2026 National Security and Naval Power Bootcamp

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Sunday May 31st - arrive in DC

Orientation
Anytime	Check-In
6:30pm	Welcome Reception

 

Monday June 1st

Day One: National Security Strategy & Policy
8:00-9:30	Welcome, Intros, Expectations (S. Squassoni) Location: Science and Engineering Hall
9:30-10:45	Overview of Navy RDT&E (S. Hooper)
11:00-11:45	Emerging Technologies (H. Berkhof)
11:45-1:00	Lunch
1:00-2:00	How the Navy Works (Dr. Fu)
2:00-3:00	Shipbuilding Programs (E. Labs)
3:15-4:15	Communicating S&T to Decision Makers (S. Fetter)
4:15-5:15	Introduce Group Activity/Group Work
6:30-8:30	Evening Activity - Dinner and Speaker Dr. Larrie D. Ferreiro

Tuesday June 2nd

Day Two: Navigating around National Security
8:00-9:30	Naval and Maritime Ecosystem (J. Roberts)
9:30-11:00	Overview of Budget process (A. Zimmerman)
11:15-12:30	How to Brief Decision Makers (J. Weaver)
12:30-1:30	Lunch
1:30-2:30	Group Work Time
2:00-2:30	Travel to Capitol Hill
3:00-4:00	The Role of Congress - (D. Fite)
4:00-4:30	Travel to back to GWU
6:30-8:30	Dinner Speaker: Transformative Decade (L. Lewis)

 

Wednesday June 3rd

Day Three – Site Visits
7:45-1:00	NSWC Carderock Site Visit
1:00-2:00	A Primer on Arctic Security - (D. Auerswald)
2:00-3:15	Role of Space (J. Klein)
3:30-4:30	Energy Challenges for National Security (J. Bryan)
4:30-5:30	Group Work Time
Evening	Night Off

 

Thursday June 4th

Day 4  Key Topics
8:00 -9:45	Global Naval Challenges (J. Tallis)
10:00-12:00	Embassy Panel
12:00-1:00	Lunch
1:00-2:00	Global Threat Assessment (M. Patterson)
2:00-3:15	Defense and Security in the Arctic (J. Boyd)
3:30-4:45	ICE X (K. Woerner)
4:45-5:45	Group Activity Time
6:30-7:30	Kayaking

 

Friday June 5th

Day 5: Future Challenges
8:00-Noon	Group Presentations
Noon-12:30	Closing Remarks
12:30-1:30	Lunch

 

Dr. David P. Auerswald

Dr. David P. Auerswald
Professor of Security Strategy, U.S. National War College;
and Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council.

David Auerswald is Professor of Security Studies at the U.S. National War College and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. He has published extensively on a variety of national security and foreign policy topics, including NATO operations, civil-military relations, and the geopolitics of the Arctic. His two most recent books are NATO in Afghanistan:
Fighting Together, Fighting Alone (Princeton Univ. Press) and Overseen or Overlooked: Legislators, Armed Forces, and Democratic Accountability (Stanford Univ. Press). Since joining the War College faculty in 2001, Dr. Auerswald has served as Acting Dean of Faculty, Associate Dean of Academic Programs, and as a Course Director for major portions of the curriculum on five separate occasions. He previously served on the George Washington University’s faculty and has worked as a congressional staff member. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, and undergraduate degrees in political science and English literature from Brown University.

Philippe Bardet

Philippe Bardet

Professor, George Washington University, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Professor Philippe Bardet's research focuses on experimental fluid mechanics and nuclear thermal hydraulics. He specializes in developing new laser-based diagnostics for multiphase and fluid-structure interaction flows. On-going research efforts include gas transfer in aquatic environments, plume dispersal in the environment, and seismic response of nuclear fuel assemblies.Accordion content.

Trygve Bendiksby

Trygve Bendiksby

Norway’s Deputy Chief of Mission

Mr. Trygve Bendiksby serves as Norway’s Deputy Chief of Mission. He comes from a year as Head of Mission at Norway’s Embassy in Ottawa. Before Ottawa, he was Director for Energy, Climate and Environment at Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo.

Mr. Bendiksby has also served as sherpa for the Prime Minister of Norway on renewable energy and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, and as Deputy Director for Latin-America and the Caribbean at Norway’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He has been posted to Norway’s delegation to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC, and to Norway’s embassies in Venezuela, Tanzania, and South Sudan.Accordion content.

