Our blog shares lessons, updates, and real-world insights from years of working with federal grants. From compliance tips to program oversight strategies, we break down complex topics into clear, practical ideas you can apply in your work.
Dave Wickstrom is the founder of DWC and a nationally recognized expert in federal grants management, compliance, and program evaluation. Over his career, Dave has trained more than 15,000 federal staff, grantees, and nonprofit leaders across 230 organizations and 147 federal agencies. He draws from his experience managing community-based non-profit organizations and his service as a federal program officer at the Administration for Community Living, where he evaluated more than 350 grants and built compliance systems for one of the largest human services portfolios, to help clients navigate complex regulations and develop practical solutions that work.
Nich Fox is a senior federal finance and grants expert with nearly 20 years of leadership experience within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He has overseen multi-billion-dollar budgets, strengthened internal control frameworks, and worked directly with OMB and congressional oversight staff on federal financial reforms. He most recently served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer at ACL, where he managed a $2.6B annual budget spanning 33 programs and provided strategic guidance to agency leadership. He is known for helping agencies improve fiscal accountability and ensure resources are strategically aligned with program priorities.
Dr. Scott Moore is one of the nation’s leading voices on federal grants compliance and oversight. He served as a lead federal contributor to the most recent revision of 2 CFR 200, giving him direct insight into how compliance is written, interpreted, and enforced. With experience in senior roles at the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Office of Inspector General, Scott specializes in internal controls, audit readiness, and monitoring systems. He is known for building compliance approaches that are both defensible and practical.
Aaron Taylor is known for his expertise in turning compliance requirements into clear, practical guidance for federal grantees. Aaron served in senior compliance roles at several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he worked on high-profile programs like the $16B Shuttered Venue Operators Grant; and the Administration for Community Living, where he oversaw compliance reviews, fiscal monitoring, and SF-425 reviews; led single audit follow-up; designed new fiscal monitoring processes; and managed the closeout of thousands of grants.
Christine Phillips is a senior communications leader with nearly 30 years of federal, military, and nonprofit experience. As Director of External Affairs for the Administration for Community Living, she oversaw media relations, digital strategy, and external communications to advance programs serving older adults and people with disabilities. A captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Christine also has led communications during crises and times of major change across government. She specializes in helping organizations communicate strategically, using clear language that effectively illustrates the impact of their work to achieve operational goals.
Dr. Corinna Stiles is a national leader in disability policy and federal grants with more than 25 years of experience. She served as Director of the Office of Independent Living Programs at ACL, where she oversaw programs supporting independent living services and community inclusion for people with disabilities nationwide. She also directed the $800M Disability Innovation Fund at the U.S. Department of Education and served as Administrator for HUD’s Office of Native American Programs. A U.S. Army veteran, Corinna is known for bridging policy with practice and ensuring federal investments translate into real-world outcomes.
Aaron is a grant compliance and audit resolution expert with nearly 15 years of Federal program management experience. He joined the Federal government as a Presidential Management Fellow, served in five Federal agencies, and provided grant management leadership and oversight for more than fifty grant programs covering all grantee types. He has conducted more than 60 award monitoring reviews and has led resolution efforts of more than 100 Office of Inspector General audits. Aaron brings a learning mindset and expertise in process improvement to support organizations of all sizes in enhancing their structure and programs.
Lisa is a federal policy attorney with expertise in disability rights, grants compliance, and emergency management. She served at the Administration for Community Living and FEMA, deploying to more than 15 major disasters to coordinate interagency response and ensure compliance with federal requirements. Lisa’s career reflects a strong balance of legal analysis, operational leadership, and cross-agency collaboration.
Christine is a strategy and communications leader with more than 30 years of experience in corporate, non-profit and federal government organizations, including the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. intelligence community. She has directed high-profile communications for national initiatives, led media operations in Afghanistan, and advised senior leaders on public affairs strategy. Christine excels at crafting mission-focused strategy, messaging and products that build trust and support policy and program implementation.
