People

Devin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Enlightenment Capital. Prior, he was a Vice President with D. E. Shaw’s direct capital strategy, where he helped establish the group’s Washington, DC area office and built its defense & government vertical. Prior to that, Devin was at TCG Financial Partners, a merchant bank founded by former Defense Secretary William Cohen, focusing on the defense & government sector. Devin began his career in the mergers & acquisitions group at Lazard in New York and worked part-time at The Carlyle Group during graduate school. He received his J.D. and MBA degrees from Georgetown University, and his BA, magna cum laude, in Law and Spanish from Amherst College, where he was a four-year varsity soccer player (NCAA Final Four; NESCAC All-Academic).

Devin is an owner of D.C. United, former owner of the Washington Spirit, co-founded GenerationEngage (a youth civic engagement non-profit), is on the board of DC SCORES (a non-profit that provides after school and summer programming that combines soccer, poetry, and service-learning), was named to M&A Advisor’s “40 Under 40” (as an emerging leader in the finance industry before the age of 40), has been named a Tech Titan by Washingtonian magazine, is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former advisory board member of the Aspen Security Forum, and is a member of the New York State Bar. His op-eds have appeared in the Washington Post, the Washington Times, Politico, the Washington Examiner, Capitol File, and the San Jose Mercury News. He has a Top Secret security clearance.

Jason is a Partner of Enlightenment Capital and brings decades of experience in both operational roles and as a principal investor in the aerospace, defense, security, and government contracting industries. Prior to joining Enlightenment, he served as a Principal and Washington, DC office lead for LLR Partners, a private equity firm where he led aerospace, defense, security, and government services related deal activity. Prior to joining LLR, Jason was a Managing Director at Monument Capital Group and Principal with The White Oak Group, private equity funds with a range of investments in the defense, government services, and security related industries. Before the White Oak Group, he was a senior vice president in the diversified industrials investment banking practice at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Capital Markets (FBR) where he led M&A and capital raising efforts in the aerospace, defense, security, and government services industries. Prior to FBR, Jason spent over a decade in senior operations roles for middle market government contractors, including seven years with Pearson Government Solutions.

He received his MBA from Columbia Business School, an additional MBA from London Business School, and a BA from Radford University where he played on the school’s Division 1 lacrosse team.

Jason is on the Advisory Board of AlphaTech (a group of senior industry professionals focused on helping select entrepreneurs in the cyber security and data analytics industry segments grow and scale their businesses), was named Financier of the Year by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and is a current board member and past President of the National Capital Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). He has a Top Secret security clearance.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Jeff was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for Gates Group Capital Partners, a private equity firm, where he was responsible for accounting and finance, including financial reporting and investor relations, as well as transaction support. Prior to that, he was a Managing Consultant with Navigant Consulting in Washington, DC and was the Chief Financial Officer for a hospitality management and development company. Jeff began his career as an auditor with Arthur Andersen and was Assistant Controller of Washington Sports & Entertainment, former owner of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals.

He received his MBA from The Mason School of Business at William and Mary and a BS from The University of Virginia.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Tommy worked for The Carlyle Group, where he managed financial reporting and analysis for the US Buyout and Financial Services funds. He began his career at EY working primarily with clients in the aerospace, defense, government, and technology sectors.

He received his MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and his BS from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He has a Top Secret security clearance.

Evan is a Principal at Enlightenment Capital. He began his career as an undercover Operations Officer at the Central Intelligence Agency where he led traditional, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cyber operations in North America, the Near East, and Asia. Interfacing directly with senior policymakers, Evan worked closely with other intelligence agencies, federal law enforcement, and the U.S. military on priority initiatives in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

After completing his CIA service, Evan worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs in San Francisco on M&A and capital raising activities with industrial, consumer products, renewable energy, and other clients. Evan returned to service for a time as a Senior Advisor to Congress on national security issues and as the Chief Policy Director for the House Republicans, eventually running for federal office himself as an independent, once for president and once for the U.S. Senate. During this period, he was a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and commented regularly in national media on domestic politics and national security issues.

