Our Team
Michael Willis
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Willis is the CEO of The Color Nine Group and has led the firm since 2014, helping cities, counties, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations secure transformative federal funding and shape policy that strengthens communities. Under his leadership, CNG has helped communities like the City of Sarasota secure more than $78 million in federal support and the City of Delray Beach nearly $63 million, with clients experiencing exceptional outcomes relative to their investment.
In addition to his public-sector work, Michael leads the CNG teams that advise for-profit companies operating in energy innovation, rare earth materials, advanced manufacturing, and AI-driven technologies, helping them navigate federal opportunities, regulatory landscapes, and multi-sector partnerships that accelerate growth.
Widely recognized as one of Washington’s most influential transportation and infrastructure strategists, Michael blends deep legislative expertise with practical, solution-focused execution. He has played a role in drafting key provisions of nearly every major federal disaster response bill since Hurricane Katrina and is known for designing simple, effective strategies that engage partners across government, industry, and community sectors.
Michael has worked closely with White House officials federal agencies, Members of Congress, and senior officials across multiple sectors, as well as international government leaders during his policy work in Ukraine. His reputation for clarity, strategic insight, and mission-driven leadership has made him a trusted advisor to organizations seeking effective, purpose-aligned results in both the public and private arenas.
Stephanie Willis
Chief Operating Officer
Stephanie Willis is the Chief Operating Officer of The Color Nine Group and has served alongside the CEO since the firm’s founding in 2014. She brings a rare blend of operational leadership, organizational development expertise, and a 20-year background in high-acuity nursing, allowing her to support clients with precision, empathy, and real-world insight.
Her leadership extends across CNG’s diverse portfolio, including government clients, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit companies in emerging sectors such as energy innovation. Her ability to integrate operational structure with human-centered leadership makes her a trusted advisor to teams navigating growth, complexity, or organizational change.
From 2022 to 2024, Stephanie lived and worked in Ukraine, where she led the New Horizons for Children Ukraine program, built a sustainable Ukrainian-led operating model, and partnered closely with government officials and international stakeholders. Her work strengthened long-term systems of care for vulnerable children in wartime conditions.
At CNG, Stephanie oversees operations, client delivery, team performance, and the firm’s Personal and Organizational Significance programs. She is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, DISC practitioner, and a leader known for building healthy, purpose-driven teams across public, nonprofit, and private sectors.
Chris Whaling
Principal
Christopher L. Whaling is a senior intelligence and technology strategist with more than 25 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, federal agencies, and global commercial clients. He co-founded a national competitive-intelligence consultancy that secured millions in contracts and delivered more than 60 high-impact technology and supply-chain intelligence products guiding billions in R&D investment decisions.
Chris has led multidisciplinary teams of PhD-level scientists, AI/ML engineers, technology scouts, and decision-intelligence analysts to support proactive threat detection, global risk mitigation, and secure technology development. His work includes pioneering AI-enabled digital subject-matter-expert (DSME™) systems and evaluating quantum-based decision-intelligence models for advanced national-security applications.
His career spans senior roles supporting the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Commerce, and Department of Justice, including high-profile contributions to federal investigations, global competitiveness benchmarking, and national-security threat mitigation.
Chris holds a master’s degree in Policy Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree in Political Science with Honors from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has lived and worked across five continents and remains deeply engaged in public-service initiatives, AI ethics committees, and outreach programs supporting vulnerable communities.
David Vu
Senior Advisor on Cybersecurity
David Vu is a globally recognized cybersecurity leader with extensive experience guiding cyber-operations teams across the technology, healthcare, finance, and federal sectors. With senior roles at Snowflake, PwC, Sutter Health, Better, Electronic Arts, the FBI, and Intel, David has built and led high-performance teams responsible for enterprise-wide incident response, threat intelligence, insider-threat mitigation, SOC operations, vulnerability management, cyber forensics, and risk governance.
David has led numerous teams in addressing Global Incident Response, Triage & Automation, and Insider Threats overseeing teams across the United States, Poland, and India. He has previously directed cybersecurity programs for Sutter Health, led PwC’s Cyber Incident Threat Management practice, and managed global investigations and response operations at Electronic Arts.
During his decade of service as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, David conducted and led major national-security and cyber-intrusion investigations, collaborated with international law-enforcement agencies, briefed U.S. executives and embassy officials, shaped cyber-training curricula, and served overseas as a Cyber Assistant Legal Attaché in Stockholm.
David holds an M.S. in Information Assurance from Norwich University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. He maintains multiple GIAC certifications, including GSEC, GCIH, GCIA, and HCISPP.
Vennia Francois
Senior Government Affairs AdvisorÂ
Vennia Francois is a Government Affairs Advisor with The Color Nine Group, bringing more than two decades of experience in federal policy, corporate law, and regulatory enforcement. A first-generation American raised in a Bahamian family that modeled hard work and service, Vennia has built her career around strengthening communities and expanding opportunity.
She previously served as a policy advisor to U.S. Senators Mel Martinez and George LeMieux, working on issues related to economic development, national security, transportation, and regulatory reform. She later joined the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Trial Unit, supporting complex financial fraud prosecutions and contributing to major investor-protection efforts.
A corporate and business attorney by training, Vennia brings expertise in contract law, compliance, immigration, and litigation. Her combined legal and policy experience enables her to help CNG clients navigate federal landscapes, strengthen their strategic positioning, and engage effectively with key policymakers and agencies.
Active in civic leadership across Central Florida, Vennia serves as Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Central Florida Navy League and participates in several regional organizations focused on arts, civil rights, and community advancement. Her commitment to service and principled leadership strengthens CNG’s work with governments, nonprofits, and purpose-driven organizations nationwide.
Caryn Miller
Grant Writer and Administrator
Caryn Miller is a seasoned municipal executive and grant-management expert with more than 26 years of leadership in local government administration, economic development, redevelopment, and disaster-recovery funding. A former City Manager, Town Administrator, CRA Director, and Interim Finance Director, she has overseen multimillion-dollar operating budgets, infrastructure programs, and redevelopment initiatives across multiple states.
Caryn has secured and managed more than $20 million in FEMA, DOT, EPA, Water Management District, and state-level grants and has coordinated disaster-recovery operations following hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes in Florida and South Carolina. Her experience spans FEMA Public Assistance (PA), Hazard Mitigation (HMGP), infrastructure-grant administration, budget and financial oversight, zoning and site-plan review, utility-system management, intergovernmental coordination, and organizational restructuring.
She has led departments of up to 60 personnel, negotiated major contracts, restructured municipal fee systems to increase revenue, implemented large-scale capital projects, and guided complex redevelopment efforts—sometimes doubling or dramatically improving municipal revenue and operational effectiveness.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Caryn holds both a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. She is a member of ICMA, FCCMA, and FRA.
