Kyle Nakamoto Tackles the COVID Vaccine Supply Chain

At heart, Dr. Kyle Nakamoto is a problem solver. And right now, the senior lead scientist is using his artificial intelligence (AI) and supply chain expertise to help solve one of the nation’s biggest and most immediate public health challenges: how to effectively staff COVID-19 vaccination sites around the nation.

Kyle is part of the supply chain management team that developed Booz Allen’s COVID-19 Vaccination Workforce Simulator. It’s a tool that uses AI, modeling, and visualization to help state and local health departments forecast how many medical professionals and clerical workers they’ll need at vaccination sites based on vaccine distribution and availability. The simulator is one of many solutions the firm has developed to help address the pandemic and produce better outcomes.

In addition to his AI and supply chain know-how, Kyle’s well versed in how vaccines and drug trials work from his time as a medical university professor. This unique combination of skills makes him ideally suited to tackle the sticky challenges of the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain.

We recently interviewed Kyle to find out more about how he’s making an impact with his work on the simulator—and more.

What’s been most rewarding about your work on the simulator? 
I’m happy to contribute however I can to help the nation get past the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been rewarding to use my skills to help solve one aspect of this huge health challenge—helping state and local governments better understand their workforce needs depending on the availability and distribution of vaccine doses. The simulator isn’t a theoretical tool: It's a practical, hands-on tool that health authorities can use right now to help in the vaccination process. I’ve had relatives who’ve died of COVID and my wife is an emergency room nurse. I feel good about being part of the solution to a problem that has affected so many people.

Above and beyond your work on the simulator, tell us about your day-to-day role on Booz Allen’s supply chain management team at the Department of Defense. 
Using AI, we make sure the nation’s warfighters have the right equipment in the right place at the right time. That’s everything from the personal gear they need to do their jobs to the widgets that keep their tanks, helicopters, or weapons platforms operational in the field. With predictive maintenance, we ensure they get the parts they're going to need before they even know they need them.

You’re certainly making an impact with your work on the simulator and at the Department of Defense. What else are you passionate about?

It’s an honor to be able to support the Department of Defense with AI. And as a Japanese American, it helps me contribute in a small way to U.S.-Japan relations and security. During my professional career, I’ve been passionate about advocating for stronger U.S.-Japan relations. I’m currently a council leader for the nonprofit U.S. Japan Council and I’m involved with the Japanese American Citizens League. Here at Booz Allen, I’m a member of our employee-driven Asian Pacific American Network. Booz Allen has consistently supported the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and I’m proud to work for a firm that truly values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is working to advance racial and social justice.

Finish this sentence: I’m changing the world by…

Making the nation more resilient, and the world a safer place.