Evan is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and holds a BA in International Law and Diplomacy from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the Wharton School.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Rob was a Vice President at AE Industrial Partners, where he focused on originating, executing, and monitoring investments in the Aerospace, Defense, & Government Services sectors. He was previously an Engagement Manager at Booz & Co., leading project teams serving Aerospace and Defense clients. He began his career at the Council on Foreign Relations and worked for the U.S. Department of State in Afghanistan.

He received his BA in Political Science and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has a Top-Secret security clearance.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Michael was a Vice President at Robert W. Baird in the Technology & Services Group, where he focused on M&A across the Government and Defense sectors. Prior to Baird, Michael was an Associate at Macquarie Capital, where he focused on M&A and capital raising for clients in the Financial Institutions sector.

He received his BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Garrett was an analyst at Citigroup where he focused on distressed, illiquid, and alternative assets in the ADG&T sector. Garrett received his BS from Georgetown University and, before that, he served as a team leader in the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, primarily serving in Afghanistan.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Jeanne was a Manager at Standish Management, a private equity fund services firm, where she managed fund accounting and financial reporting for private equity fund clients. Prior to that, she was Controller for PEI Funds, a secondary private equity firm, and Vice President at Bear Stearns Asset Management. She began her career as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

She received her Master in Professional Accounting and BS in Accounting from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Bryan was an Associate at Battle Investment Group, where he focused on financial modeling, due diligence, executing new investments, and monitoring portfolio investments primarily in the ADG&T sector. He was previously an Associate at Robert W. Baird in the Technology & Services Group, where he focused on M&A for clients across the government and defense sectors. Prior to Baird, Bryan was an Analyst at The Chertoff Group, where he focused on M&A and capital raising for clients in the ADG&T sector.

He received his BBA in Finance and Economics from James Madison University.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Abby was a Senior Associate at Baker Tilly US, LLP, where she served private equity and investment management clients in the assurance practice. She received her BS in Commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia with concentrations in Accounting and IT.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Curtis was an Analyst at Piper Sandler, where he focused on M&A and capital raising advisory for clients in the Diversified Industrials and Services Group.

Curtis graduated from Washington and Lee University with a BS in Business Administration.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Mark was an Associate at Monument Capital Partners, where he focused on M&A within the National Security and Federal Civilian markets. He began his career as a Program Manager at Microsoft where he led teams of engineers in developing and implementing nascent technologies.

He received his BS in Commerce with a concentration in Finance and Management from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.

Prior to joining Enlightenment, Fallon was a Senior Executive Assistant at a private equity firm in Bethesda, Maryland. She received her BA from the University of Maryland.

Before joining Enlightenment, Heather was a Client Relations Specialist at Ann Sandra and a Human Resource Manager at HZDG.

She received her BA from the University of Rhode Island.

Bob Work was the Deputy Secretary of Defense from 2014-2017. He is an expert in defense strategy, planning, programming and budgeting, dual use technologies, and defense transformation. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Defense and National Security at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a Senior Counselor at the Telemus Group, a Senior Fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and a member of the Enlightenment Capital Advisory Board.

Following a 27-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of Colonel, Bob was a Senior Fellow and Vice President for Strategic Studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA). In 2008, he served on President-elect Barack Obama’s Department of Defense Transition Team as leader of the Department of the Navy issues team. From 2009-2013, he was the Undersecretary of the Navy, responsible for the day-to-day management of the Department of the Navy. Following a year as CEO of CNAS, President Obama appointed Bob as the 31st Deputy Secretary of Defense. During his three years as Deputy Secretary, Bob oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense and the development of its $600 billion program and budget for three different Secretaries of Defense. He was an adjunct professor at George Washington University, and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Bob earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, a Master of Science in Space System Operations from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

General James Cartwright retired from active duty on 1 September 2011, after 40 years of service in the United States Marine Corps. Unique among Marines, General Cartwright served as Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, before being nominated and appointed as the 8th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's second highest military officer. General Cartwright served his four year tenure as Vice Chairman across two Presidential administrations and constant military operations against diverse and evolving enemies. He became widely recognized for his technical acumen, vision of future national security concepts, and keen ability to integrate systems, organizations and people in ways that encouraged creativity and sparked innovation in the areas of strategic deterrence, nuclear proliferation, missile defense, cyber security, and adaptive acquisition processes.

