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Leadership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. DAVID BRAY

Chairman
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Dr. CHARLES JORGENSEN

EVP, Strategic Concepts
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Dr. ANNETTE SOBEL, MD

EVP, Science Insights
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LOUIS TUCKER

EVP, Capabilities and Secretary
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GORDON CAYLOR

EVP, Finance and Therasurer
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BOARD OF ADVISORS

Lieutenant General (Ret.) THOMAS J. TRASK

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CARL W. HOFFMAN

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FRANCISCO E. MOLINERO

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WILDER LOPES

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WILLIAM D. MARTINEZ

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SME Group

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EXECUTIVE TEAM

The Foundation’s leadership team brings together leaders with hands-on field experience in intelligence, defense, business, tech domains, and government. Their backgrounds ensure the strength of the organization, its professionalism and foresight, as well as serve as the core of our purpose-filled mission.

MELVIN CORDOVA

​Executive Director​
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MICHAEL BELL

Chief, Operations
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Dr. John Elkton

Head, Academics
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Ben Shaw

PM, Workforce Development
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Chris Norton

PM, Applied Research
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Eleonore J. Rigby

PM, Engagements
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SPECIAL PROJECTS

The Foundation’s Special Projects Group brings together elite practitioners from the intelligence, defense, business, tech, and government sectors. This cross-domain expertise anchors our professionalism and strategic foresight, driving our mission forward.

ENRIQUE DIAZ R.

International Business Development
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BRYAN INGRAM

Adviser on Humanitarian, Technological, and Economic initiatives
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Programs
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Dr. DAVID BRAY

Leader, global technology and data expert, CEO, Founder/Director, Board Member, Strategic Executive skilled at directing transformative change in turbulent environments requiring novel business strategies to deliver intelligent, reasoned results. Named top “24 Americans Who Are Changing the World” by Business Insider & a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Led Bioterrorism Preparedness & Response Program’s tech response to 9/11, anthrax, West Nile, SARS, monkeypox, & other outbreaks. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 to help “think differently” re: military & humanitarian efforts; awarded DOD’s Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, highest-ranking joint civilian service award under combatant commanders.

Directed (1) teamwork of 600+ interdisciplinary professionals; (2) financial execution of multi-billion budgets; (3) White House & United Nations international activities on transnational threats and disruptive technologies. Served as Senior National Intelligence Executive and a non-partisan Advisor to the Department of Defense for multiple years. Led successful bipartisan Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies & Data: www.atlanticcouncil.org/geotechreport with report endorsed by two U.S. Senators and two U.S. Representatives plus private sector endorsement and global praise. Recognized by HMG Strategy as 2020 global “Executive Who Matters” and by 5th Element as a “Leader Who Cares”; named to 2021 Dept of State Committee.

TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER & GLOBAL CHAMPION of positive “change agents” across sectors even in turbulent environments and near-mission impossible situations. Pioneered 1st ever bipartisan Commission reviewing R&D efforts of entire Intelligence Community and its multi-billion budget. Received National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal for leadership. Selected as 1 of 2 Senior Executives across entire USG to receive Roger W. Jones Executive Leadership award. Transformed national org’s legacy IT with 207+ systems to award-winning solutions in 1/2 estimated time & 1/6 cost. Successful, strategic exec; awards include Armed Forces (AFCEA) Outstanding Achievement Award. Named an Eisenhower Fellow to Taiwan & Australia, also Marshall Fellow to Europe. CMU professor, Member of multiple Boards of Directors including data, quantum, bio, space, defense, disruptive tech & counter-disinfo efforts. Invited to give 2019 UN Keynote on future of AI & IoT governance.

“The United States must explicitly promote ideals that result in greater diversity of people and thought processes involved in national security. Without such results, decision-making biases may lead to incorrect analyses, incorrect combat decisions by teams, and incorrect defense policy choices.

Without transforming how the DoD recruits talent to national security fields, we will continue to make decisions driven by individual biases and anecdotal heuristics that lack reasoned and validated approaches to combat bias in national security decision-making. We must recruit and promote the diversity of talent and background necessary to overcome biases that develop in a non-diverse defense workforce. Diverse threats require a diverse workforce to counter them.”

