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Keynote Speakers

Congressman Joe Wilson
Representative for the 2nd District of South Carolina
United States Government

Addison “Joe” Graves Wilson was born on July 31, 1947, in Charleston, South Carolina. After graduating from the High School of Charleston in 1965, he received his undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and completed his law degree at the University of South Carolina. A real estate attorney by trade, Joe was a founding partner of the West Columbia law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor & Thomas.

His career in public service officially began when he served on the staffs of South Carolina legends Senator Strom Thurmond and Congressman Floyd Spence. As part of the visionary Ronald Reagan administration, Joe was Deputy General Counsel to the United States Department of Energy Secretary and former South Carolina Governor, Jim Edwards. Throughout his life, Joe has had a tremendous passion to serve his country, serving as a member of the United States Armed Forces. After serving in the United States Army Reserves from 1972-1975, he also served in the South Carolina Army National Guard. In the summer of 2003, Joe retired as a Colonel, having served as a Staff Judge Advocate assigned to the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

Before being elected to the United States Congress in 2001, Joe served 17 years, with perfect attendance, in the South Carolina State Senate where he was elected Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, the first Republican Chairman since the Reconstruction Era. Today, Joe serves as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he is the Ranking Member of the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism Subcommittee. Additionally, Joe serves on the House Armed Services Committee where he is a member of the Subcommittees on Readiness and Strategic Forces and as a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor. Since the 111th Congress, he has been appointed to the highly influential Republican Policy Committee. As the Representative of the Second Congressional District of South Carolina, Joe is committed to promoting peace through a strong national defense, decreasing taxes for all Americans, and limiting the size and spending of the federal government.

Vice Adm. James Malloy
Deputy Commander
U.S. Central Command

Vice Adm. James Malloy is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland and a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds a Master of Science in Systems Technology (Command, Control and Communications) from the Naval Post Graduate School; a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College and a Master of Health Sciences in Emergency and Disaster Management from Touro University.

His sea tours include assignments onboard USS Deyo (DD 989), USS Fahrion (FFG 22) and USS Benfold (DDG 65). He deployed in command of both USS Falcon (MHC 59) and USS Pinckney (DDG 91), guiding Pinckney through her maiden deployment. He commanded Destroyer Squadron 50 as commander, Middle East Force (CTF 55) and commander, Coalition Task Group 152.1 operating at sea and from naval command centers in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Ashore, Malloy served as the Navy theater missile defense officer and commander in chief operations briefer at U.S. Central Command (J3) in Tampa, Florida. Following the 9/11 terror attack, he established U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Friendly Forces Coordination Cell in Bahrain, as deputy for the operational liaison staff.

Speakers

Kelley Deconciliis
Chairman of the ISOA Board of Directors
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)

Kelley DeConciliis serves as Chief Operating Officer at Special Aerospace Security Services Inc. (SASSi), a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) in Chantilly, Virginia, supporting the Intelligence Community. She brings over 15 years of counter-bioterrorism, expeditionary medicine, health IT, emergency preparedness, and disaster response experience within international and government sectors. Previously, she was VP of International Business Development and Operations at Comprehensive Health Services (CHS), providing expeditionary medical services to the Department of State in Baghdad and Kabul. At USAID, she managed the second largest supply chain for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, covering 16 countries in Africa. She served as VP of Federal at CliniComp International under the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and worked in Bill Gates’ Research & Development Group (Microsoft). She holds a neuro-psychology degree from The Catholic University of America.

Howie Lind
President & Executive Director
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)

Howie Lind has served as the President and Executive Director of ISOA since 2016. Previously, he served as the Washington, DC, representative for Fluor Corporation and previously served in the Departments of Defense and State in the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to this, he was the Deputy Director for the Iraq Project and Contracting Office, responsible for overseeing the $21 Billion Iraq Reconstruction Program for DoD. He also served in the Coalition Provisional Authority supporting Ambassador Paul Bremer. He began his career as a US Naval Officer and retired at the rank of Commander after serving in leadership and technical assignments aboard five US Navy ships of the line and at Naval headquarters staffs. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Andrew Dowell
CEO
GRV Global

Founder and CEO of GRV Global, Andy is passionate about addressing global challenges related to climate change, clean energy, disaster resilience and relief, health, and peacekeeping through world class events and digital communities that deliver positive environmental and humanitarian impact. He was previously Board Director of the senior management team that created Cavendish Group - a B2B media company with a special focus on the BRIC emerging markets. Andy was awarded "Best Environmental Events Business Leader UK" in the Global CEO Excellence in 2018.

Under Andy's leadership, GRV Global stages some of the most important Environmental and Humanitarian events on the global calendar by addressing many of the world's key challenges. The GRV team has continued to work under unprecedented circumstances to deliver a full virtual event platform which replicates the physical experience that delegates have become accustomed to! Online events feature pre-recorded discussion panels with live Q&A, keynote addresses & CEO presentations, virtual booths including live chat and video calls, and of course, our 1-2-1 matchmaking meetings held in private breakout rooms.

