JOHN PHELAN

CHAIRMAN

John Phelan is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm, and Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of MSD Capital LP, the private investment firm for Michael Dell, Founder and CEO of Dell Technologies. Prior to MSD Capital, he was a Principal for seven years at ESL Partners, where he was responsible for Special Situation and Distressed Investments and helped grow the firm from $50 million to over $2 billion in assets under management. Prior to ESL, he was a Vice President in the Equity Group in charge of Acquisitions (Western Region) for the Zell-Merrill Lynch Real Estate Opportunity Funds. He began his career at Goldman Sachs as an Analyst in the Investment Banking Division. He currently is a member on the Board of Trustees at the Whitney Museum of American Art (Chairman), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Chairman of the Investment Committee), and Spirit of America. He also serves on the Board of Dean’s Advisors for the Harvard Business School, the Investment Committee for the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Endowment, and the North American Advisory Board for the London School of Economics. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics and Political Science from SMU. He holds a General Course degree with an emphasis in Economics and International Relations from the London School of Economics.

R. SCOTT SPELLMEYER 

VICE CHAIRMAN

R. Scott Spellmeyer is a Managing Director at Cerberus Capital Management. He retired from the CIA with nearly 30 years of government service. As a Paramilitary Operations Officer, he served in multiple senior assignments, including Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the White House/National Security Council, Chief of CIA’s largest overseas Station, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director of Operations, and Chief of Operations for the Special Activities Center. Prior to joining the CIA, he served eight years in the US Army, including assignments with the 75th Ranger Regiment. He earned a BA in History from the Virginia Military Institute and an MS in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University’s National War College. His awards include the Intelligence Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. 

STEPHANIE USRY BELLISTRI

secretary

Stephanie Usry Bellistri is a national security, counterintelligence, and security expert with broad experience in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, counternarcotics, counterproliferation, and military operations. A 22-year veteran of the CIA, she spent extended time in the Middle East and South Asia and served in a variety of leadership positions including Deputy Chief of Operations, Counterterrorism Center; Deputy Chief of WMD Counterterrorism; Chief of Interagency Relations, Afghan Task Force; CIA Liaison to US Atlantic Command; Special Assistant to the Director of Counterintelligence; and Chief of Iran Branch, Counterproliferation Division. Since leaving the Agency, she has served as a senior advisor for and held leadership positions in several emerging technology companies, including Palantir, Evolv Technology, and Saildrone. Her awards include the Intelligence Commendation Medal, George H. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence Star, and several Meritorious Unit Citations.

JAY M. GOFFMAN

Treasurer

Jay M. Goffman is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Smith Goffman Partners, a merchant bank that specializes in providing bespoke advice and creative financing in highly leveraged or distressed situations. Prior to founding Smith Goffman Partners, he was Client Chairman of Teneo’s Financial Advisory Business, leading client development and execution in North America and across the broader business globally. Previously, he served as Vice Chairman of Rothschild & Co’s Global Advisory Practice in North America, advising clients across the firm’s Restructuring, Debt, and M&A Practices. Prior to joining Rothschild & Co in 2020, he was the Global Head of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s Corporate Restructuring Group. With over 40 years of experience in restructuring and M&A, he has been widely recognized for his deal-making ability by such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The American Lawyer, and Financial Times. He was named a “DealMaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer in 2011 and one of “The Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers” by The National Law Journal in 2010. Currently, he is a Fellow at the American College of Bankruptcy and a Member of the Board of Directors of the American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Previously, he was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, Vice Chairman and a Member of the Board of Directors for the China Institute and a Member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the American Bankruptcy Institute. He holds a JD with honors from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and a BS from The State University of New York of Binghamton. He is a recipient of the UNC School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award. He has also received several Lifetime Achievement Awards and has been inducted into several Restructuring and M&A Halls of Fame. 

