Mark Bacchus
Company
Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Location
Washington, DC
Mark received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Florida State University in 1998. Mark has been at Toyota for 28 years with 18 years of experience in the Materials Engineering Division developing textiles, plastics, and other materials. Mark is now working in the Chemical & Materials Stewardship Department within the Regulatory Affairs & Environmental Sustainability Division in Washington, DC, leading TMNA global efforts on chemical and materials advocacy.
Nathan Brooks
Company
Boeing
Location
Washington, DC
Dr. Nathan Raen Brooks has over 20 years of experience in electromagnetics (EM) and numerical optimization, including graduate and postdoctoral research at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), the Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS), and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). He began his industry career with Argon ST in 2007 as part of the Advanced Technology group and is currently a Senior Technical Fellow for EM and Antenna Systems at Boeing. In this role, Dr. Brooks provides technical expertise and leadership for Boeing’s Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities. He also leads and consults on the architecture and algorithm development of Electronic Warfare (EW) antenna systems. His work has been instrumental in proposing, winning, and executing numerous advanced capability program contracts for military, government, and commercial customers, including DARPA and IARPA.
Additionally, he coordinates research collaborations with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), is an active member of several HBCU-focused organizations, and currently serves as Boeing’s Executive Sponsor for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Dr. Brooks has received multiple awards at the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) conference over the years, the 2019 NSBE Golden Torch Lifetime Achievement in Industry Award, and was named the 2020 Boeing Defense Engineer of the Year. He was also FAMU’s first doctoral graduate in Electrical Engineering, supported by fellowships from Boeing, NSF, and NASA.
Kathy Crandall
Company
L3Harris Technologies
Location
Satellite Beach, FL
Kathy Crandall is president of the Mission Networks sector for the Space & Mission Systems segment at L3Harris Technologies. She is responsible for strategy, financial performance and growth of the business, which provides mission-critical networks, surveillance and enterprise information management solutions for major government, commercial and international customers. Her portfolio includes airspace modernization initiatives with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) around the world.
Throughout her career, she's held strategy and business development roles, as well as program director positions focused on communication systems for terrestrial, airborne and space missions. Crandall received a bachelor's degree from Florida State University's College of Business and a master's degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. She has completed executive education programs at the Defense Acquisition University, University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. She serves on the Dean's Advisory Council for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and is a member of the Air Traffic Control Association, Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, Women in Aerospace, and Women in Aviation organizations.
Samuel Graham
Company
Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland
Location
Maryland
Dr. Samuel Graham, Jr. is the Dean of the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, taking on this role in 2021. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Nagoya University in Nagoya, Japan, where he works with Nobel Laureate Hiroshi Amano to develop advanced semiconductor devices.
His current research centers on the development of electronics made from wide bandgap semiconductors (III-V, oxides) for a range of applications, including optoelectronics, RF communications, power switches, and neuromorphic computing. His current research on wide-bandgap semiconductors focuses on engineering the thermal response of devices to enhance heat dissipation and improve device reliability. He has made seminal contributions to the thermal design of GaN electronics, including the integration of GaN with diamond for high-power-density devices. Other distinguishing contributions include his work on barrier films and packaging for flexible display technologies and organic electronics.
From 1999 to 2003, Dr. Graham was a Sr. Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratory in Livermore, CA, where he worked on the development of EUV lithography systems. In 2003, he joined the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Professor in 2013 and was appointed the Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. Professor and School Chair in 2018. After moving to the University of Maryland in 2021, he has led the largest engineering program in the State of Maryland with a focus on strategic areas of Physical AI, Energy, Quantum Engineering, Space Systems, Electronics, Medical Innovations, and Advanced Manufacturing. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the FAMU/FSU College of Engineering and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Graham was a member of the Defense Science Study Group (2014-16), a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (2016-2020), and a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Board of the Department of the Navy. He currently serves on the Emerging Technologies Technical Advisory Committee of the US Department of Commerce and the NNSA Advisory Committee for Nuclear Security. He is a Fellow of ASME, AAAS, and ASTFE.
