Cabral, James

Chakraborti, Neel

Kaelin, Robert

Kreisa, Robert

Layman, Lawrence

Marlatt, Robert

Moore, Timothy

Reh, Christopher

Riippi, William

Samuels, Maurice

Todd, Roger

Wheeler, Joseph

Wieser, Paul M.

's strength is built upon the experience of our public sector professionals. Our professional staff have extensive experience in management consulting, as well as broad backgrounds in technical and management roles acquired prior to their consulting careers. The depth of our experience and the variety of our backgrounds enable us to concentrate the proper combination of skills and expertise on each client engagement.

Listed below are the backgrounds of MTG's senior consulting staff. 

Joseph D. K. Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Partner

Mr. Wheeler earned an M.B.A. and a B.A. in economics, both from the University of Washington.  He has consulted on information technology and government operations since 1983, specializing in criminal justice and government financial administration engagements.  Mr. Wheeler provides expertise in strategic and tactical planning, feasibility and business analysis, enterprise IT management, IT architecture, large-scale system acquisition, project management, and implementation.  He has served clients ranging from law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional agencies to transportation departments, universities, and human service agencies.  Mr. Wheeler is noted for his work in the integration of criminal justice information systems at the state and local levels.

Christopher A. Reh, Chief Marketing Officer, Chairman, & Senior Partner

Mr. Reh is a senior partner with MTG and the leader of MTG’s Family and Employment Services division.  He has more than 22 years of management and technology experience, and has focused on the unique needs of health and human services agencies since 1994.  As a leader in the health and human services management consulting community, Mr. Reh has had an opportunity to work with a wide range of programs, including children’s programs, long-term care, medical assistance, eligibility systems, and program integration.  Mr. Reh has completed over 25 human services projects in more than 11 states.  His experience spans the spectrum of management consulting services, including strategic planning, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, contract negotiations, information technology systems design, requirements analyses, project management, and quality assurance.  His hallmark is his collaborative hands-on approach to addressing client needs.  He has a master of business administration degree from Seattle University and a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Washington.

Robert E. Kaelin, Chief Operating Officer & Senior Partner

Mr. Kaelin received a B.S. in computer science from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  In addition to leading MTG's Public Safety practice, he serves on the Board of Director's for the Institute.  His information technology expertise stems from 19 years of operational and managerial practice in the fields of government, education, and law enforcement.  He has applicable experience in systems engineering, project management, process reengineering, and information technology management.  Mr. Kaelin holds MCSE, MCP, and MCP+I certifications. He joined the MTG staff in March 2000, after leaving his position as Assistant Director of the Washington Law Enforcement Support Agency.  His experience in that position, combined with his understanding of law enforcement processes, qualify him to assess and manage complex criminal justice efforts.

Charles C. Collins Jr., Chief Administrative Officer & Partner

Mr. Collins has a bachelor of business administration degree in business analysis, with specialization in management information systems, from Texas A&M University.  His governmental business and information technology expertise comes from operational and managerial practice with state, county, and local governments, as well as his experience in the fields of telecommunications, transportation, energy, law, technical outsourcing, and civil engineering.  Mr. Collins has applicable experience in strategic planning, requirements analysis, project management, application design and development, information technology management, hardware deployment, and software support.  He holds certifications from multiple technology manufacturers and has also been certified by the Computing Technology Industry Association.  Mr. Collins’ diverse experiences with public and commercial information technology design, deployment, and management give him a proven track record in the provision of effective, meaningful, and timely value-added services.

Robert J. Marlatt, Chief Information Officer & Partner

Mr. Marlatt possesses a B.A. in business administration from Eastern Washington University. He has worked in the information systems field since 1980. He has experience in application design and development, project management, and information technology management in government environments. Mr. Marlatt’s wide range of public sector experience qualifies him to manage complex technology projects. He is a professional with proven experience in managing and implementing technology in government contexts.

