Speaker Hall of Fame
Conference Co-Chairs

Layne Merritt
Vice President, Technology & Innovation
Elbit Systems of America

Dr. N. Andrew Browning
Senior Program Director of Autonomy
AeroVironment
Government & DoD Speakers

Chris Henry
Deputy Director
Naval Warfare
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Director, Operational Test & Evaluation

Bryan Scurry, SES
Executive Director, Naval Air Forces
U.S. Pacific Fleet

Dennis Teefy
Project Director
Sensors Aerial Intelligence (PDSAI), Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S)

Captain Ben Cohen
Director The NavalX SoCal Tech Bridge
USMC

Captain Patrick Thien
Deputy Director, Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC)
Mine Warfare Division
USN

Sgt. Nicholas Link
UAS Unit Sergeant
San Diego Police Department Operational Support

Alyson Turri
Program Manager
Air Force Research Laboratory
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Commander Jerry Daley, USN
Commanding Officer
Unmanned Surface Vehicles Division ONE

Major (P) Michael P. Brabner
Robotics Requirements Division / Air Branch Chief Maneuver Capabilities Development & Integration Directorate
Army Futures Command

Maj David “Jon” Lilja
Assistant Product Manager, Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office
Program Executive Office, Army Aviation

Col Steven Beattie II, USAF
Commander, 49th Operations Group
Holloman AFB, NM

Rebecca Boxerman
Science Advisor, ONR, Science Advisor to Commander
Naval Surface Forces, Surface Development Squadron (SURFDEVRON) 1

Mike Tall
Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSSTM), Project Overmatch Autonomy Lead, Integrated Autonomous C4ISR,
Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC)

Colonel (USAF-ret) Stephen “Lux” Luxion
Executive Director
ASSURE FAA Center of Excellence for UAS

Dr. John Matyjas
SES, Chief Scientist
Air Combat Command

Carson L. Wakefield
Product Lead
Soldier Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office
Program Executive Office (PEO) Army Aviation

The Honorable Andrew P. Hunter
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (AT&L)

Vinny Capobianco
Rapid Innovation Cell, Navy Unmanned Task Force
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona

Keith Jones
Executive Director, Domain Awareness Security Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations

Dr. Doug Meador
Air Vehicles Lead
Autonomous Collaborative Enabling Technologies (ACET) Portfolio
Air Force Research Lab

LtCol Lawrence Ware, USAF
Director of Autonomous Collaborative Enabling Technologies
Air Force Research Laboratory

Darshan “Dash” Divakaran
Senior Manager, Strategic Innovation & Partnerships
Company - AFWERX, United States Air Force
Industry Speakers

Mike Atwood
Senior Director
Advanced Programs
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Travis Burdine
Director of Domestic Business Development & Strategy
Insitu (A Boeing Company)

Dr. Nick Ernest
Chief AI Architect
Thales USA

Lt Col (USAF-ret) Jerry L. Frazier, Jr.
Managing Partner, Director,
Integrated Air and Missile Defense
Amalgam Defense Solutions, LLC

Erik Grant
Vice President
C-UAS Solutions, CACI International Inc.

Dr. Doug Meador
Air Vehicles Lead
Autonomous Collaborative Enabling Technologies (ACET) Portfolio
Air Force Research Lab

Colonel (USA-ret) Rob Menti
Business Development
Armament Systems, Northrop Grumman Corporation Defense Systems

Joe Murray
Principal
Blue Force Technologies

Dave Ogburn
Capture Manager, Undersea and Seabed Technologies
Aerojet Rocketdyne

Chris Pehrson
Chief Growth Officer
Parry Labs

Wayne Prender
Senior Vice President of Air Systems
Textron Systems

Chan Saunders
Technical Director
Naval Surface & Undersea Systems
Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Kevin D. Stamey, SES
Director for Information Dominance Programs
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L)

Joe Valenzuela
Vice President of Strategy
Tactical Platforms
Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems
