Colonel Brooks Braden is a native of Northern California. He graduated from Thomas Aquinas College in 1997 and from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 2001. He joined the Marine Corps on 12 September 2001. Col Braden began active-duty service as a judge advocate with 3d FSSG serving in various billets including the OIC of Legal Assistance and the Tax Center. Subsequently, he served as Aide-de-Camp of the Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases Western Area, MCAS Miramar. He deployed with ESG-3 embarked on USS Peleliu to PACOM and CENTCOM performing the duties of Flag Aide, Civil Affairs Officer, and Deputy SJA. He served on the staff of CTF-158 protecting Iraqi waters and oil infrastructure and providing maritime security in the Northern Arabian Gulf, and on the staff of CTF-59 supporting Theater Security Cooperation and the 2006 Lebanon NEO. Following his deployment, he served as a series and company commander at MCRD San Diego. As a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, Col Braden served for four years as the Associate Counsel of Fiscal and Procurement Law, Office of the Counsel for the Commandant. He served as the XO of 2d Battalion, 24th Marines during ITX 4-17 and the Deputy Branch Head of the Reserve Operational Law Branch, HQMC. As a member of the MAGTF Staff Training Program, he served as the Deputy Team Leader of the Civil-Military Operations/Legal Team, the Team Leader of the Intel/Info Operations Team, and during II MEF’s 2023 JTF Exercise, as the Deputy Exercise Dir. and Higher HQ COS. As a civilian, Col Braden earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and was recruited into the general management development program of a multinational corporation. This led to leadership roles in sales, marketing, new product development, operations, and lean process improvement. He is now a principal and co-founder of a healthcare company, where he has served as a hospital CEO. Col Braden is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and Army War College Distance Education Programs.

Rear Admiral (lower half) Chad M. Cary has proudly served the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the nation for over 22 years. He is currently deputy director for operations, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, and deputy director, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, where he leads the agency’s 15 ships, 10 aircraft, autonomous systems, health services, cyber, training, and commissioned officer corps. RDML Cary’s command philosophy is to foster a safe work environment, form an inclusive charge, empower the experts, have each other’s backs, and to have a little fun along the way. RDML Cary’s balanced career includes nine years of sea time and 13 years of shore time. He has previous underway command experience aboard NOAA ships Reuben Lasker, Henry B. Bigelow, Nancy Foster, and John N. Cobb. Additional diverse career experiences stem from serving as the Director, Commissioned Personnel Center and assignments in NOAA Fisheries, National Weather Service, and NOAA headquarters. He is an Alaska native, born in Cordova and raised in Juneau. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science with an emphasis in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before joining the NOAA Corps. RDML Cary also earned a M.S. in Geography from Portland State University and a Graduate Certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University. RDML Cary is a graduate of NOAA’s Leadership Competencies Development Program and remains committed to NOAA’s future leaders, serving formally and informally as a mentor. RDML Cary is accompanied on this adventure by his wife, Dayna, and their three children. They are active in their community, where they engage in school activities and sports. RDML Cary volunteers as a coach whenever possible. In his spare time he enjoys almost any outdoor pursuit, especially exploring new trails.

Captain Matt Cegelske assumed command of the Hopper Global Communications Center in September 2023. He was previously assigned as the Carrier Strike Group 10 (CCSG-10) information warfare commander aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) supporting NATO, allies and partners in the European theater.

Cegelske attended Maine Maritime Academy and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Systems Engineering in 2001. He transferred into the information professional community in 2006 as part of the U.S. Navy’s larger information warfare community.

Cegelske’s command assignments include the Cyber Defense Activity 64 as the plank-owning commanding officer; Cyber National Mission Force, as Commander, Task Force 4; and officer in charge of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic Hampton Roads Detachment.

His afloat assignments include deployments in the Atlantic, Arctic, and the West Pacific aboard the submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; the Carrier Strike Group 1 (CCSG-1) communications officer embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) supporting Operations Unified Response, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn; the Expeditionary Strike Group 3 (ESG-3) command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, and intelligence systems (C5I) assistant chief of staff supporting Operation Pacific Reach.