Born in Rockford, IL, he attended the University of Iowa and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Marines in 1971. He was both a Naval Flight Officer and Naval Aviator who flew the F-4 Phantom, OA-4 Skyhawk, and F/A-18 Hornet. In 1983 he was named Outstanding Carrier Aviator of the Year by the Association of Naval Aviation. General Cartwright graduated with distinction from the Air Command and Staff College, received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, completed a fellowship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was honored with a Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award.

General Cartwright currently serves as the inaugural holder of the Harold Brown Chair in Defense Policy Studies for the Center for Strategic & International Studies. He is also a member of Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee which provides independent, informed advice to the Secretary of Defense on long-term, enduring issues central to strategic planning. In addition, General Cartwright serves in an advisory capacity to Accenture Federal Services, Enlightenment Capital, Logos Technologies and Opera Solutions. He is also affiliated with a number of professional organizations to include the Aspen Strategy Group, The Atlantic Council, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and The Sanya Initiative.

Ken Krieg was the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from 2005-2007. He was responsible for advising the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on all matters relating to the Department of Defense Acquisition System, research and development, advanced technology, developmental test and evaluation, production, logistics, installation management, military construction, procurement and environmental security matters. Before his appointment to USD (AT&L), Ken served at the Department of Defense as Special Assistant to the Secretary and Director for Program Analysis & Evaluation. He joined the Department of Defense in July 2001 to serve as the Executive Secretary of the Senior Executive Council. Prior to joining the Department of Defense, he worked for International Paper, most recently as Vice President and General Manager of the Office and Consumer Papers Division. He had responsibility for the company's $1.4 billion retail, commercial office, and consumer papers businesses. During his 11 years with the Memphis, TN-based company, Ken held marketing and sales positions and was actively involved in the merger of three major paper companies into International Paper. Before moving to industry, Ken worked in a number of defense and foreign policy assignments in Washington, DC, including positions at the White House, on the National Security Council Staff, and in Office of the Secretary of Defense.

He received his BA degree in history from Davidson College and his Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ken runs Samford Global Strategies, a consulting practice focused on helping clients lead and manage through periods of strategic change. He is a member of the Board of Directors of API Technologies, Twisted Pair Solutions, Aurora Flight Sciences, and JackBe, and the Board of Trustees of LMI, as well as the SSA Board for DRS Technologies. He serves on the Advisory Board of Enlightenment Capital, several other CEO advisory boards, and is a distinguished fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses.

Deborah Lee James was the Secretary of the US Air Force from 2013-2017, with responsibility for 660,000 military and civilian personnel and a budget of nearly $140 billion. She was only the second woman to ever hold this position. The Secretary of Defense appointed Deborah to Chair the Defense Business Board, an advisory body that provides DoD leaders independent advice on business management issues.

Deborah has deep expertise in strategic planning, risk management, public policy, cyber security, talent management and innovation. Prior to serving as Secretary of the US Air Force, Deborah served as President of SAIC's Technical and Engineering sector, a $2 billion, 8,700 person enterprise. Throughout her approximate tenure at SAIC, Deborah worked on key governance, financial, business development, capture management, strategic planning, M&A and program execution areas.

Deborah is on the advisory board of Enlightenment Capital and is a non-executive member of the public company Boards of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) and Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS). She is a member of the Board of four private companies: Firefly Aerospace (Chair); Improbable LLC (Chair); Systems and Technology Research; and Locator X and the not-for-profit Boards of Noblis, Inc.; the Atlantic Council; and the PenFed Foundation (Chair), a charity focused on military and veteran issues. Deborah has experience on the Audit, Compensation, Nominations and Governance and Risk Committees across this portfolio of Boards.

Deborah earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Comparative Area Studies from Duke University and a Master of International Affairs Degree from Columbia University. She has a Top Secret security clearance.

