Dr. Lani Kass is Strategic Advisor for Cyber Reliant Corporation , focused on advancing Cyber Reliant’s National Security & Justice presence and stature in the U.S. national security sector, as well as enhancing and expanding key client and industry relationships. From December 2011 to January 2021, Dr. Kass served the CEO and Executive Chairman of the Board at CACI , as the Senior Vice President and Corporate Strategic Advisor for a $5.7B mission and enterprise technology company whose expe...
Jun 15, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Michael R. Shoults, a member of the Senior Executive Service , is the Acting Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force , the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Shoults assists in the oversight of the Air Force’s Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction efforts, Nuclear Command Control and Communication portfolios and international treaties and arms control agreements. Mr. Shoults was commissioned as a second l...
Jun 13, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 76
David S. Jonas is a partner at the law firm of Fluet, Huber & Hoang (FH+H) . His practice includes corporate transactions, employment law, government contracts, trial and appellate litigation, international law, administrative/regulatory compliance and investigations. He has extensive experience in national security issues and is recognized as one of a handful of experts worldwide in nuclear nonproliferation law. He was a career member of the Senior Executive Service and served as General Co...
Jun 08, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Pete Newell is a nationally recognized innovation expert whose work is transforming how the government and other large organizations compete and drive growth. A retired Army Colonel and former director of the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force , he is the CEO of BMNT Inc ., an internationally recognized innovation consultancy and early-stage enterprise accelerator that helps solve some of the hardest real-world problems in national security, state and local governments, and beyond. Together with Lean ...
Jun 06, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Paul J. Saunders was previously Executive Director of the Center for the National Interest (CFTNI) and remains a member of the Center’s Board of Directors and a Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy at CFTNI . He was the Center’s Chief Operating Officer and directed its U.S. - Russian Relations Program in addition to leading projects on other issues, including energy and climate change and U.S.-Japan relations. He was also Associate Publisher of the foreign policy magazine The National Interest ,...
Jun 01, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Daniel B. Poneman is president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corp . He also serves on the company’s board of directors. From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Poneman was the Deputy Secretary of Energy , also serving as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Energy . His responsibilities spanned the range of U.S. energy policies and programs – hydrocarbons, renewables, nuclear, and efficiency – including cybersecurity, project management, national security, and international coope...
May 30, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 72
Dr. Roehrig is Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College . In addition, he is an adjunct professor at the Harvard University Extension School and a non-resident expert with the Center for Korean Legal Studies at Columbia University . He was a Research Fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a past President of the Association of Korean Political Studies . Roehrig has written numerous books, articles and book chapters on Korean and East Asian security iss...
May 25, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 71
The Honorable Robert R. Hood served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs at the Pentagon . In this role, he supported the Secretary of Defense and the Department's other senior leaders by promoting the policies, strategies, and budget of the Department of Defense (DOD) to the United States Congress. Prior to being confirmed as an Assistant Secretary , Rob served as the Vice President for Government Affairs at CH2M HILL , a fortune 500 engineering company. Rob previously ...
May 23, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 70
LT COLONEL RAYMUNDO M. VANN JR. is the Deputy Commander of the 90th Operations Group at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB) , Wyoming. The group he serves operates fifteen Missile Alert Facilities and one hundred and fifty Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), a third of the nation’s ICBM nuclear alert force, which stand on alert and are constantly ready to launch at the direction of the President of the United States. Lt Col Vann graduated and was commissioned from Texas State Univers...
May 18, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 69
The Honorable Franklin Miller is a principal at the Scowcroft Group . He dealt extensively with nuclear policy and nuclear arms control issues during his 31-year government career, which included senior positions in the Defense Department and on the NSC staff . He was directly in charge of US nuclear deterrence and targeting policy from 1985 to 2001 and also chaired NATO ’s senior nuclear policy committee, the High-Level Group , from 1997 to 2001. He is a member of the Strategic Command Advisory...
May 16, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Greg’s 36-year military career culminated as the Deputy Director of Global Operations at U.S. Strategic Command , where he was responsible for Department of Defense space activities, ballistic missile defense, cyber operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear command and control. He was part of the executive leadership team overseeing the operations of 162,000 people, billions of dollars’ worth of equipment, and our nation’s nuclear arsenal. In addition to his normal duties, Greg was certified...
May 11, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Steve Blank is an adjunct professor at Stanford and a co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Steve consults for the National Security establishment on innovation methods, processes, policies, and doctrine. His book The Four Steps to the Epiphany is credited with launching the Lean Startup movement. He created the curriculum for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps. At Stanford he co-created the Department of Defense Hacking for Defense and Department ...
May 09, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Mike Guillot, Colonel, USAF, (Retired) is the former editor of Strategic Studies Quarterly , a position he held for over 11 years (2009-20). As SSQ editor, he produced the first ever special editions covering Cyber, Space, Asia-Pacific, CMR, Austere Defense, Deterrence, and Emerging Technology. During his thirty-year Air Force career, he flew five major weapons systems including the B-52H, KC-10A, VC-137B/C, KC-135R, and EC135N/Y. Mike spent two years on the ACSC faculty (91-93) and over four ye...
May 04, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Brigadier General John W. Weidner assumed the duties as Deputy Director, Plans and Policy, United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) , on May 4, 2020. General Weidner was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1991 upon graduation from the Army ROTC program at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He completed a Ph.D. in medical physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012, and holds Master of Science degrees in medic...
May 02, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Christine is a fellow with the National Institute for Deterrence Studies . She has worked in government, she was a visiting fellow at CISS Pakistan , a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Grand Strategy Program at Yale University, a Stanton Postdoctoral Fellow in Nuclear Security at MIT , a visiting fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, a journalist for Karen News on the Thai-Burma border, a summer research fellow at RAND, and a research intern at IISS-Asia, the Australian Strategic...