Hon. Donald P. Loren (Panel Chair)
Former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Operations, Security & Preparedness
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Donald P. Loren has over 45 years of national, international, and homeland security expertise. He recently completed an appointment as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans & Posture, serving as the principal civilian advisor supporting the Secretary’s Title 10 responsibilities for the development, preparation, and review of military plans, including nuclear plans. He was previously appointed by the President to serve as the Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Operations, Security, and Preparedness, a position he held until September 1, 2018 where he was responsible for the Department’s national security, emergency management response and recovery, personnel security and suitability, and security and law enforcement activities. He was also the President and CEO of Old Dominion Strategies, an international and homeland security and program management consulting company and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security Integration, where he was responsible for strategic planning and policy development, capability and resource assessment, domestic and international partnership Defense Support of Civil Authority integration, congressional activities, strategic communications, and education issues related to homeland defense and homeland security.

Don retired from the U.S. Navy as a Rear Admiral, completing a 31-year naval career, which included command of a guided missile frigate and a Destroyer Squadron, as well as duty in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations; the Staff of the Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Europe; the Joint Staff; and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Don has been awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Meritorious Service Medal, Department of Health and Human Service Pinnacle Gold Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and various personal, unit, and campaign awards. Additionally, he has received the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy from the Italian Government, has been awarded the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross and Conspicuous Service Star, and was awarded the 2007 Old Dominion University Distinguished Alumnus Award. Don is the author of the Naval Institute Press book, The Shipboard Guide to Physical Fitness, has published numerous professional journal articles and papers, and is a frequent op-ed and print, television, and radio media contributor.

Scott Massey
Managing Director - Nigeria
Nuru International

Scott is a soldier / business leader with security and development project ventures across many continents. He is a professional in using entrepreneurial and conflict related skills in fragile spaces. His work has taken him from conflict / fragile zones such as Egypt, Yemen, Nigeria and Haiti to startup industries in the medical and software industries. Scott has been in multiple startups and other fast growth spaces that are often the most fragile of all ventures. Scott is a 1992 graduate of the Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He was commissioned into the US Army and served as a combined arms officer in Kentucky, Germany, West Texas and South Carolina. Scott left the regular Army in 1998 and joined Johnson and Johnson’s sports medicine surgical franchisee Mitek Products. Scott participated in software startups Innermetrix Inc and Cicayda LLC, US Patriot LLC, and Laboratory Startup Laboure LLC.

Scott was subcontracted to the US State Department’s ACOTA (African Contingency Operational Training Advisement) program and supported their operations in 20+ African countries training and equipping African Union soldiers for United Nations sponsored operations in Somalia, The Congo and Uganda. Scott undertook a Master’s degree from Norwich University to formally develop strategies around security and development related to Africa. Scott is currently the Team Leader for Nuru International’s Nigeria project. He operates a team of security and development professionals, both indigenous and expatriate, developing a resilience corridor in the prior Caliphate of Boko Haram and ISWAP in Northeast Nigeria. Scott is helping expand operations into the Greater Sahel and Mozambique. Scott resides in Columbia, SC with his wife, Kristy. He is a commissioned officer in the South Carolina National Guard.

Ioannis Koskinas
Founder
Hoplite Group

Seasoned senior executive with extensive public sector and highly relevant commercial experience in economic development in frontier markets. A strategic thinker and leader - equally at home in the field or in the boardroom with proven record of achieved results in unique enterprises, in challenging environments. An acknowledged specialist in producing innovative solutions to complex problems in the harshest of conditions. A highly decorated retired military officer, published scholar, coach, mentor, risk analyst, project manager skilled at building and leading committed, empowered, and effective teams. In 2013, he founded the Hoplite Group, LLC, in order to bring together regional experts, with deep appreciation of geo-political challenges and possessing unique perspectives necessary to offer clients nuanced solutions.

Mr. Koskinas is also a Senior Fellow in the International Security Program at New America Foundation, an avid writer, and frequent contributor to Foreign Policy, Defense One, War on the Rocks, Huffington Post. Gianni has also been a moderator and panelist in a significant number of conferences, as well as a guest on several radio and TV programs such as Fox News, National Public Radio’s “On Point with Tom Ashbrook” and Australia’s Foreign Correspondent newscast. Most recently, he was the field producer (in Afghanistan) for a feature film published on Showtime, called “The Longest War,” that aired on 19 April 2020.

Dr. Amin Tarzi
Director of Middle East Studies
Marine Corps University

Professor Amin Tarzi is the Director of Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia (USA), and a senior fellow for the Program on the Middle East at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His previous experience includes serving as the senior research associate for the Middle East at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, a political advisor to the Saudi Arabian Mission to the United Nations, an analyst on Iranian affairs at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research in Abu Dhabi, and an adjunct professor of practice at University of Southern California’s Dornsife Washington DC Program. Dr. Tarzi has a PhD and a MA degree from the Department of Middle East Studies at New York University and a BA in philosophy and political science from Queens College in New York City. His areas of research and teaching include: The Middle East with focus on Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, hybrid actors and major power competition in the region; evolving competitions and contestations in the Gulf, the Red Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean regions; US national security and interests in the Middle East and its surrounding maritime domains; and proliferation of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems.

Dr. Sorcha MacLeod
Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellow & Associate Professor
University of Copenhagen/UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries

Dr Sorcha MacLeod is a Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen and an Adjunct at the Hertie School, Berlin. She is an internationally recognised expert on business, human rights, and private security and she has published widely on this topic. She holds a PhD in International Human Rights Law from the University of Glasgow, and an LLB (Hons) in Scots Law and an LLM in International Natural Resources Law from the University of Dundee. In July 2018 she was appointed as a Special Procedures Mandate Holder and independent human rights expert to the United Nations Working Group on the use of Mercenaries and is also an invited expert to the UN Intergovernmental Working Group on private military and security companies. She participated in the development of the Montreux Document regulatory process on private military and security companies, as well as the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers and its International Code of Conduct Association, at which she has Observer Status. She also was involved in the drafting of international management standards for private security operations and advises civil society organisations, governments and industry on business, human rights and security issues.