STEVEN T. CASHEN

Chief Executive Officer

Steven T. Cashen is a veteran of the Special Operations community with almost 30 years of service to our country, including more than a decade with the US Army Special Forces. In pursuit of national security objectives, he has supported expeditionary operations around the globe. He also has contributed to the operational space as advisor, program manager, and consultant to mission critical teams. As an advanced medical practitioner and former operator, he brings a unique and effective combination of skill and experience into the design and implementation of complex programs. A graduate of the University of Utah PA Program, he holds a specialty in Tropical Medicine. His awards include the Silver Star for Gallantry in Action.

MELISSA ALLEN 

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Melissa Allen spent over 15 years in the private sector specializing in business development and program management for Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers, including the CIA, National Security Agency, and Defense Intelligence Agency. As a Capture Manager, she focused on the procurement of counterterrorism, cyber, and counter-proliferation program opportunities. Previously, she worked for a US Senator on foreign policy and intelligence legislation, following a two-year tour of service in Central Africa with the Peace Corps. She holds an MS in International Relations and Security Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from the University of San Diego. In developing programs that support the CIA Special Operations community, she draws on her lived experience as the spouse of a former USMC Infantry Officer and Paramilitary Officer. 

JOHN BURNHAM

BOARD MEMBER

John Burnham currently leads Intel Strategy and Mission Command Integration at Accenture Federal Services in Washington, DC. Prior to entering the private sector, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control from 2014-2017. He retired as a SEAL Captain from the US Navy in 2014 after 28 years of service in a variety of leadership positions, including Commander of the Joint Interagency Task Force of the National Capital Region, Deputy Commander of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and Commander of SEAL Team Four. During his military career, he was deployed to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia, where he gained extensive experience at tactical, operational, and command levels in special operations and national security interagency efforts. A Distinguished Graduate of the National War College, he holds an MBA from the College of William and Mary and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

BRIAN CARBAUGH

BOARD MEMBER

Brian Carbaugh is an Operating Partner and the Chief of Staff at Red Cell and a Co-Founder of Third Option Foundation. A former CIA senior executive, he most recently served as Director of the Special Activities Center (SAC) where he provided leadership, oversight, and management of the CIA’s worldwide paramilitary and special operations. With multiple business units, thousands of employees, and multi-billion dollars in infrastructure, he set the strategic vision for SAC and served as the Senior Paramilitary and Special Operations Advisor to three different Directors of CIA (DCIA). In this role, he synchronized strategic intelligence and policy initiatives with the White House, the US Armed Forces, the Intelligence Community, and foreign partners. Prior to leading SAC, he was Chief of Staff to two recent DCIAs, serving as their senior advisor and as a member of the CIA’s senior leadership team. With over 32 years of experience in the US Marines and Intelligence Community, he assisted the DCIA in executing, managing, and overseeing the CIA’s global intelligence enterprise. He has forged deep relationships with US cabinet-level, Defense Department, Intelligence Community, and Congressional counterparts to advance America’s vital national security needs and has served in war zones and foreign posts around the world. He holds an MA in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and a BS in Political Science from the US Air Force Academy. He is the recipient of the CIA’s Intelligence Star for Valor, the CIA’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s Donovan Award, and the Presidential Rank Award.

KEVIN HIGGINS

BOARD MEMBER

Kevin Higgins is Senior Vice President/General Manager for US Operations and Global Opportunities for Zipline International Incorporated, an autonomous, on-demand unmanned aircraft systems service that delivers medical supplies and consumer products. Prior to joining Zipline in 2022, he retired from CIA after 30 years of distinguished service with over ten years at the executive level, including Chief of Staff to the Director of CIA. As a member of the Agency’s senior leadership team, he advised on foreign and US private industry partnerships, influenced leadership succession planning with an eye towards diversity, and built a strong network across the US intelligence, defense, and policy communities to advance America’s vital national interests. Earlier CIA assignments included Assistant Director for Africa, where he led a cross-functional intelligence center; Chief of Operations of the Counterterrorism Center, where he drove global efforts to prevent terrorist attacks at home and abroad; and Chief of Station in several countries. With his transition from government to private industry, he founded KSTK Enterprises, LLC, which provides advisory and consulting services to private and public firms on issues ranging from geopolitical risk and business development to mergers and acquisitions of companies with a national security nexus. He sits on the Advisory Boards of New North Ventures, Semantic AI, and Benchmark’s National Security and Cyber Experts. He holds an MS in National Security Strategy from the National War College and a BA in English Literature from Grambling State University. He has received the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s Excellence in Leadership Award, the George W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism, the CIA Director’s Award, the CIA Director’s Award for Distinguished Service, and three Presidential Rank Awards.