Howard A. Berkof, SES

Howard A. Berkof, SES

Executive Director (Acting),
Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems

Mr. Howard A. Berkof has dedicated over 18 years to serving the United States Navy in various leadership and acquisition roles. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in June 2023.

Since August 2025, Mr. Berkof has served as the Acting Executive Director of the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS). In this capacity, he oversees a $7.35 billion portfolio encompassing 172 weapons, sensors, and combat systems programs across 12 program offices and a workforce of 450 personnel. Prior to this role, he served as PEO IWS’ Director for Production, Deployment, and Fleet Readiness, where he was responsible for managing integrated production, fielding requirements, and resource allocation across the portfolio.

Before joining PEO IWS, Mr. Berkof held the position of Deputy Program Manager for the ACAT I Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program Office (PMS 501) within the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (USC). In this role, he oversaw the funding, construction, testing, and delivery of two distinct variants of the LCS class.

Mr. Berkof is a recognized leader in the acquisition of unmanned maritime systems, with 13 years of experience in this domain. He is known for driving accelerated and innovative acquisition processes, earning three Navy Acquisition Excellence Awards. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Deputy Program Manager for the Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406), where he led the program office through significant growth, doubling its staff size. Additionally, he completed a one-year assignment at the Pentagon (2011–2012) as a Senior Requirements Analyst for the Expeditionary Warfare Division (N95) under the Chief of Naval Operations.

Prior to his government service, Mr. Berkof gained valuable industry experience. He worked as a District Sales Manager for Ingersoll-Rand Co. and as a Production Supervisor and Manufacturing Engineer at Corning Asahi Video Products.

Mr. Berkof holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Leadership Development from the Pennsylvania State University. He is actively involved in his community, serving as Chair of the Public Service Committee and as an assistant coach for his daughter’s
softball team.

Judy Boyd

Judy Boyd

Senior Fellow

The Arctic Institute

Judy Boyd is a Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute. Her research interests include national security, geopolitics, international law, and Arctic governance. She is currently Senior Information Law Counsel for the United States Coast Guard and a retired Colonel and Judge Advocate in the United States Army Reserve. She is pursuing a Doctor of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

 

Judy has been working in the national security field for more than twenty years. Previous civilian positions include serving as a privacy officer and senior intelligence law attorney with the Department of Homeland Security and staff counsel for the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In her military capacity she has served as legal advisor for the Secretary of the Army, the Commanders of USSOCOM, USEUCOM, USARCYBERCOM, USINSCOM, and deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia) and Operation Resolute Support (Afghanistan).

 

Judy has previously interned for the United Nations Ozone Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya and for the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria.

 

Judy holds a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Law, a Master of Arts in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (NPS-CHDS), a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate from Harvard University. Her NPS-CHDS thesis, “Introducing the Future Now: Using Memetics and Popular Culture to Identify the Post 9/11 Homeland Security Zeitgeist,” was awarded the Outstanding Thesis Award.

Joe Bryan

Joe Bryan

Principal, Muswell Orange

Joe Bryan is the principal at Muswell Orange, LLC, a boutique clean energy consulting. Before his return to the private sector, Joe was the Senior Climate Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Department’s Chief Sustainability Officer. Prior to his January 2021 DoD appointment, Joe managed a consulting practice focused on clean energy technology and its intersection with national security. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy where he was responsible for policies relating to the Department’s installation and operational energy programs. Earlier in his career, Joe led investigations for the Senate Armed Services Committee and served on the professional staffs of the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He has consulted on energy policy in Namibia and South Africa and began his career working on electricity restructuring and state-level policies to encourage the growth of clean energy markets.

Brigadier General Dustin J. Byrum

Brigadier General Dustin J. Byrum 

Commanding General, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory  Vice Chief of Naval Research

Brigadier General Byrum graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1998 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Following flight school and F/A-18 replacement pilot training, Brigadier General Byrum reported to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, CA. Between 2002 and 2013 Brigadier General Byrum served three tours with the Red Devils of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232. During these tours he deployed five times, land based and onboard the USS NIMITZ, flying combat missions in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom as well as missions throughout the Indo-Pacific. 

Outside the cockpit Brigadier General Byrum served as the Air Officer for 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion where he was the Air-Fires Officer for the Marine Corps' first ever Special Operations Task Force in Herat, Afghanistan. Brigadier General Byrum was also the Air Officer Department Head at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 where he was responsible for Joint Terminal Attack Controller training and Close Air Support standardization for the Marine Corps. 