Keith Dotts (Panel Chair)
Vice President
Obera LLC

Keith Dotts joined Obera LLC in 2018 and currently serves as their Vice President. Prior to this, Keith was their Director of Business Development & Military Programs, and also their Director of Africa Operations. He specializes in corporate strategy, executive management, risk analysis, and operations. Mr. Dotts leverages his 30+ years’ leadership & experience advising and directly supporting US. Government Agencies and commercial organizations. Prior to joining Obera LLC, Keith served as Chief Strategy Officer of Dotts Consultancy LLC. Before Dotts Consultancy, Keith served in various leadership roles for PAE in Africa supporting the US. Department of State in vast efforts of peacekeeping & capacity building operations, where he excelled in several high-profile program management roles for global corporations as well as the US government. Keith started his career in the U.S. Army serving in various leadership & command positions for more than 25 years. Keith holds multiple master’s degrees in strategic leadership & advanced military studies from the Mountain State University, West Virginia & the US. Command & General Staff College, Kansas. Today he serves as a trusted board advisor for several small businesses in his community. Keith has also made significant contributions to charitable causes on the national level, specifically through his involvement and support to Veterans and Citizen Services, Health, Human services, and the Environment.

Charles "Chuck" Pope
Senior Regional Advisor for the Middle East
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Charles S. “Chuck” Pope is the Senior Regional Advisor for the Middle East at USAID. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Operations in the Global Health Bureau providing senior leadership to the COVID-19 Response and current and future Supply Chain programming. Previous to that, he served the bureau as Deputy Assistant Administrator leading policy, programs, planning, innovation and systems. He started his career overseas in Russia as a Peace Corps volunteer attached to Moscow City Administration (Zelenograd Prefecture) working on NGO development. Afterwards, he went to work for IREX in Central Asia on the State Department’s Internet Access and Training Program. IREX would later promote Chuck to Regional Director of the Caucasus overseeing all programs in the region.Peace Corps subsequently hired him as Administrative Officer to restart the program in Uzbekistan, which had been closed following 9/11. The program would grow to become one of the largest Peace Corps posts, with Chuck also serving a stint as acting Country Director. After his tour, the Peace Corps put Chuck in charge of training new Administrative Officers for overseas assignments. During this time, he also served the agency as the Financial and Administrative Officer of the Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts, the historic deployment of the Peace Corps domestically. Chuck joined USAID's Foreign Service in 2007 and has served in Russia, Afghanistan, Tanzania and India.

Richard Crum
Contracting Officer / Team Leader - Near Eastern Affairs & South Central Asia
U.S. Department of State

Richard Crum currently works in the Department of States A/OPE/AQM/World Wide Division focused on contracting solutions for contingency environments within the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region. Richard has 24 years of experience in acquisition, program management, and business development in military and civilian contingency operations, International Logistics & life and mission support services, aviation services, overseas operations, conflict resolution support, and International law-enforcement training. Richard Currently supports Afghanistan’s life and mission support and Iraq’s medical support services contracts, and in doing so, has solicited and awarded the largest Contract in the history of the department of state, The Diplomatic Platform Support Services contract valued at 8.5 billion dollars. While at DOS Richard has been embedded in the bureau of International Narcotics and Law (INL) Enforcement for three years, the DOS small business office (OSDBU),and AQM/OPE.. Richard supports the bureaus of NEA-SCA, and EAP to include the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) where he serves as a non-voting member of the board.

Prior to civil service, Mr. Crum served 14 years in the U.S. Army with deployments to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq where he gained expertise in Military Intelligence by managing a program that succeeded in capturing high value military targets, Combat Operations where he earned his Combat Infantry Badge engaging in full spectrum combat operations, and managed the companies detainee program. Mr. Crum operated Provisional Reconstruction Teams approving and awarding small business loans and grants to Iraqi small businesses. During many military operations, Mr. Crum became an expert in international Logistics Management, which began by an assignment to liaison with the royal family of Kuwait in 2006 coordinating U.S. Cargo from Kuwait throughout multiple U.S. war zones. Mr. Crum ended his decorated military career in 2014 as a member of the US Army Contingency Contracting Team providing acquisition experience to the U.S. Department of Defense. Mr. Crum attended California University for undergrad Political Science, American University for a graduate certificate in Program management, George Washington University graduate program in project management, and is a graduate of The Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Cohort 2015.

Carl Cartwright
Executive Director for LOGCAP/AIM
U.S. Army Sustainment Command

Mr. Carl Cartwright serves as the Executive Director for Acquisition and Integration Management and has overall responsibility for the management of the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) and the Army Sustainment Command’s portfolio of Service contracts that are used to provide a broad range of logistical and base life support services to U.S. and coalition forces during contingency and non-contingency operations. Previously, Mr. Cartwright served as the Executive Director for Support Operations for the Army Sustainment Command (ASC) where he directed support operations in the areas of Army Prepositioned Stocks (APS), Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN), Materiel Management for the Continental United States (CONUS), Direct Theatre Support to CENTCOM, and the Logistics Assistance Program (LAP).

