Dr. Walters-Williams research interests span the fields of Signal Processing, Machine/Deep Learning, and STEM Education. Much of this work in Machine Learning surrounds the development of algorithms as their application to different prediction, analogy detection and classification problems. As such she has collaborated actively with researchers in several other disciplines and universities to achieve this goal. In STEM Education, she has development two different innovative teaching methodologies that pushes the boundaries of knowledge while equipping future workforce with needed technical and soft skills needed to thrive in this 4th Industrial Revolution age.

Dr. Walters-Williams is the author of one book and many papers on Signal Processing, STEM Education and Machine Learning. She has given invited talks and tutorials, and has served on many conference and workshop program committees as well as serves as a reviewer for different journals.

Dr. Robinson served as director of FAMU's Environmental Sciences Institute from 1997 to 2003, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs from 2003 to 2005 and vice president for Research in 2009.

Dr. Robinson's recent honors include an appointment in July 2018 to serve on the national STEM Education Advisory Panel. Congress authorized the creation of the panel to encourage U.S. scientific and technological innovations in education.

Dr. Robinson is actively engaged in research with students and faculty as the director and principal investigator of the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. The Center was established in September 2016 with a $15.4 million award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program. FAMU is leading the partnership and collaborating with five universities to make a major impact on coastal and marine ecosystems education, science and policy.

From 2001 to 2010, Dr. Robinson served as director of the NOAA Environmental Cooperative Science Center housed at FAMU. His research interests include environmental chemistry, environmental radiochemistry, and environmental policy and management.

In 2007-2009, Dr. Robinson served as senior scientific advisor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.  In May 2010,  he took a leave of absence from FAMU to serve in a U.S. Senate-confirmed position as assistant secretary of Commerce for Conservation and Management at NOAA. While there, he supported and managed NOAA's coastal and marine programs, including marine sanctuaries for preserving areas of special national significance, fisheries management, and preparation of nautical charts. He also supported NOAA's participation in addressing the BP oil spill crisis, and served on the Ocean Policy Task Force and Gulf Coast Restoration Task Force.  

In November 2011, Dr. Robinson was asked to return to the University as a special assistant to the president and professor to coordinate administrative and eminent scholar searches and integrate Graduate Studies and Title III Programs within the Division of Sponsored Research. He was later asked to chair the University's Crisis Management Team, which addressed a number of issues, including anti-hazing efforts. He was selected again as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs in March 2012.  

Dr. Robinson began his career at FAMU in January 1995 as a visiting professor in the Environmental Sciences Institute and later became director of the Institute in January 1997.

From 1984 – 1997, he served as a research scientist and group leader of a neutron activation analysis facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). His research responsibilities at ORNL included trace element analysis in environmental science, epidemiology, forensics, material science and paleontology. His expertise also includes environmental radiochemistry, nuclear safeguards, and non-proliferation.

Dr. Robinson attended Lemoyne-Owen College, earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry (summa cum laude) from Memphis State University and a doctorate in nuclear chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Budhani is a professor of physics at Morgan State University Baltimore and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland – USA and Johns Hopkins University -USA. He received his Ph. D. degree in Physics from I. I. T. Delhi in the year 1982. This was followed by four years of research at the University of California Los Angeles, first as a post-doctoral fellow and then as member of the research faculty. He moved to Brookhaven National Laboratory New York in 1988 and worked there as a staff scientist till 1994, and then joined IIT Kanpur as a professor of physics. Prof. Budhani was the director of the National Physical Laboratory New Delhi during the period 2009 to 2014. He worked at AFRL - Wright Patterson Laboratory as a Senior Fellow of the National Research Council before joining Morgan State as a professor of physics in the year 2018.

Prof. Budhani has been a visiting professor at the University of Maryland College Park, USA, Joliot Fellow of ESPCI Paris, and he continues his association with the Brookhaven Laboratory as a guest scientist. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Indian Academy of Science, and the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). He is also the recipient of the distinguish alumni award of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi for the Year 2012. He served as a vice – president of the Materials Research Society of India and as the President – Metrology Society of India. Prof. Budhani is an editor of the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Elsevier publication) and an associate editor of the European Physics Journal - Applied Physics.