Selected to command Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, in 2018 Brigadier General Byrum deployed the Black Knights to Isa Air Base, Bahrain where they flew combat missions over Iraq and Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. 

Assigned to the Joint Staff in 2019, Brigadier General Byrum worked in the J-8 as a lead program and budget analyst before being selected to serve in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From 2022 to 2024, Brigadier General Byrum commanded Marine Aircraft Group 31 in Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC, flying as an instructor in F-35s and F/A-18s. Following command, he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps where he served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation prior to assuming the duties of Commanding General, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory / Futures Directorate and Vice Chief of Naval Research in February 2026. 

Brigadier General Byrum is a graduate of the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Course (TOPGUN), the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI), the Expeditionary Warfare School and Marine Corps Command and Staff College Distance Education Programs, a distinguished graduate of the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy and was selected for the Tim Day fellowship. 

Brigadier General Byrum's awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Air Medal with Numeral "7".

Dr. Larrie D. Ferreiro

Dr. Larrie D. Ferreiro

Naval Architect and Historian

Larrie D. Ferreiro FRHistS received his PhD in the History of Science and Technology from Imperial College London. He teaches history and engineering at George Mason University in Virginia, Georgetown University in Washington DC and the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. He has served for over forty years in the US Navy, US Coast Guard and Department of Defense, and was an exchange engineer in the French Navy. He lives with his wife and their sons in Virginia.

Steve Fetter, Ph.D.

Steve Fetter, Ph.D.

Professor; Senior Fellow, CISSM

University of Maryland

School of Public Policy

Steve Fetter has been a professor in the School of Public Policy since 1988, serving as dean from 2005 to 2009. He also has served as associate provost and dean of the Graduate School and as associate provost for academic affairs.

Fetter is a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on International Security and Arms Control and has served on Academy committees to assess U.S. nuclear weapon policy, effects of nuclear earth-penetrating warheads, monitoring nuclear weapons and nuclear materials, internationalization of the nuclear fuel cycle, conventional prompt global strike, geoengineering, ballistic missile defense, nuclear forensics, and nuclear terrorism. He is also a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists board of directors, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Science and Security Board, and the board of editors of Science and Global Security.

Fetter has served in government on several occasions, including five years in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Obama administration, leading the national security and international affairs division and the environment and energy division. He also served as special assistant to assistant secretary of defense Ash Carter in the Clinton administration and in the State Department as an American Institute of Physics fellow and as a Council on Foreign Relations international affairs fellow. He has been a consultant to several US government agencies and was a member of the director of National Intelligence's Intelligence Science Board and the Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee.

In the past, Fetter has served as president of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs, vice chairman of the Federation of American Scientists, acting director of the Center for Advanced Study of Language, and associate director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute. He has been a visiting fellow at ETH Zurich's Center for Security Studies, the Royal United Services Institute, King College London’s Center for Science and Security Studies, Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, Harvard’s Center for Science and International Affairs, MIT’s Plasma Fusion Center and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a recipient of the APS Leo Szilard Lectureship Award and the Joseph A. Burton Forum Award, the Federation of American Scientists' Hans Bethe Science in the Public Service award, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service. He has given over 200 invited lectures and has more than 120 publications, including articles in Foreign Affairs, International Security, Science, Nature, Scientific American, Science and Global Security, Nuclear Technology, Fusion Technology, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Washington Quarterly, and Arms Control Today.

Fetter received a PhD in energy and resources from UC Berkeley in 1985 and a SB in physics from MIT in 1981. Born and raised in central Pennsylvania, he was the first member of his family to receive a high school diploma. He enjoys cooking, hiking, bicycling, and kayaking. He is married to Marie Fetter, a certified nurse-midwife; Emily is an attorney in the US Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Enforcement; son Max is an organic farmer in Maryland.

David P. Fite

David P. Fite

Senior Professional Staff Member

Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Majority 

David P. Fite is a Senior Professional Staff Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Majority staff, since July 2013. His responsibilities include oversight of U.S. security assistance, arms export licensing, authorization for use of military force (AUMF) legislation, WMD nonproliferation, military and civil atomic energy, counter-terrorism, embassy security, and intelligence matters before the Committee. Mr. Fite has worked to strengthen congressional oversight requirements of arms sales, including human rights considerations, and over U.S. security assistance generally.

Previously, Mr. Fite served fourteen years on the House Committee on Foreign Relations, Democratic Staff for similar matters, also including arms control and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles. He was able to get enacted provisions to promote exports of U.S. commercial satellites and components; a quadrennial analysis and reporting requirement on the maintenance of Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) to be used to assess U.S. arms sales to the Middle East; was critical to creating a “Gold Standard” for U.S. nuclear cooperation agreements to discourage weapons-applicable uranium enrichment and reprocessing; and other provisions relating to the oversight of arms sales.