A career military officer who retired at the rank of colonel, Mr. Cartwright has also served as Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Field Support Command, the predecessor command to ASC. Before this assignment, Mr. Cartwright commanded the Army Materiel Command (Forward) – Southwest Asia (predecessor to the 401st Army Field Support Brigade) where he was responsible at the onset of OIF and OEF to serve as the single face to the warfighter for Army Materiel Command (AMC) activities. Mr. Cartwright earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the State University of New York at Albany, two Master of Science degrees, from the Florida Institute of Technology in Logistics Management, and from the U.S. Army War College in Strategic Studies. Mr. Cartwright’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit (one oak leaf cluster); the Bronze Star Medal (one oak leaf cluster); Meritorious Service Medal ( three oak leaf clusters); Parachute Badge; and medals for service in Southwest Asia and the Balkans.

David Flament
Chief Security Officer
African Development Bank (AfDB)

David Flament joined the African Development Bank in Tunis, Tunisia, in 2005. He spearheaded the return of the Bank’s Headquarters to Côte d’Ivoire in 2013 and has been serving in Abidjan as Chief Security Officer for the past 6 years. The Bank’s Security Unit is responsible for the security of all the Bank’s personnel, assets and information in all locations where the Bank is present. David focuses on establishing and maintaining good working relationships with our network of security professionals operating in Côte d’Ivoire : host country forces, UN, other international organizations, the local diplomatic community and various multinational corporations. Internally he coordinates joint endeavours with the Bank’s Audit, Ethics and Anti-fraud/corruption Departments, assisting our colleagues investigating criminal cases. He is a French Army Lieutenant-Colonel specialized on African operations and holds an MEng degree (Strathclyde University) and an Exec-MBA degree (London Business School / Columbia Business School).

Eleanor Berry (Panel Chair)
Associate Director, Advisory
Intelyse (a Sicuro Group company)

Eleanor Berry is the Associate Director of Intelyse (a Sicuro Group company), overseeing the delivery of critical information and analysis to clients operating in complex environments. Eleanor graduated with an MA from the University of St. Andrews in International Relations, focused on peace, conflict and security studies. Before joining Intelyse, Eleanor developed her political risk analysis, post conflict research and risk expertise management in various roles in the UK, Middle East, East Africa and South East Asia.

Dr. Edward DeVilliers
President/CEO
DeVilliers Technology Solutions

Dr. Edward M. DeVilliers was born in 1967 in Connecticut to Cuban parents who emigrated to the United States in 1961. He started his career as a Marine Corps officer after graduating from USNA in 1989. A Field Artillery and Data Systems officer, he held various positions within the Artillery and acquisition community. This included being a Platoon Commander during the first Persian Gulf War, Operations and Fire Direction Officer, an Acquisition Project Officer, and Chief Engineer for the Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) organization within Marine Corps Systems Command. For defining and starting the SE&I Division, he was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal, as well as designing and implementing the first Marine Corps systems and technical architecture repository.

After leaving the Marine Corps in 2000, Dr. DeVilliers took lead engineering positions within both government and industry. This included being the Chief Engineer for Marine Corps Ground Command and Control (C2) Systems. He provided technical direction for several global C2, fire support, and targeting systems. He was also the Chief Engineer for TASC, Inc, a major defense contractor, and Principal Systems Engineer for the Mitre Corporation.

He founded DeVilliers Technology Solutions LLC (DeVil-Tech) in 2012, a systems engineering, data analysis and software development company. His company has conducted engineering assessments of enterprise issues, in domains like C-IED portfolio, software architectures, new system concepts and requirements affordability. The company’s new product, Locorum, is a Command and Control (C2), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Iridium Communications system that has been used in disaster relief operations in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, as well as being assessed for Caribbean drug interdiction operations.

He received his PhD in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University in 2015, an MS in Computer Science from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1996, and a BS in Chemistry from the United States Naval Academy in 1989.

Matthew Schweers
Director of OCONUS Programs
ITA International LLC

Matt Schweers joined the Army in 1983. He served as an Airborne Ranger Infantryman for five years before volunteering for the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1988. Over the next 25 year he served as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, Intelligence Sergeant, ODA Team Sergeant, First Sergeant and Sergeant Major. He deployed on multiple MTTs, JCETs and combat tours in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with 1st SFG, 10th SFG and SOCOM. After his military service Matt served as a Military Source Operations trainer for both the DIA and MARSOC and worked as an Intelligence and Operational Planner for SOF exercises with the TRADOC G2. For the last five years Matt has been a Program Manager and Director for Constellis and ITA International managing the CG&NT and SWIMS B I DIQs other CONUS and OCONUS task orders for AFSOC, the USAF Missile Command and The USAF OSI. He resides in Chesapeake Virginia with his wife Grace and has four children and three grandchildren.

Scott Braderman
Program Analyst,Office of Institutional Assessment
U.S. Army War College

Mr. Braderman serves as the head of the U.S. Army War College survey program. Mr. Braderman creates, administers and analyzes the resultant data to ensure the administration can make evidence-based decisions to improve academic offerings and maintain institutional accreditation. He manages the War College internship program and develops research projects enhancing educational offerings at the War College.

Mr. Braderman served in the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI) for five years as the head of research and a Training and Education specialist. Prior to joining PKSOI, Mr. Braderman served 21+ years in the U.S. Army as a Military Intelligence Chief Warrant Officer. His military assignments included joint, multinational, strategic and tactical deployments all around the world. Scott earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Intelligence from Mercyhurst University, completed the Post Graduate Intelligence Program from the National Intelligence University, and attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from University of the State of New York.