Apr 27, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Eric Wollerman is President of Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T) . FM&T manages and operates the U.S. Department of Energy’s Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC). With nearly 6,500 employees in Kansas City and Albuquerque, the KCNSC provides national security through their diverse engineering, manufacturing, and secure supply chain management activities. As Honeywell FM&T president, Wollerman is responsible for applying best-in-class commercial standar...
Apr 25, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Retired in 2018 from a career in the U.S. Department of State and the Defense Department, where he was primarily responsible for nuclear weapons policy and nonproliferation issues. During his career, he negotiated nuclear arms control agreements with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine, he participated in several inspections of Russian nuclear weapon facilities, and was the State Department’s representative to the ABM Treaty commission when the U.S. withdrew from that treaty. Dr. Kartchner ...
Apr 20, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Mark C. Herrmann, Ph.D. Program Director for the Weapon Physics and Design within Weapons and Complex Integration Directorate Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Dr. Herrmann leads LLNL’s efforts to strengthen our nation’s nuclear deterrent by advancing our understanding of nuclear weapons physics and design. This includes the physics design, assessment, and certification efforts for the enduring LLNL systems (W80, B83, W87), the W80-4 Life Extension Program, and the W87-1 Modification progr...
Apr 18, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Sarah Mineiro is the founder and CEO of Tanagra Enterprises, a defense, intelligence, space, science and technology consulting firm based in the national capital region. Previously, Sarah was the Senior Director of Space Strategy for Anduril Industries. Sarah was the Staff Lead for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee for the House Armed Service Committee (HASC). She led the Subcommittee’s legislative and oversight activities of all Department of Defense and Military Intelligence Program space prog...
Apr 13, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Dr. Blank is an internationally recognized expert on Russian foreign and defense policies and international relations across the former Soviet Union. He is also a leading expert on European and Asian security, including energy issues. Since 2020 he has been a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. In 2020-21 he also was a Senior Expert for Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace and Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. From 1989-2013 he was a Professor of Russian ...
Apr 11, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Dr. Stanton is a graduate of Arkansas State University(1996 BA, 1998 MA). Dr. Stanton earned his PhD in Political Science at Texas Tech University (2004). Dr. Stanton is currently a professor of Political Science at Grove City College and Senior Fellow at National Institute for Deterrence Studies. His research focuses on foreign policy, conflict processes and national security, Dr. Stanton’s publications include articles, chapters, books, and conference papers on security issues in the South Chi...
Apr 06, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Lt Col Derek Williams is the Commander of the 803d Operations Support Squadron. He received his commission through the ROTC program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2005. Following completion of Combat System Officer and B-52 Initial Qualification Training as a Distinguished Graduate, He began his career as a B-52 Navigator with the 23d Bomb Squadron at Minot AFB, North Dakota. During his time at Minot, he upgraded to Radar Navigator, Instructor and Evaluator along with ...
Apr 04, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Major General, USAF (Ret.) Richard J. Evans III (Rick) serves as the Executive Director for the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), a national security-focused research institute created by the University of Nebraska. Before joining NSRI, he served more than 35 years in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, retiring at the rank of Major General in October, 2019. He was previously the Director of Reserve Forces and Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Of...
Mar 30, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Brig. Gen. Ty Neuman serves as the Director, Concepts and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He assists with developing and synchronizing Air Force strategy, global posture and the alignment of Air Force planning efforts with Department of Defense strategic guidance. He supports the Air Force Chief of Staff with strategy development and assessments alongside the formulation and execution of several Air Force Chie...
Mar 28, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Mr. Robert J. Peters is a Senior Fellow with the National Institute for Deterrence Studies. Formerly, he was the Chief within the Strategic Integration Directorate of the Strategic Trends and Effects Department (STED) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Prior to joining DTRA, Mr. Peters served as a Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University's Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Mar 23, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Ms. Robyn Hutchins is currently a doctoral candidate in the Nuclear Engineering department at Kansas State University studying radiation detection under the direction of Professor Douglas McGregor. Within her DTRA funded doctoral work, Ms. Hutchins has successfully designed, fabricated, and characterized many types of radiation detectors that allow for overt or covert monitoring by soldiers and emergency responders. Past work performed by Ms. Hutchins at The Idaho National Laboratory has led to ...
Mar 21, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Donald M. Gooch is an Associate Professor of Political Science in the Department of Government at Stephen F. Austin State University. He is also a Fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies. He received his M.A. in political science from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 2002 and his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2009. He was appointed to the SFA faculty in August of 2012 and received his M.S. in Statistics in December, 2022 from SF...
Mar 16, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Dr. James C. Petrosky is the President of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies (NIDS). He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Engineering Physics where he developed experimental techniques for the prediction of damage to electronic devices and materials. He has substantial technical expertise in pulsed radiation effects and nuclear weapon survivability, with an emphasis on radiation effects on electronics and electromagnetic pulse. Previously, Dr. Petrosky se...
Mar 14, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Dr. Rob Smith is Amentum’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this role, he is responsible for leading the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion vision and strategy by developing and implementing programs and initiatives that advances Amentum’s business objectives and reinforces the organization’s culture. Previously, Dr. Smith served as BAE Systems’ Intelligence and Security Sector Director of Talent Acquisition and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). He also served in th...
Mar 09, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Peter Huessy is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, where he focuses on nuclear deterrence and modernization, arms control, and defense policy. Mr. Huessy has spent the past four decades laying out the requirements for nuclear deterrence and modernization, arms control, and defense policy, as well as the companion efforts on missile defense, space, non- and counterproliferation, particularly using public diplomacy to further US policy. His work has also focused on the threats from Russia, China...
Mar 07, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 48
