Here’s my (mostly) complete list of presentations and published research. For more information and access to articles, check out my profiles on ResearchGate and Google Scholar!
Keynotes | Panels | Interviews | Podcasts | Articles | Workshops
Kris Saling is a recognized leader in people analytics and talent management who has relentlessly driven innovation in the federal workforce for more than ten years.
A university-trained complexity scientist and a self-taught technologist, she has learned to not only leverage her technical skills, but also become versed in the areas of government contracting and acquisition, data governance, personnel policy, law, and statute, and the business process of innovation – all the building blocks necessary to take new offices and organizations from 0 to 1 within the immense bureaucracy of the Army and the federal government.
Kris has received several analytic awards, including the Wayne P. Hughes Award, has published extensively, and speaks regularly on analytic topics and applications in the human domain. She has also published her work in academic journals such as Systems Engineering and International Transactions on Operations Research.
ENGAGEMENTS, ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS, and MORE
Most recent events first!
Keynotes | Panels | Interviews | Podcasts | Articles | Workshops
KEYNOTES and PRESENTATIONS
(KEYNOTE) “Fireside Chat: Talent Innovation in Government” with Angela Wilson (June 2025) Agenda – Health Innovation Summit 2025
(KEYNOTE) “Data Driven Talent Management” ClearanceJobs Connect West 2025, San Diego CA (March 2025) ClearanceJobs Connect 2025 WEST – Cleared Recruiting
(KEYNOTE) “Leading Change in a Changing Environment” INFORMS Business Analytics Orlando (April 2024) 2024 INFORMS Analytics Conference
(WEBINAR) “Data and Analytics for Government Talent Development Professionals” (April 2024) Webinar can be found at: Webinar Search | ATD
(PRESENTATION) AFCEA Data Centric Summit (Charlottesville) (March 2024) AFCEA CeVA Data Centric Summit 2024 | AFCEA Central Virginia Chapter (afceachapters.org)
(KEYNOTE) “Army Talent Management: A Journey of Innovation and Exploration” at AFCEA Central Florida November Luncheon (November 2023) Home (afceatampa.org)
(KEYNOTE) “Assembling Earth’s Mightiest: Building Your Innovation Team” at Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (November 2023) DEF2023 | DEF
(PRESENTATION) “Talent Data and Data Talent: Best Practices in Building Analytic Teams in Army Human Resources” at the 91st Military Operations Research Society Symposium (June 2023) 91st Symposium (mors.org)
(KEYNOTE) “One Size Fits None – Data Driven Talent Management” at Army Mad Scientist Symposium 2022 (Nov 2022) Army Mad Scientist
(KEYNOTE) GovLoop Keynote (Feb 2022) MeriTalk ‘Love the Problem’ and Other Tips From Government Innovators » Posts | GovLoop Accelerating Agency Innovation: Driving Your Team, Tech and Mission Forward (govloop.com)
(KEYNOTE) AFCEA Small Business Committee (13 Jan 2022) Army Parses Cyber Training According to Skill and Needs | SIGNAL Magazine (afcea.org)
(KEYNOTE) Potomac Officer’s Club (13 Nov 2021) Army Focused On Data Literacy For AI Development, Official Says – Potomac Officers Club
(KEYNOTE) AI in Government Keynote (23 Sep 2021) Kristin Saling – Cognilytica Events The Critical Importance of Data and AI for the US Army: LTC Kristin Saling, Chief Analytics Officer & Acting Director, People Analytics at The US Army – Cognilytica Events
(KEYNOTE) Global Big Data Conference (28 Aug 2021) Global Big Data Conference
PANELS
(PANEL) “From Creation to Command” at Adobe Federal Forum (June 2025) From Creation to Command: The Power of Digital Content in Defense
