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Dr. Waseem Naqvi Dr. Waseem Naqvi is the CTO (Technology Director) for Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) Unmanned Vehicle Systems business. He is responsible for defining business strategy, capability, technology and investment priorities addressing future unmanned and autonomous systems. |
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Dr. Jeffrey DeCarlo Dr. Jeffrey DeCarlo is the MassDOT Aeronautics Division Administrator tasked with providing statutory and regulatory oversight for all aviation matters in the Commonwealth, including safety, security, airport development, and UAS programs. |
Keynotes |
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Tim Bennett Tim Bennett has over 30 years managing, designing, manufacturing and testing electronic warfare (EW); intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR) and signal intelligence (SIGINT) systems for manned and unmanned systems. He started his career at NRL working on communication programs like the Classic Wizard. |
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Helen Greiner Helen Greiner is known for both innovation and business strategy in the field of robotics. Currently, she serves as a Highly Qualified Expert (HQE) in Robotics, Autonomy, and AI for the US Army. Co-founding iRobot (NASDAQ:IRBT) in 1990, Ms. Greiner served as President until 2004, and Chairman until 2008. During her tenure, Ms. Greiner guided iRobot into its position as a global leader with the release of the Roomba™, the PackBot™, and SUGV Military Robots. She built a culture of practical innovation and delivery that led to the deployment of over 6,000 tactical robots with our troops and over 15M home robots worldwide. Ms Greiner also founded CyPhy Works, a drone company that delivered tethered aerial platforms to defense market. |
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Troy Thomas Troy Thomas is a Partner and Associate Director in the Public Sector Practice of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Troy leads BCG's Defense and Security topic for North America, Space topic globally, and he is a core member of BCG Federal Corp, a wholly owned BCG subsidiary focused on the US Federal Government market. |
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Lisa Wieland Lisa Wieland is the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). She previously served as Massport’s Port Director from 2015-2019, where she was the driving force behind the revitalization of the working Port of Boston to generate job growth and economic impact across the Commonwealth and New England. As CEO, Wieland leads 1,300 employees and oversees a $900 million+ organization with the mission of connecting Massachusetts and New England to the world to support the Commonwealth’s economic development and transportation goals, while demonstrating a commitment to neighboring communities. Massport’s portfolio includes Boston Logan International Airport, Worcester Regional Airport, Hanscom Airfield, the public facilities at the Port of Boston, as well as property in East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown. The Authority’s facilities generate nearly $22 billion in annual economic impact. As Port Director, Wieland led all business planning, strategic initiatives, financial management, and the day-to-day operations of the Maritime division. Under Wieland’s leadership, the Maritime division’s financial performance improved significantly, critical infrastructure improvements like the Boston Harbor Dredging Project advanced, Conley Terminal achieved record setting volume five years in a row, and Flynn Cruiseport Boston hosted record ship calls and passengers. While overseeing Maritime, Wieland developed collaborations with private business, management, labor and elected officials to revitalize the working port. Prior to her tenure as Port Director, she served as Chief Administrative Officer for Maritime from 2013-2015. Wieland has served in several other senior roles at Massport, including the Director of Corporate Planning and Analysis, and the Director of Human Resource Strategy and Employment. Before joining Massport, she worked as a consultant for Bain & Company in Boston serving healthcare and consumer products clients, and previous to that covered various news and political assignments for CNN in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Wieland is the recipient of a 2019 Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She was appointed by Secretary Elaine Chao as the Chair of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee, and serves on Boston Harbor Now’s Board of Trustees (ex officio). Wieland is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. |
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Brian Wynne Brian Wynne is president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics. AUVSI represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in business and government and who work in the defense, civil, and commercial markets. |
Leaders |
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Apoorva Bajaj Apoorva Bajaj serves as Innovation Manager at the Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He leads the development of technology to support safe routing of remotely piloted and autonomous aerial vehicles around weather. He also supports the development of radar technology for simultaneous detection of non-cooperative micro-drones and weather. Apoorva is a member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments UAS Safety & Integration Task Force and the working group member of the ANSI Unmanned Aircraft Systems Standardization Collaborative. Currently, he is interviewing drone and air taxi operators on their weather related needs. His overall focus is on development of new business models for acquisition, deployment and operation of sensor networks for public safety, commerce and defense applications. He brings innovation training and practices to the Center’s faculty, staff and students, with a focus on Customer Discovery. Apoorva has a M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. |
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Christopher Cameron, PhD Christopher Cameron is an aerospace engineer working for the US Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Technology Directorate. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in the laboratory of Dr. Jayant Sirohi, where he studied coaxial rotor system aeromechanics for use in next generation helicopters. Following his dissertation, he joined ARL, working on a three way partnership between researchers at ARL, UT Austin and Uber Elevate. Located in Austin, he led the experimental effort investigating co-rotating rotor acoustics for urban air mobility applications. Since moving to Cambridge, he has contributed to ARL conceptual design tools for UAM and is currently embedded at the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, researching structural robotic systems for morphing aero-structures. |
