STANFORD GKC - Key Persons
Alex is an MBA candidate at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He previously served as a Navy Officer at Naval Reactors, which maintains lifecycle responsibility for all US Navy submarine and aircraft carrier nuclear propulsion plants. Alex began his Naval Reactors career in the Reactor Materials Division. He later served as the Naval Reactors Chief Technologist, leading the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program's new, cross-disciplinary technology development organization, the Advanced Technology Innovation Pipeline. Alex holds a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering with Honors in International Security Studies and an M.S. in Management Science & Engineering, both from Stanford University.
Andrew Gerges '25 studies Economics and International Relations. He is passionate about the intersection of national security and international development and how global political institutions can be used for economic uplifting. At the Gordian Knot Center, he works with Project Myoushu on SeaLight. He has experience with an economic policy think tank in the Republic of Georgia and will be interning at the Department of Defense this summer. On campus, he's the president of the Stanford International Affairs Society. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, writing, reading, and hiking.
Barclay Jones was born and raised in Long Island, New York. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A in International Relations cum laude in 2013 and shortly after enlisted in the Army on a Special Forces contract. After graduating from the training pipeline and receiving his "Green Beret" in 2016, he served in 5th Special Forces Group where he worked in the Crisis Response Force focusing on a variety of counterterrorism and ISIS operations. He recently left the service and is a Tillman Scholar in his first year at the MBA program at Stanford University where he is interested in metals and mining and is focusing his coursework on the intersection of commodities, national security, and supply chains. He lives with his wife and golden retriever in Palo Alto.
Job Titles:
- MSX Fellow, Business
- Sloan Fellow
Brian Katz is a Sloan Fellow and MSx candidate at the Stanford GSB. He is currently Head of Partnerships for Intelligence and Security at the Defense Innovation Unit (in his Navy Reserve capacity) and adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to Stanford, Brian served as a senior policy advisor to the Under Secretaries of Defense for Intelligence & Security (2021-22) and for Research & Engineering (2023). He previously was a CSIS Fellow and executive director of the CSIS Technology and Intelligence Task Force, and served for a decade at the CIA in a variety of analytic and operational roles worldwide. Brian holds degrees from Duke University and Johns Hopkins SAIS
Bryce Mitchell is pursuing a master's degree in business administration at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor's degree in international history, and from King's College London with a master's degree in international affairs. Bryce served as an Air Force intelligence officer across multiple theaters, leading teams across the United States Forces Korea (USFK), the United States Africa Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and AFWERX-the Air Force's innovation directorate. He also served on the team that founded the Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), designed to attract and scale private investment into the Pentagon's fourteen critical technology focus areas. Bryce was a Defense Ventures Fellow with Marque Ventures, a defense technology venture fund. He is also a national security fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Chetan Nair is a junior studying Computer Science at Stanford University. He is an international student who grew up in Dubai and has previously worked with the Dubai government to ideate, plan, and develop an environmentally friendly, micro-mobility solution to the transport system - an e-bike sharing network in the city now known as Careem Bikes. He has also previously worked as a founding engineer at two startups, gaining practical experience to supplement his academic endeavors. Through the Defense Innovation Scholars Program, Chetan hopes to use his technical experience and passion for sustainability engineering to further the Gordian Knot Center's goals and also to explore the avenue of cybersecurity within the realm of national security.
Danny Sharp is a 1L at Stanford Law School and an adjunct fellow for the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, he was a staffer and researcher at CSIS working on issues ranging from the Middle East's view of the China development/governance model to Saudi Arabia's reform efforts. Prior to joining CSIS, Danny worked for a boutique advisory firm in Jordan. He holds a B.A. in Near Eastern studies from Cornell University.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of the Stanford Gordian Knot Center
- Center Associate Director
Dr. Eric Volmar is the Associate Director of the Stanford Gordian Knot Center. In this role, he guides the Center's strategic direction, shapes policy and research on national security innovation, and develops the next generation of builders. Previously, Eric was the Chief Strategy Officer at the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) within the Office of the Secretary of Defense with a mission to attract and scale private capital for national security. He also served as the Chief of Research at AFWERX, the commercial innovation unit for the Department of the Air Force. Eric is a Term Member with the Council on Foreign Relations and was a Rising Leader at the Aspen Strategy Group, a Fellow with the Strategic Management Society, and a researcher at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.