(PANEL) “Manning the Digital Front Line” at C4ISRNet Summit (June 2025) C4 Conference: Manning the Digital Front Line
(PANEL) “Leading Digital Transformation in Government” at IGNITE 2025 (April 2025) Ignite2025 – GovTechConnects
(PANEL) “Built for Growth” at Uplift by BetterUp, New York NY (April 2025) Uplift 2025 Government Reception | BetterUp
(PANEL) “Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: Talent & Innovation for Government, Defense, and Dual-Use Sectors” at eMerge Americas, Miami FL (March 2025) Speakers Archive – eMerge Americas
(PANEL) “Power of the Pivot: Success Strategies for Personal and Professional Growth” Community Conversations with Cornerstone, Washington D.C. (March 2025) CSOD | Power of the Pivot: Success Strategies for Personal and Professional Growth
(PANEL) “AI-Ready Talent” at GovCIO AI Summit, Reston VA (October 2024) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kris-saling_aisummit-bedatadriven-armyinnovation-activity-7261090604477038593-GgGW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
(ROUNDTABLE) GovCIO AI FedLab, Reston VA (June 2024) AI FedLab | GovCIO Media & Research
(PANEL) “Getting Your Organization AI Ready” DataIQ 100 Summit Miami (May 2024) 2024 DataIQ 100 Summit Miami – DataIQ
(PANEL) RAND All Volunteer Force Summit (May 2024)
(PANEL) ServiceNow Federal Forum (DC) (March 2024) NowFedForum 2024 – ServiceNow Federal Forum
(PANEL) “Talent Management in the Freelance Economy” at SXSW (Austin) (March 2024) https://www.sxsw.com/
(PANEL) “Army Talent Management” with Mike Arnold and Patrick Surbeck, AFCEA Army IT Day (Jan 2024) AFCEA NOVA Army IT Day 2024 (swoogo.com)
(PANEL) “Innovation in the New World of Work” with Samuel Navarro, David Schiff, and Mika Cross at GovLoop Fireside Chat (December 2023) Innovation in the New World of Work (govloop.com)
(PANEL) “Widening Access: New and Non-traditional Career Paths into Stem” at the Global Women in STEM Leadership Summit (Atlanta) with Chandra Donelson, Lori Mongold, and Molly Solsbury (September 2023) 2023 Program — The Global Women in STEM Leadership Summit (stemwomensummit.org)
(PANEL) “Realizing Your Power” for Women In Data: Tampa (July 2023) Women in Data Presents: Realizing Your Power Tickets, Thu, Jul 6, 2023 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite
(PANEL) “Defense and Military Readiness: Leveraging Innovation to Make the US Military the Employer of Choice for America’s Top Talent” at HillVets CAPCON8 (May 2023) CAPCON 8: Veterans & Innovation
(PANEL) “The WHY of People” with Raj Sharma (Public Spend Forum), Paul Puckett (Clarity), and Dr. Marina Theodotou (Defense Acquisition University) (May 2023) 3 Ps to Help Your People and Teams Thrive
(PANEL) “Data Driven Talent Management” with Mr. Mike Arnold at AFCEA Nova Army IT Day (Jan 2023) AFCEA NOVA Army IT Day 2023
(PANEL) “Accelerating Data Driven Decisions” at GovCIO (May 2022) Are Data Literacy Programs the Key to Data-Driven Decision-Making? (governmentciomedia.com)
(PANEL) “Knowledge Management and Digital Transformation” at AFCEA TechNet Cyber: 2022 AFCEA TechNet Cyber
(PANEL) I/ITSEC Data Talent Panel (2 Dec 2021) (in person only) I/ITSEC 2021: Rapid Advances in Education/Training Tech Highlight DoD’s Challenges for Big Data Management and Interoperability | ADL Initiative (adlnet.gov)
(PANEL) Data & AI In Defense Panel (16-17 Nov 2021)) Winning the AI Race Data and AI for Defense 2021 | Corinium (coriniumintelligence.com)
(PANEL) ATARC (4 Nov 2021) Optimizing IT Operations with AIOps – ATARC
(PANEL) Texas Dialogue on Innovation in Defense (16 Sep 2021) Texas Dialogue on Innovation in Defense | Presented by IBM | Events and Meetups @ Capital Factory
