Meet United States's 101 Top Directors in the Aerospace Space

Top Companies (Navigation) show

At Best Startup US we track over 1,000,000 US startups and over 3 million people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.

This list showcases the top United States based Director operating in the Aerospace space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.us.

The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:

Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.

Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.

Gregory Ray

Senior Associate Director of Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)

Greg has supported the launch of multiple Creative Destruction Lab sites as the program has scaled up operations while supporting many CDL participant companies along the way, particularly in the life sciences. Greg has also taken a lead on the CDL pedagogy as the MBA Course Manager at two separate sites. Prior to his time at CDL, Greg served as the project manager for the development of an American managed hospital in Kuwait and supported the strategy development of a Dubai-based startup. In his free time, Greg mentors startups, scientists, and students exploring commercialization. Greg has also served as a mentor for the MIT Hacking Health and Yale Center for Biomedical Innovation & Technology hackathon programs.

Follow Gregory Ray:

About Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a no-fee/no-equity mentoring program for the founders and executives of pre-seed stage ventures.

_______

Gordon Bethune

Member of the Board of Directors of Honeywell

Bethune has been Managing Director of g-b1 Partners (a travel advisory firm) since January 2005. He was Chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines, Inc. from 1996 until his retirement in December 2004. Mr. Bethune was the President and CEO of Continental Airlines from November 1994 to 1996, and served as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) from February 1994 to November 1994. Prior to joining Continental, Mr. Bethune held senior management positions with The Boeing Company, Piedmont Airlines, Western Air Lines, Inc. and Braniff Airlines.

Follow Gordon Bethune:

About : Honeywell International is a technology and manufacturing company that offers energy, safety, and security solutions and technologies.

Pamela Ross

Director Operations OE of Honeywell

Pamela Ross is a Advisor at Lowell Observatory.

Follow Pamela Ross:

About Honeywell: Honeywell International is a technology and manufacturing company that offers energy, safety, and security solutions and technologies.

Don Harroll

Director of Sales, North America of Honeywell

Follow Don Harroll:

About Honeywell, NextNine, TIEMAC: Honeywell International is a technology and manufacturing company that offers energy, safety, and security solutions and technologies.

John Hajdukiewicz

Senior Director User Experience Design, Offering Management of Honeywell

Follow John Hajdukiewicz:

About Honeywell: Honeywell International is a technology and manufacturing company that offers energy, safety, and security solutions and technologies.

Shane Fazzio

Director, Product Management, IoT Platforms of Honeywell

Follow Shane Fazzio:

About Honeywell: Honeywell International is a technology and manufacturing company that offers energy, safety, and security solutions and technologies.

John-Paul Clarke

Co-Founder, Chief Innovation Officer, and Member of the Board of Directors of Universal Hydrogen

20 years of highly regarded publishing in the field of operations research and control theory. Professor at Georgia Tech and highly regarded consultant.

Follow John-Paul Clarke:

About Georgia Tech College of Engineering, Universal Hydrogen: Universal Hydrogen is the company fueling carbon-free flight by making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality.

Mauro Goncalves Filho

Director of Product Management of X, the moonshot factory

Mauro Goncalves Filho joined Loon as Chief Strategy Officer in 2019.

Follow Mauro Goncalves Filho:

About Loon, X, the moonshot factory, X, the moonshot factory: X, the moonshot factory invents and launches breakthrough technologies and radical solutions.

Shaun Stewart

Director of X, the moonshot factory

Follow Shaun Stewart:

About Newlab, X, the moonshot factory: X, the moonshot factory invents and launches breakthrough technologies and radical solutions.

Cyrus Sigari

Co-founder & Managing Director of UP Partners

As an aviator, entrepreneur, and investor, Cyrus Sigari has committed his life’s work to the advancement of aviation for the betterment of humanity. Sigari is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the rapidly advancing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)) and Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (EVTOL) aircraft industries, which are forecasted by Morgan Stanely to reach $1.4 trillion by 2040. Sigari is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of UP.Partners, an early-stage venture firm investing in technology companies that are supporting a multi-dimensional future. He is an active investor and advisor to numerous AAM companies, co-founder of the UP Summits, and founder of TransportUP, the leading AAM related news and media company. Sigari is also a global leader in the business of private aviation. As the Executive Chairman and co-founder of jetAVIVA, Sigari led jetAVIVA to become one of the largest sellers of business jets in the world with annual sales in excess of $300M USD. With over 27 years and thousands of hours of aviating experience, Sigari is an instructor pilot in 13 different jets including the Boeing 747, he has owned dozens of aircrafts, is a helicopter pilot and owner, a graduate of Purdue University’s Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering program, an experienced acceptance test pilot and formerly a nationally ranked competitive aerobatic pilot. Sigari is also an Ironman triathlete and self-admitted adventure junkie. Prior to co-founding jetAVIVA, Cyrus served as a principal engineer for Eclipse Aviation during the initial development of the Eclipse 500. After fulfilling his engineering commitments, Cyrus transitioned to sales and sold 50 Eclipse 500s in a one-year period. Outside of his direct efforts at jetAVIVA, Cyrus holds the position of Very Light Jet Editor for Plane & Pilot and Pilot Journal magazines, has been published in Twin & Turbine magazine, and authors Light Jet Pre-Owned market report for Aviation International News. Cyrus is a founding member of the Citation Jet Pilots Owners group and Eclipse 500 Owners Club. He is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Farsi.

Follow Cyrus Sigari:

About jetAVIVA, UP Partners: UP Partners is an early stage venture capital fund dedicated to supporting companies that are transforming the moving world.

Robert Littles

Director of Projects of Rolls-Royce

Robert is responsible for strategic initiatives in Engineering, Software, Predictive Maintenance and Cyber Security. He is experienced in applying Data Analytics, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cognitive and Big Data to various applications. He has over 20 years of experience in Project Management, ERP Systems(SAP, Maximo, PeopleSoft, Oracle, Asset Suite), Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Energy, Software Development and Consulting Rob earned a Master of Science in Engineering degree and the Wharton Business School, both at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelors’ degree in Organizational Management from Cabrini University. Robert attended Drexel University where he studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Robert also pursued an International Supply Chain and Logistics Certification from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology after spending a semester in China to achieve it. He holds several certifications.

Follow Robert Littles:

About Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce is an industrial technology company that provides integrated power and propulsion solutions.

Beckett Jackson

Investing Director, Portfolio Strategy of The Boeing Company

Beckett Jackson is the investment portfolio director and strategist for an organization that is shaping the future for Boeing and the aerospace industry. Boeing HorizonX explores opportunities through strategy and experimentation with business models for emerging aerospace applications, leveraging nontraditional partnerships and a venture fund that invests in early-stage startups focused on aerospace and industrial innovations. Jackson manages the portfolio for a team focused on identifying early-age startups that are developing revolutionary concepts around the world. Boeing HorizonX Ventures provides funding to chosen startups, connecting them with a global network of resources to get their ideas off the ground, and shape the future for Boeing and the aerospace industry. In his role with the Ventures team, Jackson seeks to identify technology and business model focus areas that will play a role in transforming the aerospace industry, creating new markets or product offerings, or producing productivity gains for Boeing.

Follow Beckett Jackson:

About Boeing HorizonX Ventures, The Boeing Company: Boeing Company manufactures and sells aircraft, rotorcraft, rockets, and satellites and provides product leasing and support services.