Eric received a PhD at Stanford in Strategy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. He specializes in how mission-driven organizations form strategy, organize, and compete.
Dr. Ethan Klein is a first-year MBA student at the Stanford Graduate of Business. He previously served as a policy advisor for emerging technologies at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Klein spent the last five years at MIT developing nuclear technologies for arms control and nonproliferation, with funding from a National Nuclear Security Administration fellowship. His research was recognized by the Arms Control Association with the 2019 Arms Control Person of the Year Award. He earned his Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering and S.B. in Chemistry and Physics from MIT.
Eric Meyers has served as an award-winning analyst at the intersection of international commerce, science, and technology, providing strategic warning to policymakers across the highest levels of government and civil society. Eric earned his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University where he graduated with distinguished honors such as summa cum laude and the university's graduation award for excellence in Russian studies. Committed to a career in public service, Eric now studies at the juncture of global business and foreign affairs as a dual MBA/MPP candidate at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gaute Friis is a Defense Innovation Scholar at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, Project Lead for Project Kai, and a geospatial open-source intelligence analyst for SeaLight.live. He previously worked as a China analyst at the Norwegian Police Security Service.
Helen Phillips is a first-year student in the Master's in International Policy (MIP) program. She joins Stanford after working for several years at the intersection of dual-use startups, venture capital, and the federal government. Most recently, Helen was on the investment team at Booz Allen Ventures, the $100M CVC fund of Booz Allen. Prior to the CVC, Helen led tech scouting projects for senior DoD clients, researching and integrating dual-use startups against specific requirements. Helen has also conducted extensive research on foreign investment, assessing FOCI in the U.S. startup ecosystem. She is interning at DIU while in graduate school.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Center Program Manager
Jack Faherty serves as Stanford GKC's Program Manager and helps lead the Center's programs and activities, develop its policy and planning guidance, and further elevate its profile. Jack joins Stanford GKC after nearly a decade of service in Congress. He most recently served as Executive Director of a bipartisan caucus of 30 military veterans in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he oversaw all caucus policy initiatives, operations, events, and communications. Prior to his service in the House, Jack spent seven years working for U.S. Senator Angus King, independent from Maine. While with Senator King, he served in several positions including as Communications Director on his 2018 re-election campaign and as a policy advisor on the Senator's defense portfolio, supporting his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Jack graduated from St. Lawrence University in upstate New York with a degree in African Studies and History, and is pursuing an M.A. in Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
James Park is a former Naval Officer who led cyber warfare teams at the NSA and conducted maritime cryptology operations aboard warships. He has experience in software development for the defense sector, having conducted research in natural language processing, designed machine learning infrastructure, and built full-stack applications. James holds a BS from the US Naval Academy, where he studied computer science, and is currently pursuing his MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Jarren is a sophomore at Stanford studying Computer Science and Management Science & Engineering. He's founded multiple venture-backed startups since high school and is now building automation tools for government agencies across all sectors. He has previously worked for Palantir, MITRE and multiple government contractors in the DC Metropolitan area.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Hacking for Defense
- Managing Director of the Technology Transition for Defense Program
Jeff Decker is managing director of the Technology Transition 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.
Jeff Phaneuf is a Marine Corps veteran and MBA candidate at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He previously served as campaign manager and interim Chief of Staff to Congressman Seth Moulton and as the Director of Advocacy for No One Left Behind. He holds a BA from Harvard and an MPA from Princeton.
Job Titles:
- Center Director
- Researcher
Joe Felter is an educator, researcher and entrepreneur with over 30 years of organizational leadership and management experience including 15 years working at the nexus of Stanford University and Silicon Valley. He maintains teaching and research appointments at Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation, the Hoover Institution and Stanford Technology Ventures Program. From 2017-2019 Joe served as US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia. Joe is co-creator of "Hacking for Defense," a defense innovation focused academic curriculum he helped develop and pilot at Stanford in 2016. A retired US Army Ranger and Special Forces officer, Joe served in a variety of special operations assignments with combat deployments to Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. He received a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School, Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of West Australia, and Ph.D. from Stanford University.