Alan B. Thomas, Jr. served as Commissioner of the U.S. General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service from June 2017 to October 2019. In this position he led 3,500 acquisition and technology professionals in the delivery of more than $60 billion of products, services, and solutions to save taxpayer dollars and enable federal agencies to accomplish their missions as efficiently as possible. Thomas also served on two government-wide boards created in legislation, the Technology Modernization Fund and the Federal Acquisition Security Council. He is currently a member of the Enlightenment Capital Advisory Board.

Prior to his role at GSA, Alan held positions in both industry and government, including as the Chief Operating Officer at Berico Technologies and as a Vice President at Data Networks Corporation. Alan also served in a number of roles within the federal government, including as a program manager for a portfolio of special access programs, service on the Department of Defense's Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, and as a Presidential Management Fellow on both the Army staff and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he earned the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence and the Vice President’s Hammer Award for innovation in public service.

Alan holds a Master in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master in Public Affairs from the University of Texas’ LBJ School, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College.

John is the former CEO of Enlightenment Capital portfolio company EverWatch, which sold to Booz Allen Hamilton in 2022. He is a former public company CEO who has built and sold four mid-sized companies. He is a former senior US government official, a decorated combat veteran, an experienced company director, and an executive coach. He current serves on several GovCon company boards and is the James C. Wheat Professor in Leadership at historic Hampden-Sydney College as well as a longtime professor in the MBA program at George Mason University’s School of Business.

Over the past twenty years, John has served as CEO, President, or COO or several different companies – both public and private – in different industries. He has been a director on over a dozen corporate boards and a trustee or director in many non-profit enterprises. Before that, he served for five years as the Executive in Residence and Professor of Practice in the School of Business at George Mason University, where he still teaches strategy and leadership.

From 2007 to 2013 John was the President and CEO of Sotera Defense Solutions, a firm that he took public in one of the few successful IPOs in the American economy in 2009. The IPO won the ACG National Chapter “Deal of the Year” award. A longtime industry leader and spokesperson, Hillen is a two-time winner of the Fed100 award and was named one of the 100 most influential business leaders in the Washington DC area. He served for two years as the Chairman of the Professional Services Council, the trade industry association for government contractors. He is the founder of the GovCon Center at George Mason University.

Unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2005, John served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs in the second half of the George W. Bush administration and in that capacity spent much of his time with U.S. and allied troops in war zones from Iraq to Afghanistan to the southern Philippines. Hillen, who served for 12 years as an Army reconnaissance officer and paratrooper, was awarded the Bronze Star for his role in the Battle of the 73 Easting during Operation Desert Storm.

John graduated from Duke University with degrees in public policy studies and history. He holds a master’s degree in war studies from King’s College London, a doctorate in international relations from Oxford University, and an MBA from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University.

Kevin Kelly has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of research, engineering, strategic planning, and organization leadership. He most recently served as President of the National Security and Innovative Solutions Sector (NSIS) of CACI International. He joined CACI after the company’s acquisition of LGS Innovations, where he served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for more than seven years. Prior to being appointed CEO, he served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior VP of Strategy. Kevin also held senior positions within General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems and Lockheed Martin.

Kevin is the recipient of many academic and industry awards recognizing his numerous achievements and contributions to STEM education and the promotion of innovation in the National Defense industry. In 2016, he was selected as a Finalist for the “Executive of the Year” award sponsored by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Professional Services Council and in 2017 was named a finalist for EY’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” as well as one of WashingtonExec’s “25 Leaders in Government Contracting You Should Know About.”

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from The George Washington University. He has held Board seats with LGS Innovations, BlueCat Networks, and Penn State’s Alumni Association for the College of Engineering. He previously served as chairman for the Innovative Technologies Council of INSA and the National Advisory Council for GW-SEAS. Kevin is a proud 2015 Inductee to the Engineering Hall of Fame at The George Washington University.

Brett Lambert served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy from 2009 to 2013, where he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the highest award from the Secretary available to a non-career civilian. He was the principal advisor to the USD (AT&L) on all matters relating to the defense industrial base, including industrial capabilities and assessments, defense industry mergers, acquisitions and consolidation, preservation of essential industries and technologies, and other industrial related matters.