(PANEL) JSOFT Panel (25 Aug 2021) Data, Dashboards, and Decision Making Data, Dashboards, & Decision Making Tickets, Wed, Aug 25, 2021 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite Videos | The Joint Software Alliance (jsoftalliance.org)
(PANEL) AUSA (4 Jun 2021) Army Takes ‘Evolutionary Leap’ to Manage Talent | AUSA
(PANEL) AUSA Thought Leaders (May 2021) AUSA’s Thought Leaders – Talent Management | AUSA
INTERVIEWS
(MAGAZINE INTERVIEW) “Profiles in Leadership: Kris Saling” NatSec @ Work (May 2025) NatSec@Work – National Security Workforce – May Issue
(MAGAZINE INTERVIEW) “Beyond the Battlefield” CDO Magazine (August 2024) Beyond the Battlefield — Col. Kris Saling’s Data-driven Path to Transforming Army Recruitment and Well-being (cdomagazine.tech)
(ONLINE INTERVIEW) “Army Focuses on New Recruitment Strategies” Federal News Network (July 2024) Army focuses on new recruitment strategies (federalnewsnetwork.com)
(WEB INTERVIEW) “Army pilots test AI to streamline selection boards” at Federal News Network (updated Jan 2023) FNN Special Edition | Delivering on Artificial Intelligence’s Potential
(WEB INTERVIEW) “Army applying AI to personnel data in new ways” at DefenseScoop (Nov 2022) Army applying AI to personnel data in new ways
(WEB INTERVIEW) “Army pilots using AI to streamline selection boards” at Federal News Network (Sep 2022) Army pilots using AI to streamline selection boards | Federal News Network
(WEB INTERVIEW) “Army leaders implement measures to bolster recruiting” by Army News Service (Sep 2022) Army leaders implement measures to bolster recruiting | Article | The United States Army
(WEB INTERVIEW) “Army staffers are testing digital PCS, permanent work-from-home plan” at Army Times (Jul 2022) Army staffers are testing digital PCS, permanent work-from-home plan (armytimes.com)
(TV) Government Matters TV (30 Nov 2021) https://govmatters.tv/agency-in-motion-army-2/
(WEB INTERVIEW) DataRobot Blog (12 Oct 2021) How Can You Keep Your Analytics from Withering in the Transition Valley of Death? LTC Kristin Saling Explains – DataRobot AI Cloud
(WEB INTERVIEW) Executive Gov (31 Aug 2021) Lt. Col. Kristin Saling: Army Employs AI, Automation in Talent Management Efforts (executivegov.com)
(MAGAZINE INTERVIEW) Forbes (28 Aug 2021) How The United States Army Is Leveraging AI: Interview With Kristin Saling, Chief Analytics Officer & Acting Dir., Army People Analytics (forbes.com)
(MAGAZINE INTERVIEW) FedTech Magazine (26 Jul 2021) Enhancing Data Literacy Skills in the Federal Government | FedTech Magazine
(WEB INTERVIEW) American Council for Technology (18 May 2021) What Federal CIOs Can Learn from CFOs about Data Management | ACT-IAC (actiac.org)
(WEB INTERVIEW) Executive Gov (12 Mar 2021) Lt. Col. Kristin Saling: Army Must Leverage Data to Update Talent Management Approach (executivegov.com)
PODCASTS
(PODCAST) “Data Driven Talent Management” on Directionally Correct with Cole Napper (June 2025) #130 – Kris Saling – The US Army & Data Driven Talent Management – Directionally Correct, A People Analytics Podcast with Cole & Scott | Podcast on Spotify
(PODCAST) “Special Guest: COL Kris Saling” on (S)ecurity (C)learance (I)nsecurity with Lindy Kyzer (October 2024) https://federalnewsnetwork.com/podcast/security-clearance-insecurity/data-driven-talent-management-with-col-kris-saling/
(PODCAST) “Data Driven Talent Management” on The Human Cloud Podcast (October 2024) Human Cloud Podcast – Human Cloud
(PODCAST) “Building a Stronger Team” on Tech Transforms (October 2024) Building a Stronger Team: How – Tech Transforms – Apple Podcasts
(PODCAST) “Data-Driven Talent Management: Using Analytics to Improve Employee Experience” on BluEPrint Podcast (September 2024) https://youtu.be/a0Sz7DBaZyg
(PODCAST) “Data Driven Talent Management” on FedUpward Podcast (September 2024) Podcast | FedUpward LLC
(PODCAST) “New Technologies for Millions of Users” on HR Grapevine (August 2024) https://soundcloud.com/user-851225096
(PODCAST) “Data Driven Talent Management” on Federal Data Talk Podcast (August 2024) https://youtu.be/Un4h42oKeiI
(PODCAST) “Innovation at US Army Recruiting” on Psych in Business (August 2024) https://www.psychinbusiness.com/episodes or https://open.spotify.com/show/7wC6MXi1KHvRbhEEJXREim?si=d2581885043f4943
(PODCAST) “Customer Experience in the Department of Defense” on Federal Insights (Federal News Network) (July 2024) Excellent customer service starts behind the scenes (youtube.com)
(PODCAST) “Managing Talent Outside the Box” on Triple Point (May 2024) https://triplepointpodcast.com/episode-37-talent-management-outside-the-box-with-kris-saling/
(PODCAST) “Being Data Driven” on TAG Talks (May 2024) TAG Talks: TAG Talks Ep. 19 — Being Data Driven on Apple Podcasts
(PODCAST) “Resoundingly Human” for INFORMS (April 2024) A sneak peek of #2024Analytics with keynote speaker Colonel Kristin Saling – Resoundingly Human
(PODCAST) “Your Personnel File: (22 pt 1) AUSA Takeaways” with Jenn DeHaan, official commentary on Army HRC’s podcast (October 2023) DVIDS – Audio – Your Personnel File – Episode 22, Part 1: AUSA Takeaways (dvidshub.net)
(PODCAST) “U.S. Army Workforce Modernization and Analytics” on Resilient Cyber: S4E12 (April 2023) Resilient Cyber: S4E12
(PODCAST) “Modernizing Tech and Data for People and Talent” on DevCast with John Janek (Mar 2023) Modernizing Tech and Data for People and Talent – Dev Technology
(PODCAST) Tech Transforms “Intuition and Experience” Tech Transforms, sponsored by Dynatrace: Intuition and Experience with US Army’s Kris Saling on Apple Podcasts
(PODCAST) More Intelligent Tomorrow (Jun 2021) Building the Army’s Data Workforce | DataRobot Building the Army’s Data Workforce – Kristin Saling | More Intelligent Tomorrow #043 – YouTube
AUTHORED ARTICLES
(ARTICLE) “The Kinetic Energy of Talent: The benefits of using a data-driven approach to unlock your organization’s potential” in Kogan Page (November 2024) The Kinetic Energy of Talent | Kogan Page
(ARTICLE) “Tactical Innovation: The Key to Executing Continuous Transformation” in Military Review (November 2024) Tactical Innovation: The Key to Executing Continuous Transformation
(ARTICLE) “The Army Goes Location Independent” in Acquisition, Logistics, & Technology Magazine, AL&T Magazine (Summer 2023) THE ARMY GOES LOCATION INDEPENDENT – USAASC
(ARTICLE) “A New Vision for Army Human Resources” in Acquisition, Logistics, & Technology Magazine with Brigadier General Greg Johnson, AL&T Magazine (Spring 2023) A NEW VISION FOR ARMY HUMAN RESOURCES – USAASC
(ARTICLE) “New Methods, Better Military: Why Remote Work and Distributed Teams are the Future of the U.S. Military,” with Capt Steven Arango and Maj Jenn Walters (Mar 2022) Proceedings, US Naval Institute. New Methods, Better Military: Remote Work and Distributed Teams are the Future of the U.S. Military | Proceedings – March 2022 Vol. 148/3/1,429 (usni.org)
(ARTICLE) “Unlocking the Future of HR with Predictive Analytics” with Colonel Greg Johnson, HRC Publication on LinkedIn (2) Unlocking the Future of Army HR with Predictive Analytics | LinkedIn
WORKSHOPS
(WORKSHOP) Data Literacy Train the Educator 2 (June 2024) at United States Military Academy at West Point
(WORKSHOP) Everyone Can Innovate (April 2024) Catalytic Think Tank: Everyone Can Innovate! – Dev Technology
The rest of the CV…
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Systems Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, May 2010
Thesis: Integrating Probabilistic Design and Rare-Event Simulation into the Requirements Engineering Process to Analyze Risk Problems in High Reliability Systems
Chair: William Scherer, Ph.D.
