AST has garnered prestigious industry and government awards for its innovation, performance, technology expertise and rapid response.

Our veteran leadership has guided the company to excellent CPARS Performance ratings, ardent customer kudos, and numerous awards – including being named to the INC 500/5000 for five consecutive years, Washington Technology FAST 50 for five consecutive years, the 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the 2018 SBA Region III Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year.

AST has garnered prestigious industry and government awards for its innovation, performance, technology expertise and rapid response.

Our veteran leadership has guided the company to excellent CPARS Performance ratings, ardent customer kudos, and numerous awards – including being named to the INC 500/5000 for five consecutive years, Washington Technology FAST 50 for five consecutive years, the 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the 2018 SBA Region III Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year.

A Letter From Our CEO

We appreciate you taking the time to explore our website! Whether you’re seeking solutions for your technical challenges, considering a potential partnership, or contemplating a career with our esteemed company, I extend a warm welcome.

Since our establishment in 2009, our unwavering mission and focal point have been the pursuit of excellence. We take great pride in nurturing a familial culture centered around our proven track record, trusted solutions, and personalized service.

Our achievements over the past decade are exemplified by our remarkable growth in clientele and business volume, along with our impressive client retention rates. We have also expanded our range of products and services to cater to the evolving needs of our valued customers.

On behalf of the entire AST team, I want to express our gratitude for your interest and the time you’ve dedicated to exploring our offerings. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to collaborate with you!

Cheers,

Arria Hines
CEO

Our Team #EMPOWERS

Director of Contracts

Laura Freeman
Vice President

Dean Groetzinger
CEO

Arria Hines
Senior VP

Bill Hunt
Chief Financial Officer

Brandon Lesher
Business Development, Sr. Account Manager

Steve Mapp
Director of Human Resources

Anna Meleady
Project Management Officer (PMO) Director – Mission Support

Shelly Montgomery
Director of Public Relations

Stephanie Pethtel
Business Development Specialist

Abia Whiston
Corporate Recruiter

Dalton Whitaker
Director of Strategic Engagement

Melanie White

Director of Contracts

Laura Freeman

As Director of Contracts, Laura Freeman is integral part of the Business Operations Services & Support (BOSS) Team. In addition to Laura’s ability to work in AST’s fast-paced environment, she has over 35 years of experience as a senior contract professional in both the Private and Public Sectors.   As a former Government Contracting Officer, she uses her extensive knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and other agency regulations and skills to #EMPOWER the AST contracts department.

Vice President

Dean Groetzinger

Dean has over 40 years of Project Management experience, 10 of which have been with AST. Through his time at AST, he has managed multimillion-dollar contracts and has supported AST across all areas of work supporting DOE, proving himself to be a committed company advocate.  Dean is a critical and influential part of AST’s continued success across his contracts, which has afforded AST the ability to leverage strong past performance to further expand within DOE.

CEO

Arria Hines

Arria established a supportive family oriented culture that enables our staff to deliver personalized, trusted solutions. After driving the program success of large Government services and commercial firms, she co-founded AST and lead the company into being one of America’s fast-growing privately held companies. Her leadership in establishing AST’s proven performance has been recognized with numerous awards.

Senior VP

Bill Hunt

Bill has 20+ years experience managing support for the missions of Federal clients such as DOE-Offices of Nuclear Energy and Fossil Energy.

Chief Financial Officer

Brandon Lesher

As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr. Lesher is primarily responsible for the financial operations and activities of AST. Utilizing his leadership and management skills, he also serves as the Executive Lead for AST’s Business Operations Support (BOS) team.

Business Development, Sr. Account Manager

Steve Mapp

Steve brings 15+ Years of experience as a team-oriented, goal-driven professional who understands the rigorous collaboration and multiple elements which strengthen and sustain business growth in the Defense and Civilian Agency Market.

Director of Human Resources

Anna Meleady

As AST’s Director of Human Resources, Anna Meleady works closely with staff & supervisors to oversee AST’s Human Resources Department. Anna also monitors AST’s compliance in an ever changing & evolving Human Resources landscape. Anna’s ability to strengthen the link between people and strategy, as well as manage and motivate is invaluable as AST continues to develop human resources support services and the administrative infrastructure necessary to support long-term growth and success.

Project Management Officer (PMO) Director – Mission Support

Shelly Montgomery

As the Project Management Officer (PMO) Director of AST’s Mission Support, Shelly Montgomery oversees the project management process and ensures projects are executed effectively and efficiently. One of Shelly’s most treasured asset is her ability to spark connections between individuals and generating forward momentum to “get things done”. Shelly has over 20 years of leadership experience in both the commercial and government arena.

Director of Public Relations

Stephanie Pethtel

Stephanie Pethtel joined Allegheny Science & Technology in March of 2016 and serves as the Director of Public Relations where she designs and implements marketing strategies that cultivates relationships with media, engages target audiences and boosts awareness.  She also maintains the internal communications creating a cohesive corporate culture for a  staff that is located across the country.  When asked what her favorite role at AST is, she said it is the fast-pace of the company and the variety of tasks she tackles daily – there is always something fun and exciting happening!

Business Development Specialist

Abia Whiston

As AST’s Business Development Specialist, Abia Whiston is responsible for identifying opportunities for business growth and optimizing marketing strategies for current and potential clients. With his background in energy, fossil and renewable resources, he is a key component at AST.  Abia channels his passion to build teams and thrives on the task of identifying the right opportunities and teaming partners.

Corporate Recruiter

Dalton Whitaker

As AST’s Corporate Recruiter, Dalton Whitaker leverages years of industry experience to shape the company’s future by identifying top talent aligned with AST’s values and goals. With deep expertise in federal sector recruitment, Dalton is dedicated to building strong teams that drive success, innovation, and long-term growth, focusing on fostering a thriving workforce.

Director of Strategic Engagement

Melanie White

Melanie White has over 25 years’ experience as a program and project manager in federal projects — most of which has been working for Appalachia-based small businesses focused on technology growth within the region. Mel is a problem-solver and relationship builder with strong attention to detail. She approaches each client as her top priority and balances multiple engagements with ease. In addition to managing corporate/community stakeholder relationships, Mel serves as AST’s Ombudswoman and employee stakeholder to our Diversity/EEO IPT (along with our HR Director, and CEO) where she works to ensure an equitable environment for AST’s workforce.

Giving Back

The AST team is dedicated to supporting the communities in which we live and work. Through corporate sponsorships, client events, and community engagement, we have participated in or supported activities like:

  • Race to Beat Cancer 5K

  • Salvation Army Angel Tree Program

  • United Way

  • Coding & Cyber Summit

  • Robotics Alliance

  • DOE National Science Bowl

  • IMACS hosted solar eclipse party

  • NASA STEM Day in the Park

  • Educational Resource Center

  • Robotics competition

  • New LEGO League

  • Habitat for Humanity

  • Girls on the Run

  • Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

  • DC Audubon Society

  • Stream Day

  • American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)

  • Multiple Sclerosis Society

  • Homes for Our Troops

  • St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

  • Girls Who Code