At the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency from 1992-1999, Mr. Fite was the primary action officer for U.S. nuclear nonproliferation policy toward the Southern Hemisphere, especially Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Cuba. He was also the primary U.S. expert on the negotiation of and U.S. policies toward nuclear weapons free zone treaties, and led U.S. delegations for negotiations on the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty. Mr. Fite also served from 1990-92 in the Intelligence and Research Division of the State Department as a specialist on North Korean nuclear weapon proliferation and reactor safety issues in Eastern Europe, and as a special assistant to Ambassador-At-Large for Nonproliferation Affairs Richard Kennedy. Mr. Fite has a Masters degree from Georgetown University in International Relations and a B.A. cum laude from Amherst College.

Thomas C. Fu, Ph.D., SES

Thomas C. Fu, Ph.D., SES

Executive Director, Office of Naval Research

Dr. Thomas C. Fu is the Executive Director of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), where he serves as the ONR Chief Scientist and senior civilian manager. In this capacity, he oversees the coordination, execution, and promotion of science and technology initiatives for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Dr. Fu provides executive technical and scientific leadership for ONR’s investments in advanced science, technology, and innovative operational concepts, ensuring a technological edge for our warfighters and allies.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Fu was Head of the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department at ONR, directing efforts to develop advanced technologies that enhance warfighting capabilities and energy efficiency for Navy and Marine Corps platforms. His responsibilities included investment in fundamental and applied research across a range of areas, including power systems, advanced materials and manufacturing, environmental quality, undersea weaponry, and platform survivability, sustainment, performance, and autonomy. He also managed the National Naval Responsibilities for Naval Engineering and Undersea Weapons.

Dr. Fu entered the Senior Executive Service in September 2015 as the Director of the Advanced Naval Platforms Division at ONR. He transitioned to the acting head of the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department in January 2019 and was appointed to the permanent position in April 2020. His federal service began in 1988 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, where he worked as a part-time mechanical engineer while pursuing graduate studies. After earning his doctorate in mechanical engineering in 1993, Dr. Fu became a full-time research engineer, advancing to senior research engineer in 2001 and later leading the Resistance & Propulsion Division from 2008. He served as Deputy Head of the Hydromechanics Department, which became the Naval Architecture & Engineering Department in 2012 and held roles as Director of Science & Technology and Naval Engineering Education Center program manager. In October 2014, Dr. Fu joined ONR as a program officer in the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department.

Dr. Fu has authored over 140 technical papers. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Purdue University (1984), a Master of Science in Physical Oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego (1988), and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (1993). He was a Visiting Scholar at George Washington University in 2013 and an adjunct faculty member there in 2014 and has also taught at the University of Maryland and Oregon State University.

In 2023, Dr. Fu was honored with the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) David W. Taylor Medal and was named an Asian-American Engineer of the Year by the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA in 2013. He is a Fellow of both SNAME and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). His accolades include the Meritorious Unit Commendation (2013) and the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award (1998). Additionally, Dr. Fu serves as the Navy’s representative on the NATO-Applied Vehicle Technology Panel and is the Editor-in-Chief of the SNAME Journal of Ship Research.

Col. Juha Helle 

Col. Juha Helle 

Defense, Military, Naval and Air Attaché to the United States of America and Canada

Col Juha Helle Finnish Defense Forces Colonel Juha Helle serves as a Defense, Military, Naval and Air Attaché to the United States of America and Canada since August 2022. COL Helle has spent most of his career in the Army Combat Engineer Core having his last position as the Inspector of the Core. Before that he commanded the Finnish Military Academy for two years. COL Helle has served four times in overseas operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Additionally, he has served for three years in NATO Headquarters Operations Division with a focus on NATO´s Crisis Response System.  

Seth Hooper

Seth Hooper

President, Lowcountry Maritime Group

Seth is a co-founder and President of Lowcountry Maritime Group.

Prior to founding LMG, Seth was Managing Consultant at Sage, a modeling and consulting company where he focused his energy on improving the Defense Industrial Base primarily in the undersea domain as well as improving the Navy’s software development processes.