Harish Rao

Senior Director, Analytics and Information Management of The Boeing Company

Harish Rao is Sr Director of Analytics & Information Management Services responsible for developing analytics and information management capabilities to the Boeing enterprise and to deliver analytics solutions to improve productivity and enable revenue generation for Boeing and its customers. Harish established the Advanced analytics competency center to provide data lake, agile process and methodology and technical capabilities for analytics services across the enterprise. Harish has over 21 years of experience delivering disruptive innovative analytics based solutions to strengthen competitive advantage for fortune 50 companies such as Walgreens Boots, GE and Allstate Insurance. He has a strong track record in setting and executing strategic direction that enhance productivity and decision making with significant cost reduction and improved top line results.

Follow Harish Rao:

About The Boeing Company: Boeing Company manufactures and sells aircraft, rotorcraft, rockets, and satellites and provides product leasing and support services.

Christopher Ferguson

Director of Crew and Mission Systems; CST-100 of The Boeing Company

Follow Christopher Ferguson:

About The Boeing Company: Boeing Company manufactures and sells aircraft, rotorcraft, rockets, and satellites and provides product leasing and support services.

Shary Moalemzadeh

Managing Director and Co-Head of The Carlyle Group

Shary Moalemzadeh is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Carlyle Strategic Partners, focusing on distressed and special situation investment opportunities. He is based in New York. Mr. Moalemzadeh is a founding member of Carlyle Strategic Partners having joined Carlyle in 2003. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Moalemzadeh was a Principal and founding member of Jacksons LLC, a New York-based private equity firm focused on middle-market private equity and distressed investments. Prior to that, Mr. Moalemzadeh worked at Vestar Capital Partners, a New York-based leveraged buyout firm focused on management buyouts and recapitalizations. Before joining Vestar Capital Partners, Mr. Moalemzadeh worked in the Leveraged Finance Group at Merrill Lynch, where he originated, structured, syndicated and executed leveraged loans and high yield debt offerings. Mr. Moalemzadeh currently serves on the Board of Directors of Service King and Sterling LLC. Previously Mr. Moalemzadeh served on the Board of Directors of Diversified Machine, Inc., Dynamic Precision Group, Metaldyne Corporation, Permian Holdings Inc., RPK Capital Partners, LLC and Stellex Aerostructures, Inc. Mr. Moalemzadeh received a B.S. in finance and graduated cum laude from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Follow Shary Moalemzadeh:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Peter Clare

Managing Director & Co-Head, U.S. Buyout Group of The Carlyle Group

Peter Clare is a Managing Director and Co-head of the U.S. Buyout group. He is based in Washington, D.C. and currently manages Carlyle’s two largest private equity funds: Carlyle Partners V ($13.7 billion) and Carlyle Partners VI ($13.0 billion). Since joining Carlyle in 1992, Clare has played a leading role in several of Carlyle’s most successful investments, including Aviall Inc., Avio S.p.A, Booz Allen, Landmark Aviation, Standard Aero, United Defense Industries, Inc., and Wesco Aircraft. From 1999 to 2001, he was based in Hong Kong as a founding member of the Carlyle Asia Buyout team and continues to serve on the Carlyle Asia Buyout investment committee today. In 2001 and 2002, he launched Carlyle’s initial investments in distressed debt, which led to the creation of Carlyle Strategic Partners. From 2004 to 2011, Clare served as the Global Head of the Aerospace, Defense and Government Services sector team. Prior to joining Carlyle, Clare was with First City Capital Corporation, a private equity group which invested in buyouts, public equities, distressed bonds and restructurings. Prior to joining First City Capital, he was with the Merchant Banking Group of Prudential-Bache. Clare is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University and received his M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Clare is a member of the Boards of Directors of Booz Allen Hamilton, CommScope, Inc., Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD), Sequa Corp. and Signode Industrial.

Follow Peter Clare:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Julius Genachowski

Managing Director and Partner of The Carlyle Group

Julius Genachowski is a Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, which he joined in 2014. He served as Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from 2009 to 2013. He held senior executive positions for about eight years at IAC, which owned and operated Internet and media companies including Expedia, Ticketmaster, and USA Network. Also prior to the FCC, he was engaged with several public and private companies in the technology, media, and telecommunications sector as a board member, investor, or advisor. He is a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute, and has taught a joint class at Harvard Business and Law Schools. Earlier in his career, he was a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter, and worked in Congress for the Select Committee on the Iran-Contra Affair and for then-Representative Charles Schumer. He is currently a member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Mr. Genachowski currently serves as a director of Mastercard, Inc.

Follow Julius Genachowski:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Alan Holt

Managing Director and Co-head of U.S. buyouts of The Carlyle Group

Allan M. Holt is a senior Partner and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group and Co‑Head of Carlyle’s U.S. Buyout group, the firm’s largest investment fund. Mr. Holt has extensive private equity investment experience, previously as head of Carlyle’s Global Aerospace, Defense, Technology and Business/Government Services team where he led many of Carlyle’s most successful investments. Mr. Holt joined Carlyle in 1992, initially with primary responsibilities as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of one of Carlyle’s portfolio companies, where he was involved in the negotiation and sale of the business. Prior to joining Carlyle he spent three and a half years with Avenir Group, Inc., an investment and advisory group. Mr. Holt was also previously with MCI Communications Corporation, where as Director of Planning and Budgets he managed a group responsible for the development, review and analysis of MCI’s multibillion-dollar financial operating and capital plans. Before joining MCI, he was with Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Holt is a graduate of Rutgers University and received his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Holt is currently a member of the Boards of Directors of several Carlyle portfolio companies, including HCR Manor Care Inc., NBTY, Inc., and Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics. Mr. Holt is Vice Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and is a Director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Follow Alan Holt:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Brian W. Hayhurst

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Brian W. Hayhurst is a Managing Director with the U.S. Growth Capital and U.S. Equity Opportunity funds focusing on a broad range of middle market equity transactions. Mr. Hayhurst is based inWashingtonD.C. Since joining Carlyle in 1997, Mr. Hayhurst has been actively involved with and served on the Boards of AnyDay (sold to Palm Computing (Nasdaq: PALM)), Narrative Communications (sold to @Home Corporation), Blackboard (Nasdaq: BBBB), ISR Solutions, Inc. (sold to Stanley Works (NYSE: SWK)), Imagitas (sold to Pitney Bowes (NYSE: PBI), LVL7 Systems (sold to Broadcom (Nasdaq: BRCM), Sonitrol Holding Corporation (sold to Stanley Works (NYSE: SWK)), Compusearch Software Systems, Inc. (sold to a syndicate of private equity firms), Schoolnet, Inc. (sold to Pearson plc (NYSE: PSO)), eScreen, Inc. (sold to Alere, Inc. (NYSE: ALR)) and DHS Technologies LLC (sold to a private equity firm). Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Hayhurst worked in the Merchant Banking Funds of Morgan Keegan, Inc., where he was one of two principal investors. Previously, Mr. Hayhurst served for eight years in the corporate audit and merger & acquisitions services group at Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Hayhurst is currently on the Board of Directors of Archive Systems Inc. and Primatics Financial, Inc. Mr. Hayhurst is also on the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA), an organization of 375 investment professionals from 135 firms. Mr. Hayhurst was honored with the 2005 Financier of the Year award by The Northern Virginia,Marylandand Washington DC Technology Councils. Mr. Hayhurst is an honors graduate ofRhodesCollege.