Eunice Heath
Company
CRH
Location
Atlanta, GA
Eunice Heath is currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at CRH, a position held since January 2023. From July 2002 to January 2023, Eunice held multiple senior roles at Dow, including Corporate Director and Global Director of Environment Health Safety & Sustainability, where responsibilities included managing key sustainability relationships and engaging with significant organizations. Eunice also served as Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Northeastern U.S. and as Global General Manager for Dow Home & Personal Care, overseeing a significant product portfolio and a staff of over 200. Earlier career roles include Marketing Manager and Professional Sales Representative at The Dow Chemical Company. Eunice holds an MBA from the University of Michigan-Flint and a Bachelor's in Industrial & Systems Engineering from the University of Florida.
Jacquay Henderson
Company
Square Peg Technologies
Location
Washington, DC
Jacquay Henderson is the Founder and CEO of Square Peg Technologies. As a graduate of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, where he obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering from Florida State University, he has remained active in the university and is currently serving on the Council of Advisors for the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department. He is supporting the department’s efforts with the National Science Foundation’s Technology Infusion Program (TIP) to boost enrollment and enhance the experience of minority students at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. In 2019, Square Peg Technologies was named on the Seminole 100 List for being one of the fastest-growing businesses owned by Florida State University alumni. Additionally, Square Peg Technologies is a member of the Department of Defense’s Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) helping to build the next generation of space technologies for federally-funded space-related projects.
Mr. Henderson was named 2019 Small Business Person of Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. His company was also recognized as one of Washington, DC’s Best Places to Work in 2019 by the Washington Business Journal and was honored by the Northern Virginia Technology Council on the NVTC Tech 100 List for driving tech innovation, implementing new customer solutions, and leading growth in the Greater Washington region. As a technology and small business thought leader, his aim is to push the fields of technology and engineering forward and empower small businesses to use data analytics and artificial intelligence.
Tim Hogans
Company
Chen Moore and Associates
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Mr. Hogans currently serves as the Vice President of External Affairs & Government Relations for Chen Moore and Associates in the Fort Lauderdale office. Mr. Hogans has over 22 years of professional experience in the power industry with a Fortune 200 utility company.
His technical skills include project management, power delivery production lead, resource lead, budget lead, engineering lead, regional manager customer service small/medium businesses and major governmental accounts, M&C, transmission (origination, late-stage development in western USA and New England), and he’s Green Belt Six Sigma certified.
His government relations experience include 8 years of external affairs in south Florida, state legislative affairs, and regulatory & political affairs for the 13 southern states. He has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and is certified from Harvard Law School – Negotiation and Leadership training program. Tim is actively engaged in his community and has held various board leadership positions.
Tameika Hollis
Company
The Aerospace Corporation
Location
Washington, DC
Tameika Hollis is vice president and chief information officer of The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, she provides leadership to Aerospace’s information technology, security, and safety organizations, and is responsible for developing enterprise solutions that protect information belonging to the U.S. Air Force, intelligence community, and commercial customers. Hollis oversees operations, strategic planning, and policy initiatives for computing resources and infrastructure, corporate security, environmental, health and safety, and the development of programs and services critical to the success of the corporation. She assumed this position in October 2024.
An experienced national security executive with more than 25 years of experience in information technology services and people management in the aerospace and defense industry, Hollis is the former chief executive officer of Illuminate, where she engineered successful portfolio management by leveraging new approaches to business development, intelligence, technical integration, and strategic planning to introduce sustainable solutions for clients operating in the intelligence, cyber, aerospace systems, and defense industries. Prior to that, she held leadership roles of increasing responsibility at Northrop Grumman for more than 17 years where she made significant contributions to the long-range strategic plans of various business units. Hollis’ career also includes various positions at Boeing and Raytheon.
