Fall 2026: ECE and CS Colloquium Series

Tracy Gregorio is the CEO of G2 Ops, Inc., a recognized leader in digital engineering transformation, Model-Based Systems Engineering, cybersecurity engineering, and cloud architecture solutions. With experience spanning information technology, academia, and the federal government, she has helped shape G2 Ops into a trusted partner serving defense and commercial clients.

Under her leadership, G2 Ops was named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies for nine consecutive years, most recently in 2026. G2 Ops has offices in Virginia Beach, Arlington, and San Diego and has received numerous awards from the Department of Defense for its innovative engineering solutions.

Tracy is active in Virginia’s cybersecurity, defense, and maritime communities. She is the President of the Women in Defense Greater Hampton Roads Chapter, a member of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Technical Advisory Board, and a member of the advisory board for Old Dominion University’s Computer Science Department. She also serves as Treasurer of the USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association.

She holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Virginia Tech. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and holds a certificate from MIT in Cybersecurity: Technology, Application, and Policy.

Grog Finds a Rock: What Cavemen, Cost, and Coordination Teach Us About AI

Meet Grog, a fictional fellow who finds a powerful new tool—a rock—and immediately tries to use it for everything. His learning curve mirrors a challenge facing nearly every company adopting AI: capability does not guarantee fit.

Tracy Gregorio, CEO of G2 Ops, shares how G2 Ops moved from early AI experimentation to practical applications in engineering workflows and internal operations. Following Grog from one rock to a coordinated crew, she will discuss what G2 Ops learned about coordinating AI, verifying its work, protecting data, and matching the tool—and its cost—to the job.

The discussion will also examine how AI is reshaping engineering work, placing greater emphasis on defining objectives, designing workflows, and verifying results. Blending hard-won experience with humor, this talk is about how companies are wrestling with AI—and what it means for the students about to enter that fight.

Jeff has over 30 years of experience building and investing in technology companies. Before Reach, Jeff led Strategy, Business Development, and Product Marketing for Nokia’s Cable Unit. Jeff came to Nokia as part of its acquisition of Gainspeed, which Jeff co-founded. Prior to Gainspeed, Jeff held executive leadership roles at Hatteras (acquired by Adva), Cognio (acquired by Cisco), Aruba (IPO), Packet Engines (acquired by Alcatel), and FORE (IPO). Jeff also spent five years as a Partner at Columbia Capital. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Virginia.

Startups: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Most engineers who want to build a company will make the same mistakes – not because they lack technical skills, but because no one gave them an honest picture of what founding a company actually involves.

This session draws on thirty years of experience as an operator, executive, and venture capital partner – across multiple industries, company builds, exits, and investment decisions – to give engineering students a practical framework for the founder journey. Topics include the mistakes founders most commonly make, what venture capitalists are actually looking for and how founders tend to misread that relationship, and what a realistic path from engineer to founder looks like. The lessons are drawn from specific experiences – some successful, some not.