Yosef J. Hassan serves as the Chief of Contracting for the AFWERX Technical Directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio. Mr. Hassan is the chief business advisor to the AFWERX Director and is responsible for accelerating mission-focused business solutions to meet the speed of innovation for a $1B Research and Development (R&D) portfolio.

Mr. Hassan has been the lead Contracting Officer within multiple organizations including Networks & Architecture Directorate at the Concepts, Development and Management Office (CDM), Strike Systems Division, Special Programs Division, and F-15 Division. In these roles, he led the procurement of major systems, subsystems, and cradle-to-grave acquisitions for development, production, and sustainment efforts. Mr. Hassan has also worked extensively with competitive source selections and non-competitive acquisitions on acquisition category I, II, and III programs.

Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Hassan served as the contracting lead for the Partners and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) division assigned to the F-35 Joint Program Office in Arlington, VA. In this role, he served as the contracting touch-point for 7 partner countries, 7 FMS countries, and future business opportunities. He led a joint team of Air Force and Navy employees and also supervised other Air Force employees across the F-35 contracting enterprise. During his time in the F-35, Mr. Hassan also served as contracting lead for the F135 propulsion production portfolio valued at greater than $20B and the mods and retrofits portfolio valued around $2.5B.

Ms. Anissa Lumpkin, member of the government civilian corps, is the Mission Area Lead, Aeromedical (acting) for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Customer Engagement Directorate. In this role she advises the AFRL Enterprise with utilizing operational Major Command (MAJCOM) and Department of the Air Force (DAF) engagement for promotion and alignment of Science & Technology (S&T) capability development efforts intended to address DAF mission area shortfalls and priorities.

Serving the US Air Force for nearly 20 years, Ms. Lumpkin’s experienced service has included both active duty and reserve time in the United States Air Force along with civilian time in the areas of Systems Engineering and Acquisitions. Ms. Lumpkin’s career began in 2001, serving as an active-duty Acquisitions Officer in support of warfighter training, common operating systems, and unmanned combat air systems for the Aeronautical Systems Center. In 2009, she transitioned to a federal civil service as an Operations Research Analyst for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Ms. Lumpkin served on special assignment as the AFRL Legislative Liaison serving the AFRL Commander, she assisted with all aspects of hearing preparations for senior-level officials and congressional briefings, as well as analyzing, researching, and formulating official responses to requests from Members of Congress. As the AFRL, Air Force Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (AF SBIR/STTR) Program Manager. Ms. Lumpkin directed an over $800M research budget focused on qualified small businesses in the nation's high-tech arena as a critical source of innovative. Ms. Lumpkin led thousands of yearly contract efforts sponsored by Air Force organizations from across the nation. Ms. Lumpkin is the founder of the Air Force Historical Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI) Outreach Initiative, a program that focuses on increasing research capacities at HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions.

Graduating from Tennessee State University earning a BS in Aeronautical and Industrial Engineering Technology, Ms. Lumpkin also went on to earn an MS in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and Emerging Leadership, Graduate Certification from the University of Dayton.

Dr. Heidi R. Ries joined the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1999 and currently serves as the Provost and Chief Academic Officer. During her previous service as AFIT’s chief research officer, Dr. Ries implemented the establishment of research centers yielding over 800% increase in external funding and enhancing AFIT’s reputation in the areas of cyber, directed energy, navigation, nuclear detection and analysis, operational analysis, space, and technical intelligence.  She also holds an academic appointment as Professor of Physics and served AFIT as Interim Dean, Graduate School of Engineering and Management in 2013.

Dr. Ries previously served as Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Materials Research at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA, where she enabled the school’s first master’s degree program in the sciences, attracted $3M/year in external funding, served as an Associate Director of the Applied Research Center at Jefferson Lab, and directed the National Science Foundation Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology project “Center for Photonic Materials Research.” 

