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Leadership Interview with Jesus Jackson
September 1, 2025
Infotrend Inc’s technology, AI, and data strategy is shaped by leaders who believe innovation should uplift missions, empower people, and create lasting impact. One of those leaders is our Chief Technology Officer, Jesus Jackson, whose two decades of experience building real-world federal solutions reflect a deep commitment to clarity, transparency, and client success.
At the heart of this work are Infotrend’s TREND values – Trust, Responsibility, Excellence, Nimbleness, and Drive. These principles fuel our culture and guide how we design technology, collaborate with partners, and lead our teams. Jesus exemplifies these values in the way he approaches every challenge and opportunity.
In this insightful interview, Jesus shares an honest reflection on his journey from engineer to executive, his perspective on meaningful innovation, and the curiosity that keeps him at the forefront of emerging technologies. Explore the full Q&A below:
What sets Infotrend apart when it comes to delivering AI and data science solutions to federal clients?
“Infotrend stands apart because we build solutions that actually work rather than tools that are vaporware or half-baked that never truly integrate into an agency’s mission. We deliver fully functional, scalable AI and data science capabilities that federal teams can rely on from day one. Equally important, we never lock our clients into proprietary technology. We openly share our code, our architectures, and our implementation approach, giving agencies full ownership and transparency. After two decades of building software for federal customers, I understand the fatigue that comes with constant licensing hurdles and the anxiety agencies feel when they can’t fully maintain a system after a contract ends. Our philosophy is simple: build solutions we would want if we were in the client’s seat. That means tools that work, scale, and remain fully under the client’s control, so when it’s time for transition, the agency can operate and evolve the solution confidently without disruption to their mission.”
What has surprised you most about your own career path?
“What has surprised me most is my evolution from a software engineer into a technology and business executive. If you had told me right after graduation that I would one day lead technology organizations and world-class teams throughout my career, I wouldn’t have believed it. Having the opportunity to work on challenging, meaningful problems while guiding talented people has been incredibly rewarding. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.”
How do you stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies? 
“I stay ahead of industry trends by combining continuous learning with a deep curiosity about how technologies actually work. I listen to a wide range of technical podcasts and make a point to explore the inner mechanics behind emerging tools and ideas. For example, I recently listened to a detailed discussion on logical versus physical qubits in quantum computing to better understand the true disruptive potential of quantum systems. It can be difficult to find nuanced, unbiased perspectives, especially when many quantum labs are incentivized to create a heightened sense of urgency to support funding. That’s why I focus on the underlying details. The real insights often live there.”
What does innovation mean to you in your part of the business?
“Innovation in our part of the business means delivering solutions that meaningfully improve mission outcomes and not innovation for its own sake, but innovation that works in the real world. It’s about identifying practical ways to apply AI, data science, and modern engineering so that federal teams can operate faster, with greater accuracy, transparency, and confidence. Innovation also means reducing friction for our clients. We build tools that are scalable, open, and easy to adopt so agencies aren’t tied to proprietary black boxes or burdensome licensing. When we create something new, whether it’s CoreInsights, CoreInfra, or a custom AI capability, we focus on making it reliable and understandable for our clients.”
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to junior engineers or scientists interested in GovTech?
“The usual advice is to stay current with technology and master the AI or software libraries that matter, and that’s important. But equally important is this: say yes to opportunities. If someone asks you to help fix bugs on a large federal system, say yes. Debugging forces you to understand the internals of a system better than almost anything else, and it will make you a much stronger engineer. If you’re asked to support business development, say yes. You’ll learn how the industry actually works, how solutions are positioned, and how agencies think which is knowledge that makes you more versatile and valuable. If you’re asked to take on a task you don’t feel fully ready for, say yes. Real growth happens when you push into unfamiliar territory and endure the discomfort that comes with learning something new. And finally, be detail-oriented. People notice and respect engineers who catch the small things. It signals care, craftsmanship, and ownership which are qualities that make great technologists in GovCon stand out.”