Brett also served as Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Northrop Grumman, where his duties for the CEO included development and execution of issues relating to overall corporate strategy, organization, M&A, strategic partnerships, and new market expansion. Prior to that, Brett helped build DFI International, a national security consultancy, through to a successful sale in 2007.

Brett is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a Senior Associate (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Chairman of the Board of the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute (ARM) led by Carnegie Mellon University. He also serves on the board of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), co-chairs their effort to examine demands for future supply chain security for advanced systems and is a member of the Enlightenment Capital Advisory Board.

Mr. Hunt was the Chief Technology Officer at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2009 to 2013. As such, he was responsible for setting the strategic technology direction to enable the agency’s missions, driving the rapid adoption of new capabilities to keep pace with technology change in the commercial sector, and engaging actively across the intelligence community to share and communicate IT solutions. Mr. Hunt joined the agency in 1985 and served in various technical leadership roles, with a common focus on implementing innovative commercial technologies and processes. Mr. Hunt most recently was a Managing Director at Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) where he led their cybersecurity efforts in the federal sector and is a member of the Enlightenment Capital Advisory Board.

Sonu Singh is a highly accomplished Founder and Chief Executive Officer in the government services and government technology space. As Founder and CEO of 1901 Group, Sonu built the business to become a leader in public sector managed services, cloud migration/operations, software development, and cyber engineering. 1901 Group was acquired by Leidos in 2021.

Sonu founded 1901 Group in 2009 based on three major components: 1) establishing an Enterprise Operations/Development Center in Blacksburg, Virginia; 2) leveraging technology, automation, and processes in a common platform to increase quality and consistency in IT management; and 3) utilizing consumption models for IT as opposed to standard labor hour billings. This strategy led 1901 Group to grow at an accelerated rate and solve complex problems for its government customers in a unique way. Prior to founding 1901 Group, Sonu co-founded Spectrum Solutions Group, which was sold to SRA International in 2005.

He has Bachelor of Science in industrial and system engineering from Virginia Tech.

William Forman is the President and CEO of North Atlantic Industries, Inc. (NAI), a leading independent designer and manufacturer of unique Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and custom electronic subsystems for military, industrial, and aerospace markets. Bill acquired the business in 1992 and broadened its focus through a series of acquisitions and significant engineering investments. Bill has been named "Long Island Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year" and won the "40 Under 40" award sponsored by Long Island Business News. Bill's philanthropic pursuits focus on the lives of disadvantaged children.

He serves as a board member of Publicolor, a not-for-profit organization that engages at-risk youths through the beautification and revitalization of public and civic spaces, and NAI supports FIRST, a high school robotics program meant to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Bill is a board member of the U.S. Eastern Region of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and serves on the Advisory Board of Enlightenment Capital. Previously, Bill held positions as Director of Finance at Dell Computer and Division Controller at Advanced Micro Devices.

He holds a BA and MBA from the University of Rochester.

Pierre is a Co-Founder and Advisor Emeritus of Enlightenment Capital. He brings three decades of aerospace/defense investment, equity analysis, investment banking, strategy management consulting and M&A due diligence expertise. Prior, he co-founded Renaissance Strategic Advisors (RSAdvisors), a premier Washington, DC and London based aerospace & defense strategy, and mergers & acquisitions due diligence firm. From 1995-2003, Pierre was an Institutional Investor ranked aerospace & defense equity analyst with Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, and Credit Suisse First Boston. He led the #1 ranked U.S. and global aerospace & defense team every year eligible.

He began his career as a mergers & acquisitions banker in the New York and London offices of Prudential-Bache Capital Funding focusing on aerospace & defense. He was also a director at JSA International, a Boston/Paris-based management-consulting firm that focused on the aerospace & defense industry and a Senior Fellow and Director of Defense-Industrial Initiatives at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, DC non-partisan think tank. He is a guest lecturer at the National Defense University and the Defense Acquisition University, and was a member of the Secretary of Defense's Defense Business Board.

Pierre earned dual degrees from M.I.T. and is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has a Top Secret security clearance.