Anthony J. Tether served as director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) from 2001 until 2009. Tether has been a member of the SSCI Scientific Advisory Board since 2009. SSCI is a developer of technology solutions for defense and industrial suppliers. He is also the founder of The Sequoia Group, which provides program management and strategy development services to government and industry. From 1994-96, Tether served as CEO for Dynamics Technology Inc. From 1992-94, he was vice president at Science Applications International Corporation's (SAIC) Advanced Technology Sector, and then was vice president and general manager for Range Systems at SAIC. Tether also spent six years as Vice President for Technology and Advanced Development at Ford Aerospace, served as director of DARPA's Strategic Technology Office from 1982-86, and as director of the National Intelligence Office in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1978-82. He has served on both the Army Science Board and the Defense Science Board and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In 1986, he was honored with both the National Intelligence Medal and the Department of Defense Civilian Meritorious Service Medal.

Dr. Herbert Lee Buchanan was nominated by President of the United States Bill Clinton as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisitions) on September 9, 1998. Dr. Buchanan subsequently held this office from October 2, 1998 until January 20, 2001. Early in his career, Dr. Buchanan joined the United States Navy in 1971, where he served as a naval flight officer from 1971 to 1978. He left the Navy in 1978, but remained a Captain in the United States Navy Reserve until 2001. In 1979, he became senior physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He left the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1982, joining Titan Corp. as Division Manager for Applied Science. He joined DARPA in 1985, culminating in his appointment as its Deputy Director in March 1996. As the Chief Operating Officer for the central Research and Development Organization for the Department of Defense, he directed a multibillion-dollar program of basic and applied research conducted by industry, universities, and national and military laboratories. Upon leaving office, Dr. Buchanan joined Paladin Capital Group. He was also a board member of crowd sourcing company OmniCompete from 2011 until its acquisition by Innocentive in January 2012. He is now the President and CEO of Arete Associates, a defense contractor specializing in advanced sensing, signal processing and analysis.

Gene Colabatistto was a Senior Vice President in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) - a leading provider of scientific, engineering, systems integration and technical services. He was responsible for the growth of their ISR and Cybersecurity businesses. Colabatistto has more than 25 years’ experience in the global defense industry, and has held leadership positions in both the military and the private sector. Colabatistto served in the United States Marine Corps and was responsible for intelligence information systems and acted as the service’s representative for satellite and airborne reconnaissance during Desert Storm. His tours include service as an Infantry Officer and as a C4I Systems Officer. He also served as the Principal Advisor for intelligence information systems, and acted as the service representative for space-based reconnaissance during Desert Storm. Prior to joining SAIC, Colabatistto served as President of Olive Group North America, a global, integrated security corporation; Space Imaging Solutions, the leading provider of satellite imagery products and services; and SPOT Image Corporation, the North American subsidiary of the world’s first commercial provider of satellite imagery. He is a member of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA), Armed Forces Communications-Electronics Association (AFCEA), National Defense Intelligence Association (NDIA), United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Colabatistto is now President of CAE’s Defense and Security Group. He has also served as Group President of Military Products and Training & Services at CAE Inc.

Jerry Howe is a partner at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, in its Government Contracts, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Aerospace & Defense practice groups. Resident in the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office, Howe provides corporate and regulatory counsel on M&A and private equity transactions in the aerospace & defense industry, as well as handling government contracts litigation, investigations and bid protests. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the aerospace, defense and intelligence sectors. He previously served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at TASC, a leading aerospace & defense company. At TASC, Howe oversaw the company's legal affairs, corporate development and M&A, ethics and compliance programs, government relations and security. He also served as Senior Vice President & General Counsel of Veridian Corporation, a publicly traded company that provided advanced technology services and solutions to the intelligence community, military and homeland defense agencies. Howe was previously a partner for nine years at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where his practice focused on aerospace law and transactions, government contracts law and litigation with an emphasis on high-technology procurement, and federal court civil and appellate litigation. Over his career, he has represented preeminent defense, aerospace and information technology companies including Boeing, Hughes, McDonnell Douglas, Motorola, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Leidos, and TASC/Engility.

Brett Schneider, Hexcel’s Senior Vice President, Business Development, has been in his current role since 2012 and with Hexcel since 2001. After progressive roles in plant operations and technology design focused on advanced composites, he is responsible today for Hexcel’s strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions activity, and long-term technology and market assessments. In his prior role as Director of Advanced Manufacturing, he was responsible for Hexcel’s capital management, equipment and process technology design and deployment. Prior to Hexcel, Brett held management roles at Meridian Automotive, Bayliner and HON. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, and an MBA from Westminster College.