Matthew Woody
Sr. Vice President
TBW Global

Matt is responsible for the global growth vision and roadmap at TBW Global, a large professional services firm. He collaboratively leads the corporation's go-to-market strategy in identifying, capturing, and executing new business opportunities within the domestic and international defense, intelligence, and stability markets. He has successfully developed lasting relationships with over a dozen allied/partner nations around the world, as well as NATO. Based in Washington, DC, he has 15 years of experience helping businesses grow and operate profitability in difficult and complex markets. He has contributed to the expansion of numerous organizations, advising senior partners and shareholders on creating strategic and sustainable growth. He has led and supported hundreds of programs, which combined, have realized over $9.8 billion in awarded value. Throughout his career he has deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and across Africa, Europe, and Asia in support of his client's mission. Matt holds an MBA from Hult International Business School in London and a BA in foreign affairs and economics from Miami University.

Keri Leicher
Group Head - Security Information Services
Castor Vali

Keri Leicher is the Group Head of Castor Vali's Security Information Services (SiS) department that is based out of Nairobi, Kenya but has a presence throughout the African continent. This division works with individuals and entities with operations across Africa to help them manage their exposure to risk - from corruption to terrorism - through tailored and actionable political and security risk intelligence. Prior to joining Castor Vali, she headed up S-RM's Political Risk Service line and worked for other boutique consultancies in addition to the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), which is among the continent’s top-rated think tanks. She holds two first class Masters degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

Gregory A. McCaffrey
Vice President - Business Development
Taylors International Services

Gregory (Greg) McCaffrey has over 30 years of experience assembling and leading professional services advisory and contingency operations support teams to meet numerous public sector and commercial enterprise requirements around the world. During the course of his career, he has held positions as senior global aerospace and defense industry analyst, East European and Latin America regional managing director, chief operating officer and global public sector business unit president with several leading global professional services companies. He has extensive on-site experience in East Europe, the Former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. His extensive experience includes privatization of state-owned industries in East Europe; senior acquisition process advisor to the Panama Canal; global United States military base operations support; aviation sector modernization in Africa; and U.S. federal agency information technology modernization. Greg is a former United States Air Force (USAF) officer.

Dr. Mac McClelland
President - Europe, Middle East & Africa
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)

Living and working in the Middle East and North Africa for over 40 years, Dr. T. B. (Mac) McClelland, Jr., has extensive experience in political, social, and military affairs in the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Africa. Mac is a retired officer in the US Marine Corps and has advised the US military, US Department of State and consular officials, foreign governments, and military officials on African and Arab affairs. He has led complex multicultural international organizations with P&L responsibilities across the globe. He currently leads a management consulting firm based in Dubai dealing focused on business development, marketing, and government relations in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He is a professor at Hult International Business School, the Abu Dhabi School of Management, and other organizations. Mac’s recently published novel, Desert Wind, is available online and at fine booksellers around the world.

Raghad Al Saadi (Panel Chair)
Principal
Polar Lights Prime, LLC.

Raghad Al Saadi is a Principal of Polar Lights Prime, LLC. Expert on WPS, humanitarian assistance, peace negotiations, conflict mitigation, Conflict related gender-based violence, human rights, and the rule of law. Provided consultancy services to the UNOCHA-Turkey on strategic planning and effective engagement with local councils, training to NGOs on conflict analysis and resolution, Ms. Al Saadi was a Delegate of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum (NPPF) 2017 presented “MistBit™ – Empowering Women and Children to Combat Sexual & Gender-Based Violence and Human Trafficking in Refugee Camps and Disaster Zones”. A public speaker at the Initiatives of Change (IofC), Caux, Switzerland. A panelist for the Global Policy Dialogue on WPS in Doha, Qatar. A SME on Climate Conflict & Security in Paris Peace Forum. She has extensive experience in conflict zones in the MENA region as well as a professional program management with the Federal Government in Washington. Ms. Al Saadi holds a Master of Science in Peace Operations form George Mason University, and most recent was accepted to an LLM in International Human Rights Law offered by Oxford Brookes University, School of Law, UK. Ms. Al Saadi is a publisher at IEEE-Global Humanitarian Technology Conference, International Policy Digest, and Stability Operations Magazine.

Michelle Quinn
Senior Vice President and Former Chairman of the ISOA Board of Directors
Patriot Group International

Michelle is Senior Vice President of Patriot Group International, a mission-focused organization providing security, operational, Logistics, and training solutions for the Department of Defense, Department of State, and other Government Agencies. At PGI, Michelle leads efforts to support critical U.S. missions and programs both CONUS and OCONUS, establishing relationships with the USG and industry partners, building technical solutions for programs, and standing up/executing PGI contracts. Prior to joining PGI in December of 2018, Michelle served for five years as Vice President at VxL Enterprises; Vice President of International Programs and Director of Capture Management at A-T Solutions; Ops Manager for multi-agency Counter-Terrorism programs at the FBI Lab in Virginia; and Manager of Operations and Training for DOS’ Worldwide Protective Services (WPS) Programs at DynCorp International. Earlier, Michelle also worked on Capitol Hill, supporting the House Banking Committee on legislation tied to work and funding of USAID, IMF, World Bank; at The White House for the Executive Office of Management and Budget; and at several private, family-founded, philanthropic foundations. Michelle holds a BA from William and Mary, and an MBA from Mary Washington University. She is, most importantly, the proud mother of five amazing Quinn children, out-and-about the world doing great things.

