Flag Officer Advisory Council

General Don Alston is the President of Alston Strategic Consulting, LLC, specializing in issues related to nuclear weapons operations, security, and system development. He has extensive experience in congressional relations, national and international media engagement, crisis management, and large-scale institutional change. He retired from active duty after 34 years of service.…

Admiral Atkin is Founder and Managing Principal of The Atkin Group, a firm that provides strategic and operational advice to senior government and corporate executives.  Prior to founding The Atkin Group, he served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security.

Donna Barbisch, DHA, MPH, began her Army career in the Army Student Nurse program in 1967.  She is a Vietnam Veteran, having served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 91st Evacuation Hospital, Chu Lai, Vietnam.  During her Vietnam service (1969-1970), she administered care to military and civilian casualties of war.  The severity of casualties, limited resources, and collateral human…

Admiral Braun serves as Chair of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), a Federal Advisory Committee chartered to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, employment, integration, well-being, and treatment of women in the Armed Forces of the United States. She retired from the U.S. Navy in…

Major General Combs assumed the Office of the President of the Army and Navy Academy, Carlsbad, CA, on October 17th, 2022. Throughout her 33-year service tenure, MG Combs served in a variety of leadership and staff positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Tactical assignments included a myriad of diverse staff officer positions at the battalion, brigade, and division…

Kim Crider is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova. She brings more than 35 years of experience managing multibillion-dollar global operations and technology programs in space, aerospace, cybersecurity, IT, data, and AI to the core team. 

General Dail retired in November 2008 after serving 33 years in the United States Army.  At retirement, he was the senior military logistics professional in the Department of Defense.

General Findley is an independent consultant specializing in the defense industry and is the President of VMFindley Consulting LLC.  He consults for Collins Aerospace, BAE Systems and Applied Aeronautical Systems Inc (AASI).  He also serves on the Board of Directors of Black Mountain Investment Company.  He was the co-founder and past Vice…

General Goodman serves as Senior Advisor to U.S. Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the U.S. Lead Oversight Agency. He advises and assists SIGAR to promote effectiveness and efficiency in the U.S.-funded reconstruction program in Afghanistan. Previously, he was the Director of the DOD Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE) responsible for…

General Leonard, after 31 years of active military service, recently retired from the U.S. Air Force. At his last military assignment, he served as the Deputy Commander and Director of Operations, Combined Joint Task Force - Space Operations, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, where he initially led the planning and execution of the command’s standup, and currently leads global operational-…

Admiral Lopez, after thirty nine years of active military service, retired from the U.S. Navy in January 1999. His last major assignments were: simultaneously (1996-98) the Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe/

General Maxon served as a Judge on the Arizona Court of Military Appeals and as Judge Pro Tem in the East Valley Veterans Treatment Court (Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Carefree/Cave Creek and Fountain Hills). He also served as the Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services from March 2007 to July 2008. He is an attorney with over 40 years of public…

Vice Admiral Michael McAllister, USCG (ret) is the president and owner of Banner Consulting LLC, providing professional advisory services on a wide range on national and homeland security, federal procurement, logistics, talent management, and both U.S. and international maritime safety and security issues.

General Chris Miller last served on active duty as the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, leading the Air Force's multi-billion, five-year program formulation and longer-range planning efforts. In his current work at the Air Force Academy's Center for Character & Leadership Development, he is the inaugural Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Chair for the Study of…

Admiral Miller serves as the President and CEO of The Fozzie Miller Group, LLC and as a Principal Partner of Global Alliance Advisors, LLC, both Washington DC based national security firms positioned at the intersection of government policy, defense acquisition programs, and industrial performance. The firm teams with US and international clients to deliver solutions that blend national…

General Monahan supports clients in business development and strategic growth efforts, using her significant expertise and experience in military doctrine, force readiness and security requirements integration, as well as capacity building and sustainment programs and international relations.  She delivers strong industry and military experience in strategic and risk assessments,…

General Schmidle is the University Advisor on Cyber Capabilities and Conflict Studies at Arizona State University. Dr. Schmidle is also a Professor of Practice in the School of Politics and Global Studies. Additionally, he is a Senior Fellow in the Center on the Future of War at Arizona State University.

Rear Admiral Keith M. Smith is a distinguished United States Coast Guard veteran of 41 years, having retired in August of 2022. A unique leader among his peers, rising from the ranks of the enlisted corp to his last position as Deputy Commander of Atlantic Area. His expertise lies in Homeland Security, Counter Terrorism, Drug Interdiction, and Emergency Management with leadership and…

Admiral Sandy Stosz is an experienced senior leader who has served and operated in the military, maritime, homeland security, transportation, and academic sectors. Her expertise includes leadership development, strategic vision and planning, change management, training and education, and leading and managing complex organizations.

General Wharton has served the Nation for more than three decades and has extensive experience in leadership, technology, acquisition, and logistics. He is currently a public and private sector advisor to numerous industries, universities, and governments. His focus is on technology acceleration in support of national priorities and homeland security. John also serves as Senior Advisor at The…