Follow Brian W. Hayhurst:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Matt Anderson

Chief Digital Officer and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Matt Anderson is senior vice president and chief digital officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc. Anderson has responsibility for leading Arrow’s web and digital strategy. Anderson joined Arrow in 2014 from Hibu, Inc. where he was chief digital officer and general manager of the company’s digital business. He also served as partner and vice president of consumer media and tech practice at Booz & Company Consulting. As the leader of the global e-commerce practice, Matt worked extensively with many e-commerce leaders and SaaS businesses such as Dell.com, Gilt.com, FedEx Office, United Internet AG and 1&1 Internet. Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in both economics and international relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Follow Matt Anderson:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Stephen Bailey

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Stephen W. Bailey is a Managing Director with the Carlyle Group where he is primarily focused on small and middle market buyout and growth capital investment opportunities in software, systems and business services sectors. He is based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Carlyle in 2005, Mr. Bailey served as Vice President and head of Corporate Development and Dell Ventures at Dell. In these positions, Mr. Bailey was responsible for the company’s strategic venture investment, mergers and acquisitions, and other business partner relationship activity. Mr. Bailey was actively involved in Dell’s investments in Altiris (acquired by Symantec), Blackboard (Nasdaq: BBBB), Entercept (acquired by McAfee), Giganet (acquired by Emulex), OSA (acquired by Avocent), Pentasafe (acquired by NetIQ), SiteSmith (acquired by Metromedia Fiber), Topspin (acquired by Cisco) and webMethods (acquired by Software AG). Mr. Bailey also served as Vice President of Finance in the Americas Business Group at Dell. In this role, he managed strategic and financial planning, accounting, reporting and business controls for Dell’s largest region. Mr. Bailey previously was a Principal with ABS Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and he held positions in 3Com’s Business Development Group and in the investment banking division of Alex. Brown. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Authentix, Panasas, RMI, Supercircuits, TradeBeam and TrenStar. Mr. Bailey is a graduate of Harvard College and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Follow Stephen Bailey:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Norma Kuntz

Managing Director and the Global Head of Fund Management of The Carlyle Group

Norma Kuntz is a Managing Director and the Global Head of Fund Management. She is based in Washington, DC. From 2011-2017, Ms. Kuntz was responsible for the operations of Carlyle’s Emerging Markets funds, including funds investing in Asia, Japan, Africa and Latin America. She oversaw the transaction structuring and execution, fund formation, financial reporting and investor relations for these platforms. Prior to joining Carlyle in 2011, Ms. Kuntz was Executive Vice President and Chief Valuation Officer at Allied Capital Corporation, where she was employed from 2002 to 2010. Prior to that, she was with Arthur Andersen LLP in the financial services and high technology practices. Ms. Kuntz graduated from Babson College and is a CPA.

Follow Norma Kuntz:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Karen Bechtel

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Karen H. Bechtel is a Managing Director and former head of the Global Health Care team based in New York. Ms. Bechtel serves as a member of the Boards of Directors of HCR-Manor Care, Grupo Qualicorp, Healthscope Limited, MultiPlan (prior) Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) and Lifecare. Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Bechtel was at Morgan Stanley & Co., Incorporated for 28 years. As Managing Director of Morgan Stanley’s Private Equity Group, Ms. Bechtel was a member of the investment committee responsible for approving all investments in the $3.1 billion Morgan Stanley Capital Partners IV Fund and led all of the healthcare investments. Ms. Bechtel was also Co-head of the Financial Sponsors Group; head of the Corporate Restructuring Group; founder and head of Princes Gate Private Equity Investors, a $650 million bridge equity fund; and Managing Director in the Mergers and Acquisitions Department. Ms. Bechtel previously served on the Boards of Directors of Vanguard Health Systems, Inc., Cross Country Healthcare Inc., Southern Care, Inc. and Lifetrust America, LLC. Ms. Bechtel earned her M.B.A. from Harvard Graduate School of Business and her B.A. in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin where she was Phi Beta Kappa.

Follow Karen Bechtel:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Daniel Akerson

Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors & Special Advisor of The Carlyle Group

Daniel F. Akerson is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Special Advisor to Carlyle’s Board of Directors since March 2014. Daniel is also a Member of the firm’s Management Committee. Daniel provides operational, investment and management guidance to Carlyle’s investment teams, firm management and the Board of Directors. Prior to returning to Carlyle in March 2014, Daniel was the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors Company. During his tenure, Daniel led the company through a successful IPO in November 2011, guided the firm to record 15 consecutive quarters of profitability, reinvested nearly $9 billion and created or retained more than 25,000 jobs at its U.S. plants. Daniel retired from GM in January 2014. Daniel is a seasoned executive with extensive operating and management experience having served as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of several major companies, including The Carlyle Group, General Instrument, MCI, Nextel and XO Communications. Prior to joining GM, Daniel was a Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, serving as Head of Global Buyout from July 2009 to August 2010 and as Co-Head of U.S. Buyout from June 2003 to June 2009. Before joining Carlyle, Daniel served in several key roles at MCI Communications and during his tenure, Daniel formulated and executed MCI’s global strategy. Daniel left MCI in to become a General Partner of private equity firm Forstmann Little & Company, during which time he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of General Instrument Company from 1993-1995. While at General Instrument he led a successful effort to develop and deploy the first digital video, satellite and cable systems domestically and internationally. Following that, Daniel served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Nextel Communications, Inc. and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of XO Communications, Inc. In 2013, Daniel and his wife, Karin, were named Habitat for Humanity Michigan’s Sponsor of the Year and he was also named a Michiganian of the Year by the Detroit News. In 2012, Daniel and Karin co-chaired the annual Capuchin Soup Kitchen dinner, raising a record sum and launched the Habitat for Humanity Leaders to Rebuild Detroit initiative with a cornerstone contribution. Daniel was also recognized with the Marine Corp Scholarship Foundation Leatherneck Award and with the U.S. Naval Academy Distinguished Graduate Award for his lifetime commitment to service, personal character and distinguished contributions to our nation. In 2011, Daniel was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by So Others Might Eat (SOME), which serves the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Daniel earned his B.S., in Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and his M.Sc., in Economics from the London School of Economics. Daniel is a Member of the Board of Directors of Lockheed Martin Company since February 2014 and the United States Naval Academy Foundation.

Follow Daniel Akerson:

About : The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Akhil Bansal

Managing Director – Head of Credit Strategic Solutions of The Carlyle Group

Follow Akhil Bansal:

About Bizongo, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Siddhartha Ahluwalia

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Mr. Ahluwalia joined Emerging Sovereign Group in 2011 as a junior analyst. Starting in 2013, Mr. Ahluwalia originates and researches investment ideas in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Prior to joining ESG, Mr. Ahluwalia had six years of financial markets experience. From 2007-2009 Mr. Ahluwalia was a generalist at Hound Partners, a long/short equity fund with $2 billion of assets under management. He started his career in the technology group at Credit Suisse from 2005-2007. Mr. Ahluwalia received a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 and an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2011.

Follow Siddhartha Ahluwalia:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Tanaka Maswoswe

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Tanaka Maswoswe:

About The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Eliot Merrill

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Eliot P. S. Merrill is a Managing Director focused on U.S. buyout opportunities in the telecommunications and media sectors. He is based in New York. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Merrill was a Principal at Freeman Spogli & Co., a buyout fund with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Prior to that, Mr. Merrill worked at Dillon Read & Co. Inc. in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group. Before that, Mr. Merrill was a Sail Consultant and Special Project Coordinator for Doyle Sailmakers, Inc. Mr. Merrill graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. Mr. Merrill is a member of the Board of Directors of Getty Images and TCW. He formerly was on the Board of The Nielsen Company B.V.

