Michael Whitaker, Ph.D.

Michael (aka “Whit”) supports strategic operationalization across all company functions. He works with leaders to address their most significant challenges related to strategy implementation and regularly defines and measures objectives and key results to drive accelerated progress. Whit leads our innovation services team that works with leaders across strategic growth markets and corporate functions to accelerate new service offering development and advance organizational effectiveness.

Whit completed his Ph.D. in civil engineering (sustainable urban infrastructure development) from the University of Colorado Denver. He began his career as co-founder and chief operating officer for Symbiotic Engineering, an advanced analytics startup focused on quantifiably enhancing urban sustainability. After more than five years of building the company, Symbiotic sold its assets to ICF in 2012.

Since then, Whit has worked across nearly the full range of our public and private sector markets. He directly engages with clients to envision and develop innovations that align with emerging megatrends and enables business leaders to define and implement change strategies to advance significant transformation initiatives. For example, he established innovation management as a core delivery discipline, built and operationalized our high-value collaboration framework to deliver greater returns from shared work, and introduced objectives and key results as a framework for driving accelerated progress across multiple strategy implementation initiatives.

Whit has always been a successful leader of high-performing teams. Early in his career, he also served as the head coach of the U.S.A. Women’s Ultimate Frisbee National Team at multiple world championship events.