SCOTT KRASE

BOARD MEMBER

Scott Krase is the Founder of one2one USA Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to revolutionize charitable giving by connecting donors directly to individuals in need in customizable, meaningful, and transparent ways. He also currently serves as a Senior Advisor on the Investment Team of Oak Hill Advisors, LP (“Oak Hill”), which he helped launch in 1993. Previously at Oak Hill, he was a Senior Partner with portfolio management responsibilities in the United States and Europe. He received a BS cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. 

JAMES R. MATTHEWS

BOARD MEMBER

James R. Matthews is a Managing Director of Stone Point Capital and leads investments in insurance distribution, risk management, and asset management. He joined Stone Point in 2011 from Evercore Inc., where he was a Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Private Equity. From 2000 to 2007, he was with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, where he was a General Partner, and prior to that, he was a General Partner of J. H. Whitney & Co. He began his career as an Analyst in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Salomon Brothers Inc. Currently, he sits on the Boards of Alliant Insurance Services, Eagle Point Credit Management, HireRight, Private Client Select, SambaSafety, Tree Line Capital, and Verisys. Previously, he served on the Boards of Bollinger Insurance, Black Mountain Systems, Frenkel & Company, and Sedgwick Claims Management Services. While a Trustee for Greenwich Academy for eight years, he served as Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Executive Committee member. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Boston College.

KAREN M. SCHAEFER

BOARD MEMBER

Karen M. Schaefer held numerous leadership positions within the CIA during her 26-year career, with overseas assignments as an Operations Officer in Latin America, Europe, and Afghanistan and as Chief of Base in Iraq. Her headquarters positions included Chief of Operations, Directorate of Science and Technology; Deputy Associate Director of Military Affairs; Deputy Chief of Counterintelligence, Near East Division; Executive Assistant to Deputy Director CIA; and Group Chief, Iran Operations Division. She also served as Director of Intelligence Programs at the National Security Council, where she managed the President’s covert action programs. She closed out her government career as the Associate Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director’s Senior CIA Representative. She served as the Policy Lead for the Biden Transition Team CIA Review Team in 2020. Currently, she sits on the Board of MicroStrategy Government Services and on the Advisory Boards of the International Spy Museum, FAMIL, and the Sycamore Institute. She also is an Expert for the Cipher Brief and a Senior Advisor for the Atlantic Council. She holds a BA in Spanish and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, and her awards include the Presidential Rank Award, Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the CIA Director’s Medal for Extraordinary Fidelity and Essential Service, the US Special Operations Command Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, and two Director of National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medals. 

GRANT VERSTANDIG

BOARD MEMBER

Grant Verstandig has founded and scaled multiple technology-led companies, including Red Cell Partners LLC, Epirus Inc., Spycraft Entertainment, and Rally Health, which was acquired by UnitedHealth Group in 2017. An active investor as well as business operator, he also has supported multiple biopharmaceutical and healthcare technology companies from their earliest stages. Currently, he is the Executive Chairman of Epirus, a high-growth technology company that develops counter-UAS systems for the Department of Defense. Previously, he served as UnitedHealth Group’s Chief Digital Officer and now serves as a Senior Advisor to its CEO. His broad-ranging leadership roles include Senior Advisor to the National Security Agency on advanced analytics, technology, and artificial intelligence; Member of the National Council for the American Enterprise Institute; and Member of the Board of Directors for NexImmune, Inc. and the International Spy Museum. Through his family foundation, he supports American veterans suffering from post-traumatic brain injuries.

