About Us

THE SMI TEAM

MATTHEW COLLINS, Ph. D.

Dr. Matthew Collins earned his Ph.D. in public management and public
policy from Virginia Tech in 2003. Dr. Collins has worked in the field of
public administration as a Community Corrections Officer with the Henrico
County, VA Sheriff's Office, as a Police Officer with the Town of Ocean City,
Maryland, and as a Project Manager for the Virginia Tech Transportation
Institute.
More recently, Dr. Collins served as Deputy County Administrator with
Alleghany County, VA and as County Administrator with Craig County, VA. Dr.
Collins taught public policy and management at Ferrum College, Virginia
Tech, and the University of Central Florida (UCF).

Dr. Collins has worked as a consultant for private sector, governmental, and
nonprofit agencies throughout the United States. Dr. Collins has extensive
consulting expertise in Strategic Planning, Strategic Fiscal Planning,
Comprehensive Planning, Organizational Team Building, Grant Writing,
Ethics Training, and Facilitation of Inter and Intra Organizational and
Governmental Meetings.

Dr. Collins has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals such as
Administration and Society, Disaster Prevention and Management, and
Emergency Management.

IAN A. BIRDSALL, (Col. USAF Retired), Ph. D.

Dr. Birdsall has more than 33 years of broad based logistics, supply chain,
project management, consulting and academic experience. A 22 year
veteran of the United States Air Force, Dr. Birdsall provided leadership at
practically every level of the DoD ranging from The Pentagon to operational
combat-ready units.   He has twelve years experience as a consultant,
primarily providing logistics studies and analyses to the DoD. He has seven
years experience in higher education, teaching history, defense policy,
leadership and public administration, as well as performing various
administrative duties.

Dr. Birdsall has over twelve years experience as a consultant, primarily
providing logistics studies and analysis to the DoD.   He was primary author
of the vision integrating the Common Access Card, a smart card that serves
as the military identification card, into the logistics systems and processes
for the US Army. He authored the Concept of Operations for the Navy’s
Advanced Technology Ordnance Surveillance project, to incorporate micro-
electromechanical sensors with radio frequency tags to remotely sense
environmental conditions of Naval ordnance. He co-authored a vision,
business process analysis and business case analysis to use radio
frequency identification technology to track property down to the “last tactical
mile” for the US Army. He assisted the DoD Joint Program Management
Office for Individual Protection in developing more effective and efficient
logistics management of chemical warfare defense equipment. He co-
developed an analytic tool that allows the DoD Chemical Biological Defense
Program to perform various trade-of analyses concerning the procurement
of anthrax vaccine. Finally, he served as the Director of an interactive
meeting facility where he facilitated numerous meetings on subjects ranging
from joint mine countermeasures to transportation control management
documents.

Dr. Birdsall has seven years experience in higher education, teaching
history, defense policy, leadership, strategic management, project
management, information management, leadership, administrative
decision-making, critical thinking and public administration. He has served
on master’s thesis committees as well as PhD dissertation committees.
He co-authored a book chapter “Information Technology and Decision
Making” in Handbook of Decision-making, published in 2007. He has two
articles scheduled for publication revolving around Hurricane Katrina and
has one article under review on how emergency management relates to
economic development. He has two articles in progress on the history and
theory of strategy.   He has had two papers presented at international
conferences. Dr. Birdsall has published over 20 professional studies and
reports ranging from a study of applying robotics to logistics processes in
the United States Army to an intelligent transportation system project serving
as a travel advisory system for the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. He
currently holds an appointment as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Public
Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech.

Dr. Birdsall holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from
Georgia Tech, a Master of Science in Management Science from the State
University of New York and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration
and Policy with a strategic management concentration from Virginia Tech. In
addition Dr. Birdsall in an outstanding graduate of the National Defense
University, and a graduate of the Program Manager Course at the Defense
Systems Management College, the Royal Air Force Staff Officer Course at
the RAF Staff College, the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College,
and the U.S. Air Force Command and Staff College.

JIM BRANDON

Jim Brandon is a gifted international, motivational speaker with a very
impressive background in the world of professional basketball. Jim has over
5 years experience as a sports commentator and guest sports analyst with
Sky Sport, ITV sport, Channel 4 Sport, BBC Radio Sports and Chrysalis Sport
Productions.

Jim also played for the legendary Boston Celtics, alongside one of
America's greatest sporting icons, Larry Bird. He represented the USA in
international basketball competitions and still holds the record for highest
points scored by a touring American team player in international competition,
47 points against the Olympic Gold Medal winning, Yugoslavia.

Jim uses music, video clips and imagery to stimulate and encourage
business professionals to think, breath and act like professional athletes.

Jim's client list includes The Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest Bank,
Mortgage Direct, CitiGroup (USA), Habitat For Humanity (USA), Fairbridge
(UK), Police Athletic League (USA), University of Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Police.

SYBRINA ANDERSON

Sybrina Anderson has several years of expertise in the areas of small
business management and political consulting. Her ability to motivate and
organize has earned her a reputation among many in the area of campaign
management. She has contributed to several successful local initiative and
campaigns. She has organized and managed State, County, School Board,
and municipal campaigns.

Mrs. Anderson also has successfully owned and operated several
businesses and is well versed in strategic planning. She is a specialist in
business development, marketing, and public relations.

COLLABORATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS

SMI maintains
professional
relationships and has
ability to provide a wide
range of expertise.

SMI utilizes many other
specialists that can be
contracted based on
specific needs of our
clients.