Dr. CHARLES JORGENSEN

Dr. Jorgensen is a renowned scientist whose work enabled the success of the United States space programs. As the Head of the Neuroengineering Department at the NASA Ames Research Center, Dr. Jorgensen led research and rapid prototyping of unique technologies in human emotion detection, advanced speech processing. real-time credibility assessment, next-generation biometrics, multi-state visualization of large data sets, biologically inspired computation, and aeronautical safety.

His work contributed to the implementation of sensitive missions by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Defense Intelligence Agency, and has actually saved lives in the battlefield.

Dr. Jorgensen holds a doctorate in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Colorado. Additionally, he served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Learning and Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University. He is the holder of multiple U.S. patents that document his direct contributions to applied science. Furthermore, he has authored hundreds of publications on a diverse range of topics.

Dr. ANNETTE SOBEL, MD

Texas Tech University

Dr. Annette Sobel is a former Major General in the Arizona Air National Guard, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Education, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock.

Currently, she is the Director of Global Laboratory for Energy Asset Management and Manufacturing (GLEAMM), at Texas Tech University.  She is also an Adjunct Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Executive for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Health Security Initiatives, at TTU.  She is residency trained in Family and Community Medicine and Aerospace Medicine and is a Hyperbaric Medicine Specialist, certified by the U.S. Navy.  As a physician-human factors engineer, she worked at Sandia National Laboratories as a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff and was a guest scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory.  She was a senior advisor to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).  Dr. Sobel also served as Senior Advisor for Biosecurity Engagement in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense/Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Program.  Presently, she is Chair of the Permanent Monitoring Panel for mitigation of acts of terrorism of the World Federation of Scientists, and is a Commissioner on the Governor Greg Abbott’s Texas Military Preparedness Commission.

Dr. Sobel’s research focuses on integration of human factors principles into a wide range of systems engineering platforms to include synthetic aperture radar systems for advanced tactical fighters, virtual reality and robotic training platforms, unmanned aircraft systems, decision-assisting algorithms for emerging infectious disease response and medical diagnostics for pre-hospital care.

LOUIS TUCKER

EVP, Capabilities and Sectretary

Louis B. Tucker is the CEO of Mission Sync, a national security sector consulting firm focusing on the intelligence and special operations communities.  President, The Foundation for Innovation and Discovery (FINND) a non-profit organization that nurtures a community of interest around innovation for DOD/IC.  He serves on George Washington University’s Counterterrorism Task Force, on the advisory board of multiple technology companies and on the advisory board of Mission Link – an executive level forum designed to foster collaboration and innovation among CEOs, decision makers, critical thinkers and pacesetters from the most promising companies dedicated to the mission of defense, intelligence and national security.  Within the federal government, Louis advises several intelligence/defense principals.  From 2007 – early 2011 Louis served as the Republican Staff Director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI).  As staff director, he led a team of legal, policy and intelligence professionals overseeing the $80B+ operations of the Intelligence Community and crafting landmark legislation like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act of 2008.  Louis is a Navy Reserve Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Commander who mobilized on active duty from June-December 2009 at the request of General Stanley McChrystal to serve on his Strategic Advisory Group and in Ambassador Karl Eichenberry’s Interagency Provincial Affairs Office in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Louis served from 1996-2003 on active duty as a Navy SEAL, from 2003-2004 as a Central Intelligence Agency officer overseas, and in 2005 as U.S. Senator Richard Shelby’s Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill.  He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1995 with a B.A. in History and earned a Master’s of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University in 2006.

A RENOWNED INNOVATION AND GROWTH ADVISOR TO GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESSES

Francisco is currently the COO at NSIN – National Security Innovation Network. He brings a wealth of experience from previous roles at NSIN, the Tatitlek Corporation and Eccalon, LLC. Francisco is a graduate of London Business School Project and Infrastructure Finance Executive Program (Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law). He holds an MBA and Honors Business Diplomacy Certificate from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (SFS), as well as a degree in Chemical Engineering from Yale University. 

Lieutenant General (Ret.) THOMAS J. TRASK

Former Vice Commander, United States Special Operations Command

Lt General Trask served 33 years in the US Air Force, retiring as the Vice Commander of United States Special Operations Command. Tom is a highly sought-after defense and security consultant in the Washington DC area, providing full-service consulting focused on defense industry strategy, Capitol Hill engagement, leading and managing large organizations. He is a Senior Strategist for Navigators Global LLC, and is also a Senior Fellow with the Center of Naval Analysis (CNA).