Before joining Sage, Seth was recruited for his proven program management, operations, and manufacturing expertise to be the Director of Operations for Elon Musk’s The Boring Company in Las Vegas. He grew a team of 5 to 170 individuals while ensuring the completion of The Boring Company’s first tunneling project. His collaborative work with the state, city, visitor’s board, and convention center to guarantee final permitting approval for Certificate of Operation and Certificate of Occupancy. He also managing the day-to-day operations troubleshooting construction challenges and information technology development efforts.

Prior to The Boring Company, Seth worked at General Motors as Program Manager Infotainment Systems.  In this role, he managed the execution of 38 different global infotainment programs to support vehicle build and launch. After the launch of the systems, Seth was assigned to the Defense division of General Motors to support business development.

Before his time in private industry, Seth was a Naval Officer. After graduating from The Citadel in Charleston South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science on Electrical Engineering, Seth once again attended the nuclear training pipeline and follow on training at the Submarine Officer Basic Course.  After completion of initial officer training, he reported onboard USS FLORIDA (SSGN-728) (BLUE) from February 2007 until June 2010.  After his initial sea tour Seth attended the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned his Master in Business Administration in Defense Financial Management and complete his Joint Professional Military Education.  Upon completion of studies at the Naval Postgraduate School, he completed the Submarine Officer Advanced Course in Groton, Connecticut.  Once again he reported onboard USS FLORIDA (SSGN-728) (BLUE) to relieve as the Combat Systems Officer from September 2012 until June 2015.  Seth’s final tour was as Budget Analysts for Undersea Portfolio at the Navy Office of Financial Management and Budgets (FMB-21) until he retired in February of 2017.

Before being selected for the Seaman to Admiral Program, Seth had enlisted in the Navy as a submarine nuclear machinist mate and reached the rank of Chief. Upon graduation from enlisted bootcamp Seth reported to Nuclear Power Training Command where he completed the Machinist Mate Nuclear Power Pipeline.  Upon completion of initial training Seth reported onboard USS BREMERTON (SSN-698) where he was a member of Machinery Division.  Following his initial sea duty Seth reported to Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit Charleston, South Carolina as a Staff Instructor.

John “Patsy” Klein, PhD

John “Patsy” Klein, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor - Center for Security Studies (CSS)

George Washington University

Dr. John J. Klein, callsign “Patsy,” is a Senior Fellow and Strategist at Falcon Research, Inc., and Adjunct Professor at George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute and Georgetown University’s Strategic Studies Program. He routinely writes on space strategy, deterrence, and the Law of Armed Conflict. He is the author of the books Understanding Space Strategy: The Art of War in Space (2019) and Space Warfare: Strategy, Principles and Policy (2006).

Patsy is also a retired Commander, United States Navy, receiving his commission through the NROTC program at Georgia Tech. He served for 22 years as a Naval Flight Officer, primarily flying in the S-3B Viking carrier-based aircraft. Patsy supported combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. His tours included Executive Officer of Sea Control Squadron Twenty Four and as the final Commanding Officer of Sea Control Weapons School, being part of the Viking community’s sundown plan.

Patsy holds a master’s in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, a master’s in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a PhD in Strategic Studies from the University of Reading, England. Patsy is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He has over 2,700 flight hours in 27 different type aircraft and over 600 carrier arrested landings.

Eric Labs

Dr. Eric J. Labs
Senior Analyst for Naval Weapons and Forces
Congressional Budget Office

Dr. Eric Labs is the Senior Analyst for Naval Forces and Weapons at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C. He specializes in issues related to the procurement, budgeting, and sizing of the forces for the Department of the Navy and the Coast Guard. Dr. Labs has testified before Congress numerous times and published many reports under the auspices of the Congressional Budget Office as well as articles and papers in academic journals and conferences, including the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings, Sea Power magazine, the Naval War College Review, Foreign Affairs, and Security Studies. He has given presentations to a variety of industry, government, and academic audiences. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson awarded him the Navy Superior Public Service Award in February 2019. Dr. Labs has received CBO’s highest honor, the Director’s Award for Exceptional Achievement, in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2014, and 2024.

Dr. Labs earned his doctorate in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from Tufts University, summa cum laude, in 1988. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year. Dr. Labs worked for the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, from 1994 to 1995, as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for International Security Studies at the University of Maryland. He has been with the Congressional Budget Office since 1995.