William S. Riippi, Chief Financial Officer & Partner

A partner in MTG’s Family and Employment Services division, Mr. Riippi is responsible for the Eligibility Systems practice area.  His experience in leading vendor teams to integrate solutions for government clients provides him with unique insight into and understanding of the issues that our clients face.  As an independent consultant, this background enables him to effectively consider alternatives and develop creative solutions to complex problems.  He has worked in the technology field since 1978 and has a broad range of biometric and public safety technology-related experience, including nearly 10 years in the private sector.  His extensive background in the public and private sectors, particularly in business development, operations management, technology planning, technology procurements, and change management initiatives, enables him to assist our clients in evaluating the effectiveness of their operations and determining how to implement business and technology change.  Mr. Riippi has a master of science degree in system management from the University of Southern California and a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington.

Roger W. Breding, Senior Delivery Manager

Mr. Breding possesses B.S. degrees in business administration and secondary education from the University of North Dakota. He has been with MTG since 1997 and has worked in the information technology field since 1973, including experience in the private sector and more than 8 years with a state government agency.  Mr. Breding has extensive experience in business-driven information technology planning, completing technology procurements, providing management monitoring and assistance on technology projects, and leading organizational change management initiatives.  His background and experience enable him to assist our clients in developing appropriate technology-related strategies and in implementing those strategies into a business operational setting.

James E. Cabral Jr., Senior Manager

Mr. Cabral holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in electrical and biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University. He has been integrating and managing diverse information technology systems since 1992. Mr. Cabral's areas of expertise include project management; network and security design and implementation; and planning, installation, and management of open-systems platforms. In addition, he has lectured at the university level on various topics, such as systems engineering, multimedia systems design, and telemedicine. Mr. Cabral holds CCNP, CCDP, and GSEC certifications. He joined MTG after leaving his position as a principal with Puget Technology Group, Inc., an independent technical consultancy specializing in design, security, and administration of information systems and networks.

Neel Chakraborti, Senior Manager

Mr. Chakraborti has worked in the technology field since 1997.  His experience includes a wide range of both technical and client-facing activities.  He has a master of business administration degree in finance and entrepreneurship from The University of Arizona and a bachelor of science degree with honors in psychology from The Ohio State University.  A manager in MTG Management Consultants, LLC’s Family and Employment Services practice area, Mr. Chakraborti excels at putting the pieces together to develop comprehensive solutions for his clients.  His background as a consultant encompasses experience in various areas, including primary and secondary research, business process reengineering, requirements identification, RFP development, and procurement assistance.

Bona P. Nasution, Senior Manager

Mr. Nasution has served as an information technology and management consultant since 1999, with Fujitsu Consulting and Ernst & Young LLP prior to joining MTG. His expertise includes feasibility and business analysis, enterprise IT architecture design, requirements analysis, and system procurement assistance, as well as management and design of automated information exchange solutions. In addition, Mr. Nasution is certified in the Justice Information Exchange Model (JIEM) from SEARCH and holds a Java 2 programmer certification from Sun Microsystems. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science from the University of Kansas. His balance of knowledge in business processes and technology qualify Mr. Nasution for a wide variety of projects.

Penny H. Tisdale, Senior Manager

Ms. Tisdale has worked in the fields of law enforcement, juvenile justice, human services, and information technology in the public sector since 1973.  Her range of expertise includes strategic planning, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, state/federal cost allocation, contract negotiations and management, information technology systems design, requirements analyses, project management, quality assurance, independent verification and validation, and evaluation.  Her accomplishments are the results of her listening to and understanding client/user needs, combined with her management, organizational, and technical knowledge and skills.  Ms. Tisdale holds a master of public administration degree from Southwest Texas State University and is currently working toward a doctor of jurisprudence degree at Concord University School of Law.

Paul S. Zeigler, Senior Manager

Mr. Zeigler holds an M.B.A. from Chapman University, an M.S. in systems management from the University of Southern California, and a B.S. in computer science from Washington University. He has worked with information systems since 1986, as an officer in the United States Air Force and as a consultant to government agencies.  His expertise includes requirements analysis, data modeling, project management, and quality assurance, and he has extensive experience working with state and local criminal justice agencies.

