People Category: Panelist

Shawn Fetterolf joined Intel in 2022 after 3 years at Synopsys and nearly 19 years at IBM and IBM Research.

While at IBM Shawn worked on pre-production and later production-qualified bulk planar transistor technologies at 130, 120, 90, 65, and 20nm nodes, he also worked on SOI technologies at the 45, 32, 22, and 14nm nodes. During this time, he supported the definition, bring-up, and operation of IBM’s Trusted Foundry operations as well as High Performance Compute solutions across multiple families of supercomputers. In these roles he led teams of test, characterization, ASIC design/development, as well as process development engineers and scientists.

In 2010 Shawn transferred to IBM France and worked as a Flash memory developer and was appointed the IBM on-site leadership of a three-party collaborative effort in FDSOI process and IP development at the 28, 20/14, and 10nm nodes. He also supported the transfer of the International Semiconductor Development Alliance (ISDA)’s 20nm LPM technology from Research to Production. In these roles he regularly worked with the French and US Governments.

Returning from France in 2015, Shawn led collaboration efforts around EUV tooling, mask, and process development work supporting FinFET as well as gate-all-around transistors at the 14, 10, 7, and 5nm nodes. He also supported MRAM development as well as AI Accelerator architecture efforts.

In parallel he architected, assembled, and led the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) project. This DoD funded project brought together competing parties to solve their shared concerns related to technology access and design for the defense industrial base, government, and commercial suppliers. This work continued upon his departure ultimately influencing the DoD RAMP, MINSAV, and MQA programs.

At Synopsys Shawn co-led Synopsys’s entry into the government space leading R&D and collaboration efforts across the defense industrial base and government. During this time, Shawn also served as the vice-chair of the NDIA Electronics Division.

Now at Intel, Shawn works on mid and long-term Federal strategy to collaboratively support the government and Intel’s combined interests.

He is a named inventor on a diverse portfolio of over 20 patents, and participated in IBM’s Corporate Service Corps in Dodoma, Tanzania helping to establish the University of Dodoma.

Colonel Edward G. Ferguson is the Chief, Advanced Warfighter Capabilities and Resources Analysis Division (J81) and the Director, Space Technical Analysis Group (STAG), at United States Space Command (USSPACECOM), Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado. As J81, he analyzes warfighter gaps and identifies future capability solutions in support of USSPACECOM objectives; and leads all Science, Technology and Advanced Concepts efforts to accelerate development, prototyping or demonstration of new technologies or concepts. As the STAG director, he produces technical assessments, performs analyses, and integrates results to support planning and decision making on behalf of the Commander of USSPACECOM.

Col Ferguson began his Air Force career in 2001 as a Physicist after graduating from the Colorado School of Mines. He received his commission through ROTC Detachment 105 at the University of Colorado – Boulder. He has held a variety of acquisitions, ICBM combat crew and staff positions. Col Ferguson was a CSAF Blue Horizons Fellow, a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Service Chief’s Fellow, is a graduate of Naval War College Navy Command and Staff program as a Gravely Scholar, and graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies.

Col Ferguson has deployed as the Executive Officer, 379th Expeditionary Mission Support Group in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, and as an Operations Analyst in the Strategy Division of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Air and Space Operations Center in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM.

Anthony Di Stasio currently serves as the Director of the Manufacturing, Capability Expansion, and Investment Prioritization Directorate (MCEIP) at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment (OUSD A&S). MCEIP prioritizes and invests in industrial development and production critical for protecting national security.

Previously, Mr. Di Stasio served as the Director of the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program, now known as Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI). Prior to his role leading the DPA Title III Program, he served as the Program Manager for the Department of Defense Joint Enhanced Munitions Technology Program (JEMTP) at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (OUSD R&E). He simultaneously served as the U.S. National Lead for the OUSD R&E’s Technical Cooperation Panel (TTCP) for energetics. He also has 17 years of experience at the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (Armaments Center), headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, where he focused on munitions design and development.

His service at Armaments Center included Project Officer for the Insensitive Munitions Explosive Program, Project Officer for the Future Requirements of Enhanced Energetics for Decisive Munitions Energetics Program, Project Officer for the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition Explosive Thrust, and Insensitive Munitions Technical Lead. He led more than five field transition technologies and holds five patents for the development of the subscale insensitive munitions testing and production of nano-energetics. He won three research and development awards from the Army, as well as awards from NATO for contributions to insensitive munitions technology development. He was recognized by TIME for having one of the “Inventions of the Year” in 2010.

Mr. Di Stasio has expertise in energetic materials, detonation train design, nano-energetics, gun propulsion, rocket propulsion, insensitive munitions, program management, and risk analysis.

He received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Delaware.

Sonny Tahiliani works for RTX Ventures covering science, technology & investing for the corporate venture capital arm of RTX. The team sits within the Corporate Finance Group and invests in & co-ordinates strategic partnerships with startups that seek to transform aerospace & defense.  Prior to Ventures, Sonny spent three years in the RTX Corporate Chief Technology Office working partnerships, technology scouting, cross business unit technology road-mapping and special projects.