As the Vice Commander serving USSOCOM in the Pentagon, and as the Director of Resources, Programming and Assessments before that, he was responsible for the oversight and management of the USSOCOM $12B annual budget for six years. He was responsible for developing requirements to ensure that our deployed Special Operations Forces on the battlefield have exactly the tools that they need when they need them. Tom entered the Air Force in 1984 as an Air Force ROTC graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

He flew Rescue and Special Operations helicopters accumulating more than 3200 hours and over 50 combat missions during operations in Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq, and numerous operations in the Balkans, Bosnia and Kosovo. He commanded at squadron, group, and wing level, and commanded the Air University Squadron Officer College.

He has extensive experience in combined and joint planning, operations, programming, and financial management, serving on the Joint Staff, HQ US Central Command, HQ US Special Operations Command, and HQ NATO SOUTH. Tom has a Master’s degree in International Relations from Troy University, and is a graduate of the Naval War College, the School of Advanced Airpower Studies, and NATO Defense College.

CARL W. HOFFMAN

CEO, Basis Technology

Carl founded Basis Technology in 1995 to help American companies enter Asian markets. In 1999, the company shipped its first products for website internationalization, enabling Lycos and Google to become the first search engines capable of cataloging the web in both Asian and European languages. In 2003, the company shipped its first Arabic analyzer and began development of a comprehensive text analytics platform.

Today, Basis Technology is recognized as the leading provider of components for information retrieval, entity extraction, and entity resolution in many languages. Carl has been directly involved with the company’s activities in support of national security missions, and works closely with analysts in the U.S. intelligence community. Prior to starting Basis Technology, Carl worked as an independent consultant in Boston, New York and Tokyo to international clients in finance and knowledge management.

Carl spent eight years on the research staff of the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science. He is an active contributor to several non-profit organizations, including the Free Software Foundation, the MIT Alumni Fund, and the Unicode Consortium.

A DISTINGUISHED ENTREPRENEUR, SCIENTIST AND ENGINEER

Wilder Lopes is celebrated for his innovative contributions to the field of machine learning and AI. With a Ph.D. in Electronics Engineering, he has spearheaded multiple ventures, notably founding ogre.run Inc., a pioneering company that automates software dependency management, dramatically enhancing AI development efficiency. His career also highlights his tenure as Chief Machine Learning Architect at Permion AI, where he advanced neurosymbolic AI solutions, and his role as Founder and Chief Architect of Ogarantia in Paris, integrating complex mathematical techniques into AI deployment. Wilder co-founded Upstride, achieving notable success in neural network optimization through geometric algebras, leading to its acquisition by ContentSquare. His work, underpinned by a deep commitment to pushing technological boundaries, is also evident in his significant contributions to academic research, with numerous publications and talks at international conferences.

AI, Data Science, GIS and IT-wide Solutions Leader | Open Source Advocate | AWS & Data Platforms Architect

William D. Martinez is a senior IT and AI development leader with over 25 years of experience supporting national security and mission-critical government programs. With a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams, he specializes in secure, cloud-based infrastructure (AWS/GovCloud), advanced data visualization (ArcGIS, Tableau), and Python-based analytics platforms.
A champion of open-source adoption across federal environments, William has led enterprise initiatives to integrate secure, modular tools—improving agility, transparency, and resilience. At the Defense Intelligence Agency, he architected multi-platform AI solutions and data pipelines that transformed CI/HUMINT operations, operational dashboards, and AI-based recommender systems for analysts.
He is deeply committed to advancing responsible AI, open innovation, and sovereign digital infrastructure that aligns with U.S. values and mission needs.

The Foundation’s network of worldwide expertise resources is comprised of diverse groups of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These professionals, each a leader in their respective field, provide an invaluable wellspring of knowledge and experience. Their collective expertise spans a vast array of disciplines, forming a cornerstone of the Foundation’s mission and capabilities.

MELVIN CORDOVA

Executive Director

With more than 30 years of military, government civilian, and industry experience in defense and intelligence technology innovation, leading change, and building consensus in HUMINT, MASINT, Analysis, and IT, Melvin Cordova specializes in addressing national security problem sets by providing artificial intelligence solutions for advanced graph analytics and secure communications for DOD/IC organizations. His focus is on identifying emerging threats and managing the velocity and complexity of technology innovation for high-stakes environments to counter those threats.