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Joshua Canter Special Agent Joshua Canter has been assigned to the Boston Division since July of 2008. After working Counter-proliferation for 5 years SA Canter transferred to the Domestic Terrorism Squad to be the Hazardous Evidence Response Team Leader and one of the Boston Division’s full-time Assistant Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinators. SA Canter has worked numerous special events and WMD call-outs to include the Boston Marathon, 4th of July, the Presidential Inauguration, Super Bowls and the Vermont Ricin Case. In November of 2018 SA Canter was appointed as the Boston Division’s Primary WMD Coordinator. |
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Bill Christiansen, Esq. Bill leads TeamOps LLC, which provides overall security for Gillette Stadium, Patriot Place, Patriots, Revolution Soccer and security for Boston College and Harvard Athletics. Further, TeamOps provides 24/7 campus security for Dean College located in Franklin, MA. Bill maintains active membership with the Massachusetts Bar Association and retired as Major and Director of Aviation Security with the Massachusetts State Police after thirty-four years of honorable service. Bill was responsible for all aspects of safety and security for Massport Properties to include Logan International, Worcester Regional and Hanscom Airports, as well as the Seaport District properties. Bill established, fostered, and maintained close partnerships with State and Federal partners, including, Transportation Safety Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Federal Air Marshalls, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Agency, Customs & Border Protection, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. During Bill’s tenure with the Massachusetts State Police he held multiple prominent and key command positons, including oversight and supervision of the State Crime Lab, Crime Scene Services, Firearms/Ballistics, Digital & Multimedia Evidence and the Office of Alcohol Testing. |
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Rudy Cuevas Rodolfo is a security researcher and systems analyst at Boston Cybernetics Institute. His research interests lie in the socio-technical aspects of cyber-enabled system conception, implementation, operation, and evaluation. Rodolfo focuses his research on understanding how design constraints can be used to limit adverse impacts and maximize the ability to identify and adapt to challenging operating conditions. Previously, Rodolfo was a staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. There, he was responsible for the test and evaluation of RADAR, analysis of ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) components and architectures, and analysis and red-teaming of tactical and commercial cyber systems and architectures in support of DoD and other government programs. |
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Colleen M. D’Alessandro In August 2019, Ms. D'Alessandro was appointed as Regional Administrator. In this role, she serves as the senior agency official in the New England region providing cross-functional oversight and leadership for the FAA Administrator and coordination across lines of business to include Aviation Safety (AVS), Airports (ARP) and Air Traffic Organization (ATO). Ms. D'Alessandro is the principal FAA representative for the six New England states - Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Prior to this role Ms. D’Alessandro served as the Director of the Organizational Performance Division in the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service (AIR). As Division Director, she provided leadership in the monitoring and assessment of AIR’s organizational performance to reduce risk in the National Airspace System and integrate quality and safety into all aspects of AIR’s operations. |
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Robert Giguere Robert J Giguere is the Manager of Contract services with more than 20 years of Operations, Contracts, Manufacturing and Procurement experience in heat treating, avionics, Government, military and Utilities. Robert is currently responsible for his team to implement and execute all distribution electric contracts across Eversource’s service territories. |
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Mr. Flavio Leo Flavio Leo is the Director of Aviation Planning and Strategy at the Massachusetts Port Authority where he is responsible for near and long term aviation planning and policy development related to airport physical planning, airfield and airspace safety and efficiency initiatives; noise and emissions policy and testing\adoption of new airfield technologies at Massport’s three airports - Boston Logan International Airport, L.G. Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Flavio earned Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and in Economics from Boston University and his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Economics from Brandeis University. |
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Reed Porada Director of Research at Boston Cybernetics Institute, focused on researching the socio-technical facets of system operations, developing secure system architectures, and security training with an emphasis on systems analysis. He is a founding partner in the Securable DesignSM enterprise, a consortium effort to bring the most advanced security design methodology available into wide use. Previously he was a staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Responsible for test and evaluation, test automation research, red-teaming of cyber systems, and blue system architectures in support of DoD and other government programs. Prior to joining Lincoln Laboratory, he was a computer scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory focused on wireless communication systems. |