Follow Eliot Merrill:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Peter Taylor

Managing Director & Fund Co-Head of The Carlyle Group

Follow Peter Taylor:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Timothy Broadbent

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Timothy Broadbent:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Roman Bas

Managing Director, Investor Relations of The Carlyle Group

Roman Bas is a Managing Director at The Carlyle Group focused on fundraising and investor relations activities in real estate. He is based in New York. Before joining Carlyle, he was with CB Richard Ellis Investors in the Global Multi-Manager group (Fund of Funds investment platform) where he executed indirect investment strategies in the real estate market through unlisted property funds. Prior to CBRE Investors, Mr. Bas spent six years at Kormendi \ Gardner Partners, an investment banking and financial advisory firm in Washington, DC. He received his Masters of Science in real estate from Columbia University.

Follow Roman Bas:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Bruce Rosenblum

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Bruce Rosenblum is a Managing Director in the Executive Group, and is a member of the firm’s Operating Committee. He is based in Washington, DC. After joining the firm in 2000, Rosenblum was an investment professional in the U.S. Buyout Group, focusing on the Telecom and Media sector. He worked on transactions involving, and served as a Director of, numerous Carlyle portfolio companies, including PanAmSat Corporation, Videotron Telecom, Ltee., Dex Media, Inc., Insight Communications, The Relizon Company and Rexnord Corporation. He also served as Chairman of the Private Equity Council from its formation in early 2007 through 2009. In 2008, Rosenblum was awarded the position of Managing Director in the Executive Group. Since then, Rosenblum has been actively involved in various aspects of the firm’s operations, including corporate finance, strategic transactions and risk management. Prior to joining Carlyle in 2000, Rosenblum was a Partner and Executive Committee member at Latham & Watkins, an international law firm where he practiced for 18 years, specializing in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Before joining Latham, Rosenblum served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger on the U.S. Supreme Court. Rosenblum is a graduate of Yale University and received his J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Follow Bruce Rosenblum:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Alex Popov

Managing Director, Head of Credit Opportunities of The Carlyle Group

Follow Alex Popov:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Ian Fujiyama

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Ian Fujiyama is a Managing Director with U.S. Buyout, focusing on buyouts and strategic minority investments in the Aerospace, Defense and Services sectors. Fujiyama is based in Washington, DC. Since joining Carlyle in 1997, Fujiyama has led all of Carlyle’s recent investments in the Federal services sector including Booz Allen Hamilton and ARINC. Beginning in 1999, he spent two years in Hong Kong and Seoul working in Carlyle’s Asia buyout fund, Carlyle Asia Partners, where he was a founding member of the team and helped lead Carlyle’s investment in KorAm Bank, Carlyle’s first investment in the financial services industry. Fujiyama was also involved in a number of successfully exited holdings including ARINC, United Components, Inc, Lear Siegler Services, EG&G Technical Services and CPI. Prior to joining Carlyle, Fujiyama was an Associate at Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corp, with a focus on high yield and merchant banking transactions. Fujiyama received his B.S. in economics, summa cum laude, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in finance. Fujiyama has served on the Board of Directors of ARINC, Booz Allen Hamilton, Dynamic Precision Group, CPI and United Components. Additionally, Fujiyama serves as the Chairman of Carlyle’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Follow Ian Fujiyama:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Jeannine Santarelli

Managing Director, Human Capital Management of The Carlyle Group

Follow Jeannine Santarelli:

About The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Robert G. Stuckey

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Robert G. Stuckey is a Managing Director and the head of all of Carlyle’s U.S. real estate funds. He has held that position since joining the firm in 1998. He is also a member of Carlyle’s Management Committee. He is based in Washington, DC. He is currently Chairman of CoreSite, a NYSE-traded REIT that owns data center properties. His awards include Top 100 New York’s Most Influential Real Estate Professionals. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Stuckey was Chief Investment Officer for CarrAmerica Realty Corporation. He established and led the investment effort that resulted in CarrAmerica’s growth from a local to a national company. Prior to joining CarrAmerica, Mr. Stuckey was Senior Vice President of ProLogis (formerly Security Capital Industrial Trust). While at ProLogis, he held senior roles focusing on acquisition and development investments. Mr. Stuckey has also served as Chief Financial Officer for Trammell Crow Company, NE, the Northeast region of Trammell Crow Company. In addition, he was a member of Trammell Crow Ventures, a merchant banking affiliate to Trammell Crow Company. Mr. Stuckey holds an M.B.A. from Harvard University and was twice an academic All-American at the University of Nebraska.

Follow Robert G. Stuckey:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Zubier Alim

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Mr. Alim joined Emerging Sovereign Group in 2007. Mr. Alim originates and researches investment ideas in Asia. Prior to joining ESG, Mr. Alim had over five years of financial markets and consulting experience. From 2005-2007 Mr. Alim was a generalist at Ivory Capital, a value based hedge fund with over $3 billion of assets under management. Prior to Ivory Capital, Mr. Alim was an associate in Bain Capital’s Private Equity group from 2003-2005. Prior to Bain Capital Mr. Alim was a consultant in McKinsey’s Corporate Finance & Strategy group from 2001-2003. Mr. Alim graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School with concentrations in Finance and Accounting in 2001.

Follow Zubier Alim:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Erica Herberg

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Erica Herberg:

About AlpInvest Partners, The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Patrick McCarter

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Patrick R. McCarter is a Managing Director in the Global Telecommunications, Media and Technology (“TMT”) group and leads Carlyle’s Menlo Park office. He focuses on buyout and growth equity investments in larger companies including software, software enabled services, semiconductors, communications, systems and related distribution businesses. Since joining Carlyle in 2001, Mr. McCarter has been actively involved with the firm’s investments in Veritas, Dealogic, CommScope, Inc. (NASDAQ: COMM), Open Link Financial, Inc. (acquired by H&F), Open Solutions, Inc. (acquired by Fiserv), Freescale Semiconductor (acquired by NXP Semiconductors), Jazz Semiconductor (acquired by Acquicor Technology, Inc.), Sippican, Inc. (acquired by Lockheed Martin), and CPU Tech (acquired by Boeing). Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. McCarter was at Morgan Stanley with a focus on financial institutions in New York. Mr. McCarter received his B.S. with a double major in industrial engineering and economics from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. Mr. McCarter is currently a member of the Boards of Directors of Veritas and Dealogic.

Follow Patrick McCarter:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Thomas Levy

Managing Director, US Real Estate of The Carlyle Group

Tom R. Levy is a Managing Director focused on U.S. real estate opportunities. He is based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Levy was a Senior Vice President at CarrAmerica Realty Corporation in Washington, DC where he specialized in real estate transactions. Mr. Levy received his M.B.A. from The American University and his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Follow Thomas Levy:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Brian Marcus

Managing Director, Global Credit of The Carlyle Group

Follow Brian Marcus:

About The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Gregory Nikodem

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Greg Nikodem is a Managing Director of The Carlyle Group focused on U.S. Buyout opportunities in the industrial, transportation and energy sectors. He is based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nikodem is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Accudyne Industries, ADT CAPS and Atotech. Additionally, he has been involved with Carlyle’s investments in Centennial Resource Development, JMC Steel, WildHorse Resource Development and Veyance Technologies, among others. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Nikodem was with Thomas Weisel Partners. Mr. Nikodem received his M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar, and a B.S. in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University.

