Sherif Nahas

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Director of Private Equity, Ford Foundation

Sherif works at The Ford Foundation, where he manages approximately $7 billion in private investments, including venture capital, private equity, real estate, and natural resources. He previously managed private investments for the University of Virginia endowment, and before that worked at BankBoston and Sand Hill Capital. Sherif started his career as an engineer and product strategist at The Ford Motor Company. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. and M.E in Aerospace Engineering, and received an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Dr. David J. Stuckenberg

President & COO | Genesis Systems | Director Inspector General, U.S. Air Force

Dr. David J. Stuckenberg is a globally renowned military strategist, technologist, and entrepreneur whose leadership is shaping the future of national security, critical infrastructure, innovation, and global investment. Named a “Young Disruptor” by NATO and hailed by senior U.S. military leaders as “the George Kennan of this century,” he has been described by the 16th Director of the CIA as “a national treasure.” A foremost voice in the water industry, Dr. Stuckenberg serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Genesis Systems, guiding transformative solutions in water security while advising local, state, and federal governments on the resilience of critical infrastructure.

Dr. Stuckenberg’s distinguished career bridges government, industry, and academia. He has managed nuclear treaties, counseled senior policymakers, and founded pioneering deep-technology enterprises advancing defense, sustainability, and infrastructure modernization. His research and strategic insights have directly informed U.S. defense policy, military basing, and national infrastructure initiatives. A compelling and respected speaker, Dr. Stuckenberg has addressed global audiences at the United Nations, NATO, NASDAQ, Chatham House, King’s College London, the White House, and CES.

As a military advisor to the U.S. Department of State, he led the establishment of the world’s first drone peacekeeping framework in partnership with the United Nations. Previously, he directed a multi-year Joint Chiefs of Staff Task Force that unified more than 450 organizations in research culminating in a Presidential Executive Order. He is regarded internationally as a leading authority on compound risks, gray zone conflict, hybrid warfare, and emerging threats to global stability.

A Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Dr. Stuckenberg advanced decentralized water technologies and formerly served as a U.S. Air Force Strategic Policy Fellow. Today, he chairs the American Leadership & Policy Foundation and serves in key advisory roles to multiple federal agencies, shaping national strategies in water and security.

A visionary inventor and entrepreneur, Dr. Stuckenberg has co-founded several technology ventures, holding executive roles as President, CEO, and COO. His strategies have been adopted by organizations such as Deloitte, Citi, and BP, and have earned recognition from Oracle and leading global universities. As a strategist and educator, he serves as an adjunct professor and lecturer on defense and governance. He has judged NATO’s Innovation Hub and actively mentors innovators within the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum and the broader technology and defense ecosystems.

TIME has named three of Dr. Stuckenberg’s more than 80 patents among its “2025 Best Inventions.” A decorated Air Force Special Operations pilot with over 150 missions, he continues his service to the United States and his state as a Colonel in the Air National Guard.

Dr. Stuckenberg holds a Ph.D. in International Affairs from King’s College London, an M.S. in Politics from The George Washington University, and a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Central Missouri. He is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College.

Michael Greenwald

Global Head of Financial Innovation and Digital Assets, Amazon Web Services
Former Attaché, U.S. Department of Treasury

Michael is a seasoned executive who has spearheaded transformative, global initiatives in both the public and private sector. In his various roles he has overseen complex projects; managed diverse stakeholders; shaped strategic, revenue-driving initiatives; and forged strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships that earn trust.

Michael is the Global Head of Financial Innovation and Digital Assets at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He also heads up Global Executive Relations pioneering the international business expansion and driving the company’s artificial intelligence innovation narrative for the Worldwide Public Sector Business. He is responsible for working with the U.S. Government and international governments to incorporate cloud computing and generative artificial intelligence into their systems as well as drive responsible technology innovation and implementation within the global public sector market. With his expertise in global economies from his time in government, Michael has successfully deepened Amazon’s global reach by helping to shape AWS’ business strategy in target overseas markets such as Europe, Middle East, Latin America, and Australia driving significant international growth and engagement for its growing business. Michael was appointed by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to represent Amazon on the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee.

Before joining Amazon, Michael made significant contributions to the growth of global asset management firm AlTi Global. As Chief Geopolitical Risk Officer, he helped oversee the growth of the firm from $12 billion to $50 billion assets under management. Prior to AlTi Global, Michael worked for the U.S. Treasury Department for almost a decade. Michael made significant national security contributions to the U.S. Treasury, where he served in senior diplomatic, policy and intelligence roles in Europe, Africa, and Middle East under two presidential administrations and three Treasury Secretaries culminating with becoming the first U.S. Treasury attaché to Qatar and Kuwait. Michael built the first U.S. Treasury office in Qatar and Kuwait acting as the principal financial diplomat to the banking sectors in those nations.

