Peter Dixon, CEO/Founder, Second Front Systems
Second Front Systems was founded to bring innovative, venture-backed technologies to bear on pressing national security challenges. The company focuses on accelerating the cycle of innovation that enables the Department of Defense and USG to access and operationally deploy these emerging technologies. Prior, Mr. Dixon was a Marine Corp officer working with the Pentagon, Army and State Department to identify emerging trends, forecast geopolitical shifts, and adopt disruptive technology.
Richard Dunn, Founder, Strategic Institute for Innovation in Government Contracting
Referred to as “the godfather of OTs” as a result of his pioneering work as DARPA’s first General Counsel. Mr. Dunn provides advice and engages in research and analysis related to the deployment and implementation of technology in the military and civil sectors through partnering and other innovative means.
As General Counsel of DARPA, he organized the office and provided a full range of legal services for the nation’s foremost national security research and development agency. Mr. Dunn pioneered innovative techniques to support science and technology projects by championing the enactment of legislation that authorized DARPA to enter into cooperative relationships with commercial companies or “partnerships” of companies and other organizations. Other pioneering efforts involved obtaining authority to conduct prototype projects outside the normal contracting statutes, Other Transactions Authority. Additionally, he championed and obtained authority to award incentive prizes to spur technology developments. All these authorities are in use and have served as models for the DoD and other agencies. Prior he served in several positions at NASA including Counsel to the Space Commercialization Task Force and Deputy Associate General Counsel, and began his career as an Air Force JAG. For his full bio on this website click HERE.
Ben FitzGerald, Partner, Lupa
Ben FitzGerald is a partner at Lupa, a private investment firm, and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). At Lupa he leads the firm’s investment portfolio for technology with broadly defined security implications. At CNAS, Ben continues to speak and write on the intersection of strategy, technology, and business as they relate to national security.
Prior to these roles, Ben was the Executive Director – Strategy, Data, and Design in the Pentagon’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In this role, he was the lead official responsible for reorganizing the former office of Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, the largest such change since the Goldwater Nichols Act of 1986. (The recently released DoD OT Guide was a result of his tenure)
Before the Pentagon, Ben was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also served as the Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS, the founding Managing Director for the North American business of Noetic, a strategy consulting firm, and worked in a number of technology corporations to include IBM and Unisys.
Larsen Jensen, Partner, Harpoon Ventures
Larsen Jensen is a partner at Harpoon Ventures and is one of Silicon Valley’s emerging leaders with a track record of investing in enterprise and consumer IT companies with a particular interest in dual-use startups. Larsen began his venture capital career at Andreessen Horowitz and more recently served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. Prior to his move to Silicon Valley he was a U.S. Navy SEAL Squad Commander and Cross Functional Team Leader. Larsen brings experience in private equity, through his time at Goldman Sachs in New York, and wealth management through his time at UBS and Citizens Business Bank. He is also a two-time Olympian and Olympic Medalist in swimming, and holds degrees from the the University of Southern California and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Benjamin McMartin, Supervisory Procurement Specialist, US Army CCDC Ground Vehicle Systems Center
Benjamin McMartin serves as Supervisory Procurement Specialist, US Army CCDC Ground Vehicle Systems Center (formerly TARDEC), responsible for management of two consortium-model Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) with technical focus areas in automotive, autonomy, mobility, ground combat systems, and related technologies. He is a former contracting and grants/agreements officer, and founder of the Acquisition Innovation Road Show (#AIRS). A member of the Michigan State Bar since 2008, Mr. McMartin holds a B.A. in History from Oakland University, and a J.D. from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law.
Melissa Oh, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Office, DHS Science & Technology Directorate
Melissa Oh is the Managing Director for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP). She is responsible for engaging entrepreneurs and innovators to help them better understand DHS’s mission and widen the pipeline of technologies addressing our most difficult homeland security challenges.
Mrs. Oh has been at S&T since September 2004 serving in several positions, including as the S&T Cyber Security Division Business Operations Manager, S&T Borders & Maritime Security Division Business and Finance Manager, Program Manager for several cargo security projects, and Program Support Contractor. Prior to joining S&T, Mrs. Oh served as a project engineer in the Research, Development & Evaluation Branch of the DHS Customs & Border Protection’s Applied Technology Division.
David Rothzeid, Director of Acquisition Pathways, Maj. USAF, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Maj. Rothzeid works on strategic initiatives focused on streamlining DoD acquisition across the Department of Defense. He also works within the Information Technology and Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence Portfolios at DIU. Additionally, David operates as a liaison officer to Air Force program offices and educates acquisition professionals across all the services in Other Transactions utilization.
Prior to DIU, David worked as an Executive Officer and Program Manager in the Special Programs Division (AFLCMC/HNJ) at Hanscom AFB, MA from July of 2012 to July of 2016. His first assignment was as a Project Officer for the Air Force Satellite Control Network (SMC/RNL) at Peterson Air Force Base, CO from July 2008 to July 2012. Additionally, he deployed as a member of USSOCOM GHOST program in 2013 to MacDill, AFB, FL and Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. He has BA from Miami University in Economics (‘08) and an MBA from University Colorado, Colorado Springs (‘11).
Bryan Smith, OSD Task Manager, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division
Mr. Smith serves as a part of a group that is responsible for management of Other Transactions (OTs) at Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Naval Base in Southern Indiana. Mr. Smith is also task manager for Trusted and Assured Microelectronics (T&AM) program under the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) within Flight Systems Division at NSWC Crane. In this role, Mr. Smith oversees day to day tasking of functions in research, design, development, testing, and evaluation of microelectronics and program interactions. Prior to becoming Task Manager, Mr. Smith served as the Acquisition Lead and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for all Seaport Service Contracts within Flight Systems Division.
“I cannot remember ever attending a training that had such amazing and high ranking experts in OTAs. So fantastic to hear them all speaking!”
“Actual OT practitioners collaborating, sharing stories, challenges, encouragement – very lively event.”
“The various presenters and the great diversity of the audience allowed for engaging conversation, and insightful questions and comments.”
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