My name is Josh Pickering, an MD/MBA candidate and US Navy veteran. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I collaborated with the Ukrainian MoH to provide emergency medical supplies to front line troops and worked alongside the MoD to harden Ukraine's national defenses. During my tenure at Stanford, I partnered with the US Army to develop solutions for subterranean warfare. I am currently dedicated to developing business models, distribution networks, and partnerships that effectively deliver technologies to defenders of the US and allies.
Malaina is founder and student lead for the Women in National Security Program. She is co-author of the book Defiant Dreams: The Journey of An Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything For Education. Malaina previously served as a Fellow at PEN America, where she advocated for international human rights, press freedoms, and election integrity. She served on the management team of a refugee resettlement organization and was the producer of In Deep, a nationally syndicated public affairs radio broadcast program. She has received national awards for her poetry, personal essays, and short stories. Malaina will graduate from Stanford University in 2025.
Max Susman is a first-year MS/MBA student at the Stanford Graduate of Business and Stanford School of Engineering (EE). After graduating from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Max began his military service as a U.S. Navy SEAL Officer, leading teams of special operators on multiple deployments throughout the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. He additionally served as the Officer-in-Charge of SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection, and as Technical Liaison between the Naval Special Warfare (HQ) Command Technology Officer and Naval Special Warfare Center.
Job Titles:
- Director at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
- Founding Faculty & Principal Investigator
Michael McFaul is Director at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, the Ken Olivier and Angela Nomellini Professor of International Studies in the Department of Political Science, and the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He joined the Stanford faculty in 1995. Dr. McFaul also is an International Affairs Analyst for NBC News and a columnist for The Washington Post. He served for five years in the Obama administration, first as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009-2012), and then as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014). He received his B.A. in International Relations and Slavic Languages and his M.A. in Soviet and East European Studies from Stanford University in 1986. As a Rhodes Scholar, he completed his D. Phil. in International Relations at Oxford University in 1991.
Job Titles:
- Master
- Management Science
Nathan Jenkins is a master's student in the department of Management Science and Engineering and a Cyber Warfare Officer in the US Army. His academic work has focused on technology management and policy, with a focus on understanding the effects of innovation on organizations and societies. Prior to Stanford, he studied computer science at the United States Military Academy, where he completed a capstone research project that used machine learning to classify dynamically and statically analyzed malware and was a member of the men's crew team. Outside school, he works to perfect his sourdough recipe and runs ultramarathons.
Nickson is a second-year Master's in International Policy candidate pursuing a Cyber Policy and Security specialization at Stanford University. Passionate about the intersection of geopolitics and cyber policy, he has been a leading contributor of several geopolitical-cyber policy projects at Stanford including Project Myoushu at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, and the Quantum Computing National Security Policy Working Group at the Cyber Policy Center. Beyond Stanford, Nickson was also a Cybersecurity Analyst at the Cyber Threat Alliance, a Military Officer in the Singapore Armed Forces, and the 2022 Class Valedictorian from the National University of Singapore.
Oliver is a sophomore at Stanford studying Computer Science and Economics. He is a builder, founder and innovator with a passion for furthering the intersection of frontier tech and defense. He has experience in product management, founding consumer and B2B companies, and working at a Y Combinator-backed startup. His aspiration is to help transform outdated workflows within the DoD and bring them into the future in order to enable faster, informed decision making.
Pranav is a coterm student studying computer science with a specialization in AI. He's especially interested in problems lying at the intersection of vision, language, and ML system design. In the past, he's been involved with foundation model research across both academia and industry. At the Stanford Vision & Learning Lab, he's designed computer vision algorithms for a myriad of healthcare use cases. In industry, he's developed ML pipelines to improve airfoil design at NASA and dived deep into consumer tech applications of language models at Apple. In his free time, he loves to be outdoors, play tennis/pickleball, write, and work with metal.
Raina is a undergraduate and coterm student at Stanford, studying Bioengineering and International Relations. She is passionate about biosecurity, and bio-economy policy, particularly, through the lens of geopolitical interactions and competition. Raina has previously attended the UN's Biological Weapons Convention as a youth delegate to present her research on glaring gaps in high-risk laboratories worldwide. She hopes to use this experience to identify opportunities for the US to remain at the forefront of biotechnological innovation and to understand barriers to innovation in this space.