Dr. Ries volunteers as a member of the Martin University Board of Trustees, where she serves as the Chair, Academic Affairs Committee.  She is a member and previous chair of the Engineering and Science Foundation of Dayton Board of Trustees and is a member of the Team Chair Corps of the Higher Learning Commission.  She previously served as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Society for Engineering Education’s Engineering Research Council Board of Directors, a reviewer for the National Science Foundation, and AFIT Liaison to the Ohio Aerospace Institute Board of Trustees.  She was also a parent-coach for the Centerville City Schools Science Olympiad Team.  

Dr. Ries was recognized by the Dayton Daily News as one of the region’s 2009 Ten Top Women, was the Air Force’s civilian winner of the 2011 Department of Defense Women's History Month Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Role Model Award, and received the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Dr. Walter F. Jones is the Director and Chancellor of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for a team of approximately 500 military and civilian Airmen and Guardians, who provide professional continuing education to more than 27,000 people annually, and advanced academic education to more than 3,000 students.

Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Jones served 11 years as the Executive Director of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), planning and managing the entire $3-billion science and technology program for the Navy and the Marine Corps. While serving as the senior civilian manager, he provided executive, technical, and scientific direction in the performance of ONR’s mission. He worked closely with ONR’s Technical Director and Department Heads in the identification, prioritization, and support of specific areas of science and technology development. He also served as Executive Director of the Navy International Programs Office (IPO), where he was responsible for oversight of the development, planning, and implementation of the Department of the Navy’s International Programs, primarily in the areas of Security Cooperation, Cooperative Programs, Research and Development, Technology Transfer, and Strategic Planning. Dr. Jones also held the position of Director, Plans and Programs, at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio where he was responsible for developing and managing the processes that defined AFRL’s $3-billion annual investment in technologies for future Air Force systems. These included space, weapons, aeronautics, materials, propulsion, sensors, information, directed energy, and munitions.

Dr. Jones held a variety of other leadership positions in government. He served as Director, Aerospace and Materials Sciences at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Virginia. In this capacity he planned, coordinated and executed a $55-million basic research program, including solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, materials science, and propulsion. He also served as Senior Program Analyst with the Office of the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence for Community Management as well as holding several positions with the Air Force, including Deputy for Research Sciences with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and Deputy for Science and Technology with the Office of the National Security Space Architect. 

Dr. Jones has also held appointments at several major research universities, including Rice University, Texas A&M University, the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee, and Clemson University. As the Executive Director of the Rice University National Security Research Accelerator (RUNSRA), he provided strategic leadership that focused on all aspects of national security research and development, including defense, energy, science and technology policy, and international cooperation. He worked closely with the world-class faculty and staff at Rice, as well as with scientists and engineers in government laboratories, universities, and industry. Some of RUNSRA’s research, funded primarily by the US Army Futures Command through the Army Research Laboratory, was focused on advanced material processing, high-speed networks, and energetic materials. As a Professor of the Practice in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, he taught several undergraduate courses and served as a consultant and mentor to students and faculty researchers throughout the University.  Dr. Jones held tenure-track faculty positions at the University of Tennessee and the University of Florida.

Internationally, Dr. Jones has represented the United States as principal voting member of both the NATO Science and Technology Board and the NATO Naval Armaments Group. He led an international team that developed the first NATO Science and Technology Strategy. He also created and led a NATO Science and Technology initiative in Maritime Security, which has now grown into a multi-Nation initiative in Maritime Unmanned Systems, endorsed by the North Atlantic Council. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Dr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, a Master of Science degree in engineering mechanics, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in engineering mechanics, all from Clemson University, where he is an elected member of the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists. He also earned a Master of Science degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Ft. Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C. and a certificate in legislative studies from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.

Nick Kulesza is a former Air Force communications officer, currently responsible for managing the Air Force Institute of Technology's control system cybersecurity portfolio, within the Civil Engineer School. He provides subject matter expertise in various cyber disciplines and also develops curriculum to include the Advanced Control Systems Cybersecurity course. 

His formal education includes a Master’s in Computer Science, with a specific focus on cybersecurity. Nick presented his thesis research at the International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security. In addition, he has presented security research previously at cybersecurity conferences, including DerbyCON, SecTor, and others. He possesses a variety of industry certifications tailored towards offensive cyber operations and risk management. His current concentration in security research centers on exploitation of industrial control systems. 