Follow Gregory Nikodem:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Kara Helander

Managing Director, Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer of The Carlyle Group

Kara Helander is a Managing Director and Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer. She is based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Helander was a Managing Director at BlackRock where she led the firm’s global inclusion and diversity, and philanthropy initiatives. Harvard Business School profiled those efforts she directed in the case study, “BlackRock: Diversity as a Driver of Success”. More recently, Ms. Helander consulted with organizations to develop corporate social responsibility and diversity strategies. She founded the Science of Diversity and Inclusion (SODI), a coalition of top companies and behavioral scientists working to design and test new approaches to accelerate diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Ms. Helander also led CSR at Barclay’s Global Investors (BGI). Prior to BGI, she launched and led the Western Region for Catalyst in Silicon Valley. She serves on the Board of Directors of Leading Educators. Ms. Helander received her M.B.A. from The Wharton School and her B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Follow Kara Helander:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Jackie Roberts

Managing Director and the Chief Sustainability Officer of The Carlyle Group

Jackie Roberts is a Managing Director and the Chief Sustainability Officer for The Carlyle Group. She is based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Roberts spent 17 years at the Environmental Defense Fund where she launched and led the first-ever NGO-Business Corporate Partners, served as Director of Sustainable Technologies and Senior Director of the Climate and Energy Idea Bank. Previous jobs included a one-year faculty appointment at Harvard Business School and work as an engineer at EPA. Ms. Roberts holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Yale University, an MBA from the Yale School of Management, and a Masters in environmental studies from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Follow Jackie Roberts:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Joseph Bress

Managing Director, U.S. Buyout, Healthcare Group of The Carlyle Group

Follow Joseph Bress:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Curtis Buser

Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of The Carlyle Group

Follow Curtis Buser:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Andrew Chung

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Andrew Chung is a Managing Director focused on U.S. real estate acquisition opportunities. He is based in New York City. Mr. Chung joined Carlyle in 2000 as an Associate and held positions as a Senior Associate, Vice President and Principal before taking on his current role as Managing Director in 2011. He has been involved with the acquisition, financing, management and disposition of more than $8 billion of U.S. real estate investments including the development projects Orion, a 60-story luxury residential building, Riverside Center, a joint venture with Extell Development, and office and retail tower 650 Madison Avenue. Mr. Chung received a B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Follow Andrew Chung:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Michael Hart

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Michael Hart:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Jamie Adams

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Jamie Adams:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Inoki Suarez

Managing Director of The Carlyle Group

Follow Inoki Suarez:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Custis Johnson

Managing Director, Head of Consultant Relations for Private Equity of The Carlyle Group

Follow Custis Johnson:

About The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Custis Johnson

Managing Director, Head of Consultant Relations for Private Equity of The Carlyle Group

Follow Custis Johnson:

About The Carlyle Group, The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Erica Frontiero

Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets for Private Credit of The Carlyle Group

Follow Erica Frontiero:

About The Carlyle Group: The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm that caters to early and later stage companies.

Susan (Sue) Gordon

Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence of The Intelligence Community Inc.

Susan (Sue) M. Gordon is Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence at US Intelligence Community. As PDDNI, Ms. Gordon assists the DNI in leading the Intelligence Community (IC) and managing the ODNI. In particular, she focuses on advancing intelligence integration across the IC, expanding outreach and partnerships, and driving innovation across the Community.

Follow Susan (Sue) Gordon:

About The Intelligence Community Inc.: The Intelligence Community Inc. is a network for U.S. government, military, national security, and private sector personnel.

Susan (Sue) Gordon

Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence of The Intelligence Community Inc.

Follow Susan (Sue) Gordon:

About The Intelligence Community Inc.: The Intelligence Community Inc. is a network for U.S. government, military, national security, and private sector personnel.

Ross Schalmo

Sr. Director – Data & Analytics of GE Aviation

Ross Schalmo is Director of Data and Analytics at GE Aviation. As part of the Information Management Leadership Program at General Electric, he has been exposed to many different types of challenges, both in project management and technical expertise. He is experienced in relational database development and administration, Java, XML, XSL, and JavaScript programming, and large-scale IT program rollouts.

Follow Ross Schalmo:

About GE Aviation: GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is a provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, and integrated systems.

Steve McManus

GE MRO Sales Director of GE Aviation

Follow Steve McManus:

About GE Aviation: GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is a provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, and integrated systems.

Ross Schalmo

Sr. Director – Data & Analytics of GE Aviation

Follow Ross Schalmo:

About GE Aviation: GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is a provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, and integrated systems.

Arik Crissi

Director of Operations of Elefund

Arik Crissi carries the entrepreneurial spirit and conceptually draws out the values and embedded principles of sustainability in business; from economics to social and environmental traits. Arik takes a hand on approach to analysis by literally dissecting gizmos and business models seeking fundamental principles and competitive advantages of innovative technologies and approaches.

Follow Arik Crissi:

About Elefund: Elefund is a thesis-driven, micro venture capital focused on investments in early-stage technology companies.

Elizabeth Driscoll

Business Development Director of Spaceflight Industries

Follow Elizabeth Driscoll:

About Spaceflight Industries: Spaceflight Industries provides small-satellite services and solutions to enable new applications through the commercialization of space.

Brian Flynn

Co-Founder & Managing Director of DiamondStream Partners

Brian Flynn co-founded Volaris (NYSE: VLRS), Mexico’s largest airline, and Casino Marketing Alliance, a travel analytics firm. He was previously a Managing Director at Bachow & Associates, the then largest private equity fund in Philadelphia, where he was focused on thematic investing, focused on wireless cellular technology and services. Mr. Flynn was also CEO of Innova Corporation, a leading telecom equipment company where he led a turnaround. Prior to this, he was a consultant at Bain and Company and also worked for DLJ in investment banking and GE Capital in finance. Mr. Flynn is a Beta Gamma Sigma graduate of Columbia Business School and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Williams College. He was also a General Course student at the London School of Economics. He has served on various public and private company boards of directors.

Follow Brian Flynn:

About DiamondStream Partners: DiamondStream Partners is a manager that invests in the future of travel and aviation.

William Dean Donovan

Co-Founder & Managing Director of DiamondStream Partners

Dean Donovan co-founded Volaris, Mexico’s largest domestic airline, and continues to sit on the Board of Directors, with a focus on technology transformation. The company has been listed on the NYSE since 2013, employs an Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) business model, and flies in Mexico, Canada, Central America and the US. He also co-founded Casino Marketing Alliance, a provider of marketing and analytics services to the casino industry. He helped form Metropolitan Bankgroup, where he served as Chairman of the Compensation Committee. Metropolitan was sold to Renasant in 2017. Mr. Donovan sits on the board of Stellar Labs, a software company focused on global distribution technologies for private aviation, and is the past Chairman. He also sits on the board of Prophet, a marketing consultancy, and twice served as Chair of the Special Committee during the firm’s recapitalization efforts. Mr. Donovan has also served as COO of Nimblefish Technologies, a micro-marketing technology platform and as CEO of SearchForce, a paid search workflow management and optimization platform. Prior to this, between 1989 and 2003 Mr. Donovan worked with Bain & Company, consulting to executives in the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America. He was head of Bain’s airline practice and auto practice at various times. Mr. Donovan received his MBA with honors from the Wharton School and his B.A. from University of California Berkeley, where he graduated with Honors in Rhetoric and Economics, Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude.

Follow William Dean Donovan:

About DiamondStream Partners: DiamondStream Partners is a manager that invests in the future of travel and aviation.

Devin Carlen

Director of Software Engineering of Astra

Devin Carlen is the Director of Software Engineering at Astra.

Follow Devin Carlen:

About Astra: Astra is a rocket launch startup that provides satellite delivery and launch services.