Dr. Lance Bush

International Space Advisor
Special Government Employee, NASA

Dr. Bush has served the space community for over four decades, contributing to the design of human space vehicles, national policy, international cooperation, commercialization of space, and STEM education through leadership positions in government, the private sector, and non-profits.

With deep expertise as one of the nation’s leading space vehicle designers, he played key roles in NASA programs including Orion, HL-20, the National Aerospace Plane, and various planetary vehicles, as well as private sector vehicles such as SpaceX’s Dragon and Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser.

He helped usher in the era of space commercialization by opening the International Space Station (ISS) to private sector use. As the coordinator among 16 countries and 5 space agencies, he organized a new multilateral committee to establish the first commercial space guidelines and encouraged both partner countries and private companies to participate in these pioneering efforts.

As NASA’s representative to the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, he led the creation of the Space Generation Advisory Council, which now includes over 29,000 members from more than 165 countries. His commitment to global collaboration continues through board service with the Center for Integrated STEM Education (Philippines), the Space Generation Advisory Council, and the International Space University, where he is a current governing member and former board member.

In the nonprofit arena, he led Challenger Center for Space Science Education as CEO for 12 years, achieving sustained growth across programming, finance, staff, and infrastructure. Under his leadership, Challenger Center reached over 2 million students across the nation and abroad, ultimately earning the National Science Board’s Public Service Award.

Today, Dr. Bush continues to serve the space community through his leadership on the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group, where he chairs the Exploration and Discovery Committee. He also co-led the creation of the Apollo 1 memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and remains active in The Explorers Club, the Cosmos Club, and the Sea Space Symposium.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Penn State University, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University, a Doctor of Philosophy in Technology Policy and Management from Penn State University, and an SSP from the International Space University.

Dr. Stephen Tankel

PhD: Associate Professor, American University and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Dr. Stephen Tankel is a national security expert with 20 years of experience working across government, the uniformed military, academia, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of U.S. Foreign Policy and Global Security at American University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, where he serves as the Principal Investigator for the Reimagining European Defense and Innovation Task Force. He is also the founder and president of Red Arrow Advisors, a strategic advisory firm that supports clients in the defense and homeland security domains.

Dr. Tankel has a long history of public service, including as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Most recently, he served in an active-duty military capacity as the Director of Defense Policy and Strategy on the National Security Council staff. In this role, Dr. Tankel was the lead White House official responsible for defense industrial strategy, developing and leading efforts to address shortfalls in U.S. production, increase acquisition of innovative technologies, and forge an integrated defense industrial base (DIB) with allies and partners. He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his. Dr. Tankel also served in a civilian capacity on two occasions in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Department of Defense, at the State Department, where he coordinated foreign assistance for Ukraine following Russia’s full invasion, and on the House Foreign Affairs Committee majority staff.

Dr. Tankel’s research interests include U.S. defense policy and planning, defense industrial strategy and defense industrial cooperation, the use of force as an instrument of statecraft, and security cooperation and arms transfers policies. Dr. Tankel is the author of two books and has been published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. He has also served in numerous editorial roles, including as a Senior Editor at War on the Rocks. Dr. Tankel received a PhD in War Studies from King's College London, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BS from Cornell University.

Dr. CHRISTOS A. MAKRIDIS

PhD (Senior Researcher, Gallup; Research Associate Professor, W. P. Carey School of Business – Arizona State University; Digital Fellow, Stanford University Digital Economy Lab)

Christos serves as an Associate Research Professor at the W. P. Carey School of Business and Research Affiliate at the Global Security Initiative (both in Arizona State University), an Associate Faculty at the Complexity Science Hub in Vienna, a Digital Fellow at the Digital Economy Lab in Stanford University, a Non-resident Fellow at the Institute for Religious Studies at Baylor University, Visiting Faculty at University of Nicosia, Senior Researcher at The Gallup Organization, a policy adviser, and an entrepreneur. He is the CEO/founder of Dainamic, a financial technology service provider working to democratize the use and application of data science and AI techniques for small and mid sized organizations, COO/co-founder of Living Opera, a classical music multimedia production company with an associated 501(c)3 Foundation, and CEO/Founder of CM Culture Management, a boutique artist management and cultural placemaking service provider.

Christos also serves as a term member on the Council on Foreign Relations. Christos previously served as a Senior Adviser on the National Artificial Intelligence Institute at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and on the White House Council of Economic Advisers managing the cybersecurity, technology, and space activities. He has also been an Adjunct Scholar at the Manhattan Institute, a Non-resident Fellow at the Cyber Security Project in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a Digital Fellow at the Initiative at the Digital Economy in the MIT Sloan School of Management, a Non-resident Research Scientist at Datacamp, a Visiting Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and an Adjunct Associate Research Scholar at the Chazen Institute in Columbia Business School. Christos’ primary academic research is in the intersection labor economics, the digital economy, and human flourishing, publishing over 120 articles in leading journals. He has also written over 300 stories in the popular press.