Lance Lewis, PhD, Col USMC (ret)

Lance Lewis, PhD, Col USMC (ret)

Researcher

Authentic Media

Lance was commissioned a second lieutenant of Marines in 1996, designated a naval aviator in 1999, and selected to fly the FA-18. Lance has extensive operational and tactical experience in the FA-18, including two CVN and two land-based deployments, all in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan in operations ENDURING FREEDOM, SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN. He also served in 1st Battalion 2nd Marines as a Forward Air Controller in combat operations in Iraq. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the 850 Marines and Sailors of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni. During his command he led the squadron’s humanitarian relief efforts on Operation DAMAYAN in the Philippines. As a Colonel, he commanded Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni from 2019-2022, where he increased operational effectiveness, naval integration, and allied cooperation and led the 13,500 people aboard the installation through the COVID-19 global pandemic. He retired from active duty in 2024 after 28 years of service with over 3900 mishap-free flight hours and numerous individual and combat awards. He now works for Anduril Industries.

Lance graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996 with a major in American History. He was awarded a Master of Arts in National Security Studies (with distinction) from the Naval War College and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College. In 2024 he earned his PhD in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada.

In 2024 he joined Authentic Media, a defense and military history podcast, as a researcher and presenter, with notable series on the history of Close Air Support, the history of Bomber Command in the European Theater in WWII and contributed to the ongoing ‘On Future War’ series. He recently presented a paper at the 2025 Society for Military History conference on the impact of the Small Wars Campaigns of 1915-1934 on USMC aviation tactics for amphibious operations.

Michael Patterson, Ph.D.

Michael Patterson, Ph.D.

Ship & Shore Based Systems Branch Supervisor

John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Dr. Michael Patterson is a technical leader and strategic innovator at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where he supervises over 300 scientists and engineers across six technical groups in the Ship & Shore Based Systems Branch. In this role, he drives the development of advanced technologies and engineering approaches that support national strategic systems for the U.S. Navy and Air Force. His leadership has been central to advancing hypersonic mission planning tools, rapid trajectory optimization methods, and resilient system-level analyses aligned with evolving national security priorities.

Prior to joining APL, Dr. Patterson earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and a B.S. from Florida International University. During his graduate research, he developed GPOPS-II, a widely used software tool for solving optimal control problems, which has since accumulated over 4,000 citations across academia and industry. He is also a graduate of the Senior Manager Course in National Security Leadership at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.

Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Gram Pedersen

Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Gram Pedersen

Assistant Defence, Military, Naval and Air Attaché

To the United States of America and Canada

Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Gram Pedersen assumed duties within Danish Defence as Assistant Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Attaché to the United States of America and Canada as of 1 August 2023. He previously served as head of the Centre for Arctic Security studies at the Royal Danish Defence College.

Lt Col Pedersen’s service has for more than ten years focused on security and defense policy. His prior assignments include military and defence advisor at the Danish representation to NATO and several postings at

Defence Command Denmark with a focus on the Arctic, Ballistic Missile Defence, Nuclear and Air Force issues, and as the spokesperson for the Chief of Defence.

Lt Col Pedersen has been deployed to the USA twice: to U.S. Central Command in 2008 at the Danish liaison office, and in 2022/2023 to U.S. Air Forces Central as the branch chief strategic guidance team in the Strategy Division (609 AOC).

Lt Col Pedersen holds a MA in Military Science from the Royal Danish Defence College (2006) and has studied strategic communications at the Danish School for Journalism.

Jenny Roberts

Jenny Roberts

CEO Lowcountry Maritime Group

Jenny Roberts serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Lowcountry Maritime Group. There she is responsible for the company’s advanced technology portfolio. With experience in the defense industry as well as defense civil service, she is able to develop the partnerships and programs to transition technology for Navy use.

As SAIC’s Vice President for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) and Fleet Account, she provided Information Technology, subject matter expertise plus integration support to NAVSEA Program Executive Offices, the public shipyards, Navy Personnel Command, Naval Education and Training Command, Navy’s data environment, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and NAVSEA Logistics, Maintenance and Industrial Operations.

As the Division Director for Strategy, Integration and Investment in Northrop Grumman’s Maritime/Land Systems and Sensors Division, she identified and executed cross-company synergies to provide greatest mission impact for effective, sustained growth.

In other industry roles, she provided direct technical expertise to Program Executive Offices supporting Acquisition Management; Joint Capability Integration and Development System; and Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution processes. She also provided technology transition support to the Office of Naval Research and Joint Program Executive Offices to integrate advanced technologies into acquisition programs.