Peter Lynas

Group Finance Director of BAE Systems

Peter, who was appointed Group Finance Director in April 2011, is responsible for the Company’s overall financial operations Peter’s early career was spent at De La Rue Systems, which he joined as a trainee accountant, and included a posting in Madrid. He joined GEC Marconi in 1985 as a financial accountant. In 1998, he was appointed Finance Director of Marconi Electronic Systems, and served on the Boards of Marconi’s joint venture companies Alenia Marconi Systems and Matra Marconi Space. He was appointed Director of Financial Control for BAE Systems in 1999 and his key responsibilities were driving operational performance through the business planning processes, financial and business plan reporting, Group financial and risk management controls, and review and appraisal of mergers and acquisitions activities. He was responsible for the Group’s external financial reporting and Treasury function. Peter has served as chairman of one of the BAE Systems’ pension schemes trustee boards and a former non-executive director of NNC Ltd. Peter is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. He was appointed a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of SSE plc in July 2014.

Follow Peter Lynas:

About BAE Systems: BAE Systems designs, develops, and supports defense and aerospace systems used in the air, on land, at sea, and in space.

James Miller

Senior Director Of Business Development Combat Mission Systems of BAE Systems

Follow James Miller:

About BAE Systems, General Motors: BAE Systems designs, develops, and supports defense and aerospace systems used in the air, on land, at sea, and in space.

Veerender Kaul

Director of Frost & Sullivan

Follow Veerender Kaul:

About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.

Mike Blades

Research Director, North America of Frost & Sullivan

Mike graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991. After graduation he attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas.

Follow Mike Blades:

About Frost & Sullivan, Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.

Farah Saeed

Research Director, Digital Grids of Frost & Sullivan

Farah Saeed is an industry expert with nearly 20 years of consulting, project management and fulfillment expertise focused on power and energy equipment and services. Saeed currently serves as Research Director Digital Grid. In her current role, Saeed works closely with OEMs to validate market opportunities and assess risks, providing a deep understanding of business issues facing mature as well as emerging energy markets and technologies. She also specializes in forecasting models and customer survey designs centered on regional and geographic trends, while keeping a pulse on disruptive trends and technologies that are influencing the competitive environment. Saeed’s industry expertise includes extensive experience in high-growth and emerging power and energy devices, such as transmission and distribution equipment. This includes IT/OT, power distribution equipment, demand side management, home automation, smart meters, related network infrastructure, and distributed generation.

Follow Farah Saeed:

About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.

Michael Blades

Research Director, North America of Frost & Sullivan

Mike graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991. After graduation he attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas. Following pilot training Mike flew the KC-135 Stratotanker and was an instructor in both the E-3 AWACS and C-21 learjet. He commanded sorties supporting Operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Allied Force, and Noble Eagle. He also controlled all C-130 traffic in and out of Iraq during a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While assigned to staff positions, Mike served as a data reduction analyst for the Phillips Lab (now the Air Force Research Lab) at Kirtland Air Force Base where he split time between the Argus airborne test bed and the Satellite Assessment Center. He also served two tours in Air Education and Training Command as the Chief of the Tanker/Airlift training branch and Chief of the Flying Training Section responsible for financial planning and analysis for all mobility training aircraft in AETC. While in AETC, Mike was also heavily involved with training systems requirements analyses for both the Joint Cargo Aircraft and the KC-46.

Follow Michael Blades:

About Frost & Sullivan, Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.

Michael Blades

Research Director, North America of Frost & Sullivan

Follow Michael Blades:

About Frost & Sullivan, Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.

Andy Chimicles

Director of Product of BLADE

Follow Andy Chimicles:

About BLADE: BLADE is an application that provides short-distance flight management solutions to its clients.

Leedjia Svec

Director of Military Programs of NASA Ames Research Center

Lieutenant Commander Leedjia Svec directs military programs at NASA Ames where she serves as a liaison officer to create and facilitate innovative partnerships and sharing of technical knowledge and resources. She was previously stationed at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) as a senior scientist where she led policy, basic, and applied research in subject areas such as cultural heritage preservation, culture, diversity and inclusion, anti-hazing, bias, and more. Prior duty stations include the Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio where she developed mathematical models for predicting color vision performance and implemented a program of science education for girls in the community. At the Center for Information Dominance she introduced a course of academic improvement skills for over 6,000 sailors. She has also served as adjunct faculty at University of West Florida, University of Texas San Antonio and Saint Mary’s University. LCDR Svec studied psychology and engineering technology at University of the Pacific, studied abroad at the University of Melbourne Australia, obtained her MA/PhD in vision science from the University of Nevada, Reno, second MA in International Relations at Saint Mary’s University with distinction where she engaged in hands on conflict transformation internationally, and is certified in Human Systems Integration from the Naval Post Graduate school. Achievements include; 2017 NASA Equal Opportunity Medal, 2017 Silicon Valley Women of Influence award, international young investigator award from the Aerospace Medical Association, national engaged leader award, officer of the quarter, selection for who’s who among college students, Lockheed Martin internship award, and over 100 publications/presentations. She is an avid STEM and diversity advocate; currently serving as a lead cultural mentor and delegate with TechWomen, has mentored over 40 students, served as a scholarship selection panelist for the American Association of University Women, was a student fellow of Norwich University Institute of Culture and Language, is a member of Theta Nu Xi, Multicultural Sorority Inc., and is the author of Stylish STEM, a STEM and diversity advocacy blog.

Follow Leedjia Svec:

About NASA Ames Research Center: Ames Research Center, one of 10 NASA field Centers, is located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley.

Leedjia Svec

Director of Military Programs of NASA Ames Research Center

Follow Leedjia Svec:

About NASA Ames Research Center: Ames Research Center, one of 10 NASA field Centers, is located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley.

Ross Scott

Director, Enterprise Software Services (DevSecOps) of Raytheon

Ross Scott is the IT Director of the PDM Solution Center for Raytheon Global Business Services (GBS). Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Ross began his career at Raytheon in 1999 as a software engineer, performing engineering automation for Raytheon’s hardware engineering directorates. In 2002, Ross joined the newly formed Common Product Data Management (PDM) initiative – a company-wide initiative to create a single instance engineering data management system with common processes that enables a “design anywhere” capability for Raytheon’s 30,000 engineers. Over the next 6 years, Ross held various positions of increasing technical and management responsibility on the Common PDM program including Development IPT Lead and Chief Engineer as he architected and implemented one of the largest single PDM deployments in the world. In 2009, Ross took over as the program manager for the Common PDM program where he was responsible for the successful implementation of Common PDM at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). Ross and his team were recognized with the Raytheon IDS President’s award for their success in this strategic initiative. In 2010, Ross was chosen to stand up and lead a new enterprise wide PDM Solution Center. In this position, Ross provides guidance, direction, and leadership to over 80 geographically diverse employees and contractors. Ross is responsible for overseeing the proposal development, project planning, development, deployment, and support of all of Raytheon’s foundational engineering systems, including Common PDM. Ross continues to team with his peers and industry partners to optimize business processes and inserts innovative technology to increase efficiency across Raytheon’s entire product development lifecycle value stream. Ross earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from WPI in 1999. Ross went on to earn his Master of Science in Computer Science from WPI in 2004. He is a graduate of Raytheon’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) and Leadership Excellence Program (LEP).

Follow Ross Scott:

About Raytheon: Raytheon Technologies is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services.

