How We Help
Connect with California Government
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Connect with California Government
Vantage partners bring more than 20 years of experience working in and alongside California state and local government, as well as in the private technology sector. Through that experience, we have built trusted relationships with agency and department leaders, including Chief Information Officers, Information Security Officers, Director
Vantage partners bring more than 20 years of experience working in and alongside California state and local government, as well as in the private technology sector. Through that experience, we have built trusted relationships with agency and department leaders, including Chief Information Officers, Information Security Officers, Directors, Agency Secretaries, and the next generation of government leaders.
We work as a team to help clients strengthen relationships with prospective customers, elevate their presence with existing customers, and develop strategies that support long term growth in the California government market. Our goal is to help clients build strong partnerships and create successful, referenceable government customers.
Navigate California Procurement
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Connect with California Government
Successful government sales requires a clear understanding of California's complex procurement environment. Vantage partners have been directly involved in millions of dollars of technology procurements over more than two decades, both as state executives and as private sector sales leaders.
Our experience includes developing and evaluati
Successful government sales requires a clear understanding of California's complex procurement environment. Vantage partners have been directly involved in millions of dollars of technology procurements over more than two decades, both as state executives and as private sector sales leaders.
Our experience includes developing and evaluating bids, navigating procurement requirements, negotiating critical contract terms, and supporting major technology acquisitions. This perspective from both sides of the procurement process allows us to help clients understand available contracting vehicles, strengthen bid strategies, and navigate the people, processes, and approvals that influence California government purchasing.
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Understanding how California develops, approves, and funds its budget is critical to identifying government opportunities. Vantage brings extensive experience with the state's Budget Change Proposal process.
Our partners have authored dozens of BCPs, advised departments on hundreds more, reviewed thousands of technology and cybersecurity
Understanding how California develops, approves, and funds its budget is critical to identifying government opportunities. Vantage brings extensive experience with the state's Budget Change Proposal process.
Our partners have authored dozens of BCPs, advised departments on hundreds more, reviewed thousands of technology and cybersecurity related proposals from an oversight perspective, and provided recommendations during the Department of Finance review process.
We help clients understand how budget priorities, funding decisions, and approved BCPs can shape future opportunities and strengthen their government sales pipeline.
Understand Government Business Drivers
Understand Government Business Drivers
Understand California's Budget and BCP Process
Vantage's experience working inside California government and alongside government executives gives us a practical understanding of the business drivers that shape agency and department priorities.
We understand that each government organization has different missions, funding constraints, operational challenges, technology environments, a
Vantage's experience working inside California government and alongside government executives gives us a practical understanding of the business drivers that shape agency and department priorities.
We understand that each government organization has different missions, funding constraints, operational challenges, technology environments, and leadership priorities. We use that knowledge to help clients position their solutions in ways that demonstrate real value, support government objectives, reduce costs where possible, and ultimately improve services for the people of California.
Legislative Analysis and Insight
Understand Government Business Drivers
Specialized Cybersecurity Consulting
Legislative activity can significantly influence government priorities, funding, technology needs, and future business opportunities. While Vantage does not provide lobbying services, our partners have extensive experience analyzing proposed legislation and evaluating its potential impact on state and local government and the vendor comm
Legislative activity can significantly influence government priorities, funding, technology needs, and future business opportunities. While Vantage does not provide lobbying services, our partners have extensive experience analyzing proposed legislation and evaluating its potential impact on state and local government and the vendor community.
We help clients identify relevant legislative developments, understand their potential business implications, and ensure the appropriate leaders within their organizations have timely insight into changing government priorities and emerging opportunities.
Specialized Cybersecurity Consulting
Understand Government Business Drivers
Specialized Cybersecurity Consulting
Vantage brings specialized cybersecurity expertise together with a deep understanding of California government operations, budgets, technology, and business priorities.
Our capabilities include security assessments, cybersecurity maturity evaluation, identification of security gaps, and strategic guidance to help organizations strengthen
Vantage brings specialized cybersecurity expertise together with a deep understanding of California government operations, budgets, technology, and business priorities.
Our capabilities include security assessments, cybersecurity maturity evaluation, identification of security gaps, and strategic guidance to help organizations strengthen their security posture. Just as importantly, we understand how to translate cybersecurity risk into business language that government executives and stakeholders can use to make informed decisions.
This combination of cybersecurity expertise and government business knowledge helps organizations prioritize remediation, strengthen enterprise risk management, and support investment in the areas that provide the greatest value.
Meet Our Team
Ann Shook | Managing Partner | Government Sales & Business Development Advisor
Ann Shook brings more than 25 years of technology sales, business development, public-sector procurement and financial policy experience to Vantage Public Sector Advisors. Her career has focused on helping technology companies successfully serve state and local government customers.
Ann has generated more than $100 million in state and local government technology sales nationwide and has extensive experience developing sales strategies, building government and partner relationships, negotiating contracts and navigating California's complex technology procurement environment. Her longstanding relationships across California government provide her with a strong understanding of customer priorities, procurement practices and how technology companies can position solutions to address real government needs.
During her six years with SAP, Ann served as Senior Account Executive for the State of California and Sacramento County, growing her territory by more than 200 percent and leading sales efforts for significant government technology initiatives. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade with Dell EMC, ultimately serving as Sales Director for State and Local Government nationwide.
At Vantage, Ann specializes in California government sales strategy, business development, customer and partner engagement, procurement strategy, channel development and helping clients build successful, long term government relationships.
John Cleveland | Managing Partner | Cybersecurity & Technology Advisor
John Cleveland brings more than 30 years of technology, cybersecurity, private-sector consulting and government leadership experience to Vantage Public Sector Advisors.
John served as California's Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer and Deputy Director of the Office of Information Security, helping lead cybersecurity strategy and operations across California state government. Previously, he managed the Statewide Security Operations Center and held security leadership positions with the Employment Development Department, Department of Child Support Services and Contractors State License Board. His state experience includes cybersecurity operations, security and compliance, technical security assessments and strengthening cybersecurity maturity across complex government environments.
Before joining state government, John spent more than 20 years in the private sector in information security, technology management and consulting, including leadership roles with technology organizations and his own security consulting practice. He is also an Iraq War veteran with more than a decade of military service.
At Vantage, John helps clients understand California's cybersecurity environment, translate technical and security challenges into business priorities and develop practical strategies for working successfully with government organizations.
Tammy Hoxworth | Managing Partner | Government Strategy & Technology Advisor
Tammy Hoxworth brings more than 30 years of California state government, technology, financial and business leadership experience to Vantage Public Sector Advisors. During her career with the State of California, Tammy held senior leadership roles spanning enterprise technology, financial management, budgeting and large scale business transformation.
Most recently, Tammy served in executive technology leadership with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she led major enterprise business and technology initiatives and worked closely with state executives, technology partners and system integrators. Her experience includes enterprise resource planning, SAP, technology modernization, procurement, budgeting, governance and the successful delivery of complex initiatives in one of California's largest state departments.
Tammy brings a particularly valuable understanding of how California government makes decisions, establishes priorities, secures funding and moves major technology and business initiatives forward. Her experience allows her to help companies better understand their government customers, identify opportunities, develop effective business strategies and build partnerships that create value for both the client and the State.
In addition to her government career, Tammy has successfully owned and operated a private business since 2019. That experience gives her the perspective of both a government executive and a business owner, including firsthand experience with operations, financial management, employees, customer service and business growth.
At Vantage, Tammy focuses on California government strategy, technology and business consulting, budget insight, procurement strategy, customer engagement and helping clients develop business and achieve their goals.