JOHN C. “CHRIS” WOOD

BOARD MEMBER

Chris Wood retired from the CIA in July 2016 after 31 years of service. During his tenure, he rose to SIS-5 and the position of an Assistant Director. He led several field commands in dangerous and sensitive assignments overseas and was deployed  in multiple war zone tours. In Washington, DC, he served as the Chief to a number of critical Agency offices, and his rotational assignments included stints with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He holds a BA in Government and Politics from George Mason University. 

JOHN O. BRENNAN

John O. Brennan, a Senior Advisor at Kissinger Associates, served as Director of the CIA (2013-17) and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (2009-13). During an earlier stint at the CIA (1980-2005), he was the Daily Intelligence Briefer to President Clinton, Chief of Station in the Middle East, Deputy Executive Director, and the first Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Currently, he serves as a Distinguished Fellow for Global Security at Fordham Law School’s Center on National Security. He holds an MA in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from Fordham University in Political Science. He also studied at the American University in Cairo. 

JAMES R. CLAPPER

James R. Clapper is a Senior Fellow with the Belfer Center’s Intelligence Project at the Harvard Kennedy School for Science and International Affairs. From 2010-17, he served as the fourth US Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the principal intelligence advisor to the President and leader of the US Intelligence Community. Earlier government posts included Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Director of Defense Intelligence for the DNI (2007-10) and Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, formerly National Imagery and Mapping Agency (2001-06). His military career spanned more than three decades (1961-95), beginning as an enlistee with the US Marine Corps Reserve and concluding as a Lieutenant General with the US Air Force and the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (1991-95). He authored a New York Times best-selling book, Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence, and holds an honorary doctorate from the Joint Military Intelligence College, an MS in Political Science from St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, Texas), and a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland. He has received numerous awards and honors including three National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medals, two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, and the Presidential National Security Medal.

BOB EATINGER

Bob Eatinger is the Founding Principal of SpyLaw Consulting, LLC, an advisor to US law firms and businesses, and of Robert J. Eatinger, Jr., PLLC, a national security and intelligence law practice. His former roles with the CIA include Senior Deputy General Counsel and Acting General Counsel (2013-14), Deputy General and Counsel for Operations (2009-13), Chief Legal Adviser for Counterterrorism (2004-09), several leadership posts within the Office of General Counsel Litigation Division (1997-2004), and Legal Advisor, Latin America Division, Directorate of Operations (1995-97).  He also served for 30 years in the US Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and the Navy Reserve Law Program, retiring as a Captain. He received a JD from the University of San Diego School of Law and a BS in Political Science from California State University San Bernardino.  His numerous CIA citations include the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal, Intelligence Community Legal Award for Lifetime Achievement, and George H.W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism. While serving in the Navy, his many awards included the Defense Superior Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. 

PORTER J. GOSS

Porter J. Goss served as Director of Central Intelligence (2004-05) and Director of the CIA (2005-06). As a CIA Clandestine Service Officer (1962-72), he completed assignments in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, and was involved with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Prior to this work, he served as a US Army Intelligence Officer (1960-62). His 40-year career in public service also included (founding) Co-Chairman of the Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics (2008-14), US Representative for Southwest Florida (1989-2004), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (1997-2004), and Co-Chair of the Joint Congressional Inquiry into the terrorist attacks of 9/11, as well as three terms as Mayor of Sanibel, Florida (1975-77, 1981-82) and Chairman of the Lee County (Florida) Commission (1985-86). He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in 2006 and holds a BA in classical Greek from Yale University.

GENERAL MICHAEL HAYDEN, USAF, RET. 