Master of Science in Engineering Management, Missouri Institute of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, August 2005
Bachelor of Science in Operations Research, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, June 2001
HONORS & AWARDS
2015 Wayne P. Hughes Jr. Award. Awarded annually to a new analyst whose efforts have advanced the state of the art of Military Operations Research, candidates are nominated through the Military Operations Research Society and selected based on outstanding publications, development of significant new analysis techniques, or the use of research results in the solution of military problems.
Top Academic Presentation, International Crisis & Risk Communication Conference, with Karen Freberg, Kathleen Vidoloff, and Gina Eosco (March 2012).
2004 Outstanding Engineer Platoon Leader “Grizzly” Award. Awarded annually to the engineer lieutenant platoon leader in each US Army component (Active, National Guard, Reserve) selected in recognition of outstanding contributions to military engineering by demonstrated technical and leadership ability for the award year.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Saling, K. Procedia Computer Science (Publication) Jan 2020) (PDF) Leveraging People Analytics for an Adaptive Complex Talent Management System (researchgate.net)
Freberg, K., Saling, K., & Freberg, L. (Oct 2013). Using a situational q-sort to assess perceptions of a food recall message as a function of delivery via social, organizational, or traditional media. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. Article first published online 8 Oct 2013.
Saling, K. (July 2013) “Social Network Analysis” and “Search Engine Optimization.” The Encyclopedia of Public Relations. R. Heath, ed., SAGE publications.
Saling, K., and K. P. White. (June 2013) “Integrating Probabilistic Design and Rare-Event Simulation into the Requirements Engineering Process to Analyze Risk Problems in High Reliability Systems.” International Transactions on Operations Research, vol. 20, no. 4, p. 515-531.
Page, S., Freberg, K., Saling, K. (June 2013) Emerging media crisis value model: A comparison of relevant, timely message strategies for emergency events. Journal of Strategy Security, vol. 6, no. 2, p. 20-31.
Freberg, K., Saling, K., Vidoloff, K., & Eosco, G. (2013, May). What makes a “good” social media crisis message?: Challenging traditional methodology through qualitative and quantitative value modeling.” Public Relations Review.
Freberg, K., K. Saling, K.G. Vidoloff and G. Eosco. (2013, Apr). “Using value modeling to evaluate social media messages: The case of Hurricane Irene.” Public Relations Review, Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0363811113000386.
Graham (Saling), K. (2011, May) Integrating Probabilistic Design and Rare Event Simulation into the Requirements Engineering Process to Analyze Risk Problems in High Reliability Systems. A thesis published to the libraries of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, and the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY.
Freberg, K., Graham (Saling), K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. (2011, March). Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37, 90-92.
Freberg, K., Graham, K. (Saling), McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. (2010, November). The rich get richer: Online and offline social connectivity predicts subjective loneliness. Media Psychology Review. Retrieved from http://www.mprcenter.org/mpr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=213:frebergonline-connectivity&catid=24:socialnetworks&Itemid=178
ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Advisor, Manpower and Personnel Working Group, Military Operations Research Society Symposium (2022-Current)
Chair, Manpower and Personnel Working Group, Military Operations Research Society Symposium (2020-2022)
Co-Chair, Manpower and Personnel Working Group, Military Operations Research Society Symposium (2016-2018)
Co-Chair, Manpower and Personnel Community of Practice, (2017-2020)
Journal Article Reviewer, Military Operations Research (2013-Present)
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
Project Management Institute (PMI) 2013-present
Military Operations Research Society (MORS) 2001-present
Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) 2001-present
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) 2010-present
International Conference on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) 2010-present
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) 2010-present
SOCIAL NETWORKING AFFILIATIONS
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kristin.c.saling
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/kcsaling
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-saling
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/kcsaling