Leadership

mPower’s leadership team embodies the principles of collaborative success, client-centric excellence, and a future-forward mindset.

Grounded in our values of trust, integrity, respect, and public service, we lead with a shared commitment to building strong partnerships, delivering excellence, and making a lasting difference for our clients and communities they serve.

Meet Our  Leadership Team

Mary Affeldt

CEO & Founder

As CEO and Founder, Mary provides strategic leadership and fosters key partnerships to fuel mPower’s growth and ensure continued success across our client portfolio. Mary also oversees mPower’s Business Transformation capability, ensuring strategic growth and operational excellence for our clients.

With over 30 years of experience in executive advisory services, program integration, and organizational optimization within biomedical science and research organizations, she guides mPower with a balanced approach focused on impact, outcomes, and collaboration. She previously oversaw intramural research programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and served as an Executive Officer (EO) for multiple NIH Institutes where she spearheaded transformative initiatives.

Mary received her BS in Business Administration from Washington Adventist University and an MS in Business Administration and Management from the University of Maryland, Global Campus. She has received awards from Impact and Forum IT for her leadership, expertise, and commitment to public service.

Dietrich Affeldt

President & CTO

As President & CTO, Dietrich oversees mPower’s technical direction and business expansion, delivering collaborative, tailored solutions. He leads our Technology Solutions & Services capability, driving innovation and enhancing operations that enable lasting impact.

With a background in technical strategy, IT modernization, and business transformation, Dietrich has led high-impact projects across the federal sector. He previously played a key role in technology initiatives and growth at GRSi, a health IT, national security, and specialized engineering services provider, and DLH Corporation, a research and technology firm.

Dietrich received his Bachelor’s in Economics with minor studies in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, College Park and certifications in Project Management (PMP), Scrum (CSM), and the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL).

Diane Yarnell

Chief Administrative Officer

As Chief Administrative Officer, Diane leads mPower’s administrative and operational functions, ensuring our people, processes, systems, and infrastructure scale effectively to support employees, clients, and continued company growth. She works across the organization to strengthen operations, improve decision-making, and preserve mPower’s human-centered, mission-driven culture.

With more than 20 years of executive experience, Diane has helped organizations strengthen operations, build scalable infrastructure, and navigate sustained growth. She previously supported the growth of a technology GovCon company to more than 1,000 professionals and over $150M in revenue across Health, Civilian, Defense, and Intelligence communities, and guided post-M&A integration totaling more than $300M in revenue. Diane was also named an IGNITE 2026 Honoree by GOVTech Connects.

Diane holds an MBA with a certificate in Organizational Development from Mount St. Mary’s University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Christine (Chris) Major

Senior Advisor

As a Senior Advisor, Chris provides executive consulting services to mPower, supporting NIH Institutes and Federal agencies with strategic workforce and operational guidance.

With more than three decades of experience in human resources, Chris has held leadership roles at both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Chief Human Capital Officer at HHS, overseeing human capital activities for 90,000 employees. Prior to that, she spent 13 years as NIH’s Director of the Office of Human Resources (OHR), leading HR functions for an 18,000-employee biomedical research organization and a team of 325 HR professionals.

Chris received her BS in Human Resources from the University of Maryland.

Kaitlyn Herbert

Human Capital Manager

Kaitlyn leads mPower’s human capital strategy, focusing on workforce development, talent acquisition, and employee engagement while also supporting contract administration and operational coordination. She spearheads our Talent Management capability, cultivating high-performing workforces and fostering organizational success for mPower’s clients.

Kaitlyn has extensive experience in human capital management and business operations, providing expertise in corporate administration and service delivery to enhance organizational efficiency. Her background includes managing back-office functions that support mission-driven initiatives.

Kaitlyn received her BS in Psychology and an MBA from Liberty University.