFox, he revitalized the ZeroFox’s sales operations team by streamlining technology platforms to enhance operational efficiency. Previously, at EdCast, Bill led a diverse global team across the US, EU, MENA, and APJ, overseeing Account Managers, Sales Resources, Partner Leadership, and the SaaS Solution Consulting team in support of EdCast’s comprehensive product suite. Prior to EdCast, his tenure at GP Strategies saw him managing all operational aspects of the Commercial and Federal Implementation and Hosting Business Practices, overseeing a worldwide team spanning Engineers, Sales Resources, Business Analysts, Account Managers, Customer Success Managers, and Functional Consultants across 12 countries. Bill holds an MBA from the University of Baltimore and has been an Affiliate Instructor at Loyola University Maryland since 2009.
As an Executive Advisor, Deborah McGinn brings over 20 years of Enterprise and Federal marketing experience to Connsci. She is the Chief Marketing Officer for Ideal Image, and was previously the CMO for Radiant Logic and Digital.ai. Deborah joined Digital.ai following its acquisition of Arxan, where she also served as CMO. She also led Global Product Marketing for Neustar’s Security and Risk divisions and Symantec’s Norton Consumer and Small Business Unit, where she was responsible for developing innovative strategies to break into new categories and markets, including launching the consumer mobile security business for Norton and web application firewall business for Neustar. Deborah also led marketing for Callaway Golf Company’s Women and Junior Golf division, and started her marketing career at Johnson and Johnson’s Personal Products Company, representing iconic brands such as Band-Aid Brand and Listerine.
As an Executive Advisor, Andrew Hartridge brings over 20 years of Cybersecurity, technical program management, privacy, risk, and policy management experience to Connsci. His expertise spans a variety of sectors, including financial services, healthcare manufacturing, and management consulting, where he has combined risk management with business strategies to support organizational growth. Andrew’s career includes serving as the Enterprise Security Architect at KeyBank Corporation, Senior Manager in Security and Privacy at Deloitte and Touche LLP, Director of Cybersecurity Operations and Architecture at US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Vice President of Cybersecurity Programs at TISTA Science and Technology Corporation, and EVP / Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at M&T Bank. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Systems Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP), along with numerous other industry certifications to bolster his impressive background and career.