Jeff Decker
Director of Education
As the Director of Education at CMP, Jeff Decker leads our educational strategies and initiatives, ensuring they align with our mission to foster the development of emerging national security leaders. Jeff oversees the design and implementation of innovative educational programs that equip our participants with critical skills and knowledge. His leadership extends to enhancing our curricula and collaborating with educational partners to maximize learning outcomes. In August 2024, Jeff proudly released the new H4D Manual, a comprehensive guide that further enriches our educational resources.
Jeff is also managing director of the Hacking for Defense Program and co-instructor of Hacking for Defense course at Stanford University. Hacking for Defense uses the Lean Startup technique to tackle complex problems critical to the government around national security, energy networks, cyber security, and AI, and develop new technologies with teams of engineers, scientists, MBA’s and policy experts. With the program, Jeff has taught more than 300 students, faculty, and government personnel user-centered design from over 2 dozen colleges and universities, helping them solve more than 75 unique national security challenges for the Defense Department and related industries. Several student teams have gone on to form companies winning Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, gaining venture capital funding, and one team even became a program of record. Jeff’s work and research focuses generally on defense innovation and dual-use technologies, with a focus on developing go-to-defense market strategies for technology startups and fostering defense-industry partnerships. With his Lean Startup experience and expertise with Hacking for Defense, plus his military service, Jeff is a sought-after expert when it comes to national security and solving Defense Department challenges.
Jeff served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Ranger Battalion light infantry squad leader in Iraq and Afghanistan. Following his service, he earned a MS in International Relations (Laws), and a doctorate in International Relations before conducting national security and international affairs research at the RAND Corporation.
Maria Tranquilli
Executive Director
Maria Tranquilli stands as a dynamic force at the crossroads of innovation, entrepreneurship, and defense, leveraging over 20 years of startup experience. As the newly appointed Executive Director of the Common Mission Project, home of Hacking for Defense, Diplomacy and Homeland Security, Tranquilli will grow the CMP Fund, strengthen programs and scale the top-tier alumni talent network.
"We will empower the next generation of problem solvers to tackle the toughest issues facing our country and our international allies. Together, we’ll ensure the preservation and growth of our greatest asset amongst a new generation: the spirit of American innovation and entrepreneurship."
Most recently, she served as the National Senior Director of Venture Innovation at the Mission Acceleration Center, overseeing national new venture engagement, defense portfolio services, and investor partnerships across the MAC national network.
Prior to this, Maria served as Founding Director of Defense Ventures and played a pivotal part in fortifying defense-industrial partnerships crucial to America's national security and economic vitality, achieving program recognition in the 2023 National Defense Science and Technology Strategy.
Tranquilli spent five influential years as NASDAQ's Head of Global Programs and Founder Community, guiding thousands of global founders through the complex journey from launch to hyper-growth, supporting multiple IPOs on NASDAQ. She entered the defense sector in 2012, lending her expertise to support DARPA's Adaptive Vehicle Make (AMV) program portfolio through the Manufacturing Experimentation and Outreach (MENTOR) program via O'Reilly MAKE, designing and outfitting maker labs in US high schools across the nation to recruit early adopters related to distributed manufacturing and design experiments.
Tranquilli holds a MEd in Educational Program Design and multiple business certifications.
Sharon Nguyen
Junior Analyst
As an Junior Analyst intern, Sharon Nguyen specializes in strategic communications & marketing. She is also an alumni of Hacking 4 Defense, her involvement in the program sparked her enthusiasm for expanding the network of young entrepreneurs. Sharon is enthusiastic about contributing to mission-driven entrepreneurship programming.
Sharon graduated from University of California Los Angeles with an English degree, and she is now pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Communications, Culture, and Technology at Georgetown University. Her research interests are focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and civil society, driving her to explore innovative avenues to solve real world issues.
Tom Nelson
Interim Executive Director
Tom Nelson is Vice President at BMNT Inc., a Silicon Valley innovation and technology company which powers national security organizations to solve problems at scale and start-up speed. He also serves on the Board of Advisors to the Common Mission Project, a non-profit that is building an international network of entrepreneurs to solve global problems.
Tom has a tremendous breadth of experience over his 20+ year professional career, which has spanned both the public and private sectors. He began as an Army infantry officer and served in a wide spectrum of assignments to include leading infantry soldiers in multiple leadership roles, developing strategy and policy for Iran and Syria on the Joint Staff and at the National Security Council, planning and executing security operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and leading future operations planning at Army Cyber Command. Upon retiring from the Army, he co-founded Talos IO to provide the US government an information related capability to combat misinformation on social media. He subsequently joined BMNT and the Common Mission Project out of a strong desire to continue contributing to solving national security problems.
Tom has a BS in Economics from the United States Military Academy, a MS in Economics from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and was a National Security Fellow at Stanford University.
Sean Holland
Finance and Systems Manager
As Finance and Systems Manager at CMP, Sean oversees both financial management and backend systems infrastructure, ensuring a strategic alignment that supports our organizational objectives, including the management of our Student Technology Fund. His role encompasses comprehensive fund management, from application through disbursement, ensuring compliance with both funder requirements and our strategic goals.
Sean graduated from George Mason University with a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s Certificate in Business Analytics. He has previous experience managing financial banking centers at Chase and working with the Small Business Administration’s Disaster Assistance program.