Committed to lifelong learning, Nick has dedicated the last 10 years educating at the graduate level, 15 years towards penetration testing, and 20 years in security research.

Richard A. Sugarman is Head of the Department of Systems and Software Engineering Management in the School of Systems and Logistics at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He leads a team of 30 military, civilian, and contractor faculty members teaching a portfolio of over 50 technical professional continuing education courses and workshops, educating more than 4,000 students annually. He teaches and presents on risk and opportunity management and on systems and digital engineering as an acknowledged subject matter expert in these fields. Mr. Sugarman also serves as the Director of Education and Training for the Hangar 18 Software Factory.

Mr. Sugarman entered federal civil service in September, 1999 through the Air Force Palace Acquire Program as a sustainment systems engineer at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, providing technical support (controls, accessories, and hardware) for the General Electric F-110 engine used on the F-16 fighter. After six years, he career-broadened to become the Scientist and Engineering Development Program Manager for Tinker’s Engineering Workforce Development Branch. In this role, he managed three developmental internship programs with over 50 annual participants and coordinated hiring of 100+ new scientists and engineers annually.

Mr. Sugarman also participated in the Air Force’s Education with Industry (EWI) Program, where he worked as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems at the University of Dayton. For his EWI assignment, he created and delivered a graduate course in systems engineering. He was also previously an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at Oklahoma City Community College.

Dr. Janae Duclos, is a proud graduate of The Florida A&M University! She currently serves as an Assistant Researcher and Professor of Special Education at Florida State University. Possessing over seventeen years of professional experience in special education, she has made a significant impact on the lives of students with disabilities at the school, district, and state levels. Dr. Duclos is also the co-founder of PhD Peers, CEO and Inventor of C3forMe: an organization dedicated to supporting and serving neurodiverse youth and young adults through access, education, and engagement to achieve a maximum quality of life and independence.

Dr. Duclos implemented education, research, and technology to create social change by inventing a web application that provides personalized planning and supports in the areas of continued education, competitive employment, self-determination, and independent living skills for neurodiverse individuals. With products and resources grounded in research and policy and backed by a team of content experts and diverse stakeholders, she seeks to shift power imbalances that exist between students, parents, and education professionals to create a more engaging and collaborative transition planning process for everyone!

She continues to lead the field of special education with cutting edge products and services such as the Conversation Cue Cards, youth engagement playbook, and person-centered trainings that support the psychological safety of youth and young adults with disabilities across the lifespan. With C3forMe, neurodiverse individuals FINALLY have a say in planning for their futures!

She invites you to join her on the mission to “Promote access, engagement, and equity in education and the workforce, one conversation at a time!"