Christos earned a Bachelor’s in Economics and Minor in Mathematics at Arizona State University, as well as dual Masters and PhDs in Economics and Management Science & Engineering at Stanford University.

Dame Fiona Murray

Associate Dean of Innovation, MIT
Chair, NATO Innovation Fund

Dame Fiona Murray is the Associate Dean of Innovation at the MIT School of Management and the William Porter (1967) Professor of Entrepreneurship. She is the Faculty Director of MIT’s Office of Innovation and also Faculty Director of The MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship. Fiona is an associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. She received her BA ’89 and MA ‘90 from the University of Oxford in chemistry. She subsequently moved to the United States and earned an AM ’92 and PhD ’96 from Harvard University in applied sciences.

Fiona is Chair of the NATO Innovation Fund and has served on the British Prime Minister’s Council on Science and Technology and was awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for her services to innovation and entrepreneurship in the United Kingdom. She is also a member of the Ministry of Defence Innovation Advisory Panel and the European Innovation Council Joint Expert Group. She also sits on a number of Boards including Prime Coalition (a not-for-profit creating new venture fund with catalytic capital to support start-ups focused on climate impact) and MassChallenge (one of the first large-scale accelerators in New England supporting entrepreneurs solving significant global issues).

Murray is an international policy expert on the transformation of investments in science and technology into deep-tech start-up ventures that solve significant global challenges and create national advantage – from defense and security to health, food and water security. Her work includes understanding new funding approaches for innovations that arise from scientific research, and educating the next generation of technical leaders to build effective ventures. She has focused on the particular issues faced by ventures who have dual-use (commercial and government) solutions and work in contexts characterized by complex global power competition. She also works with large public and private sector organizations to effectively drive their strategic goals by linking to external innovation ecosystems especially universities, start-ups, and risk capital.

Dawn Meyerriecks

Corporate Board Member, Advisor, Speaker, Technologist
Former Deputy Director of Science and Technology, CIA

As an independent director and board member, government and commercial technical powerhouse leader, Dawn brings more than 40 years’ experience pioneering new products and services and leading transformation for iconic brands around the world, including CIA, AOL, and U.S. DoW. She is a recognized expert in delivering entrepreneurial technical capabilities and processes to international markets, leveraging unparalleled stakeholder acumen into strategy, development, integration, and operations.

Dawn’s multi-industry experience dealing with international start-ups through multi-national Fortune 10 companies delivers unique insights to private and public company boards at all life stages. She is recognized for her deep understanding of user and chief stakeholders needs, effecting innovative and essential changes wherever she has served.

From 2014-2021, Dawn led the iconic CIA Directorate of Science and Technology, directing the organization’s first restructure in their fabled 57-year history, defining and delivering global capabilities beyond state-of-the-art even in the midst of significant workforce societal and health concerns. Prior to this role, Dawn redefined technical oversight for the Intelligence Community while serving at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with a topline of +60B, enabling on-time, on-budget delivery while returning 30% of her own budget and staff to mission.

Dawn has served on the National Security Agency (NSA) Corporate Board for over a decade, also supporting both their Technical Strategy and Information Assurance subcommittees. During this time, NSA adopted and migrated all mission IT to the cloud and revamped their approach to encryption and defense in depth.

In addition to supporting the Intelligence Community, Dawn sits on commercial governance, audit, and compensation committees, as well as equivalent forums for public and non-profit entities. She is currently on the boards of KnightSwan Acquisition Corp., ARKA Group LP, QTS Data Centers, Infleqtion, Google Public Sector, the National Space Security Association, the Defense Intelligence Memorial Fund, OODALoop, Squadra Ventures, Siemens Government Technologies, and the National Cybersecurity Center.

With a passion for establishing strong partnerships to ensure America’s long-term global competitiveness, Dawn sustains a personal portfolio as a MITRE Senior Fellow; as an advisor to the national Special Competitive Studies Project; as a consultant to CIA, NSA, and Donovan Capital Group; and as a Commissioner on the Senate Armed Services Committee Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.

Before entering government service, Dawn was an executive at AOL and led the restructure of AOL Products to ensure alignment to business objectives, leading M&A technical assessments and ribbon-cutting new global facilities.

Dawn is a highly sought technical leadership speaker. She maintains a current TS/SCI clearance. Additionally, Dawn has been a Virginia Master Gardener Volunteer for the last 13 years, nurturing her local community. She lives in Virginia with her family.