Roger L. Todd, Senior Project Manager

Mr. Todd’s range of expertise includes business development, information technology, telecommunications, e-commerce, and project and program management, and he has considerable experience in teaching telecommunication, information technology, and project management at the University of Phoenix in Seattle. He possesses a unique combination of technical expertise and project development skills in biometrics and fraud reduction in human service programs. Mr. Todd earned an M.B.A. from City University and a B.S. degree in management from the University of Maryland. He also received a certification in e-commerce from the University of Washington. His blend of knowledge and skills makes him a valuable resource for MTG’s planning assignments and other engagements.

Lawrence M. Layman, Senior Technical Manager

For more than 30 years, Mr. Layman has accumulated and practiced the skills necessary for success in each professional level in which he has performed, from applications programmer to project manager to CIO of a division of the 3M Company, a Fortune 50 corporation. Following his 3M tenure, he devoted the next decade to providing independent consulting services to public and private sector organizations throughout the country. During the 4 years prior to joining MTG in 2004, Mr. Layman served on the management committee of a management consultancy focused on the public sector, with day-to-day emphasis on engagement management. His strengths are in strategic and operational planning, feasibility studies, work flow analysis, business modeling, acquisition/ implementation of software products, organizational change management, needs assessment, requirements definition, quality assurance, process reengineering, and RFP development and administration.

Miguel A. Beltran, Manager

Mr. Beltran is a seasoned consultant experienced in project implementation in both the public and private domains.  Throughout his career, he has focused on state departments of transportation (DOTs) maintenance, operations, finance, construction, and planning.  A valued member of MTG's Emerging Markets practice area, Mr. Beltran has designed and implemented maintenance management quality assurance processes and performance-based budgets and developed requirements for maintenance management systems to support these processes, built revenue and expenditure forecasting models for cash management and long-range transportation planning purposes, conducted agency-wide reviews, and provided management support on a range of projects.  His international experience and understanding of the transportation sector are reflected in the successful implementation of a range of more than 16 transportation department projects.  Mr. Beltran earned a master of public administration degree and a master of science degree in transportation systems engineering from Cornell University and a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Joel J. Byford, Manager

Mr. Byford holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Azusa Pacific University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has worked in the information services and financial fields since 1992. His expertise includes juvenile justice, accounting and finance, federal and state taxation, software development, and Internet technologies. Mr. Byford has recent exposure to governmental performance measurement; implementation of governmental cost accounting systems; and the latest GASB pronouncements, including proposed changes in the recognition of: property taxes, investment instruments, and deferred compensation.  His experience in the design, evaluation, and implementation of financial information systems enables him to provide effective system analysis, design, and development solutions. 

Lippman I. Gee, Manager

As a key member of MTG’s Labor and Employment division, Mr. Gee is responsible for our public pension projects.  Prior to joining MTG, Mr. Gee worked as an IT and management consultant with Washington State University and Deloitte & Touche LLP, since 1999.  He has extensive experience in both public and private sector consulting, providing practical technology solutions that focus on client needs.  His expertise includes organizational assessments, IT planning, business process analysis, procurement services, and project management.  Mr. Gee holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in management information systems and a B.S. from Washington State University.  He also is certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI) as a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Terrance A. Gough, Manager

Mr. Gough brings more than 23 years of experience to MTG’s Public Safety practice.  The former Assistant Bureau Chief – Technology/AFIS with the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification, Mr. Gough is highly skilled in information technology and technology infrastructure, biometric technology, wireless technology systems, data center management, and software development.  He also provides a high level of expertise in operations and project management, process improvement, strategic planning, and change management.  Mr. Gough earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from DePaul University and a master of arts degree in political science from Loyola University Chicago.

Robert L. Kreisa, Manager

Mr. Kreisa joined the Public Safety practice area of MTG after a long and successful career in law enforcement. In his former roles as Chief of Police for two departments in Wisconsin, and President of a firm specializing in law enforcement consulting and training, Mr. Kreisa served both public and private entities where he identified, analyzed, and resolved complex organizational issues at the policy- and decision-making levels. Mr. Kreisa is a skilled trainer and seasoned consultant with more than 16 years of experience providing strategic planning, reengineering, information and project management, organizational development, change management, and technology consulting services. Mr. Kreisa has served the law enforcement community for more than 25 years and is dedicated to solving complex problems in the public safety arena.