Baltimore, Maryland born and raised, Dr. Jayfus Tucker Doswell, is a high-tech entrepreneur and visionary futurist with a mission of improving human performance® of populations, underserved and disadvantaged. Dr. Doswell earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Oberlin College with degrees in Cognitive Neuro-Psychology and Computer Science; a Master’s degree in Systems and Computer Science from Howard University; and a Ph.D. degree in Information Technology from George Mason University. His Dissertation, defended in 2005, created the world’s first culturally competent, empathetic, and ethical (CCEE) artificial intelligent (AI) virtual instructor software architecture to deliver personalize instruction to underserved populations in mixed reality (e.g., augmented reality, virtual reality, holographic, and real-world) environments. Dr. Doswell is the founder, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Juxtopia, LLC; a privately held for-profit biomedical and information technology company with a mission for improving human performance® . Prior to starting Juxtopia, Dr. Doswell lead several commercial engineering teams at fortune 500 companies ranging from Lockheed Martin and SAIC to KPMG as their senior software engineer. In his 20s., Dr. Doswell was Lockheed Martin’s youngest senior software engineers in the entire United States. Dr. Doswell contributed to early biomedical and nanotechnology informatics algorithms while working at the National Cancer Institute to help create better cancer treatment. Additionally, Dr. Doswell successfully led Juxtopia to secure research and development (R&D) funding for the development of Juxtopia’s innovative wearable technology products for improving human health and learning. The Juxtopia® Augmented Reality (AR) platform is one wearable technology platform from which various wearable AR products are created for improving human training ranging from neurosurgery, emergency medicine, and farming to paramedic and police training. Also, from this platform, Dr. Doswell led Juxtopia to secure the 1 st of its kind contract to develop innovative learning technology to train all U.S. Army 68W medical personnel to improve their tactical combat casualty care (TC3) skill proficiency in austere and extreme environments. In the area of biomedical innovations, Dr. Doswell invented the Juxtopia® Imhotep (JI) platform for creating wearable telehealth products and led a 100% underrepresented minority high school and college youth team (i.e., Juxtopia® Engineers in Training (JET)) to compete in the Juxtopia® Qualcomm Tricorder X PRIZE. The Juxtopia® Qualcomm Tricorder X PRIZE was an international competition to create the world’s best non-invasive biomedical device for diagnosing an array of illnesses and diseases outside hospital environments. To complement Juxtopia’s for profit company, Dr. Doswell created The Juxtopia Group, Inc. (www.juxtopia.org), in 2000, a 501c3 public charitable organization to address the shortage of underrepresented minority populations in science, technology, engineering, math, and entrepreneurship (STEME). Juxtopia® Bio for Dr. Jayfus Tucker Doswell 2 Dr. Doswell, observing the painful-problems that prevent the untapped, underserved, and underrepresented communities/companies around the world, to achieve high-growth markets and high-paying employment, Dr. Doswell created the Juxtopia® Urban Innovation and Cooperative Entrepreneurship (JUICE) Network (http://juicenetwork.org/). The JUICE Network mentors HBCUs/MSIs to develop and license their novel and intellectually protected (IP) innovations to JUICE Network member companies that JUICE mentors to commercialize to target markets. From the JUICE Network, in 2010, Dr. Doswell co-launched Phezu Space; the first African American commercial space company in the United States focused on low-Earth orbit satellite servicing. From the JUICE Network, Dr. Doswell and two of his Juxtopia® Entrepreneurs in Training (JET) apprentices created the Morgan State University (MSU) first company, iCrystal, in its 150 year history; with a mission objective to find a better treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Doswell’s iCrystal research team also secure MSU’s first National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I grant award to finance the research and development (R&D) of iCrystal on which 100% minority engineers successfully developed the novel product prototype. From Dr. Doswell’s leadership, the JUICE Network secured three NIH SBIR/STTR awards in one calendar year for minority high-tech companies with an objective to create companies that would address health disparities and provide high-paying jobs to underrepresented minority populations; especially underserved and disconnected youth. To further engage underrepresented minority youth in STEM, Dr. Doswell empaneled and trained multidisciplinary and multiethnic teams to compete in world high-tech product development competitions including, but not limited to, the Google Lunar X PRIZE (2008-2012); Qualcomm Tricorder X PRIZE (2012-2015); and the Global Learning X PRIZE (2015-2016). To expand the JUICE Network to serve the needs of underserved and disadvantaged populations, worldwide, Dr. Doswell presented and delivered keynote addresses to organizations in China, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana, Thailand, and Vancouver. In 2018, Juxtopia was invited to the board of director in the United Nations Association (UNA) National Capitol Area (NCA). In this role, Dr. Doswell and his JUICE Network will apply resources to address UN Global Goals. Dr. Doswell sits on several not for profit boards and is chair of the American Public Health Association (APHA) Health Informatics and Information Technology (HIIT) Section and active member of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA); Association of Computing Machinery (ACM); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE); Maryland Cybersecurity Counsel; Maryland Connected and Autonomous Vehicles committee; Maryland Technology Council, and Maryland Telemedicine Committees. Dr. Doswell also sits on external advisory committees at colleges/universities across the United States. Dr. Doswell and his organizations work to achieve the mission of improving human performance®

Storm Woods serves as Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). She previously worked with L Brands and Victoria’s Secret/PINK where she led work to drive positive results by engaging diverse customers and associates, ensuring equitable business practices, and fostering a culture of inclusion. Prior to joining L Brands, she worked with Big Lots and Teavana, a subsidiary of Starbucks.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the Ohio State University, Storm earned her master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Franklin University where she focused her studies on the strategic implementation of programs targeted to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion.