Job Titles:
- Founding Faculty & Principal Investigator
Job Titles:
- Professor of Management Science
Riitta Katila is Professor of Management Science & Engineering and W.M. Keck Foundation Faculty Scholar at Stanford University, and research director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. Her research is in the intersection of technology strategy and organizational learning, using machine learning, statistical analysis, and mixed methods. She is an expert on innovation, competition, and entrepreneurship in large firms, and her current research centers on responsible and inclusive innovation initiatives. She received the Stephan M. Schrader Award for Outstanding Research in Technology and Innovation Management, the Thought Leader Award in Entrepreneurship, and the Best Symposium Award by the Organization and Management Theory Division of the Academy of Management. Katila studied engineering economics and information systems as an undergraduate, earned a Ph.D. in technology strategy at UT Austin on a Fulbright Scholarship, and received a Doctorate in Engineering from Helsinki University of Technology in Finland. She is the recipient of the Eugene L. Grant Faculty Teaching Award at Stanford.
Shiva Khanna Yamamoto is a senior and coterm from Washington, DC studying Engineering Physics and CS. His interests lie primarily in aerospace and national security. Outside of class, he enjoys cycling and long drives.
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Founding Member at the Gordian Knot Center
Steve Blank is a founding member at the Gordian Knot Center, an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and Senior Fellow for Innovation at Columbia University. Steve consults for the National Security establishment on innovation methods, processes, policies, and doctrine.
His book The Four Steps to the Epiphany is credited with launching the Lean Startup movement. He created the curriculum for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps. At Stanford he co-created the Department of Defense Hacking for Defense and Department of State Hacking for Diplomacy curriculums.
His follow-on book The Startup Owner's Manual described a process for turning ideas into scale and his Harvard Business Review cover story redefined how large organizations can innovate at speed.
Steve's latest class at Stanford, Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition, is providing crucial insight on how technology will shape all the elements of national power.
Tiffany Saade is a Coterminal Masters student at Stanford University in the Stanford Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy, specializing in Cyber Policy and Security. Her interest and work sits at the nexus of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and policymaking. She is wrapping her last year of undergrad in Political Science and International Relations. She is also a Global Shaper and Vice Curator with the World Economic Forum, advocating for policies and applications of responsible AI. Tiffany co-leads a the "Trusted Elections Analysis" Working Group housed at the Harvard Belfer Center, with the primary goal of expanding the demand for election-related information quality in an age of AI-enhanced information poisoning campaigns.Most recently, Tiffany was selected as a Defense Innovation Scholar and launched her own Project Wǎng Yuè, a series of papers looking at the malicious use of powerful AI models for cyberattacks and understanding nation-state cyberthreat actors' organization and process in conducting cyber- operations. As a student researcher at the Stanford Human-Centered AI, she studies the intersection of data privacy risks and foundation models. As one of the founding members, one of her passion-project is the Stanford AI Policy Case Competition, an interdisciplinary experience joining students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds, ranging from public policy to engineering to law to tackle complex and pressing policy issues at the intersection of AI technologies and geopolitics.[Note: Please keep bio as is if possible for website].
Job Titles:
- MPP in Business and Public Policy
Walter Woo is an MBA Candidate at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an MPP Candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School. He previously served in the US Army in a variety of roles in the CENTCOM, INDOPACOM, and SOUTHCOM AORs. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in Comparative Politics and Portuguese.
Job Titles:
- Computer Science and Math
William Pirone, an undergraduate Defense Innovation Scholar majoring in Mathematics and Russian, developed an interest in national security after living along the Sino-Kazakh border on behalf of the U.S. State Department. Since then, he has researched the efficacy of financial sanctions against Russia via Stanford's FSI and has written policy memoranda on the Chinese EV and critical mineral sectors for the Hudson Institute, a DC-based think tank. He is also President of the Stanford chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society, a non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting constructive debate on national security issues on campus.
At the Gordian Knot Center, William leads Project Flux, an initiative to secure America's energy supply by open-sourcing data on rare earth projects nationwide.