Leadership

Chris Bennethum

Assistant Commissioner, AAS
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Chris Bennethum is the Assistant Commissioner for GSA’s Office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) within the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). In this position, Chris oversees AAS’ delivery of over $15 billion in custom acquisition, project, and financial management Services.

AAS is a nationally based client-centric organization specializing in complex, sensitive, and mission-critical projects offered to federal clients on a fee-for-service basis.

Previously, Chris served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for AAS. In this position, he oversaw the AAS portfolio’s business strategy and operations, systems development, acquisition policy, communications, financial management, and workforce recruitment, development, and engagement.

In his more than 25 years of service with various GSA components, Bennethum has held roles in several regional and central offices, and overseas locations. Some of his previous roles include serving as FAS Chief of Staff, Deputy Regional Commissioner for the National Capital Region, Director for GSA’s Travel and Transportation Northeast Zone, and Director for Marketing and Business Development in GSA’s European office.

Corey Nickens

Client Executive/Acquisition Innovation Advocate
AAS Innovation
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Corey Nickens serves as the Client Executive for AAS Innovation of the Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) portfolio within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). AAS provides buying platforms and acquisition services to federal, state and local governments.

Nickens was formerly the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for AAS, and before that served as FEDSIM's Acquisition Quality Director overseeing acquisition lifecycle activities.

Nickens is a member of various professional organizations that work to increase collaboration between public and private sector organizations. These include the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).

He held leadership roles in ACT-IAC’s professional development programs, as well as the Executive Leadership Conference (ELC). He received the inaugural Federal Computer Week (FCW) Rising Star award.

Nickens holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Drexel University, and a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).

Chris Hamm

Client Executive
AAS Defense
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Chris Hamm serves as the Client Executive for AAS Defense of the Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) portfolio within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). AAS provides buying platforms and acquisition services to federal, state and local governments.

In this role, Hamm leads the client support center that provides assisted acquisition services for federal agencies, to include the legacy Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM). Services include acquisition, financial, and project management for the full acquisition life cycle.

Hamm leverages 23 years of experience in managing complex acquisitions and project delivery to provide innovative solutions. His organization manages over 1% of federal discretionary spending.

Hamm leads GSA’s implementation of Commercial Solutions Opening. He was recognized as one of the “FED100” by Federal Computer Week. He served on the board of the American Council for Technology (ACT-IAC) and Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA).

Hamm hails from Harrisburg, PA. He attended Elon University in North Carolina and has a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was selected to the Presidential Management Internship Program and was a senior executive fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Pete Burr

Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Pete Burr is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for GSA’s Office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) within the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). In this position, Pete maintains quality across AAS’ delivery of custom acquisition, project, and financial management services. Pete brings nearly 30 years of government and industry acquisition and program management experience to AAS.

Pete has over 23 years of dedicated experience in operational roles within AAS. In his previous role as the Deputy Client Executive of AAS Defense, Pete led the AAS Defense Civilian Sector supporting civilian federal agencies in acquiring and managing information technology and professional service solutions. He brings additional expertise in these areas, which he has gained from positions held at the Department of Health and Human Services and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Erin Childs

Deputy Assistant Commissioner (AC)
AAS Operations (OSO)
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Erin Childs serves as the Deputy AC for the Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) Operations (OSO) within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). AAS provides buying platforms and acquisition services to federal, state, and local governments.

In this role, Childs directs all management and program decisions to deliver innovative, mission-focused results for AAS clients. She develops internal human capital strategies and initiatives, ensures quality acquisition processes and practices, and is responsible for enterprise engagement.

She previously served as Director of the Program Management Office for the Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM). Childs oversaw the business strategy and operations, communications, financial management, and workforce development and engagement for AAS’ largest portfolio.

Childs has over 10 years of experience in project management, human capital, facilitation, and process improvement, and holds a master’s in Business Administration from George Washington University.

Joe Nickerson

Client Executive
AAS Army
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Joe Nickerson serves as the Client Executive of AAS Army of the Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) portfolio within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). AAS provides buying platforms and acquisition services to federal, state and local governments.
In this position, Nickerson has operational responsibility for providing comprehensive solutions for the Department of Defense and Civilian agencies worldwide.

Nickerson has more than 32 years of federal service managing regional and national programs for the General Services Administration. Prior to his current role as Client Executive, he served as the Regional Commissioner for FAS’ New England Region from 2014 - 2023.

He also served as the Director of Leasing for the Public Buildings Service, where he provided support to more than five million square feet of government leased space in the New England Region.

Nickerson holds master’s degrees in Business Administration and Finance from Suffolk University, and a bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Massachusetts.

Casey Kelly

Client Executive
AAS Air Force/Navy/Space Force
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Casey Kelley serves as the Client Executive of AAS Air Force/Navy/Space Force for the Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) portfolio within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). AAS provides buying platforms and acquisition services to federal, state and local governments. In this role, he oversees the delivery of real estate, technology and procurement solutions.

Prior to his role as Client Executive of AAS Air Force/Navy/Space Force, Kelley served as the FAS R9 Regional Commissioner for five years. Before that he spent more than 10 years in GSA’s Information Technology Category in multiple leadership roles, including: Director of the Office of Information Technology Services; Director Customer Engagement Division; and Director Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts. Kelley led a portfolio of contracts providing government agencies with a diverse set of IT solutions valued over $13 billion annually under GWAC contracts Alliant, Alliant 2, Alliant Small Business, 8(a) STARS II, Veterans Technology Services, VETS 2, and GSA Multiple Award Schedule 70, planning and implementing customer development strategies through a wide range of commercial and custom IT products, services and solutions.

Darrick Early

Client Executive
AAS Civilian
Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration

Darrick Early serves as the Client Executive for the Civilian business unit within the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS). Prior to this appointment, Darrick served as the Regional Commissioner for the National Capital Region/Federal Acquisition Service (NCR/FAS) within GSA, for which he was awarded a FAS Commissioner’s Award.

Darrick holds Master’s of Public Management from East Tennessee State University and is currently pursuing his PhD in Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. He is a Senior Executive Fellow of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Johns Hopkins University’s Business Leadership Program, and the FEI’s Leadership for a Democratic Society program. He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and certified at the highest levels of contract management -CPCM and FAC-C Level III.