With experience working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, Storm uses her education, experience, and skills to partner with business leaders to embed DEI concepts and practices, provide guidance and oversight to Employee Resource Groups, develop and deliver compelling learning, and execute events and programs that drive inclusive recruitment, engagement, and retention.

She was raised in a military family and spent most of her childhood in Waterford, Michigan before relocating to Columbus, Ohio to accept a position as a performer with the theatre company, Shadowbox Live.

Storm also serves on the board for Kaleidoscope Youth Center and the Advisory Board of the African American Leadership Academy.

Battelle HBCU Consortium

As part of the organization’s commitment to both STEM education and careers, Battelle engages with faculty and staff at partnering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide meaningful work experiences in an environment that promotes both academic and professional success. Since 2021, Battelle has invested around $300K in student’s experiences, has brought on interns as full-time employees, and provides valuable feedback to faculty around curriculum needs for STEM professionals of the future. In the first phase of the program, Bowie State University and Morgan State University faculty and staff partnered with Battelle to identify key areas of focus that enabled meaningful growth for the program. A third university has been added and will be announced in Fall of 2023 with hopes of more in the future.

Lisa Coker is the principal and CEO of Infinite Management Solutions, LLC, a woman veteran-owned certified small business which primarily partners with middle-market and large organizations in both private and public sectors in the Midwestern region.

Coker is a proud United States Air Force veteran. She has earned a reputation as a trusted partner, dynamic team facilitator, outstanding problem-solver, and accomplished professional. She helps C-Suite executives develop strategic plans, optimize operational processes, and execute their vision with precision. Coker is a certified Lean Six Sigma/Continuous Process Improvement Black Belt practitioner and is often consulted for her innovative business improvement strategies and solutions resulting in reduced operational costs and improved mission effectiveness. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Coker also holds a master’s degree in Organizational Change Management and has completed professional executive programs at University of Tennessee, University of Dayton, and Dartmouth College.

Coker’s passion, professionalism and poise continue to propel her forward as a recognized expert and leader in her field. In 2017, Coker had the distinct honor of leading a comprehensive strategic planning project for the Air Force Materiel Command’s (AFMC) 4-Star General Commander. The commander managed an $80 Billion annual budget and employed over 27,000. Coker’s outstanding team leadership skills enabled the General and her 120-member leadership team to establish a new vision statement and multiple strategic goals and objectives. In 2018, the Dayton Business Journal recognized Coker as one of the region’s brightest young professionals and named her a “Forty Under 40” award winner. She was also recognized as top 100 business professional across the nation, as she was named as an “American Business Journal Rising Star.”

Coker holds memberships to, Forbes Business Council, Women in Defense (WID), Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-Wise), Rotary Club of Dayton, and Women in Business Network (WIBN). Coker also serves as a Board of Trustee for the Dayton Art Institute, a member of the Miami Valley Alzheimer’s Association board and Downtown Dayton Partnership Recovery Plan Committee. In her spare time, Coker enjoys traveling and engaging in equestrian activities with her family.

Capt Kristal Wong is a MAJCOM budget analyst at Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command Financial Management Directorate. She provides guidance to the AFSOC enterprise for Air Force and Special Operations Forces Operations and Maintenance portfolios worth $1.7 billion dollars. She leads integration efforts for execution plans, unfunded requirements, initial funds distribution, monthly reviews, and end of year closeout. Capt Wong administers budgeting and financial planning efforts in support of the Commander of AFSOC and the AFSOC corporate process. She analyzes changing AFSOC and war-fighter mission needs and matches requirements to available financial resources.

Captain Wong entered into the Air Force in 2015 through the Air Force ROTC program at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Capt Wong has served in various financial management positions to include Deputy Budget Officer and Budget Analyst at the base and Major Command levels. In her previous career field, Capt Wong served as an ICBM Missile Combat Crew Commander, where she holds 6,080 combat alert hours. Prior to her current assignment, Capt Wong was the Executive Officer for Space Base Delta 2 at Buckley Space Force Base.