Timothy W. Moore, Manager

Mr. Moore has been creating and implementing solutions in the information technology (IT) industry since 1980.  His IT expertise stems from extensive operational and technical practice in a variety of environments.  He has practical hands-on experience implementing change management, release management, configuration management, system testing, and system monitoring processes in large-scale operational environments.  Mr. Moore has a bachelor of science degree in business administration, data processing and quantitative analysis, from the University of Arkansas.  He also holds an IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Practitioner Release and Control (IPRC) certificate.  The combination of his understanding of technical issues and how they relate to business needs and his ability to communicate those issues to others makes him a valued member of MTG’s team.

Gretchen K. Peri, Manager

Actively engaged in the public sector throughout her career, Ms. Peri has extensive experience in business process, financial, and data analysis. She also has expertise in conducting needs assessments, program evaluations, strategic planning, and business process redesign.  Previously an immigration information officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ms. Peri has a keen comprehension of the challenges of offering exceptional public services in a constantly changing environment. She is a valuable leader in MTG with her analytical acumen to examine complex information systems, and identify areas and actions for improvement. Ms. Peri holds a Master of Public Administration and BA’s in International Studies and Political Science, all from the University of Washington, as well as certifications from FEMA and on SEARCH’s Justice Information Exchange Model (JIEM).

Maurice A. Samuels, Manager

Mr. Samuels has extensive experience managing IT organizations and departments, having been the director of several technical areas for the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), and a technology leader for a multimillion-dollar financial services company.  In his role in the Family and Employment Services practice area at MTG, Mr. Samuels demonstrates his ability to build and engage strong, productive practice teams. His collaborative approach and interpersonal skills are highly effective in identifying common ground and solving difficult organizational problems. Successfully managing a wide range of projects, he has developed and implemented aggressive market strategies that have resulted in significant business improvements for public and private sector organizations. Mr. Samuels has a proven ability to deliver complex solutions with a focus on client satisfaction and business results.

Gregory B. Thompson, Manager

Mr. Thompson is a highly trained and skilled member of the criminal justice community. A consultant for the Justice practice area at MTG,  he has demonstrated success in helping organizations initiate and improve information services as a strategic resource. His work is distinguished by strong analytical, project management, interpersonal, and communication skills. Mr. Thompson’s combination of management and technical knowledge, along with his comprehensive understanding of client/user needs, has enabled him to provide meaningful insight into information services, issues, and solutions. He has successfully managed and implemented projects with tight deadlines and that are highly sensitive in nature. With 15 years of direct experience with justice and  law enforcement  agencies, Mr. Thompson is an expert at achieving client goals for quality, innovation, and efficiency.

Paul M. Wieser, Manager

Mr. Wieser brings more than 10 years of consulting experience to MTG.  He helps clients to develop solutions and craft processes so as to enhance the value they provide to their stakeholders.  His leadership and coaching capabilities are complemented by a thorough understanding of judicial processes and the practical aspects of judicial information management.  As a valued member of MTG’s Courts practice, Mr. Wieser’s experience in case management, electronic filing, and electronic documents allows him to help drive substantial positive change for our clients while effectively managing risk, deliverables, and the value perception of clients’ constituents.  Mr. Wieser received his master of business administration degree from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien) and received his bachelor of science degree from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien).  He is certified by the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Brent W. Wigen, Manager

Mr. Wigen has worked with information technology throughout his career, and his experience includes hardware and software support, systems planning and implementation, and formal requirements gathering. He has gained a breadth of experience in process modeling, work flow analysis, technical support, training, and implementation since joining MTG in 2004. Mr. Wigen also has extensive experience in gathering information, conducting successful interviews, and communicating with clients to provide the best solutions to their unique challenges. With a BA in Business Administration from Washington State University and certification in the SEARCH Justice Information Exchange Model (JIEM), Mr. Wigen is a valuable MTG leader, utilizing current and relevant information technology experience to provide effective solutions to unique public sector challenges.