Hollis has consistently demonstrated the ability to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and lead high-performance teams in technically sophisticated environments. She is adept at managing large, multi-location projects, improving processes, and initiating change to enhance value-added solutions.
Hollis earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. She is also a graduate of the General Management Program at Harvard University.
Hollis is a board member of Florida A&M University – Florida State University College of Engineering, and she supports multiple foundations in the goal of STEM education. She is a previous recipient of the Wash100 award, naming her as one of an elite group of the most significant and impactful executives in the government contracting sector.
Jason Maxwell
Company
KaMin
Location
Sandersville, GA
Jason Maxwell is the Vice President of Operations at KaMin Solutions, a company focused on mining and processing kaolin. Maxwell joined KaMin Solutions (formerly J.M. Huber Corporation) in 2003, and has served in a variety of roles including Plant and Product Manager. Mr. Maxwell has over 21 years of industry experience and has previously held leadership and engineering positions at Owens Corning Fiberglass, Alcatel and Transitions Optical. He also currently serves on a number of boards ranging from the Georgia Mining Foundation (Treasurer), the Georgia Mining Association (Treasurer), the FAMU/FSU Engineering Advisory Board, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Advisory Board, and a member of local community boards and other associations. Mr. Maxwell earned his M.B.A. from Georgia College and State University in 2009 and his B.S. in chemical engineering from Florida State University in 1999.
Tom McCormick
Company
Retired - Primoris Service Corporation
Location
Bartonville, TX
Tom McCormick graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Civil Engineering in April 1987. Now retired, he previously served as Primoris Service Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer since November 2019 and as one of their directors since August 2019. Prior to joining the company, Mr. McCormick held a variety of executive positions with Chicago Bridge & Iron Company. Prior to 2007, Mr. McCormick worked for more than 17 years at BE&K Engineering & Construction on a variety of heavy industrial projects. In addition to his bachelor’s degree, Mr. McCormick also has an Advanced Executive Management Degree from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.
Nick Overby, PE, PMP
Company
Zapata, Inc.
Location
Charlotte, NC
Nick Overby is the Federal Program Director at ZAPATA, where he leads the strategic execution of A-E services and the growth of the firm's NAVFAC program across the Eastern United States. With over 12 years of progressive experience in the A/E/C industry, Nick specializes in high-stakes federal programs and complex project delivery. Prior to joining ZAPATA, he served as a Federal Project and Contract Manager at HDR, Inc., managing a $1 Billion Nationwide A/E IDIQ for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard. Notably, he served as a Project Manager for the Military Construction (MILCON) rebuild efforts at MCB Camp Lejeune as part of Task Force Florence. Nick earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Florida State University and his Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, a certified Project Management Professional, and serves as the President of the SAME Coastal Carolina Post.
Hakeem Rhodes
Company
Dow
Location
Baton Rouge, LA
Hakeem Rhodes is a Senior Improvement Engineer with Dow, currently supporting the LHC–LA3 asset in Plaquemine, Louisiana. He began his Dow career in 2020 as an Operations Intern at the Advanced Polymers and Performance Monomers Technology Center in Deer Park, Texas, before joining the company full-time as a Project Controls Engineer supporting Turnaround Services. He later transitioned into a process engineering role within Louisiana Operations Technical Engineering Services, serving as a technical resource across multiple LAO manufacturing facilities.
In his current role, Hakeem leads the LPP/LOPA Gap Closure Project in preparation for the 2026 turnaround, supporting risk reduction and operational excellence initiatives. He is actively involved in Dow’s community and industry engagements, where he supports mentoring, recruitment, and workforce development efforts. Hakeem also serves on the Executive Board of Westside Foundation, Inc., supporting community development and youth engagement initiatives in West Iberville. He is a proud member of the Delta Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Hakeem holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Ricardo Schneider
Company
Retired - Danfoss Turbocor
Location
Tallahassee, FL
Ricardo Schneider is an Executive Advisor for Danfoss Turbocor in Tallahassee, Florida. Previously the President and CEO, he joined Danfoss in 1992, holding several different positions in three different countries. He led a global team to develop, produce and supply solutions, enabling the reduction of over 30% energy efficiency for residential air conditioning systems in the USA, meeting the new Sessional Energy Efficiency in 2005. He is a member of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, and a former Chairman of the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute. He is a member of the Florida State University Research Foundation Board of Directors and the Tallahassee-Leon County Economic Vitality Leadership Council. Mr. Schneider holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Brazil, Executive education from Harvard Business School.