General Michael V. Hayden is a Principal at the Chertoff Group, specializing in international intelligence and cybersecurity. Previously, he held posts at the highest levels of military and government service, including Director of the CIA (2006-9), Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (2005-6), Director of the National Security Agency (1999-2005), and Commander of the Air Intelligence Agency and Director of the Joint Command and Control Warfare Center (1996-97). Currently, he serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government and Chairman of the Board of Delta Risk, LLC. He also has authored a New York Times best-selling memoir, Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror. A graduate of Duquesne University, he earned an MA in Modern American History and a BA in History, and pursued postgraduate work at the Defense Intelligence School conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency.

GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, USA, RET.

General Stanley A. McChrystal is a Co-Founder and Partner of the McChrystal Group, a consulting firm working with American businesses. A retired US Army Four-Star General, he led the US military’s international counterterrorism efforts during his posts as Commander of US Forces Afghanistan and NATO International Security Assistance Forces (2009-10), Director of the Joint Staff (2008-9), and Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (2003-8). Over the course of his career, he has held leadership positions in the Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, 82nd Airborne Division, and the XVIII Army Airborne Corp. Currently, he serves as a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs where he teaches a course on Leadership in Operation. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Siemens Government Technologies, Navistar International Corporation and JetBlue Airways, and serves as Chair of the Board of Service Year Alliance, a project of Be The Change and the Aspen Institute. He has published two New York Times best-selling books, My Share of the Task (his memoir) and Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. He is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and the US Naval War College, and completed fellowships at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Council on Foreign Relations. 

LT. GENERAL JOHN F. MULHOLLAND, USA RET.

Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland is President of Mulholland Consulting, LLC, which he founded in 2017. A career Army Special Forces officer with over 37 years of service, held numerous leadership posts in military and government service, including Associate Director for Military Affairs for the CIA (2014-16), Deputy Commander of the US Special Operations Command (2012-14), Commanding General of the US Army Special Operations Command (2008-12), Commanding General of Special Operations Command, Central (2007-8), and Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command (2006-7). In the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11, he commanded Special Operations Task Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His overseas assignments comprised two tours in the former Panama Canal Zone; Command of the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group in Okinawa, Japan; and Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation in Kuwait. Currently, he serves as a Special Advisor to the Board of Directors of Klas Telecom Government and to Razor’s Edge Ventures LLC and sits on a number of other advisory boards. He holds an MMAS in History from the US Army Command and General Staff College, an MS in National Security Strategy from the National War College, and a BA in History from Furman University. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Army Distinguished Service Medal.

SECRETARY LEON E. PANETTA

Leon E. Panetta is the Founder and Chair of The Panetta Institute for Public Policy. His 50-year career in public service included roles at the highest levels of government, including Secretary of Defense (2011-13), Director of the CIA (2009-11), White House Chief of Staff to President Clinton (1994-97), Director of the Office of Management and Budget (1993-94), and US Representative (1977-93).  From 1964-66, he served in the US Army as a Military Intelligence Officer and received the Army Commendation Medal. At present, he serves on the Board of Directors for Oracle and Blue Shield of California, and as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Defense Personnel Task Force and the Center for Strategic and International Studies Commission on Countering Violent Extremism. He holds a JD from the Santa Clara University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from Santa Clara University. Recent honors include the Intelligence and National Security Alliance’s William Oliver Baker Award, OSS Society’s William J. Donovan Award, and the National Defense Industrial Association’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Award.

GENERAL DAVID H. PETRAEUS, USA, RET.

General David H. Petraeus is a Partner in the global investment firm of KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute. He also is a member of the Boards of Optiv and OneStream, a Judge Widney Professor at the University of Southern California, a non-resident Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, Co-Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson Institute’s Global Advisory Council, Senior Vice President of the Royal United Services Institute, and a personal venture capitalist. He served over 37 years in the US Army (1974-2011), culminating his career with six consecutive commands as a general officer, including command of the Multi-National Force-Iraq during the Surge, command of US Central Command (2008-10), and command of International Security Assistant Force in Afghanistan (2010-11). He subsequently served as Director of the CIA (2011-12). A graduate with distinction from the US Military Academy, he later earned a PhD from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He has been awarded numerous US military, State Department, NATO, and United Nations medals, including four awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, two awards of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Ranger Tab, and Master Parachutist Wings. Among other awards, he has received the OSS Society’s William J. Donovan Award, the National Defense Industrial Association’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, Princeton University’s Madison Medal, and the Intrepid Freedom Award. He has also been decorated by 13 foreign countries.