Rossella Lospennato
General Manager Projects/Remote & Government Services
Alpha Logistics Services EPZ LTD

Rossella Lospennato is currently the General Manager Project/Remote and Government Services at ALPHA LOGISTICS SERVICES, (ALSL) a Kenyan based company that provides through Alpha Group's expertise marine logistics, supply chain management, warehousing and engineering support services to major infrastructure projects and Government Agencies throughout the East and Southern coasts of Africa. She has been with Alpha for over 12 years developing ALSL operations in Somalia, starting as the first UNSOS contractor to offer door to door solutions, supporting WFP both in Mogadishu and Kismayo Port rehabilitation, and as Prime Vendor subcontractor. She oversees current contracts with UN, WFP and Government Agencies for Somalia, South Sudan, DRC, Uganda Tanzania and Mozambique. She studied Political Science at Perugia University (Italy).

Macon Hardy
SVP
Unissant

Macon Hardy is the Senior Vice President for Unissant Inc, serving the military medical community with data analytics, digital transformation, and cybersecurity solutions. Ms Hardy has 13 years of experience supporting various federal customers and has managed the growth strategy for both large and small businesses.

Prior to this role, Ms Hardy served as the Account Executive for the U.S. Department of State for Cherokee Federal. Ms Hardy oversaw engagements in over 35 countries and five continents that include security and technology deployments and embassy support operations across Near Eastern Affairs Bureau (NEA), East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau (EAP), Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA), International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), Diplomatic Security (DS), and other DoS stakeholders. Ms Hardy began her career supporting the military healthcare and medical surveillance community and built a line of business within Cherokee Federal that focused on supporting customers with medical research and development, biological threat surveillance, medical readiness, and public health solutions. Ms Hardy holds a Bachelor’s of Science in International Business from Frostburg State University.

Mariam Atash
Co-Founder
Leading the Way Initiative

Mariam Atash is an attorney with experience in the legal, business, government relations/diplomacy, media and nonprofit sectors. Mariam is currently Managing Attorney of Prime Counsel, a boutique law firm providing services in immigration, government contracting, international business, and corporate law. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Bay Atlantic University, where she teaches courses on International Trade, Intellectual Property, Human Rights and Cybersecurity. She is a co-founder of the PlanetPix media brand through which she has launched Leading the Way, a digital media initiative to share the voices of women bringing peace through leadership. Mariam has served on public-private partnerships of the State Department relating to women’s empowerment and justice sector reform and on the United States Institute of Peace’s Gender and Law Working Group.

Mariam believes in connecting people and organizations to leverage resources. She is a co-Founder and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Nooristan Foundation, a nonprofit organization which has provided education and vocational training in Afghanistan since 1999. The Foundation is currently implementing its successful “EnLighten a Mind” program that is taking working children off the streets and into the classroom. Mariam has provided guidance to numerous organizations working in the education, development and human rights fields for over 20 years. She was a founding Director of the American University of Afghanistan and Aschiana Foundation and served on the Honorary Board of Advisors of Innocents at Risk, Afghan-American Bar Association, and The Global Partnership for Afghanistan. She is also a founding member of the Orange County chapter of American Women for International Understanding. Mariam is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and of the Honor’s Program in International Relations at George Mason University and was the first Afghan-American to be selected for the White House internship program.

Dr. Ellinor Zeino
Country Director
Konrad Adenauer Foundation

Ellinor Zeino is Country Director and Resident Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Afghanistan Office in Kabul since December 2018. Before she has worked as Associate Director in a private consulting company in Constance, Germany, on risk analysis and travel security in the Middle East/Africa and as head of the global crisis and situation center. She has worked for many years in international cooperation and field research in Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. In her current position in Afghanistan, she focuses on track-I,5/II diplomacy dialogues, confidence-building, and regional threat perceptions.

She has obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg and the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies for her thesis on Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s Iraq Policies. She holds a Master’s degree in politics, laws, and economics as well as an Arabic language degree for lawyers (University of Passau) and has studied political science at Cairo University, Egypt. Since her childhood, Ellinor has lived, travelled, or worked in countries of the Middle East and North Africa, such as Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Libya, Syria, or Saudi Arabia. She has published numerous journal articles and co-edited volumes on political and security developments in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Alice Laugher
CEO
CTG

Alice Laugher is the CEO of Committed to Good, an organisation that enables humanitarian and development projects by providing HR and staffing solutions to clients in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Alice has won the coveted Business for Peace Award and has been recognised as a UN Global Compact SDG Pioneer for Empowering Women in Conflict Settings. ?She leads by example to ensure women play a broader role in the aid and development sectors in high-risk environments through CTG’s flagship initiative Female First, and galvanises the private sector for collective action around the SDGs.

Dr. Jessica Lee (Panel Chair)
CEO
413, LLC

Dr. Jessica Lee is the co-founder and CEO of 413, LLC, an SBA-certified Woman-Owned Small Business. She is supported DOD, SOCOM, JSOC, the IC, State, and Think Tanks on Security Sector Reform. She is an anthropologist and holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Lee has 15 years of experience conducting field research (primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa), working with the US and foreign security forces, conducting research and programming. Dr. Lee provides clients with results that translate to actionable insights for funders, decision makers, and other stakeholders. Her work supports the US military, special forces, Department of State, USAID, World Bank, and other NOGs. She focuses on international security, counterterrorism, and building partner capacity.