Cegelske’s ashore assignments include the U.S. Central Command Joint Operations Center executive officer; the Defense Threat Reduction Agency information systems officer, program manager and contracting officers representative for research and development modeling systems; a Carnegie Mellon University cyber federal executive fellow; the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Information Warfare (OPNAV N2N6) deputy executive assistant; and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J6) Cyberspace Division cyber policy branch chief.

He holds a Master of Science in Management, Strategy and Security from the American University, Kogod School of Business (2022). Additionally, he holds a Master of Science in Technology Management from University of Maryland (2009), is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI fellow, holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional and Certified Information Security Manager certifications, and is a part of the Navy’s Acquisition Corps.

Ms. Jennifer Edgin assumed her current position as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare in October 2022. In this role, she manages requirements, policy and resources for Communications, Networks, ISR, Oceanography, Space, Cyber, Electronic Warfare, and Command and Control capabilities. She leads the strategy, planning, programming, budgeting and execution for investments of over $9 billion dollars per year in more than 200 Navy programs and 52,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel. Additionally, she oversees the Navy’s Chief Information and Cybersecurity Offices.

Prior to her time with N2N6, Ms. Edgin served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Information, Headquarters Marine Corps. In this role, she serves as the principle deputy and technical assistant to the Deputy Commandant for Information, responsible for developing the plans, policies, and strategy for operating in the Information Environment.

Ms. Edgin was selected to the Senior Level in September of 2013 serving as the Chief Technology Officer and War Room Director leading information management and technology initiatives across the Information Environment. Ms. Edgin began her career as a Test Engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division managing quality evaluation programs for Cartridge Actuated Devices for Navy and Air Force egress systems. She was then selected to the inaugural class for Lean Six Sigma program at NSWC Indian Head, managing process improvement efforts and establishing command continuous process improvement methodologies. As part of the Lean Six Sigma program, Ms. Edgin completed a rotational assignment at Naval Sea Systems Command Strategic Plans and Programs, adapting engineering methodologies to assist with implementation of a competency aligned organization.

Ms. Edgin later transitioned to Naval Sea Systems Command, PMS 392 Strategic/Attack Submarines, managing submarine overhaul and maintenance periods. Ms. Edgin then transitioned to Marine Corps Systems Command as the Rapid Prototyping Lead for Program Manager, Marine Intelligence and was responsible for leading responses to Urgent Universal Needs Statements and maturing and infusing technologies into traditional Acquisition Programs.

Ms. Edgin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University and a Master of Science Degree in Engineering and Technology Management from George Washington University along with Executive Certificates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is an American Society of Quality Six Sigma Black Belt and DAWIA Level III in Program Management and Systems Engineering.

Admiral Linda L. Fagan assumed the duties as the 27th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard on June 1st, 2022. As Commandant, she oversees all global Coast Guard operations and 42,000 active-duty, 7,000 reserve, and 8,700 civilian personnel, as well as the support of 21,000 Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers.

She previously served as the 32nd Vice Commandant. Prior flag assignments include Commander, Pacific Area, and Commander, Coast Guard Defense Force West; Deputy Commandant for Operations, Policy, and Capability; Commander, First Coast Guard District; and a joint assignment as Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, United States Northern Command.

Admiral Fagan has served on all seven continents, from the snows of Ross Island, Antarctica to the heart of Africa, from Tokyo to Geneva, and in many ports along the way. Operational tours include Commander, Sector New York, more than 15 years as a Marine Inspector, and sea duty in USCGC POLAR STAR, a 399 ft heavy polar icebreaker. Staff assignments include Executive Assistant to the Commandant and Vice Commandant, and Division Chief of the Foreign and Offshore Compliance Office.

Possessing extensive interagency as well as intergovernmental experience, Admiral Fagan has worked with both the International Maritime Organization and International Labor Organization on flag state and port state issues. This work includes the development of the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS), and the Consolidated Maritime Labor Convention.