Carri is a health research and strategy expert with more than 15 years of experience leading and supporting federally funded and multi-site initiatives across healthcare, education, and social systems. Her work spans evaluation, policy, and implementation, with a focus on strengthening systems to improve biopsychosocial outcomes across the lifespan. She has led and managed research and evaluation efforts funded by federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Department of Defense (DoD), and has collaborated with state Medicaid and education agencies, national organizations, and cross-sector stakeholders.
Carri brings deep expertise in evaluation design, performance measurement, and analytics-informed decision-making, helping organizations translate data into actionable strategies that support continuous improvement and long-term impact. Her cross-cutting approach, spanning behavioral health, physical health, and social determinants, is an asset in complex initiatives requiring integrated, systems-level solutions. She has also led work in clinical research and trial oversight, ensuring regulatory compliance across academic, government, and industry settings.
With a clinical foundation in emergency nursing and advanced training as a nurse scientist through the University of Michigan and the National Clinician Scholars Program at Duke University, Carri brings a unique front-end, implementation-focused perspective that complements DWC's full grant lifecycle support from strategy and proposal development to execution, evaluation, and sustainability. Her work emphasizes building institutional capacity, supporting local leadership, and delivering measurable, lasting impact.
Jack Kennedy is a seasoned state and local government leader with more than 25 years of experience, including over 15 years in supervisory and management roles. He has served as Chief Deputy in the Franklin County Clerk’s Office, worked with the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, and represented the House Speaker on the Committee on Committees. Jack is skilled in 2 CFR 200 compliance, procurement, and grants administration, with extensive experience managing RFPs, MOAs, leases, and service agreements. Jack currently serves on the Serve Kentucky commission (AmeriCorps)
Eugene is a data scientist and mental health services researcher with nearly two decades of experience evaluating federally and state-funded programs. In his concurrent role as Director of Data Analytics at Temple University’s Collaborative on Community Inclusion, he has co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to more than 20 federal and state grant projects. Eugene specializes in spatial analysis, outcome measurement, and building actionable data systems.
Liam is an engineer and project manager with expertise in infrastructure systems, geographic information system (GIS) mapping, and regulatory compliance. He has worked with public utilities and government agencies on data analytics, systems improvement, and technical project delivery. Liam’s analytical and technical skills strengthen decision making and operational efficiency for complex projects.
Nich is a senior public finance and operations leader with nearly 20 years of experience managing multi-billion-dollar federal budgets. He served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the Administration for Community Living and Director of Financial Operations for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, where he developed and managed budgets for national programs. Nich is known for developing internal control frameworks, improving financial reporting, and aligning fiscal management with mission priorities.
Corinna is a U.S. Army veteran and national leader in disability policy, education, and housing programs. Over her 25-year federal career at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Administration for Community Living, and the U.S. Department of Education, she managed multimillion-dollar grant portfolios, authored program guidance, and designed the Disability Innovation Fund from the ground up. Her work integrates compliance and program design to ensure federal investments achieve program goals and create meaningful community outcomes.
Scott is a grants policy and compliance expert with more than 22 years of federal leadership, including six years as Director of the Grants and Acquisitions Management Division at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. He has managed grant portfolios supporting national programs, modernized oversight processes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and led more than 160 investigations into research misconduct. Scott blends legal expertise with scientific training to strengthen program integrity and accountability.
Eric has more than 25 years of leadership experience in state education agencies, federal program administration, and large-scale school improvement initiatives. He has overseen complex federal and state funding streams exceeding $1 billion, built systems for monitoring and compliance, and led initiatives to close achievement gaps across diverse student populations. Eric’s expertise spans Title I - IV programs, educator effectiveness, federal compliance, and strategic resource allocation.
Tore is a senior management executive with more than a decade of experience leading large-scale, state and federally funded programs for nonprofits and government partners. She has served as fiscal lead for initiatives managing funding streams exceeding $4.5 billion, building systems that ensure compliance, transparency, and rapid fund distribution. Her portfolio includes disaster relief, housing, and community development programs, where she has consistently delivered results under high-pressure timelines.