Steve Weinstein
Board Member
Steven Weinstein is the General Partner and Executive Vice President of Technology Innovation at America’s Frontier Fund, where he is a leader on the investment team focused on building early-stage companies and new regional ecosystems.
Three decades as a Silicon Valley CTO, EVP of Engineering, founder of Hollywood’s R&D lab and creator of H4XLabs, a dual-use incubator, venture studios, and investment fund, Steven has created products that have sold in the millions of copies, and cost anywhere from $.05 to $10 million a copy across a broad range of technologies in both the private sector and DoD/IC.
Steven is an educational leader teaching advanced rapid innovation processes at Stanford University and the University of California system. His courses have become national programs, including Hacking 4 Defense (at over 50 universities), Lean LaunchPad for Deep Tech (NSF I-Corps at over 100 universities), Hacking for Climate/Oceans (Common Mission Project), and I-Corps at NSA.
Steven serves on the board of Common Mission Project (responsible for H4X programs WW), as co-founder of the Defense Investor Network, and as an Advisor to the Gordian Knot Center at Stanford, as well as to multiple small startups. He also works within the Intelligence Community as an advanced technology scout, innovation process consultant, and technology advisor.
Tim Newell
Board Member
Tim Newell is the President of Quovadis Technologies.
Prior to joining Quovadis, Tim led financial technology teams at Tesla, as a Director of Financial Products and at SolarCity, as Vice President of Financial Products.
He has served on the Business Advisory Board for In-Q-Tel and was previously the Deputy Director for Policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
A graduate of Brown University, he is passionate about clean energy solutions and has held board positions at numerous companies dedicated to furthering sustainable technologies.
Pete Newell
Chairman of the Board
Col. Pete Newell (Ret.) is the CEO of BMNT, an innovation consultancy and early-stage technology incubator that helps solve some of the hardest problems facing the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.
Prior to joining BMNT, Pete served as the Director of the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force (REF). Reporting directly to the senior leadership of the Army, he was charged with rapidly finding, integrating, and employing solutions to emerging problems faced by Soldiers on the battlefield. Pete’s experiences with the REF are the subject of case studies used in the classrooms at both the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School.
As CEO of BMNT, Inc. he brings together innovators working at the intersection of business, government, academia, and society.
He is also a co-founder of the Common Mission Project.
Eric Perreca
Senior Advisor
Mr. Perreca has spent his career in the defense, energy, finance, and ESG space focused on technology solutions. He is a former U.S. Navy SEAL Team Officer, Strategy Consultant, Mergers and Acquisitions Investment Banker, CEO of two renewable energy companies, Director of an impact Private Equity Fund, and Founder and Managing Partner of two Private Equity firms.
As a SEAL he spent his career conducting operations globally. This enabled a unique view and career focus on our military’s use of some of the most advanced technologies available but as well our shortfalls in capabilities, strategies, development and acquisition. It also created a unique view of how we as a country were vulnerable to increasing natural and manmade threats. Post his active-duty military career he has devoted the last several decades to sourcing, financing, and developing both defense technology solutions but as well sustainable infrastructure solutions designed to meet the future challenges the country faces and ensuring we limit and reduce our impact on the environment at the same time.
As a SEAL he was assigned to SEAL Team 2, the Naval Special Warfare Development Group and JSOC and led several of their operational units. He had the fortunate opportunity to be assigned to some of our Countries most elite units and incorporate firsthand technological and strategy innovation. While an Investment Banker with Thomas Weisel Partners (TWPG) he was with the Technology Advisory Group focused on all-things internet and defense. As Managing Director of Innovation Investments, a privately held investment firm that specialized in social infrastructure and sustainable energy investments, he led the firms wind and ethanol development and investments. As CEO of Scatec Solar North America (SSO.OL) he developed and built some of the largest solar farms in the country and as Co-head of energy infrastructure investing at Hunt Companies, he led its Alternative Energy Fund. Mr. Perreca is currently the Founder and Managing Partner of Blue Marble Capital Partners (Onset Capital) and Family Office Command, two Private Equity firms investing in both the defense of our country but as well the defense of our planet.
Mr. Perreca earned an MBA from Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania and a degree in Systems Engineering with a Robotics concentration from the US Naval Academy. He serves on the Advisory Committee for the Navy SEAL Foundation and several startup company Boards and was also the UDT SEAL Association NorCal Chapter President.
Ashley Bayana
Senior Operations Manager
As Director of Operations, Ashley Bayana is responsible for overseeing CMP’s daily operations and implementing strategic initiatives to drive growth and efficiency. Ashley develops and executes operational strategies, manages resource allocation, and leads cross-functional teams to ensure seamless processes. Prior to joining CMP, she was the Operations Manager at the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), a non-profit organization in Alexandria, VA, dedicated to fostering business and economic growth.
Ashley earned her Master’s in Business Administration with honors from the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB), Washington, D.C., specializing in entrepreneurship and technology. While at GWSB, she enrolled in a consortium program, immersing herself in a semester at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. During this period, she concentrated on specialized courses like "The Business of Defense," which culminated in a capstone wargaming exercise centered on national security and defense. She also spent a semester as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at GWSB.
Ashley holds three global certifications focused on international business from the Coller School of Management in Tel-Aviv, Israel; the Fudan School of Management in Shanghai, China; and Grenoble Ecole De Management in Grenoble, France, obtained through short-term study abroad programs.
Ashley lives near the Chesapeake Bay, approximately two hours from Washington, D.C., with her family and their highly energetic German Shorthaired Pointer.