Dr. Lee leads interagency evaluation teams for FLINTLOCK (the multinational Special Operations Forces exercise), designing surveys to satisfy data collection requirements from State, the DOD Office of the Secretary of Defense, and SOCAF. She also established the first onsite M&E Team for Security Assistance for the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) and the Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism (PREACT) programs in the Department of State’s Africa Bureau. Dr. Lee is a skilled instructor: she is an adjunct faculty member at Gallaudet University, and she has trained hundreds of military personnel on working with foreign military, interagency operations, and cultural awareness. Dr. Lee speaks Swahili, American Sign Language, and Tanzanian Sign Language.

David Hornus
Director
Groupe CORPGUARD

Man of action, entrepreneur, with a sense of commitment and liking challenges, I created my own company in the field of corporate security, CORPGUARD, in 2006. Before that, a transition in the army as training platoon leader and operational reservist allowed me to manage men and to develop a sense of cultural intelligence which I benefited from during the rest of my career, for example when I’ve been involved through my company in a peace keeping operations training for a West African country battalion (2016, 2017).

As a response team member in special risks insurance, I have been deployed several times on high intensity crises involving human lives in the Sahel region (2016) and in Libya (2011), Irak (2014), Madagascar (2015), Belgium (2016) and the democratic Republic of Congo (2017, 2019). I take action to safeguard my client’s interests in the fields of corporate security, duty of care issues and corporate intelligence. I am personally involved in providing crisis management services. My company is ISO 18788 certified since July 2018. This certification’s commitment to international law and human rights is in line with the values I have always cared for. Moreover, CORPGUARD is a veteran owned company (ICOCA, ISOA) and I was elected to the ICoCA Board of Directors (UK/Europe) in November 2019.

Daniel Matthews
Senior Director - Iraq
GardaWorld

Daniel Matthews joined GardaWorld’s International Protective Services business in 2004 after a distinguished military career, including the award of the Military Cross for his leadership role in a mission to rescue British hostages in Sierra Leone. He led GardaWorld’s business units in both Afghanistan & Pakistan specialized in key operational roles including supporting UN-sponsored elections in Afghanistan in 2005 and de-radicalization programs in Pakistan in 2008. In 2011, he was appointed Regional Director, Central Iraq, before taking the lead in 2016 as Senior Director, Iraq. Danny’s deep knowledge of the region coupled with his extensive operational experience and skills learned during his military career allows him a unique perspective into Iraq which is invaluable to our clients.

Firas Modad
Director Country Risk – Middle East & North Africa
IHS Markit

Firas Modad, a director of Country Risk at IHS Markit, specialises in the nexus of politics, religion and security in the Middle East and North Africa. Mr. Modad focuses on the conflict between Turkey, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia and how it shapes security and political risks in the region and terrorism risks in the West. He has also studied the rise of Islamist militant and non-militant groups, their ideology, their capabilities and their communication strategies. Currently, he is focused on the risk of another wave of unrest in MENA, the migrant flows it would trigger and its impact on terrorism. Mr. Modad has briefed executives and directors in insurance the insurance and energy sectors, as well as C-level executives at blue chip firms with interests and operations in MENA. He has helped clients understand the rise of the Islamic State, the conflicts in Libya, Syria and Iraq, risks in Egypt and the conflict between Israel, Iran and the Arabs. Mr. Modad also makes regular appearances on the media, and has been interviewed by Reuters, Bloomberg, the BBC, CNN, ABC News, and others. Mr. Modad holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, and a Master of Science in International Management for the Middle East and North Africa from the University of London in the United Kingdom.

Col. (Ret.) Christopher Mayer
PSC Committee Chair
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)

Col. Christopher Mayer, US Army Retired, is the Chair of ISOA’s Private Security Company Committee and is on the ISOA Advisory Council. From 2005 to 2019 he was responsible for Defense Department policy and oversight of private security contractors and represented the US Government in international initiatives regarding private military and security companies. This work included the Montreux Document, the International Code of Conduct and quality management standards for private security companies. He also served as Chief of Staff for the reconstruction of Iraq and Senior US Military Observer and Chief of Civil Military Coordination for the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia. Chris continues to promote ethical public/private partnership in relief, recovery, and reconstruction in conflict, post conflict, and complex emergencies and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities in the USA and Europe.

Michael Jenkins
Senior Vice President
SOC LLC.

As an integral leader on SOC’s executive team, Mr. Jenkins serves as Senior Vice President, Integrated Security, overseeing Cyber Operations, Cleared Staffing, Critical Infrastructure Programs, and Technical and International Security programs. At SOC, Mr. Jenkins leads with a solid track record of success, with three decades of experience in directing technically-varied missions for multiple U.S. Government agencies.

In his career at SOC, he has been instrumental in driving results and supporting the mission by leading the workforce in a variety of positions, including Vice President of International Programs, as well as Senior Director of Operations. Prior to joining SOC, Mr. Jenkins served more than ten years abroad, supporting complex U.S. Government programs in the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. He is known for his broad range of expertise, which includes his service with the Central South Texas Narcotics and Special Crimes Task Force as the Senior Agent in Charge. Throughout his career, Mr. Jenkins has continuously supported mission-critical programs with the United States Departments of Defense, State, Energy, Homeland Security, as well as other Government agencies in wide-ranging service offerings.