Carol Wooden

Director, Supplier Diversity of Raytheon

Carol L. Wooden is the Director of Supplier Diversity for Raytheon Company. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2017 sales of $25.3 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 64,000 people worldwide. Currently, Carol is the Corporate Liaison Officer to the US Department of Defense and leads the execution of Raytheon’s strategic engagement, development and utilization of small diverse businesses in alignment with federal socioeconomic policies. Previously, she served as a Manager in Supply Chain responsible for an $85M backlog of major subcontracts. As a graduate of the Raytheon Engineering Leadership Development Program, Carol has led technical projects in three divisions across the country and abroad including Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) in Massachusetts, Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) in both California and Texas and Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) in the United Kingdom. She has a broad and unique background in Electrical & Systems Engineering, Project Management and Supply Chain. Since joining Raytheon in 2004, Carol has supported several major DoD programs including the Zumwalt Combatant Ship program as a Software Requirements Systems Engineer, the ATFLIR program in a Strategic Operations role supporting the geographic relocation of a major product manufacturing line, and the Electronic Border Patrol Program for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense as a Systems Engineering Cost Account Manager and Process Deployment Lead. In 2011, Carol served as Staff Executive to the SAS Vice President of the $2B Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems (ISRS) mission area. In her voluntary service to Raytheon and her community, Carol sits on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Diversity Information Resources (DIR). She has also held several leadership positions within Raytheon Employee Resource Groups and led the implementation and execution of the SAS Engineering Rotation Program in the North Texas Region to aid in the development of early career engineers. She conducts speaking engagements with high school and college students across the US to encourage the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Carol has been named the 2007 Modern Day Technology Leader by the U.S. Black Engineer of the Year Award Committee; the 2013 Top Contract Management Professionals Under 40 Award by the National Contract Management Association and recently named the 2017 Champion of Supplier Diversity by Minority Business News USA. She also holds nationally recognized certifications in Engineering and Contract Management as well as Raytheon certifications in Program Management and Subcontract Management. Carol earned a bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University and a master of science degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Purdue University. She has also completed executive education courses at Tuck School of Business and Duke CE.

Follow Carol Wooden:

About Raytheon: Raytheon Technologies is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services.

Brian Rodriguez

Retired Director of Business Development and Strategy at Raytheon of Raytheon

Brian Rodriguez is Director of Business Development & Strategy at Raytheon Co.

Follow Brian Rodriguez:

About Raytheon: Raytheon Technologies is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services.

Danny Poisson

Common PLM Technical Director and IT Architect of Raytheon

Danny Poisson is the Technical Director for Raytheon’s PDM program and Chief IT Architect supporting the PDM Solution Center for Raytheon Global Business Services (GBS). He began his career in the defense industry in 1989 as a marine piping designer at Bath Iron Works. In 1997, Danny made the formal shift in his career from Mechanical Engineering Design to Information Technology (IT) as Business Analyst /Application Developer at Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). At CSC, Danny was responsible for developing automations for CAD and other engineering related processes. Danny went on to lead several high profile programming projects and in 2004 received the CSC Award for Technical Excellence. In 2005, Danny began to focus on the Product Data Management aspect of IT as a Global Services Consultant at PTC. While at PTC, Danny rose to the level of Solution Master Architect and was responsible for creating Windchill based solutions and data migrations for various PTC clients. In 2008, Danny joined Raytheon and their newly formed Common Product Data Management (PDM) initiative with the goal to create a single PDM instance with common processes that enables a “design anywhere” capability for Raytheon’s 30,000 engineers. Since joining Raytheon, Danny has held various positions of increasing technical and management responsibility including Chief Engineer as he architected and implemented one of the largest single PDM deployments in the world. Danny has received numerous awards including the Raytheon IDS President’s award in 2009 and GBS CIO Awards for Excellence in In Information Technology in 2012 and 2013. Danny earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from Kaplan University in 2015 (Summa Cum Laude). He is a graduate of Raytheon Certified Architecture Program (RCAP) 2016, and also holds Associate Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Vermont Technical College (1989) and Ship Design from Maine Maritime Academy (1994).

Follow Danny Poisson:

About Raytheon: Raytheon Technologies is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services.

Danny Poisson

Common PLM Technical Director and IT Architect of Raytheon

Follow Danny Poisson:

About Raytheon: Raytheon Technologies is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services.

Filip Dziwulski

Director, Software Engineering of DASH Systems

Autonomy/Robotics leader. Love bringing game-changing products to market.

Follow Filip Dziwulski:

About DASH Systems: DASH Systems is a tech company developing hardware and software to enable precision airdrop deliveries.

Marcus Wallenberg

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saab

Marcus Wallenberg, (born 2 September 1956) is a Swedish banker and industrialist.The former President and CEO of Investor.Marcus has international business experience across various industry sectors, including the pharmaceutical industry from his directorship with Astra prior to 1999. Marcus is Chairman of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB, Saab AB and FAM. He is a member of the boards of Investor AB, Temasek Holdings Limited, and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Follow Marcus Wallenberg:

About Investor AB: Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services, and solutions from military defence to civil security.

Robert Frost

Group Lead, Daily Operations & Crew Support – Flight Operations Directorate of NASA

Follow Robert Frost:

About NASA, NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Parimal Kopardekar

Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) of NASA

Parimal Kopardekar (PK) manages NASA’s Safe Autonomous System Operations project, which is focused on autonomy/autonomicity in civil aviation, as part of the Airspace System Program (www.aeronautics.nasa.gov). He directs air traffic management related research, and manages R&D portfolio. He serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Aerospace Operations. Journal covers operations from the perspective of airlines, airports, airspace, and aircraft manufacturers.

Follow Parimal Kopardekar:

About NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Robert Pearce

Associate Administrator & Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate of NASA

Robert Pearce is the Associate Administrator & Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA.

Follow Robert Pearce:

About NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Steve Rader

Deputy Director for the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation of NASA

Steve Rader is the Deputy Director for the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation at NASA.

Follow Steve Rader:

About Crowd Resources Consulting, NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Joel Walker

Director of Center Operations Directorate of NASA

Joel Walker is Board of Directors @ Space Center Houston.

Follow Joel Walker:

About NASA, Space Center Houston: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Jason Derleth

Mission Directorate Representative, SBIR of NASA

Jason Derleth is NIAC Program Executive at NASA.

Follow Jason Derleth:

About NASA, NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Mike Hitch

Special Liaison to the Director of NASA

Follow Mike Hitch:

About NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Jason Derleth

Mission Directorate Representative, SBIR of NASA

Jason Derleth is NIAC Program Executive at NASA.