THE HONORABLE MIKE J. ROGERS

The Hon. Mike J. Rogers is a former Member of Congress representing Michigan's Eighth Congressional District (1995-2001). He chaired the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, overseeing a $70 billion budget that funded the nation's 17 intelligence agencies, including a large portion of the national security space architecture. Previously, he served as an officer in the US Army (1985-89) and as an FBI special agent (1989-94). Currently, he advises C-suite executives from Fortune 100 companies on cybersecurity and executive leadership and is a regular national security commentator on CNN. He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board at the MITRE Corporation and as a Director at CyberSponse, IAP, and 4IQ. Additionally, he is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University, a member of the Advisory Board for George Mason University’s National Security and Law Policy Institute, and a member of the Board of Trustees and the David Abshire Chair at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, where he directs the Center’s national security programs.

GEORGE J. TENET

George J. Tenet is Chairman Emeritus of Allen and Company LLC, a privately held investment bank based in New York City. Previously, he served as the 18th Director of the CIA (1997-2004) and Deputy Director of the CIA (1995-97). Earlier in his career, he held a number of leadership positions including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the National Security Council, and Staff Director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also served as Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University (2004-07) and authored At the Center of the Storm (2007), a memoir of his years in the CIA. He received a BSFS from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and an MIA from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He also holds honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, University of Oklahoma, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Joint Military Intelligence College. His many awards for his public service include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and the Anti- Defamation League’s Democratic Legacy Award. Among his foreign decorations are the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Polish Commander’s Cross with Star, Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Grand Officer, Jordanian Independence Medal of Honor, Egyptian Order of Merit (First Class), and Canadian Security Intelligence Service Gold Medal.

DR. MICHAEL VICKERS

Dr. Michael Vickers is widely recognized as a top US national security advisor. His leadership posts include Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (2011-15) and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities (2007-11). Earlier in his career, he served in the Special Forces and in the CIA Clandestine Service, with operational and combat experience in Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central Asia. He holds a PhD in International Relations-Strategic Studies from the Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has received the nation’s highest awards in the fields of intelligence and defense, including the Presidential National Security Medal.

MICHELLE BAUMGARTEN

DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Michelle Baumgarten has raised millions of dollars for small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations throughout the country. Over the past decade, she has managed corporate, foundation, major gifts, and individual giving programs, creating sustainable revenue streams to support their organizational growth. Her extensive fundraising experience includes management roles in strategic planning, operations, events, and marketing and communications. Prior to joining Third Option Foundation, she was the Individual Giving Manager for the Armed Services YMCA of the USA National Headquarters. She also has served as the Associate Executive Director for the Armed Services YMCA at Fort Bragg; Major Gifts Officer and Manager of Corporate and Foundation Relations at the Tacoma Art Museum; and Membership and Operations Manager of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums. She is a 2021 Veritas Major Gift Academy Scholar and currently is pursuing her Certified Fund-Raising Executive credential. She holds an MA in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program at the State University of New York and a BS in History from Iowa State University.  

MIRIAM D’ALESSANDRO

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Miriam D’Alessandro has advised non-profit and for-profit organizations on communications, public relations, program development, and community outreach. Prior to consulting, she worked in public affairs for The George Washington University Science and Technology Campus and managed the foundation and corporate giving program for a constitutional rights organization in Washington, DC. She holds a BA in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

MEGAN JACOBY, CPA

CONTROLLER

Megan Jacoby specializes in financial review and analysis as well as streamlined accounting process improvements. With two decades of experience in accounting and finance, she has provided services to Deloitte & Touche LLP, Honeywell, and government contracting firms working directly with Department of Defense and Intelligence Community clients. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a BS in Finance from the Pennsylvania State University.