He led the Secretariat of Innovation at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and directed investment in more than 100 innovations to include the IQT Program (CIA’s Venture Capital arm). He earned his stellar reputation by building winning teams and developing strong customer relationships with both the technical community and end users.

E. MICHAEL BELL

Chief, Operations

A former intelligence officer who completed numerous assignments worldwide, for which he received multiple U.S. government awards. Highly trained in collection and analysis, and fluent in several foreign languages.

Dr. John Elkton

Head, Academics

With over 20 years of experience in academia, Dr. Elkton has a proven track record of excellence in both teaching and research, and has since held various academic positions at prestigious institutions around the world, and gas especially distinguished himself in developing specialized training courses for the U.S. government agencies that are responsible for the national security of the United States. He taught courses in operational psychology and conducted research on advanced applied psychology topics. As Head of the Academics, Dr. Elkton is responsible for overseeing all academic programs and ensuring that they meet the highest standards of quality. He works closely with the instructors to develop new curricula and teaching methods that are innovative and effective. In addition to his administrative duties, he continues to be an active researcher.

Ben Shaw

PM, Workforce Development

Ben Shaw is a highly experienced program manager in the field of workforce development. He has a proven track record of delivering successful specialized training programs and initiatives that helped employees of U.S. government agencies and industry reach their full potential. Ben is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the program’s operations, from developing new training initiatives to managing the delivery of existing programs. He works closely with employers, educators, and other stakeholders to ensure that the program is meeting the needs of both trainees and targeted prospective employers. Ben is known for his ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders and his commitment to delivering high-quality programs that make a real difference in people’s lives. He is a skilled communicator and collaborator who is always looking for new ways to improve the program and better serve its participants.

Chris Norton

PM, Applied Research

Chris Norton is a highly skilled program manager with extensive experience in the field of applied research. He oversees a team of researchers and scientists in the development and implementation of a projects portfolio of projects, which span a range of industries and applications in the national security sector. With a background in engineering and a passion for innovation, Chris has been instrumental in driving the success of numerous research initiatives in his career. He has a deep understanding of the research process, from conceptualization to implementation, and is committed to ensuring that all projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality. He is also responsible for ensuring that all projects are aligned with the Foundation’s Mission, its strategic goals and objectives. In his free time, Chris enjoys hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family. He is an active member of his community and volunteers his time with a local church.

Eleonore J. Rigby

PM, Engagements

Eleonore J. Rigby is a highly experienced and accomplished program manager with expertise in government and corporate engagements. With over 10 years of experience in the field, she has a proven track record of successfully managing complex projects and delivering results. Eleonore is responsible for overseeing all aspects of government and corporate engagements, from planning and execution to monitoring and evaluation. She works closely with stakeholders to ensure that projects are aligned with organizational goals and objectives, and that they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. She is adept at navigating complex political and organizational landscapes, and is committed to delivering results that meet the needs of all stakeholders. Prior to joining her current organization, Eleonore held a number of senior positions in both the public and private sectors. She has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing organizations in today’s rapidly changing business environment, and is committed to helping her clients navigate these challenges and achieve their goals. Eleonore holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Program Management Institute (PMI) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Enrique Diaz R.

Specialty: Reconstruction projects including energy, water, roads, ports, hospitals, schools, telecommunications, housing, agriculture, mining remediation, oilfield services, power generation, universities, health systems, and municipal infrastructure.
Area of expertise: Latin America

Bryan Ingram

Bryan Ingram serves as an Adviser for the Special Projects Group at Gulfstream Foundation, bringing a relentless drive for innovation and a proven track record in complex international project execution. Recognized as a modern thought leader with two decades of experience, he leverages his background as an Oregon State University student-athlete to apply competitive discipline and rigorous leadership to global challenges. Bryan currently spearheads disruptive industry transformation and strategic innovation as Managing Partner at both Quantum Unity and Alpha Green LLC, as well as serving as a Strategic Advisor for Huney Jun, LLC. Over the past two years, his ability to make critical decisions under stress has been instrumental in successfully navigating high-stakes international projects across Southeast Asia and Africa. Unwaveringly committed to solving complex global problems, Bryan utilizes the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology to deliver impactful outcomes across a broad spectrum of humanitarian, technological, and economic initiatives.