1st Lt Camryn Q. Lam is the Section Commander for the 60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. She leads a team of 10 civilian and active duty Airmen, overseeing 82 Commander Programs in support of 368 personnel that maintain 18 C-5 C/M aircraft. She is the principal advisor to the Squadron Commander on personnel actions and is the liaison between the Military Personnel Flight and the squadron.

Lt Lam graduated from Howard University with a degree in Biology and entered the Air Force in 2021 as a Distinguished Graduated of Detachment 130’s Reserve Officer Training Corp in Washington D.C. She is currently working to obtain her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Southern California.

1st Lt Julissa D. Gearing is a Medical Surgical Nurse at the 60th Inpatient Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California. She delivers multidisciplinary nursing care on a 30-bed unit for 276K beneficiaries and 6K admissions annually. She leads daily operations as charge nurse of a 10-member team and utilizes evidence-based practice to administer care for complex diseases. She also serves as the unit’s Patient Advocate resolving concerns resulting in immediate positive patient changes. Additionally, Lt Gearing acts as a patient safety investigator which involves identifying potential medical system mishaps as a method to improve patient outcomes.

Lt Gearing graduated from Howard University with a degree in Nursing, and entered the Air Force in 2020 as a Cum Laude graduate of Detachment 130’s Reserve Officer Training Corp in Washington D.C.

Brigadier General Jefferson J. O'Donnell is the Commander, Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. AFPC provides commanders around the world with skilled Airmen and Guardians to conduct Air Force and Joint missions. Additionally, AFPC executes programs covering the entire life cycle of military and civilian personnel for the Department of the Air Force, from accession through retirement, including readiness, growth, development and deployment. AFPC’s diverse workforce of approximately 2,200 military members, civilians and contractors is responsible for worldwide operations for nearly 2.3 million Airmen, Guardians, retirees and family members.

General O'Donnell entered the Air Force in 1996, receiving his commission from Air Force Officer Training School. He earned his pilot wings at Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. General O’Donnell has commanded a fighter squadron and a fighter wing and has flown in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and Noble Eagle.

Prior to serving as Commander of the Air Force Personnel Center, General O’Donnell was the Director of Regional Affairs, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs.

General O'Donnell is a command pilot with more than 2,600 military and civilian flying hours, including more than 370 combat hours in fighter aircraft.

My professional life spans 45+ years of Federal and military service. I have had the privilege of directing several multi-billion-dollar acquisition programs designed to advance emerging technologies and support the next generation of pilot training. During this period, I've worked at the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer levels with Raytheon Aircraft Company, Boeing Company, and Northrop Grumman Corporation. I also have led an 11,000-person organization focused on the operations of the Air Force Material Command. Being at the end of my career, I’ve concentrated on educating the next generation in program managers and engineers. I’m currently the Chairmen of the Program Management Department at the Defense Acquisition University.

Education:

BS in Physics (1979)—Howard University

MS in Management (1988)-Golden Gate University

Master of Engineering (Test & Evaluation) (1989)- United States Air Force Test Pilot School

Master of Arts in Religion (1994)- Liberty University

Master of Strategic Studies (1998)-United States Air Force War College

Doctor of Business Administration (2011)-University of Phoenix

Major Justin C. Smith is the Director of Operations of the 91st Cyberspace Operations Squadron and the Team Lead for 001 Combat Mission Team at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. He leads 202 Airmen executing 24/7 combat support and integrated offensive cyberspace operations in support of Combatant Command and joint force objectives.

Major Smith commissioned as a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical (A&T) State University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2012. During his career, Major Smith served as the Cyber Operations Branch Chief for the National Reconnaissance Office, Assistant Director of Operations at the 315th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, and 850 Cyber Protection Team Lead at the 92d Cyberspace Operations Squadron responsible for integrating offensive and defensive cyberspace operations to disrupt nation state malicious cyber actors from targeting United States critical infrastructure.