In civil service, Jenny served as the Branch Head for Undersea Influence driving the expansion of undersea warfare with a focus on development of advanced capabilities. Having built a team environment where all members understand expectations and are accountable for their work. Using her acquisition, financial and requirements expertise to manage $6B portfolio while influencing an additional $25B in resources supporting Navy, Defense and national security requirements. Previously, Jenny served as the Deputy Branch Head for Undersea Influence where she was responsible for the Navy’s future undersea warfare platforms, unmanned systems, surveillance systems, payloads, weapons, sensor systems, hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) programs applying my acquisition, financial, and requirements expertise across the life-cycle spectrum.

Jenny was an acquisition professional at NAVSEA Undersea Warfare where she managed the Submarine Force’s Science and Technology portfolio. She developed opportunities for combined effects through guiding and integrating efforts across science and technology, research and development, acquisition, certification and lifecycle support portfolios, Dual hatted as the Assistant Program Manager for Submarine Survivability, she reported directly to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations on the development and production of capabilities critical to the advancement of the Division’s mission and strategic objectives.

Jenny holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and a Master of Science Degree in Technology Management from University of Maryland – Global Campus. A member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and a Project Management Professional certified through Project Management Institute, her accomplishments have been recognized with the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the third highest Navy civilian award available, as well as numerous awards and commendations.

Sandra Rossiter

Sandra Rossiter

First Secretary, Arctic Affairs, Embassy of Canada to the United States of America

Sandra Rossiter (MA, East European and Russian-Area Studies, Carleton University, 1999; BA, Soviet and East European Studies, Carleton University 1990) has been with Global Affairs Canada since 1999. She commenced her current assignment as First Secretary in the Foreign and Defence Policy section at the Embassy of Canada to the United States of America in August 2023.  From 2019 to 2023, Mrs. Rossiter was Counsellor and Head of the Political, Economic, and Public Affairs Section at the High Commission of Canada to Tanzania.  Previously, she served abroad at the Embassy of Canada to Russia (2003-2006), Embassy of Canada to Afghanistan (2008-2009), and at the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom (2010-2015). At headquarters, Mrs. Rossiter has had assignments in the Office of the Ambassador for Environment and Sustainable Development, United States Transboundary Affairs Division, South Asia Division, Afghanistan Task Force, and in the Humanitarian Policy and Coordination Division. Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, Mrs. Rossiter worked at Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Sharon Squassoni

Sharon Squassoni

Research Professor of the Practice of International Affairs

Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

Sharon Squassoni's research, writing and policy-making has focused on reducing risks from nuclear energy and weapons for four decades. She has held senior positions at the State Department, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Congressional Research Service, as well as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Center for Strategic & International Studies, where she led the Proliferation Prevention Program. She is a distinguished graduate of the National War College (1998).  Squassoni sits on the boards of the PIR Center, the Wisconsin Project on Arms Control, the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation and the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center. She co-founded the Climate Security Initiative in 2023. For a full biography, see https://sites.google.com/view/profsharonsquassoni

Joshua Tallis, Ph.D.

Joshua Tallis, Ph.D.
Research Program Director
Ally and Partner Security Affairs

Dr. Joshua Tallis is an expert in naval strategy, maritime security, Arctic and NATO maritime issues, and naval uncrewed systems. As the director of CNA’s Ally and Partner Security Affairs program, he oversees research on partner strategies, operations, and capabilities in support of U.S. national security objectives. Additionally, as CNA’s Future Fleet Research Coordinator, he supports organizational efforts on analyses of naval uncrewed systems.

Prior to his current roles, Dr. Tallis served in several high impact embedded advisory positions across the U.S. Navy. From 2023 to 2026, he was a Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), serving as the primary author for two capstone strategy documents: the 2024 Navigation Plan and the 2026 Fighting Instructions. His previous field experience includes serving as the CNA advisor to the Commander of U.S. Sixth Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (2021–2023), where he focused on alliance interoperability in NATO and maritime security issues in Africa. In 2018, he deployed to the Arctic and Mediterranean with Carrier Strike Group Eight; his analysis of carrier operations in the High North remains a foundational reference for Arctic naval deployments today.

Dr. Tallis has received CNA’s highest distinctions for both teamwork (2021) and field deployments (2019). He holds a PhD in international relations from the University of St. Andrews and is the author of The War for Muddy Waters: Pirates, Terrorists, Traffickers, and Maritime Insecurity.

Dr. Jessica L. Weaver

Dr. Jessica L. Weaver

Founder & Principal Investigator

Mosaic Consulting, LLC

Jessica Weaver, Ph.D., an accomplished analytics and leadership professional with extensive experience across federal, defense, academic, and consulting sectors. Dr. Weaver brings a unique perspective shaped by more than two decades of work supporting high-impact national security and government missions, as well as her current role mentoring and teaching STEM students and professionals.