Follow Jason Derleth:

About NASA, NASA: NASA is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Ben Wolff

Executive Chairman, Director, Co-Founder of Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation

Benjamin Wolff serves as Executive Chairman, Director, and Co-Founder of Sarcos Robotics, a leading global robotics and sensor company which, until recently, was known as Raytheon Sarcos, a robotics group within the Raytheon Company. In this role since 2015, Wolff oversees the strategic direction of the company and engages with some the company’s strategic partners, customers and investors. Prior to joining Sarcos, Wolff served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman at Pendrell Corporation (NASDAQ: PCO) from 2009 to 2014. During his tenure, Wolff navigated a turnaround of the company by facilitating a resolution to a complex subsidiary bankruptcy, and creating more than $500 million in value for equity holders by eliminating more than $1.5 billion of consolidated debt. In 2003, Wolff co-founded Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR), where he served as a member of the board of directors as Executive Vice President, company President, Co-CEO, CEO, and finally as Co-Chairman, a position he held until March 2010. Wolff managed both strategic and operational aspects of the business, growing it from a five-employee company without revenue, to 3,500 employees and more than $1 billion in revenues. He was also responsible for taking the company public in 2007, raising $12.5 billion in equity and debt financing during his tenure. Clearwire was sold to Sprint in 2013 for more than $14 billion. From 2004 until 2011, Wolff served as the President of Eagle River Investments, the private equity and venture capital vehicle funded by Craig McCaw. Between 1994 and 2004, Wolff was an attorney with the national law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where he became a partner in 1998. His practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, corporate finance, intellectual property licensing, and strategic alliance transactions. In 2003, he was named one of the nation’s “Top 45 Lawyers Under the Age of 45” by The American Lawyer. In 2008, Wolff served for two years on the board of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). Prior to receiving the Wireless Industry Leadership Award by Wireless Week in 2009, he was the recipient of the Wireless Communications Industry Association Innovation Achievement Award in 2008. Wolff often speaks on issues affecting the wireless industry, including delivering keynote addresses at industry events such as the International CTIA Wireless Conference and International 4G World Conference. A past board member of the Woodland Park Zoo and Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, Wolff is a current member of the Board of Visitors of Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Before earning his law degree from Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 1994, Wolff earned his Bachelor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University in 1991.

Follow Ben Wolff:

About : Sarcos is a robotics company developing wearable and teleoperated industrial robotics that improve the safety & productivity of their users.

Cameron Robertson

Director of Product/Engineering of Kitty Hawk

Cameron is one of co-founders of Apigy, the creators of Lockitron.

Follow Cameron Robertson:

About Kitty Hawk: Kitty Hawk is an aerospace company that manufactures eVTOL vehicles that makes airtaxis affordable, ubiquitous, and eco-conscious.

Dave Burgess

Director of Engineering of Teletronics Technology

Mr. Burgess joined Teletronics Technology Corporation in 2002 where he is currently General Manager of Engineering. Mr. Burgess has over 32 years of professional experience in technical engineering management of electrical hardware, embedded software and test engineering departments. Mr. Burgess has extensive experience in high speed digital and video electronics hardware, FPGA and ASIC product development, engineering process control and project management in both the telecom and aerospace industries. He has held various design engineer and engineering management positions in large and small companies. Mr. Burgess holds a BSEET degree from College of New Jersey and a MSEE degree from Monmouth University.

Follow Dave Burgess:

About Teletronics Technology: Teletronics Technology is the total system solution provider for defense and commercial aerospace test applications.

Eric Sanders

Senior Director of Sales of Kespry

Follow Eric Sanders:

About Kespry: Kespry provides an aerial intelligence platform that transforms how organizations capture, analyze, and share insights about their business.

Louis Taddeo

Director Of Business Development of Thales Group

Louis M. Taddeo is the Director of Business Development for Thales Visionix, Inc. (TVI), a leader in providing Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) solutions for the defense and commercial marketplaces . Mr. Taddeo has a highly accomplished career leading both business development and program management disciplines for commercial aircraft, propulsion systems, missile systems and advanced avionic cockpit displays. While TVI provides precision tracking solutions to support our HMD business we also provide tracking solutions covering many facets of the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) industries including enabling technologies such as MEMs based IMUs and hybrid inertial/optical tracking systems.

Follow Louis Taddeo:

About Thales Group: Thales is a technology in the aerospace, transportation and defense and security markets.

Matt Kammerait

Director, Digital Product Management of AAR Corp

Follow Matt Kammerait:

About AAR Corp, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Your First Patent, Inc.: AAR is a leading provider of diverse products and services to the worldwide commercial aviation and government/defense industries.

Kathleen Cantillon

Global Director of Communications & Reputation of AAR Corp

Follow Kathleen Cantillon:

About AAR Corp: AAR is a leading provider of diverse products and services to the worldwide commercial aviation and government/defense industries.

Roman Martinez

Member of the Board of Directors of Orbital ATK

Roman Martinez has been a private Investor since 2003. In 2003, Roman retired as Managing Director of Lehman Brothers, an investment banking firm, following a 31-year career with the firm. Roman has been a Member of the Board of Directors at Alliant Techsystems Inc. (an aerospace, defense and commercial products company) from 2004 until February 2015, when Alliant Techsystems Inc. merged with Orbital Sciences, Inc. to create Orbital ATK, Inc. and simultaneously spun-off its commercial products company. Roman has served as a Member of the Board of Directors at Orbital ATK, Inc. since February 2015. Roman has served on the Board on New York Presbyterian Hospital since 1996. Roman also serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at Cigna since 2014.

Follow Roman Martinez:

About : Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.

Robert Hanisee

Board Of Director of Orbital ATK

Follow Robert Hanisee:

About : Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.

James Roche

Board Of Director of Orbital ATK

Follow James Roche:

About : Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.

Janice Obuchowski

Board Of Director of Orbital ATK

Follow Janice Obuchowski:

About : Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.

Scott Webster

Board Of Director of Orbital ATK

Follow Scott Webster:

About : Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.

Eric Roth

Director of People of Cuberg

Eric leads talent strategy and organizational development for Cuberg, a rapidly growing team revolutionizing energy to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable mobile battery technology. Prior to joining Cuberg, Eric led human capital for several high growth companies in the health care technology space, scaling for 2-and 3-times growth with a focus on developing people to their greatest potential. Additionally, Eric served as Director, Human Resources for Edelman Silicon Valley and as Manager, Human Resources for Paul Hastings LLP. Eric specializes in attracting and retaining top talent, building scalable and sustainable organizational infrastructure, and aligning business strategy with its most important asset, its people. Eric earned his MS degree in Human Resources Management at Golden Gate University, his BA degree from San Jose State University, and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.

Follow Eric Roth:

About Cuberg, Medigram: Cuberg is a company delivering lithium metal cells produced on existing lithium-ion manufacturing lines for electromobility solutions.

Suggestions

Suggestions

Meet United States’s 101 Top Directors in the Aerospace Space

Gregory Ray

Gordon Bethune

Pamela Ross

Don Harroll

John Hajdukiewicz

Shane Fazzio

John-Paul Clarke

Mauro Goncalves Filho

Shaun Stewart

Cyrus Sigari

Robert Littles

Beckett Jackson

Harish Rao

Christopher Ferguson

Shary Moalemzadeh

Peter Clare

Julius Genachowski

Alan Holt

Brian W. Hayhurst

Matt Anderson

Stephen Bailey

Norma Kuntz

Karen Bechtel

Daniel Akerson

Akhil Bansal

Siddhartha Ahluwalia

Tanaka Maswoswe

Eliot Merrill

Peter Taylor

Timothy Broadbent

Roman Bas

Bruce Rosenblum

Alex Popov

Ian Fujiyama

Jeannine Santarelli

Robert G. Stuckey

Zubier Alim

Erica Herberg

Patrick McCarter

Thomas Levy

Brian Marcus

Gregory Nikodem

Kara Helander

Jackie Roberts

Joseph Bress

Curtis Buser

Andrew Chung

Michael Hart

Jamie Adams

Inoki Suarez

Custis Johnson

Custis Johnson

Erica Frontiero

Susan (Sue) Gordon

Susan (Sue) Gordon

Ross Schalmo

Steve McManus

Ross Schalmo

Arik Crissi

Elizabeth Driscoll

Brian Flynn

William Dean Donovan

Devin Carlen

Peter Lynas

James Miller

Veerender Kaul

Mike Blades

Farah Saeed

Michael Blades

Michael Blades

Andy Chimicles

Leedjia Svec

Leedjia Svec

Ross Scott

Carol Wooden

Brian Rodriguez

Danny Poisson