Mr. Jenkins received his Associate of Applied Science Degree in Information Security Management from Central Texas College and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security from American Public University. As a transformational leader at SOC, Mr. Jenkins continues to drive results, helping grow and diversify the company’s Government Services portfolio.

Sally Stone (Panel Chair)
CEO
Hart International Australia Pty Ltd

Sallie Stone joined Hart in 2007, specializing in providing rapid response deployments, security training and consultancy to media and governments worldwide. Sallie came from a 20-year career as a broadcast journalist and producer. Starting out as a cadet reporter on New Zealand’s Evening Post newspaper she went on to become an on-air correspondent for nine years before moving behind the camera as a producer on the internationally acclaimed current affairs show 60 Minutes. With 60 Minutes she won gold medals at the New York Film and Television Awards. Sallie worked with TVNZ, CBS America and the Nine Network before moving to minority programming at SBS.

Sallie joined the security industry in Feb 2003 becoming the Managing Director of AKE Asia-Pacific and training journalists in the build-up to the US-led invasion of Iraq. Since that time, she has been involved in training thousands of media personnel including those from major organizations such as CNN, Reuters, ABC and NHK. Sallie is a vocal advocate of safety and security training for freelance journalists, NGO’s and volunteers operating in challenging locations that are often unable to afford adequate training and resources. She implemented sponsored training courses and has worked as a volunteer trainer in Aceh, Nepal and Pakistan training local journalists. Sallie has been a guest speaker for the International Federation of Journalists at conferences such as Don’t Kill the Messenger. In 2009 she was invited by the Chinese Government to address journalists on matters of safety and security and human rights. Sallie’s key strength is rapid response tasks in high threat environments. Her journalism background lends itself to gaining human intelligence quickly and effectively. For the past decade Sallie has focused on Government clients and has worked with all Five Eyes governments and the Japanese Government and affiliated agencies.

Col. Ali Robleh
Head of Police Component
EASF Secretariat

My name is Ali Mohamed ROBLEH I am a Colonel of the Gendarmerie Nationale of Djibouti which I joined in 1990. I have almost 30 years of service in the National Gendarmerie, including 18 years in positions of responsibility. I have a lot of experience as a Gendarmerie officer at the national and international levels. At the national level, I have served in various areas such as operations, training, finance and administration. At the international level, I have participated in 4 peacekeeping missions, in Côte d'Ivoire (twice UNOCI), Mali (UNMISMA), and Haiti (MINUSTAH and UNMJUSTH). In the last two missions I held a P4 position as Chief of Staff of UNPOL Component.

During my international deployment period, I worked in various areas including operations, administration, reform and structuring. I have also held senior positions as site manager, Human Resource manager, project manager, Head of donor coordination unit and chief of staff United Nations Police Component (P4). I have participated in various training courses including civilian protection trainer training, CDM, CBI, Security Sector Reform, DDR, Preventive diplomacy and Military Intelligence course. During all these years spent in peacekeeping missions, I have acquired the ability to work under pressure in a very complex multidimensional environment characterized by violent crimes, terrorist acts and serious human rights violations, as in Mali. Since February 2020, I am the Head of the Police Component of the Eastern African Standby Force.

Muoki Kimilu
Head of Interpol Regional Bureau and CEO of EAPCCO
INTERPOL Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa

Mr. Kimilu serves as the Head of INTERPOL's Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa and the Chief Executive Officer of East Africa Police chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) He is responsible for coordinating policing and security of the following countries: Burundi, Comoros, DRC, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Seychelles, Republic of Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda. He has managed and coordinated major operations against transnational organized crimes since October 2016. Formerly he served as the Deputy Director Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Commandant of the DCI Training School, Deputy Director in charge of Investigations (2012-2015), and Deputy Director In charge Operations. He also served as a Police advisor to the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government (2015-2016). He holds the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector General (S/AIG) in the Kenya National Police Service, Mr. Kimilu joined the Police in 1989 as a direct cadet Inspector. He holds two Masters Degrees: Masters of Arts in Criminology from the University of Nairobi and Masters of Arts in Peace studies and International Relation from Catholic University of East Africa.

Col Bellarmin Ndongui
Deputy Commander of the Gendarmerie
Congolese Armed Forces

Colonel Bellarmin NDONGUI is the Second Commander Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie of the Republic of Congo. Beginning with his initial training at the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, he completed his professional training in France at the National Gendarmerie Officers' Training School in Melun, with the Gendarmerie Higher Education Center Staff Course followed by Joint Defense College in Paris. With a long career full of rich experience at the national level, he has served in many operational, command and planning posts, before working on the international arena with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) as Head of the Police Component of the African Standby Capabilities. For the past fifteen years, Colonel NDONGUI has been knowledgeable witness and active citizen committed to his country’s maintenance of international peace and security. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Private Law and a Master's degree in Geopolitics, Strategy and International Security. He is the head of the Strategic Studies Committee of the Journal "Géopolitique africaine" (www.geopolitique-africaine.com) and is also an auditor of the Center for Strategic Studies for Africa (CESA), the International School of Security Forces (Eiforces) in Yaoundé/Cameroon and the Center for Advanced Studies in Strategy and Defense (CHESD) in Kinshasa/DRC.

David Chilalireone
Assistant Commissioner of Police - Deputy Director of Research & Planning
Malawi Police Service