Edward J. Sheehan Jr. recently completed his eighth year as President and seventh year as CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Concurrent Technologies Corporation, a nonprofit, applied research and development and professional services organization. He has been employed at CTC for over 22 years. He was recently named a “Top 100 Business Leader” by Pennsylvania Business Central and has been so named every year since taking the helm at CTC. Under Mr. Sheehan’s leadership, CTC has been named One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute multiple times and has received numerous technical awards across the nation including the prestigious Defense Manufacturing Award several times and the Gold Edison Award in Materials Processing. He serves on the board of directors for a number of Pennsylvania-based economic development, public service, and charitable organizations in a volunteer capacity. He also serves on the board of directors of two for profit companies. He possesses over 34 years of corporate, management, and programmatic experience associated with a variety of assignments for large and small businesses. Mr. Sheehan and his wife, the former Julie Wanamaker, have been married for 34 years. They have four daughters and one son-in-law.

Robert S. Tamaru was the Vice President of Technology and Strategic Development for Argon ST, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space, and Security as well as the Director of Technology and Strategic Development for Boeing’s Electronic and Information Solutions portion of Boeing Network and Space Systems. In this role, Robert was responsible for the Research and Development thrusts for the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) domains within Boeing. Robert joined Argon Engineering in 1997, soon after its founding, where he served as Vice President of the maritime systems division, responsible for Argon ST’s multi-year production programs for the design, development, and deployment of ship systems. Mr. Tamaru’s previous responsibilities included representing Argon ST to the United States Navy in support of the Maritime Cryptologic Architecture (MCA) technical view development. Robert led the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) efforts, which led to being recognized for the Tibbets award. Robert also co-led the contractor portion of the team receiving the Navy’s Lightning Bolt Award for Program Excellence. From 1978 to 1997, Robert helped to grow Engineering Research Associates from a dozen employees to over 300 when it was acquired by E-Systems which then in turn was acquired by Raytheon. Robert’s final role was as Director of Software Engineering for the Electronic Systems department of Raytheon’s Falls Church division. Prior to that, Robert was a Systems Engineer at HRB Singer which was later acquired by Raytheon E-Systems. Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University and earned a Master of Science from George Washington University. Robert also passed all of the classes and exams (all but the dissertation) at George Washington University for a Doctorate in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence. Robert also attended extensive Executive training classes while at E-Systems/Raytheon and at Boeing. Robert also serves on the Case Western Reserve University Research and Technology Commercialization Visiting Committee.

John J. Young Jr. served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics; Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, and Director of Defense Research & Engineering (Chief DoD Engineer). Prior to these Presidential appointed, Senate-confirmed positions, he served as a senior staff member with the US Senate Defense AppropriationsSubcommittee for ten years where he was responsible for reviewing all Department of Defense aircraft procurement programs, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Young is a Senate-appointed member of the National Commission for the Review of the Research and Development Programs of the US Intelligence Community. During his tenure at the Pentagon, he was awarded the Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army Distinguished Civilian Service Awards. Young also led the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Program Task Force at the US Department of Defense. Additional accomplishments include guiding the Biometrics Task Force, establishing the Reliance 21 science and technology oversight process, structuring the SSGN Submarine Conversion program, securing the Virginia Class Submarine multi-year contract, and leading the unprecedented swap of DDG-51 destroyers and LPD-17 amphibious ships between two industry shipyards.

General David A. Deptula is a retired U.S. Air Force three-star general and former first Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for policy formulation, planning, evaluation, oversight, and leadership of Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. He was involved in shaping and managing military use of unmanned aerial vehicles, initiated and built the Air Force’s first ISR strategy, and established the Air Force ISR Agency. He has served on two congressional commissions charged with outlining America's future defense posture -- the Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces, and the National Defense Panel. General Deptula has significant experience in combat and leadership in several major joint contingency operations. He was the principal attack planner for the Desert Storm coalition air campaign in 1991. He has twice been a Joint Task Force Commander - in 1998/1999 for Operation Northern Watch during a period of renewed Iraqi aggression where he flew 82 combat missions, and for Operation Deep Freeze, supporting forces in Antarctica. In 2001, the General served as Director of the Combined Air Operations Center for Operation Enduring Freedom, where he orchestrated air operations over Afghanistan during the period of decisive combat. In 2005, he was the Joint Force Air Component Commander for Operation Unified Assistance, the South Asia tsunami relief effort, and in 2006 he was the standing Joint Force Air Component Commander for Pacific Command. General Deptula retired from service on October 1, 2010 and received the Air Force Association’s highest honor for achievement in the field of national security the same year.

Jeffrey K. Harris is the former Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space; and former President of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Company. He contributed to the initial success of the GNAT 750, a predecessor to the PREDATOR, while at the CIA. He has contributed to US national security in both Government and Industry for 40 years where he has fostered new technologies, programs and capabilities. He has also served as President of Space Imaging, the first company to commercially provide high-resolution satellite imagery and information products of the Earth. He is the Chairman of the Open Geospatial Consortium and the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. He is a member of the United States Energy Security Council. Mr. Harris serves on the RIT Board of Trustees. Harris has received numerous awards, notably the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the CIA Distinguished Service Medal, the NRO Medal for Distinguished Service, the US GeoSpatial Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, Aviation Week Laureate Citation and the James V. Hartinger Award for military space achievement.