LULU KABANJE

SENIOR PROGRAM OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

Lulu Kabanje has specialized in operations and program development for nonprofit and for-profit organizations for the past five years. Her work experience includes project management, client engagement, communications, and logistics roles with Seismic Software, Salesforce.com, and AmeriCorps VISTA. She holds a BA in Political Science from California State University, an AA in Economics from De Anza College, and a ScrumMaster Certificate from the Scrum Alliance.

COLIN MCKEE

PROGRAM Director, SURVIVORSHIP and OPERATOR/FAMILY RESILENCY

Colin McKee is a 25-year veteran of the US Navy, where he served as a Navy Commander and Naval Aviator. He has more than 15 years of program management experience with the US Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor Program at Walter Reed Hospital, the Office of the Chief of Navy Reserve, and the Office of the Director of Navy Test and Evaluation and Technology Requirements. He has been extensively involved, both in and out of uniform, with programs directly impacting quality of life for wounded warriors and families navigating acute life events. He holds an MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School and a BS in Industrial Technology from San Diego State University.

DEBRA ROGERS

development Operations manager

Debra Rogers has specialized in nonprofit development for more than 20 years, with extensive experience in grant writing, events management, fundraising operations and CRM management, and marketing and communications. Prior to joining Third Option Foundation, she served as the Development and Operations Manager for the Brain Injury Association of Virginia; Fund Development and Operations Manager for the Virginia Health Care Foundation; Development Director at Father Foundation of Virginia; Development Manager at Henrico Court Appointed Special Advocates; and Annual Fund/Grants Manager at The Doorways. She holds a Grant Writing and Management Certificate from the University of Richmond and a BA in English from Longwood University.

DR. (BRONSON) ELIZABETH DELASOBERA

Dr. Elizabeth Delasobera received her undergraduate degree from Yale University and medical degree from Stanford University. She completed a residency in emergency medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and a sports medicine fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University. Within MedStar Health, she serves as Medical Director for MedStar Health Urgent Care, Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine in the DC Region, Associate Program Director for the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, Attending Physician at the George University Hospital Emergency Department, Sports Medicine Specialist for the MedStar Health Rehabilitation Network, and Associate Professor with the Georgetown University School of Medicine. She also is Head Team Physician for the NHL Washington Capitals and Marymount University.

DR. DAVID FINN

Dr. David Finn received his medical degree from Tufts University and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Board-certified in internal medicine, Dr. Finn serves as the Medical Director for Concierge Medicine and Executive Health Service at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also the Team Physician for the NHL Boston Bruins and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In 2019, he was recognized as the inaugural incumbent of the Gill and Allan Gray Family Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine.

DR. SHIRI COHEN

family resiliency lead

Dr. Shiri Cohen received her undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University Scholars Program and her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University. She completed a clinical fellowship in couples and family therapy at the Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School and a research fellowship focused on marital and relationship health at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Previously, she served as the Director of Couples Services for the Red Sox Foundation/Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, where she now consults on clinical and educational program development initiatives for military couples and families. She is a Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has published numerous articles and presented nationally on topics including emotional regulation between partners, stress/trauma adaptation in couples, and the impact of combat deployment on relationships.

DR. PAULA RAUCH

senior family resiliency advisor

Dr. Paula Rauch received her undergraduate degree from Amherst College and her medical degree from The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She completed a medical internship at Yale University, psychiatry residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and fellowship in child psychiatry at Cambridge Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital. She is the Director of the Marjorie E. Korff PACT (Parenting At a Challenging Time) Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. Previously, she served as the Director of Family Support for the Red Sox Foundation/Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, working with veterans of lraq and Afghanistan and their families. She currently sits on the Science Advisory Board for the Military Child Education Coalition, serves an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and is the co-author of Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child when a Parent is Sick.