WHO WE ARE
Founded Optimum in 1984
Josh Davda oversees the day-to-day operations and sets the strategic direction of Optimum Technology. He draws on his experience of more than 50 years of leading multiple technology companies that help both the private sector and public sector improve information access and data reliability, and foster a more efficient and collaborative business process.
Prior to founding Optimum, Josh was a member of the National Systems Development practice for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company (now known as KPMG). Before that, he worked for such industry stalwarts as General Electric and Mobile Gas (now Exxon Mobile).
Josh is one of the founders and executive committee members of the Asian Indian American Business Group (AIABG), former Executive Director of the Asian Indian Alliance (AIA) and dedicates much of his time outside work to charities and not for profit community organizations.
Most recently Josh was named 2023 Ohio Asian Technology Leader of the year by the Asian American Commerce Group (AACG) and received a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Columbus and a proclamation from the State of Ohio for receiving the award.
Josh Davda holds the following credentials: M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from the University of Louisville; M.S. in Industrial Engineering with emphasis in Operations Research from the Illinois Institute of Technology; B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, University of Baroda, India; and a certificate from the GE Corporate Management Training Program.
Josh Davda
President, CEO & Founder
Joined Optimum in 2005
Cynthia Hunt is Optimum’s Consulting Services Practice Director; she works with State and local CIO's and State of Ohio agency senior leadership with an Health and Human Services focus. Cynthia is currently the Deputy Engagement Executive for the robust enterprise implementation of ServiceNow at the State of Ohio, including ITSM, CSM and ITBM.
Formerly an SVP with CGI/American Management Systems (AMS), as the Deputy General Manager for State and Local Government, Cynthia had direct responsibility for managing all dimensions of half of AMS’s significant state and local portfolio ($200M) including business development, client relationship management, and engagement delivery. This role included large-scale capture strategy, management and proposal development (up to $100M).
Cynthia Hunt holds a B.A. in Architectural History and Mathematics from Smith College and a M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Cynthia is active in her community and often works with human services non-profits in strategic engagements, as well as supporting the Columbus Landmarks Foundation in development efforts.
Cynthia Hunt
Consulting Services Practice Director, Executive-level Management Consultant
Joined Optimum in 1993
Greg Davda, Sr. has over 25 years of information technology experience and has led at all levels within the company. He specializes in process improvement and operational efficiency with a focus on sales and marketing and wider business operations.
Greg is active in the community. He is a member of the Membership Engagement Committee for the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Ohio Chamber Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Chambers Council, National Emergency Numbers Association (NENA) Emergency Incident Data Object (EIDO) Conveyance Working Group and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Law Enforcement Information Technology Section (LEIT) 50th Anniversary Working Group.
Greg also serves on the Minority Development Financing Advisory Board at the Ohio Department of Development appointed by State of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
More recently Greg was invited by the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) a second time, to participate in a Vendor Engagement Session regarding data transparency in policing and how software vendors can help improve the quality of data collected and shared with the public to help create better outcomes. His comments and others were included in the report titled "Equity and Law Enforcement Data Collection, Use, and Transparency" given to the President of the United States.
Greg is a graduate of the Ohio Military Reserve Officer Candidate School and was Military Police qualified prior to receiving his commission. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Agriculture. Among his many certifications, he holds his IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation Certification, is a National Certified Investigator & Inspector (NCIT) Basic and holds FBI CJIS Level 4 Awareness certification.
Greg Davda, Sr.
Chief Business Development Officer
Joined Optimum in 2024
Surajit “Jit” leads Optimum Solutions Practice. He has over 30 years of diverse business and technology experience ranging from Program Management, Digital Transformation, Process Improvement, Global Delivery, and as a Practice Manager for IBM. He has worked in different parts of the globe, including the USA, India, Canada, Europe, and China while working with companies such as IBM and Infosys.
His deep knowledge of industry market trends and the software life cycle, along with his detail-oriented, hands-on approach, makes him an ideal leader for Optimum’s Solutions Practice. Jit is a master of storytelling to convey challenging viewpoints across business and technology.
He earned his M.B.A. in Finance from Symbiosis, Pune, a M.E. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and B.S. from the University of Calcutta. He is a certified Lean Master, Six Sigma Black Belt, PMP and trained as Data Analyst.
Surajit Mukhopadhyay
Vice President
Joined Optimum in 2024
Nicole Jackson is a seasoned product and technical leader with over a decade of experience in product development, delivery, and digital transformation. She has held various high-level roles such as Chief Technology Officer, Head of Product, and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. Her expertise spans user experience, systems thinking, solutions delivery, and software development, enabling her to create scalable solutions for complex problems across multiple industries.
Nicole serves on the Advisory Board for the Strategic AI Certificate Program at Ashland University and is a member of the Responsible A.I. Institute. She is a recognized national leader in STEM and mentors undergraduate students at Howard University and the University of Texas-Austin through the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation (NSTMF). She was honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as a national mentor under the IF/THEN initiative, with a 3D-printed statue of her likeness displayed in the Women's History Month IF/THEN exhibit at the Smithsonian and in Washington D.C. in 2022.
Nicole has been featured in additional museum exhibits, including Google Arts and Culture's New Science exhibit and the International Museum of Surgical Science. She is a new member of ForbesBLK, serves on the AAAS Early Science Award Selection Committee, and occasionally instructs product management certification programs at Columbia University and Georgia Institute of Technology.
She is an IEEE CertifAIEd Authorized Assessor AI Ethics, holds a M.S. in Creativity and Innovation with a focus in technical product management from Drexel University and was recognized in Drexel University's 40 under 40 and has an Interdisciplinary B.A. from the University of Toledo. Nicole served in the Army and Ohio Army National Guard as a Military Police Officer.
Nicole Jackson
Principal Consultant
Contact Us
NPPgov Contract #: PS20340
Ohio STS #: 534555 & 534545
DUNS #: 151983814
Corporate Status: MBE
NAICS Codes:
511210 – Software Publishers
518210 – Data Processing, Hosting & Related Services
541511 – Custom Computer Programming Services
541512 – Computer System Design Services
541519 – Other Computer Related Services
541618 – Other Management Consulting Services
611420 – Computer Training