Elevating talent from all of America’s diverse communities is a strategic imperative.

Dr. Stacey A. Dixon was sworn in as the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) on Aug. 4, 2021. She currently serves as the sixth Senate-confirmed PDDNI. Possessing 20 years of intelligence experience, Dr. Dixon has led the Intelligence Community at the highest ranks.

Dr. Dixon joined ODNI after serving as the eighth Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2019-2021, where she assisted the Director both in leading the agency and managing the National System for Geospatial Intelligence. From 2018 to 2019, she was the fourth Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), after serving as its Deputy Director from 2016 to 2018.

Before joining IARPA, Dr. Dixon served as the Deputy Director of NGA’s research directorate, where she oversaw geospatial intelligence research and development. She held additional leadership roles at NGA as the Chief of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs and Deputy Director of the Corporate Communications Office.

Darryll J. Pines serves as president of the University of Maryland as well as the Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering.

Formerly the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Engineering and dean of UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, where he has been on the faculty since 1995, Pines amassed a record of academic leadership and research accomplishments that have dramatically elevated the school’s rankings and stature nationally and internationally. In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his “inspirational leadership and contributions to engineering education.”

As dean for 11 years, Pines instituted sweeping changes to improve the student experience, including revamping teaching in fundamental undergraduate courses; encouraging participation in national and international student competitions; emphasizing sustainability engineering and service learning; and expanding innovation and entrepreneurship activities.

Mr. Maynard Holliday is Performing the Duties of (PTDO) the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. In this capacity, he oversees investment and capability analysis of the Pentagon's critical technology areas. He has oversight of 10 Principal Directors assigned to those critical technology portfolios and their roadmaps — the comprehensive strategies to manage, provide oversight and guide choices for each critical technology area. These critical technology areas include Advanced Computing & Software; Directed Energy; Human-Machine Interfaces; Hypersonics; Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems; Integrated Sensing & Cyber; Microelectronics; Renewable Energy Generation & Storage; Space Technology; and Trusted Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy.

Dr. Jaret C. Riddick is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). Prior to joining CSET, he was the Principal Director for Autonomy in the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), serving as the Senior DOD official for coordination, strategy, and transition of Autonomy research and development.

As Principal Director, he created a DOD-wide initiative on trusted Autonomy, led efforts to advance Autonomy for undersea warfare with allied partners, and provided key strategic analysis to support development of the newest DOD university-affiliated research center (UARC).

Brandi Vincent is DefenseScoop’s Pentagon correspondent. She reports on emerging and disruptive technologies, and associated policies, impacting the Defense Department and its personnel. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Brandi produced a long-form documentary and worked as a journalist at Nextgov, Snapchat and NBC Network. She was named a 2021 Paul Miller Washington Fellow by the National Press Foundation and was awarded SIIA’s 2020 Jesse H. Neal Award for Best News Coverage. Brandi grew up in Louisiana and received a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.