GSOF Committees

Governing Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Governing Committee is responsible for researching and recommending areas of strategic opportunity for Foundation operations to the Board of Directors, staff, Members, and volunteers; recommending strategies to best utilize resources in support of Foundation programs; supporting Foundation symposia and outreach, and sponsorship programs with management and operational resources; and helping to recruit other Corporate Partners to the Foundation. 

Governing Committee Members

Outreach Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Outreach Committee’s overarching goals are to increase awareness and educate policymakers about the important role of the Special Operations community in meeting critical national security threats and to engage GSOF membership on the important role of Congress and policymakers in supporting SOF. With core capabilities across the Congressional and policymaking spectrum in Washington, the Outreach Committee serves as the ‘eyes and ears’ of GSOF in Washington related to the special operations community. 

Committee Chairman – Phil Anderson, Navigators Global

GSOF Lead – Christina Powell

Small Business Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Small Business Committee’s overarching goal is to assist the Small Business partners with outreach to government agencies and large prime contractors with whom Small Businesses can cooperate, collaborate, and/or partner; introductions between Small Business partners and the aforementioned companies and agencies; and facilitating events that foster business-to-business relationship building between large and Small Businesses.

Committee Chairman – Christopher Grimelli, Advanced Programs Inc.

GSOF Lead – Shane Smith

AI/ML Committee

What the Committee Does:

The AI/ML Committee’s overarching goal is to assist the Special Operations community in identifying current and future capability gaps and their solutions via decision-making, situational awareness, predictive maintenance, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, training/simulations, and logistics. With core capabilities across a broad range of SOF-relevant technologies and techniques, the AI/ML Committee shall engage and collaborate with government entities, Corporate Partners, and other like-minded organizations that can assist in providing these solutions.

Committee Chairman – Bill Wall, Accrete AI

GSOF Lead – Jason Garo

Aviation & ISR Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Aviation & ISR Committee’s overarching goal is to assist the Special Operations community in identifying current and future capability gaps and their solutions. Explores manned and unmanned platforms, communications, data technologies, education and training, and other means to support special operations strike, mobility, and intelligence-gathering activities, among other capabilities. With core capabilities across a broad range of SOF-relevant technologies and techniques, the Aviation & ISR Committee shall engage and collaborate with government entities, Corporate Partners, and other like-minded organizations that can assist in providing these solutions.

Committee Chairman – Mark Clark, Air Center Helicopters

GSOF Lead – Garron Sanzo

Maritime Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Maritime Committee’s goal is to assist the Special Operations community in identifying current and future capability gaps and their solutions. Identifies any other means to support special operations mission requirements above the water, on the water, and below the surface of the water. With core capabilities across a broad range of SOF-relevant technologies and techniques, the Maritime Committee shall engage and collaborate with government entities, Corporate Partners, and other like-minded organizations that can assist in providing these solutions.

Committee Chairman – Eric Kleinschmidt, GDMS & Navigators Global Consultant

GSOF Lead – Dylan Nilson

SOF IT & Comms Committee

What the Committee Does:

The IT and SOF Communications Committee is responsible for guiding and advising the Foundation on matters related to communications, cybersecurity, tactical networks, software systems, IT infrastructure, and systems integration. The committee’s primary objective is to assist the Special Operations community in identifying capability gaps and recommending solutions through engagement with government entities, corporate partners, and other organizations.

Committee Chairman – Jay Santiago, World Wide Technology

GSOF Lead – Jessica Del Po

Health & Human Performance Committee

What the Committee Does:

The Health and Human Performance Committee is responsible for guiding and advising the Foundation in all health and human performance matters, to include: lethality, force readiness, warrior care, transition, etc. The Committee will also guide and advise the Foundation on related policy challenges and needs for innovation, especially industry factors pertaining to barriers to entry or incorporating human factors. To that end, the committee shall engage and collaborate with government entities, corporate partners, and other like-minded organizations that can assist in understanding these issues and providing solutions.

Committee Chairman – KaLea Lehman, Military Special Operations Family Collaborative

GSOF Lead – Chad White