Before joining RTX in 2019 he was head of capital investment, North America for the UK government at the British Consulate in New York City for two years.  Additionally, he spent four years in venture capital as managing director for an investment group where he structured technology investments and assumed board & interim operating roles at portfolio companies.  Before then, he was a senior research analyst on the buy-side, investing for BMO for five years primarily in public equities.  Ahead of transitioning into the financial sector, he was an entrepreneur for seven years in defense & aerospace avionics, exiting by acquisition.  He began his career as a machine learning engineer (in aerospace applications) for four years in 1997, after interning with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Education: B.Sc. Electrical Eng., B.Sc. Aerospace Eng., M.A. Political & Economic History, M.Sc. Technology & Strategy Leadership

Mr. Mark Glenn has supported the Missile Defense Agency Innovation, Science, and Technology (MDA/DV) Program Office for the past 11 years. He currently serves MDA/DV in two roles, the Hypersonic Technology Lead, and recently selected as the Aegis ChiefTechnology Officer. In his position, he develops technology maturation strategies to reduce technical risks of the Missile Defense System. Beginning in 2018, he has represented the Missile Defense Agency at Office of Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering (OSD R&E) Joint Offense and Defense Hypersonic Science and Technology Roadmapping sessions and has continued to support the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office. He actively manages and oversees multiple component technology developments specific to interceptor technologies, such as materials, structures, deployment systems, additive manufacturing, seeker windowsand aero optics testing. Mr. Glenn has presented multiple technical briefings at the National Space and Missile Materials Symposium and Hypersonic Technology and Systems Conference. During his career at the Missile Defense Agency, he has received numerous accolades including the MDA 11th Annual Individual Innovation Award, MDA 14th Annual Rising Star Award, MDA 17th Annual Individual Technology award and the Annual Team Small Business Utilization Award. He received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama.

In January of 2023, Mr. Glenn became the Acting Director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO). He manages a team that is located in the National Capital Region, Crane, IN and Huntsville, AL.

Dr. Neil Thurgood is a Senior Vice President at Anduril, where he oversees the Air and Ground Deterrence Division that includes Air Defense, Counter-Intrusion and Rocket Motor Systems. A member of the executive team, Neil is recognized as a global leader for leadership development, developing business strategies and strategy execution to achieve performance objectives.

Prior to Anduril, Neil served over 37 years in the Army, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant General (LTG) as a successful senior leader in solving critical problems in the defense and acquisition segments, including the integration of related activities and programs across the United States and international business segments to achieve desired outcome, culminating as the Director to Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technology Office (RCCTO).

Neil holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the Air War College, a Master of Systems Management from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Doctorate of Business from University of Sarasota.

Mr. Maynard A. Holliday is Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.  In this capacity, he oversees investment and capability analysis of the Pentagon’s critical technology areas.  He has oversight of 11 principal directors assigned to those critical technology portfolios and their roadmaps — the comprehensive strategies to manage, provide oversight and guide choices for each critical technology area.  These critical technology areas include 5G; Advanced Computing & Software; Directed Energy; Human-Machine Interfaces; Hypersonics; Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems; Integrated Sensing & Cyber; Microelectronics; Renewable Energy Generation & Storage; Space Technology; and Trusted Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy.

Mr. Holliday has more than 30 years of professional experience leading technological innovations in both government and the private sector.  Most recently, he was a Senior Engineer at the RAND Corporation working on autonomous vehicle safety metrics and policy, explainable artificial intelligence, swarm robotics and drone defense.  Previously, he served as Senior Technical Advisor and Special Assistant to Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.  Mr. Holliday helped establish the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental and was a member of the Defense Science Board.  Mr. Holliday has also worked for the Department of Energy as a project manager for the U.S.-Russia Nuclear Material Security Task Force.  He was awarded the DOE’s Meritorious Service Award, its highest, for his exceptional service in helping secure tons of weapons grade nuclear material.  Prior to his government service, Mr. Holliday was a senior engineering and robotics professional at the Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories, as well as various robotics start-ups and technology companies in Silicon Valley.

Mr. Holliday is a co-organizer of Black in Robotics, a virtual world-wide community of roboticists and their allies whose mission is to bring together Black researchers, industry professionals and students in robotics to mutually support one another to help navigate academic, corporate, and entrepreneurial paths to success.  He is also co-founder of Robot Garden, the robotics-themed hacker space in Livermore, Calif.  He also has been working with Bay Area public schools lecturing on robotics and teaching robotics through the Citizen Schools program in East Oakland.  Mr. Holliday was named Citizen Schools Volunteer of the Year for 2012 and was also recognized with a Presidential Volunteer Service Award from the White House for his efforts.  Before leaving government service in 2017, he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service recognizing his contributions to national security through his considerable and trusted advice on multiple DOD initiatives.

Mr. Holliday graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He later won a scholarship to attend Stanford University, where he earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Design with an emphasis on robotics, international security and arms control.  Mr. Holliday also won a scholarship to attend the International Space University in France and was a two-time finalist for the U.S. Astronaut Corps.

Bryan Clark is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute. He is an expert in naval operations, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, military competitions, and wargaming.

From 2013 to 2019, Mr. Clark was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) where he led studies for the DoD Office of Net Assessment, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Defense Advanced Research Products Agency on new technologies and the future of warfare.

Prior to joining CSBA in 2013, Mr. Clark was special assistant to the chief of naval operations and director of his Commander’s Action Group, where he led development of Navy strategy and implemented new initiatives in electromagnetic spectrum operations, undersea warfare, expeditionary operations, and personnel and readiness management.

Mr. Clark served in the Navy headquarters staff from 2004 to 2011, leading studies in the Assessment Division and participating in the 2006 and 2010 Quadrennial Defense Reviews. His areas of emphasis were modeling and simulation, strategic planning, and institutional reform and governance. Prior to retiring from the Navy in 2008, Mr. Clark was an enlisted and officer submariner, serving in afloat and ashore submarine operational and training assignments including tours as chief engineer and operations officer at the Navy’s nuclear power training unit.

Mr. Clark is the recipient of the Department of the Navy Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. He received his MS in national security studies from the National War College and BS in chemistry and philosophy from the University of Idaho.