Charles (Chuck) Latham is a Senior IT Project Manager with the Legal Information Services Directorate of the Air Force Legal Information Services (JAS), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL. Mr. Latham has a long history of success across myriad industries and managerial roles. An expert in Project and Quality Management, he has built Quality Management Systems and/or created and deployed PM methodologies and templates for such firms and clients as PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, HP, US Department of Education, Proassurance Medical Insurance, Medicaid projects for Alabama and Massachusetts, Veteran’s Administration, Alfa Insurance. His many roles include serving as PMO Director, VP of Project Management, Service Area Manager, and Director of IT.

Mr. Latham is very active in the community. He serves has an interim Pastor at a local historic church in Alabama and has been involved in prison ministry for over 20 years. He currently serves as a Prison Ministry Director and created and oversees the first ever volunteer learning management system for the State of Alabama Department of Corrections. He is a published author of two books and conducts seminars on resume writing skills, leadership and management, project management, root cause analysis, marriage enrichment, etc. His passion for mentoring led to his current role as the co-leader for the Black/African American Employment Strategy Team (BEST) HBCU Intentional Mentoring Line of Effort (LOE). In this role, Mr. Latham has been a key catalyst in the LOEs success in matching over 100 active duty officer and enlisted volunteer mentors to over 70 AFROTC cadets at three HBCUs. His efforts were recognized as he was awarded the DAF Volunteer of the Year Award for 2022.

Mr. Latham is a retired AF officer and holds certifications in Project Management, Agile/Scrum Management, Business Process Consulting. He is a former adjunct college professor and Academic Dean of Aerospace Studies at two HBCUs.

Daniel Carroll, AFVentures Director 

Daniel leads the management and execution for the $1.3 Billion US Air Force and Space Force Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs.  Previously, Daniel was the Chief Engineer at USAF Kessel Run, the Technical Director at the US Special Operations Command Program Executive Office Fixed Wing aircraft, and the Autonomous Vehicles Lead Engineer for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center.  Daniel earned an MSx in Management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business through the USAF Civilian Development program and a BS/MSE in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

Mr. David Tim Williams is the Program Manager directing the establishment of the Department of the Air Force’s HBCU-led Tactical Autonomy University Affiliated Research Center. Currently serving from Fairfax, Va in the Concepts, Development and Management Office (CDM), Secretary of the Air Force. 

Prior to this assignment, Mr. Williams was the senior analyst for the U.S. Air Force in the Concepts, Development and Management Office (SAF/CDM).  In this role he was responsible for monitoring and reporting, knowledge management, business process reengineering, continuous process improvement, and contract management. Mr. Williams provided organizational assessments and recommendations that enabled opportunities and mitigated risks. He also supported the new, Department of the Air Force Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI).  In this role he was responsible for data management and visualization of strategic and operational plans, reporting and measurement, and analysis of diversity and inclusion plans and programs.

Accountable to the Board of Directors for leadership, guidance and direction, business development, and strategic communications for SFI.  Previously responsible for the $1.7 Trillion federal student loan portfolio and engagement with 6,000 colleges and 600,000 students as Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid, Department of Education.  In this role, Brown had statutory authority for all the nation’s Title IV (Pell Grants, Work-study, Student Loans) funding for 600,000 students and a total lending portfolio of $1.7 trillion, and 6,000 partner institutions around the country.  The lending portfolio of Federal Student Aid is equivalent to that of the nation’s 5 largest consumer lending banks.  During his time at FSA, Brown oversaw the total digitization of financial services for students, parents, and borrowers. With over 2O digital improvements, FSA now provides the Free Application for Federal Student Aid on all digital platforms including mobile applications and artificial intelligence for routine student inquiries. In addition, faced with a pandemic, Brown oversaw the transformation of over 25 million borrowers from active to forbearance status which temporarily eliminated payments for most students, parents, and borrowers across the country.
Led organization responsible for the education and training of 200,000 airmen and the funding mechanism within the USAF.  Retired Major General (USAF), with 32+ years’ experience leading organizations responsible for educating, developing, and training their workforce. Graduate of National Defense University (Master of National Security Strategy), Air Command & Staff College (Master of Strategic Studies), Troy State University (Master of Public Administration), Tuskegee University (Accounting).