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Paige Scott-Reed Paige Scott Reed is an experienced transportation and employment attorney whose transactional, litigation, regulatory, administrative, and procurement work has served her clients well for over 20 years. She has worked as general counsel for the Mass. Department of Transportation and the MBTA and also served as Corporate Secretary and General Counsel to the Boston 2024 Partnership for the city’s Olympic bid. Paige has assisted government and private organizations, CEOs, and Boards of Directors with commercial contracts, development transactions, and public projects. She was instrumental in procuring a new operator for the MBTA’s commuter rail, forming a public-private partnership to redevelop Back Bay Station, implementing the MBTA’s Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery approach, and in securing $1 billion in federal funding for the Green Line Extension project. Paige has also defended government organizations against class actions charging racial discrimination in hiring practices. Paige leads the firm’s unmanned and autonomous systems practice. She is a strategic advisor to the Commonwealth UAS Integration Program and guides MassDOT’s efforts to utilize drones to advance its transportation mission. Paige is active in the community, serving as the President of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and Vice-President for the Harvard Law School Association of Massachusetts. Paige also serves on Executive Council of the Boston Bar Association, the Board of the Boston Bar Foundation, and the Board of Boston Harbor Now. Paige recently chaired the finance committee for Rachael Rollins historic campaign, helping to elect the first black woman to serve as District Attorney for Suffolk County. She received her A.B. from Harvard College and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review. |
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Justin Rodriguez Justin is a Partner in BCG's Washington, DC office. He is a global thought leader on the topics of digitization, Industry 4.0 and UAS within BCG's Industrial Goods practice. |
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Giuliano Rubini Giuliano Rubini is the Chief of the Counter-small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Branch, Force Protection Division, part of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Battle Management Directorate. He oversees the design, development, fielding and sustainment of systems to counter the UAS threat. |
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Harold H. Shaw Harold H. Shaw was appointed to the position of Chief Security Officer, Director of the Corporate Security & Emergency Preparedness Department for the Massachusetts Port Authority in November 2018. He is the senior security advisor to the Board of Directors, the CEO and to all departments, responsible for all aspects of physical and virtual security throughout the three airports, maritime facilities, and real estate holdings across the Authority. In leading the department, he guides efforts in the identification and mitigation of security risks, implementation of technological solutions, security compliance, and emergency response and preparedness plans and training. |
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Nazzareno H (Kip) Spurio, Jr Kip Spurio has over 40 years’ experience in the aviation ?eld in the US Air Force, industry and the FAA. He is currently the Director of Strategic Initiatives and a Solution Architect for Raytheon’s Navigation, Modernization and Sustainment mission area, which includes the Air Tra?c Systems business. |
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Billy Thalheimer Mr. Thalheimer is a program manager responsible for executing vehicle design and technology development to support Aurora’s portfolio of future air mobility technology. He engages in technical program execution, financial management, and strategy for eVTOL aircraft programs. In his previous role at Aurora, Mr. Thalheimer worked as an air vehicle conceptual design engineer, leading sizing and performance for the PAV eVTOL and co-authoring Aurora’s conceptual design code. Mr. Thalheimer holds a BS and MS from MIT’s AeroAstro program, with research in aircraft design under Prof. Mark Drela. An aviation enthusiast, Mr. Thalheimer spends his free time as an aerobatic pilot. |
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Sarasina Tuchen Sarasina Tuchen is a principal lead electronics engineer for the United States Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. She has 30 years of experience in both private industry and federal government. Over the last 17 years in public service, she has worked on the development of many of the technologies (including SWIM/Big Data, automation and advanced surface surveillance technologies) which are modernizing the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) called the NextGen Air Transportation System. Currently, she is the USDOT’s on-site lead at the NASA Ames Research Center working with NASA researchers to integrate advanced automation and machine learning technologies to increase the air traffic capacity and efficiency of our National Airspace System. Recently, one of the projects, ATD-2 (Air Transportation Demonstration 2) won the Aeronautics Administrator’s Technology and Innovation Award. ATD-2 relied on the SWIM technologies that were developed by the Volpe Center. She is currently working on passenger centric multimodal models that integrate UAM with the NAS and other transportation modes. She currently sits on the USDOT’s Mobility Innovation Group. Prior to entering public service, she was the Group Vice President of Engineering at Digitas. Sarasina earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an M.S. in Engineering from Stanford University. |
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Scott A. Uebelhart, PhD Scott A. Uebelhart, PhD supports MassDOT Aeronautics as Chief Scientist of the Drone Program, laying out the strategy and planning to adopt drones across MassDOT. Prior to this, Dr. Uebelhart was an early employee of technology startup, and was on the technical staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. There, he conducted systems analysis of U.S. space architectures for the Air Force, analyzing missions, requirements, and solutions to technical challenges, and provided recommendations to senior government decision makers. Before that, Dr. Uebelhart was a postdoctoral associate with MIT's Program in Science, Technology and Society, where he established the cross-disciplinary Space, Policy, and Society research group, applied MIT technical expertise to questions of human spaceflight space policy, and briefed senior Congressional and NASA leaders. Scott earned his SB, SM and PhD from the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. |