The GovNavigators Team
Adam Hughes and Robert Shea have worked together for almost 20 years. In that time, they have collaborated to improve government program performance and enact and implement federal financial transparency initiatives, including creating the original version of USASpending.gov.
Together, they transformed Grant Thornton Public Sector’s brand into one of the best known and respected in government consulting, being named as one of the fastest-moving brands in government by the Government Business Council. They conceived, produced, and hosted FedHeads, a leading, award-winning podcast focused on government management. They share four Fed100 Awards between them, but won’t say who has the most.
Robert Shea
Chief Executive Officer
Robert Shea is a recognized government management and policy expert who served in both Congress and the Executive Branch. He has more than 25 years experience working to improve the government’s performance.
Most recently, he was National Managing Principal at Grant Thornton, where he led the firm’s public policy activities and advised federal, state, and local government agencies on strategy, performance, and evidence-based policymaking.
Robert is a Fellow & former Chairman of the National Academy of Public Administration. He was appointed to the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking, which made important recommendations for better integration of evidence into policymaking.
Adam Hughes
President
Adam Hughes is a federal government process expert – having spent his career working to improve access to and efficiency of federal legislative and regulatory processes. Among other accomplishments, he led a team that helped Sens. Barack Obama and Tom Coburn write and pass the Federal Funding, Accountability, and Transparency Act – the legislation that created USASpending.gov.
Most recently, he was the Director of Marketing, Communications, and Government Affairs at Grant Thornton, where he oversaw marketing and government affairs strategy, thought leadership development, advertising and media relationships, communications, and public policy and Congressional engagements. He also co-created and produced the FedHeads podcast - an award-winning government podcast for government geeks.
Adam served in government as the Senior Advisor to the Federal Chief Information Officer’s (CIO) Council, helping to implement and improve federal IT policy, and on the Senate Budget Committee as the Director of Strategic Planning and Outreach.
Hilery Sirpis
Chief Strategy Officer
Hilery Sirpis is the Chief Strategy Officer at GovNavigators, where she brings decades of experience in government-focused media, strategic communications, and thought leadership. Prior to joining GovNavigators, she held senior leadership roles at Government Executive Media Group, where she helped build and grow some of the most recognized brands serving the federal market, including Government Executive, Nextgov, Defense One, and Route Fifty.
Throughout her career, Hilery has worked at the intersection of journalism, policy, and technology, leading initiatives that connected government and industry leaders through trusted reporting, events, and digital engagement. Her strategic vision has helped shape how the federal community understands and navigates complex issues from digital transformation to public sector innovation.
At GovNavigators, Hilery leads firmwide strategy and growth initiatives, helping clients and partners elevate their impact across the federal landscape through insight-driven campaigns, partnerships, and thought leadership platforms.
Lacey Lewis
Chief Operating Officer
Lacey Lewis serves as the Chief Operating Officer at GovNavigators, where she brings a wealth of experience from both state and federal government roles.
Her career began with three years in Oklahoma state government, after which she pursued a Master’s in Global Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. During her graduate studies, she completed a policy apprenticeship with the Office of Management and Budget’s Performance and Personnel Management Office and a legislative fellowship in Congress.
Lacey is skilled in public policy analysis, graphic design, and social media content development, honed through her work in both public and private sectors.