Admiral Fagan holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a Master of Science in Marine Affairs degree from the University of Washington, and a Master in National Resource Strategy degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. She has earned numerous personal and team awards during her 37 years of Coast Guard service. Admiral Fagan is the longest serving active duty Marine Safety Officer and holds the distinction of being the Coast Guard’s first-ever Gold Ancient Trident.

Kedar Pavgi is the National Capital Region Director and the Acting Strategic Engagements Director at the National Security Innovation Network, a component of the Defense Innovation Unit. He has been with the organization since 2020, and has supported in a number of capacities, including as a Program Manager for its former hackathons program. Kedar works closely with Department of Defense Mission Partners to identify specific problem sets and source solutions from the academic and early-stage venture ecosystems.

Since 2020, Kedar and the NSIN team have helped expand the national security innovation base; their efforts have enabled companies to secure $2.9B in DoD funding, and raise $9.6B in private capital.Before joining the NSIN team, Kedar was a consultant in Deloitte Consulting’s Government and Public Sector practice, and a Washington D.C. based journalist covering national security, defense and international affairs. He received his graduate degree in international relations and international economics from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and his undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary.

David Rouse leads Verizon’s Department of Defense and National Security global sales organization. Verizon delivers mission oriented-solutions globally in support of the National Security agencies, international defense organizations, the DoD and its mission partners.

In his previous roles with Verizon, he served as Director for US Department of Defense sales, Associate Director for Department of Defense wireline sales, Managing Client Partner for the US Department of Air Force, Department of Navy, and DoD Healthcare segments, and as Client Partner on the Defense Information Systems Agency account. Rouse was responsible for the company’s early support and increasing role with defense enterprise service offerings in the areas of mobility, cybersecurity, and various technology transformation initiatives.

Beyond Verizon, Rouse served in a variety of technical, sales, and leadership roles with Lumen Technologies and Sprint in support of customers in the federal, state, education, healthcare, utility, and financial industry segments. He also has start-up experience with Quantum Xchange.

Prior to his time in industry, Rouse was a telecommunication engineer at the Defense Information Systems Agency. His work focused on global voice and video communications solutions, including support of Desert Shield/Storm.

Rouse holds a master’s degree in telecommunications and computers from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at The George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from West Virginia University. He also holds a master’s certificate in organizational leadership from Villanova University.

Rear Admiral John “Jay” Vann assumed duties as Commander, Coast Guard Cyber Command located in Washington, DC. in May 2022. He is responsible for conducting full-spectrum cyberspace operations in support of Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense mission objectives.

Rear Admiral Vann recently completed an assignment as Deputy Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Personnel Service Center, where he oversaw execution of the Coast Guard’s human resource policies by recruiting, assigning, and managing nearly 45,000 members of the active duty and reserve workforces. Prior to that, in June 2021, he completed a Military Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Rear Admiral Vann previously served as Assistant Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard’s largest training center in Yorktown, Virginia. A career operations afloat officer, he commanded Coast Guard cutters HARRIET LANE and ASSATEAGUE, and served onboard cutters ACTIVE, GALLATIN, and FORWARD.

His assignments ashore have included duty as both Future Operations and Cutter Forces Chief at Coast Guard Atlantic Area, as Support and Special Staff Assignments Officer in the Officer Assignments Branch of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center, and as the Coast Guard’s first e-Learning Program Manager on the Commandant’s Training, Workforce Performance and Development staff.

Rear Admiral Vann is a 1992 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He holds a Master of Science degree in Instructional Systems from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Air Force’s Air War College. In 2019, Rear Admiral Vann graduated from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management.

Rear Admiral Vann’s military decorations include two Coast Guard Legions of Merit, four Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals, five Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and the permanent Cutterman’s Pin. He was awarded the 2015 Secretary of Homeland Security’s Gold Medal for Exceptional and Distinguished Service, and was designated an Honorary Chief Petty Officer in 2018. Rear Admiral Vann and his wife Darlene are the proud parents of daughters LT Hailey Murray, MC, USN, and Madison Vann.