Power Players | 8 - Martha Dorris, Venkatapathi Puvvada and Leslie Steele

Dorris is president of the American Council for Technology, Puvvada is chairman of the Industry Advisory Council, and Steele is executive vice chairwoman of IAC. Dorris took the helm of ACT July 1. Puvvada took over as IAC chairman in March after former chairman Bill Piatt resigned. Puvvada will serve until June 2008, at which time Steele will become the organization’s chairwoman. Not listed. ACT and IAC have been fascinating organizations to watch as they bring together government and industry leaders to discuss issues that affect how agencies do business. As leaders of those multifaceted groups, Dorris’ and Puvvada’s jobs are sometimes akin to herding cats. However, ACT and IAC represent a model of how government and industry can work together, particularly at a time when partnerships often exist in name only. ACT and IAC have always had a love/hate relationship. ACT brings government officials to the relationship, while IAC and its vendors provide much of the funding. Dorris, Puvvada and Steele can play influential roles in helping those groups work together and create a partnership in the truest sense of the word. Steady.