We are pleased to welcome Keith Johnson as Makpar’s new Vice President of Customer Success. Keith joins Makpar with nearly 40 years of experience at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where he worked across both the business and IT sides of the organization and led some of the agency’s most complex modernization and transformation efforts.
Over the course of his career, Keith has built and led teams responsible for deploying large-scale enterprise technologies, introducing emerging capabilities, and reducing total cost of ownership while supporting critical mission outcomes.
We recently sat down with Keith to talk about his career journey, what drew him to Makpar, and how he sees the future of IT modernization in government taking shape.
The conversation below has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Q: Please tell us about your background.
I had a 39-year career at the IRS spanning both the business and IT sides of the organization. I spent my first seven years on the business side in the field, supporting the core mission of tax collection, before transitioning into IT.
Over the next decade, I took on modernization projects that had previously failed, and then spent the remaining years of my career “out front” as an executive-level strategist driving modernization and transformation of IRS infrastructure. That work focused on using emerging technologies to support business goals while reducing total cost of ownership.
Throughout my career, I built and led teams that delivered large-scale technology implementations and enterprise operations. After retiring from the IRS in 2021, I spent four years at Peraton supporting the IRS and Treasury, continuing to introduce cloud, AI, and infrastructure solutions that reduced costs by tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars.
Q: Tell us about your role at Makpar.
I’m the Vice President of Customer Success at Makpar. This role is very similar to my prior roles at both the IRS and Peraton.
I like to joke that I have an IRS and Treasury tattoo. That mindset drives my eagerness to do right by the customer, whether internal or external, and it aligns directly with Makpar’s core value around customer delight.
Whether I’m rolling up my sleeves to assist in delivery, consulting on new technology, developing strategies, or presenting the art of the possible, my job is simple: make the customer successful, whatever it takes.
I’m especially excited about this opportunity during what are clearly challenging times in government. While my background is primarily with the IRS and Treasury, I’m also focused on building new relationships across other agencies to expand the Makpar brand and develop the trusted partnerships that have defined my career.
Q: Why did you choose to work at Makpar?
I’ve known the Khan family for quite some time. Mushtaq and I worked together on the IRS e-Authentication project back in 2012, and it was during that effort that I first recognized his work ethic and drive to succeed.
Over the next decade, Makpar built a reputation as a family-led company that was well known inside the IRS. I had the opportunity to work with Makpar as part of my IRS teams and later as a teaming partner while I was at Peraton. I’ve seen firsthand Makpar’s mission and core values in action.
I’m sure you can see why I chose to come to Makpar. I’m excited to be part of building on the company’s strong foundation.
Q: Where do you think IT modernization in government is headed?
There are several areas of focus, but it helps to start with the historical blockers to modernization. Over the last decade, many modernization efforts were slow, costly, and often failed to deliver.
What changed in 2025 was the release of new policy directives such as the America’s AI Action Plan, the Revolutionary FAR, and the OneGov Strategy. These initiatives are designed to remove long-standing roadblocks and red tape that stalled or killed modernization efforts in federal agencies.
Looking ahead, I see three key focus areas.
First is artificial intelligence and quantum technologies becoming integrated into mission-critical capabilities. For example, the IRS is exploring AI to enable faster and more accurate upfront fraud detection. AI’s ability to analyze massive datasets and support predictive decision-making will significantly impact how agencies address complex challenges, particularly in cybersecurity.
Second is cybersecurity itself. It’s expected that the administration will release a national cybersecurity strategy focused on strengthening infrastructure protection and enabling secure government services, especially as agencies move toward consolidating redundant cybersecurity capabilities.
The third focus area is consolidation. This is a top priority across the federal government and especially within Treasury, which has been charged with reducing costs, eliminating redundant contracts, and centralizing services. Initial efforts are focused on the HR systems, with IT and cybersecurity consolidation next on the horizon.
Q: Any personal information about yourself you would like share with our readers?
Outside of work, I have a few passions that keep me busy. I love tinkering with old muscle cars, especially classic Corvettes. As Nick Nolte once said, “I’m a ragtop man.” There’s nothing more therapeutic than putting the top down, shifting gears, and listening to 70s and 80s rock.
I also play golf and continue to play competitive baseball. I travel with several teams around the country and have made lifelong friends through the game I grew up loving.
I enjoy being outdoors, but when I’m inside, my wife and I like cooking together and binge-watching everything from cooking competitions to shows created by Taylor Sheridan
We would like to thank Keith for taking the time to speak with us, and officially welcome him to the Makpar team!