Known for her people-centered approach to leadership and communication, Dr. Weaver focuses on helping technical professionals translate expertise into influence, clarity, and meaningful action. Her facilitation style emphasizes practical application, self-awareness, and adaptability—skills essential for success in today’s evolving professional environments.

 

Dr. Weaver is a Certified Analytics Professional – EXPERT (CAP-X), Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, and the owner of Mosaic Consulting, LLC. with over 20 years of professional experience across several industries (banking, academia, consulting, federal government). Dr. Weaver started out her Department of Defense (DoD) career as an operations research analyst focused on future tech capabilities in weapons, sensors, and wargaming. She supported several Naval offices, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Social Security Administration (SSA), and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Dr. Weaver has directed cross- functional teams, modernized enterprise data governance, and delivered groundbreaking solutions that advanced national security missions. Her leadership has influenced policy, secured executive approvals at the Department of Defense, and enabled accurate, data-driven decision-making across the intelligence community. What she is currently most passionate about is her adjunct faculty and facilitation roles, working with STEM students and professionals, providing vital professional development and learning in topics such as communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, and change management. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that technology does not solve problems; people do. Technology is merely a tool. On the personal side, Dr. Weaver lives in Northern VA with her husband, two kids, a dog, and a gecko. She volunteers in several roles with Scouting America, empowering young women and men to develop leadership skills through outdoor education.

Kyle Woerner, Ph.D.

Kyle Woerner, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist, STR

Dr. Kyle Woerner became the Chief Scientist at STR in September 2024, making the world a safer place by developing technology and applying it to solve emerging national security challenges.

He previously was a Program Manager at DARPA in the Tactical Technology Office. His interests include unmanned systems, offensive and defensive swarms, undersea influence, multi-domain teaming, and human-machine interactions.

Prior to joining DARPA, Woerner served as a project manager at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard with a focus on employment of expeditionary robotic systems payloads and submarine modernization. He previously served on the personal staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as a special assistant focusing on unmanned systems, cyber warfare, and Navy acquisitions. He additionally served in consecutive Flag Aide positions to the Deputy Commander and the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. At sea, Dr. Woerner completed numerous fast-attack submarine deployments throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Woerner holds a Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) in systems engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earning a Master of Science in mechanical engineering, the degree of Naval Engineer, and a Doctor of Philosophy in autonomy and marine robotics (mechanical and oceanographic engineering) in the department of Mechanical Engineering and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

Alessandra Zimmermann, Ph.D.

Alessandra Zimmermann, Ph.D.

Project Director, AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Alessandra Zimmermann is the Project Director, R&D Policy for the R&D Budget and Policy Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), where she collects information on federal science spending, both current and past.

Previously, she was the Executive Director at Proposal Analytics, performing research into making the research funding space more useful to early career researchers. She has also been a program Manager for the Canadian Science Policy Center, an intern at AAAS’s EPI Center, and a researcher for the National Science Policy Network.

Prior to switching to science policy work, she earned her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Maryland, and a BS in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. 

Read Ahead Articles: 

Strategies

National Security Strategy

National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review & Missile Defense Strategy

National Defense Industrial Strategy

U.S. Arctic Strategy 

Canada's Arctic foreign Policy

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

Books and Essays of Interest

• Thinking in Systems
  • Donella H. Meadows, Diana Wright (Editor)
• Supercommunicators
  • Charles Duhigg
• A Message to Garcia
  • Elbert Hubbard
• Good to Great
  • Jim Collins
• Talking to Strangers
  • Malcolm Gladwell
• How Will You Measure Your Life
  • Clayton Christensen
• The Influence of Sea Power on History
  • Alfred Thayer Mahan
• To Rule the Waves:
  • How Control of the World's Oceans Shapes the Fate of the Superpowers
  • Bruce D. Jones
• Freedom's Forge:
  • How American Businesses Produced Victory in World War II
  • Arthur Herman
• The Cod Wars:
  • A Re-Analysis
  • Sverrir Steinsson
• CRS reports
  • 32665  Navy force structure and shipbuilding plans. This is the main one I mentioned. See the sections on announced ship delivery days and shipbuilding capacity.
  • 33153  China naval modernization
  • 32418  Virginia class SSN and AUKUS Pillar 1. This includes a discussion (with a data table) showing the backlog in SSN maintenance.

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