Johnnie Tangle
Company Name
Friends of the Program
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Johnnie Tangle is the Founder of Friends of the Program, LLC, a business development and strategic partnerships consultancy based in Los Angeles. Through Friends of the Program, He works with corporations, organizations, founders and entertainers, to help them grow through strategic partnership, strategy, positioning, and ecosystem development. Previously, he was head of Business Development for Liquid Soul Media and a Business Specialist for Apple where he helped to lead with integrating the Apple ecosystem into companies moving into Silicon Beach. His leadership and technical influence extends in various organizations. Johnnie sits on the boards for The Black Tech Collective, Eventnoire, and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where he is a life member and advisor. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., where he serves on the Technology Committee for the Beta Psi Lambda chapter in Los Angeles. He is also the Chairman of the IT and Website Committee for both the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California and the Orient of California of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, Inc. A self-described analytics junkie, envelope pusher, and culture enhancer, Johnnie Tangle is passionate about shaping inclusive innovation at the intersection of business, technology, and community impact. Johnnie holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Florida A&M University through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Associates in Commercial Real Estate Development from Marquette University and is taking classes towards a Master of Science in Integrated Design, Business, and Technology from the University of Southern California. He also earned a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.
Levasseur Tellis
Company
Ford Motor Company
Location
Detroit, MI
Levasseur Tellis is the leader of Automated Vehicle (AV) Regulatory Compliance within the Ford Motor Company. In this role, Levasseur supervises the compliance of the Ford Motor automated vehicles to all applicable safety and environmental regulations on a federal and local level. He also supervises all internal feature development for AV response to First Responders and response to disruptions to its intended function. He received his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Florida A&M University through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Since 1998, Mr. Tellis has worked for the Ford Motor Company on various Active Safety and Driver Assistance features and enablers such as Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation by Braking, Pedestrian Detection, and Vehicle to Vehicle and Vehicle to Infrastructure Communication.
Syreeta Vaughn
Company
U.T. Battelle, LLC Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Location
Oak Ridge, TN
Syreeta Vaughn is a seasoned senior nuclear facility safety analyst and senior staff member with over 20 years of experience driving safety, operational excellence, and innovation across the nation’s most critical nuclear environments. Based in East Tennessee, she currently leads special projects within the Nuclear Facility Safety Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where she plays a key role in advancing mission-critical safety initiatives and complex program execution. Her career spans impactful work at premier institutions, including the Y-12 National Nuclear Security Complex, Pantex Plant, and Savannah River Site, where she has consistently contributed to strengthening safety standards and operational performance.
Mrs. Vaughn holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Florida State University and dual Master of Science degrees in Geology and Industrial & Systems Engineering from the University of Tennessee. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Occupational Safety and Health at West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, further strengthening her expertise at the intersection of engineering, safety, and organizational performance.
Beyond her technical leadership, she is deeply committed to professional and community engagement, serving in leadership roles within the American Nuclear Society, ORNL’s Employee Resource Groups, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated. She notably led fundraising efforts that generated over $1 million for ORNL Gives in 2025 and is a graduate of Leadership Knoxville. Recognized for her impact and leadership, she was named a finalist for the 2026 East Tennessee Remarkable Women award and has earned multiple 40 Under 40 honors. With extensive expertise in nuclear safety, systems engineering, and leadership, Mrs. Vaughn is dedicated to advancing industry standards, championing inclusive excellence, and empowering the next generation of STEM leaders.