Lieutenant General (retired) Dave “Abu” Nahom culminated a 36 year Air Force career serving as Commander, Alaskan Command; Commander, Alaskan NORAD Region; and Commander, Eleventh Air Force. In this role he served as the senior military officer in Alaska, responsible for the integration of all military functions in the Alaskan theater of operations, synchronizing the activities of more than 21,000 active-duty and reserve forces from all services. His duties additionally included the effective surveillance, monitoring, and defense of the region’s airspace, while also overseeing the training and readiness of five wings and Air Force installations located in Alaska, Hawaii and Guam.
Prior to his time in Alaska, Abu served on the Headquarters Air Force staff at the Pentagon as the Deputy Chief of Staff for planning and programming (HAF/A8). In this role he led a team responsible for the strategic planning and programming of resources across the entire Air Force.
Lt Gen Nahom was commissioned through ROTC at the University of Colorado. In his career he commanded at the squadron, group, wing and numbered Air Force level and is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in the F-22A Raptor, F-15A/B/C/D Eagle and F-111F Aardvark.
In addition to his flying and command experience, Abu graduated from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the NATO Defense College. He has held additional headquarters-level assignments at a NATO Combined Air Operations Center, U.S. Forces Korea, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Forces Central Command.
John Paul “Spear” Mintz is a defense strategist, technologist, and warfighter with two decades of experience at the nexus of technology and national security. As an Air Force officer, he commanded at multiple levels and served as a strategic advisor at NORAD/USNORTHCOM, the CSAF Strategic Studies Group, and most recently at DARPA. There, he acted as Chief of Staff and worked across DARPA’s portfolio of advanced technologies — including biotech, human performance, microsystems, electromagnetic warfare, artificial intelligence, cyber, hypersonics, air, and space — to transition and integrate technology into the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Combatant Commands and real-world combat environments. He established and led the USAF’s spectrum warfare engineering group, led operational test across the span of Air Force combat capabilities, and served as an operational fighter pilot in Japan, the Arctic, the Middle East, and for homeland defense.
As an advisor and visionary Air Force leader with deep operational credibility, Spear is known as a savvy ambassador with strong relationship skills. He also brings an uncommon technical acumen and a standout record of delivering transformative capabilities through collaboration with senior civilian and military leaders, technologists, and warfighters.
Dr. Mintz holds a PhD in Military Strategy and Artificial Intelligence, various master’s degrees, and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and the USAF Weapons School. He is the founder of High Aspect Technologies.
James Hecker, a retired General, serves as a Senior Principal Advisor for Elara Nova. He has over 36 years of experience in aircraft, space, and missile operations.
Before retiring in 2025, General(ret) Hecker held the positions of Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Commander of U.S. Air Forces Africa, and Commander of Allied Air Command, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. General(ret) Hecker commanded eight times across various levels including squadron, group, wing, numbered air force, and major command.
He modernized NATO airpower for the 21st century by integrating new members, pioneering tactics, and improving readiness. He adopted cost-effective technologies like sUAS, counter sUAS, and acoustic sensor networks, enhancing airpower effectiveness. He ensured timely delivery of military aid to Ukraine, strengthening their defense and supporting allied security.
Gen. Hecker was commissioned in 1989 through the U.S. Air Force Academy. He served as Commander and President of Air University, Deputy Director J3 on the joint staff, Commander of NATO Air Command-Afghanistan, and Commander of the 19th Air Force. He holds an MS in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an MS in Strategic Studies from Air War College and attended the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents at Harvard University. As a command pilot, he has logged over 3,700 flying hours in the F-15C, F-22, MQ-1B, and other aircraft.
General (ret) Dan Hokanson brings deep expertise and experience in leading complex organizations, international relations, national security and crisis management. His experience and life-long commitment to continuous learning over three decades of military service resulted in Dan achieving the rank of 4-Star General and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Dan served as the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the highest-ranking officer in the National Guard, an organization of over 430,000 in all fifty states, three territories, and DC. As Chief, he oversaw the Guard’s historic response to the COVID pandemic, civil-disturbances, and numerous major disasters, while simultaneously meeting every global military operations requirement asked of the organization. He also led the National Guard and Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, with over one-hundred member countries. In this role, he regularly conducted senior government and military leader engagements at home and abroad, including hosting senior world leaders from ninety-three nations in Washington, DC for the program’s thirtieth anniversary.
Prior to serving as Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Dan served as Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Director of the Army National Guard, Deputy Commander of U.S. Northern Command, and the 30th Adjutant General of Oregon. As Vice Chief, he was a member of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Deputies Management Advisory Group, advising on high interest acquisitions and assessing joint capabilities for the nation’s military services. As Director of the Army Guard, he planned, developed, and implemented re-establishment of the Division force structure, the largest combat formation in the Army, to improve readiness and talent management, and better support the US National Defense Strategy. As The Adjutant General of Oregon, he developed and implemented the Nation’s first Disaster Playbook for the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake threat, designed to synchronize response efforts across the region while defining the mission critical roles and responsibilities of all State agencies.
A Master Army Aviator, he has flown over 2600 hours in more than thirty different aircraft and was a member of Team USA at the 1996 World Helicopter Championships. He founded the nation’s first Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic and Military Air Rescue Team (MAST/MART) program and has aircraft flight test, firefighting, combat, and rescue experience; and was featured on the TV series “Expeditions to the Edge”.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, he later earned master’s degrees in international security and civil-military relations from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, as well as a masters in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was also selected for the Department of Defense’s year-long National Security Fellowship at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
General (ret) Hokanson is an avid athlete and outdoorsman born and raised in Happy Camp, California. He and his wife Kelly have three adult children all serving in the military, and four grandchildren.
John Hyten is a Senior Principal Advisor for Elara Nova. He brings more than 40 years of experience in space and missile operations to the core team.
Before retiring from the U.S. Air Force (USAF), General Hyten’s honorable military career concluded with his service as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this role, Hyten served as the nation’s second-highest ranking military officer and was responsible for supporting and overseeing joint military requirements for nearly 1.5 million service members and their families across the U.S. Armed Forces. Hyten previously served as Commander of the United States Strategic Command and the Air Force Space Command. Additional commands Hyten oversaw during his military career included the 6th Space Operations Squadron, 595th Space Group, and 50th Space Wing.
Hyten’s military responsibilities also included roles as Mission Director, Space Operations Officer, and Chief of Command Center Training for the United States Space Command at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo., Chief of the Engineering and Acquisition Division of the Space Defense Programs Office, and Chief of the Space Control Division, Directorate for Space Operations and Integration, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations. Hyten also served a deployment to Southwest Asia as Director of Space Forces of the U.S. Central Command Air Forces during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Hyten brings extensive acquisition experience to the team, as his career responsibilities included roles as Director of Space Acquisition at the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force and Director of Space Programs at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. He also served in senior engineering positions on both Air Force and Army Anti-Satellite Weapon System Programs
After Hyten’s retirement in 2021, he has continued to be involved in the space industry as a Strategic Advisor to Blue Origin and Executive Director for its STEM-focused non-profit Club for Future. Hyten also serves on the Space Foundation’s Board of Directors and as an advisory board member for C3.ai and the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute.
Hyten attended Harvard University on an Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and applied sciences. He also earned an MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery and is a distinguished graduate from Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College. Hyten was also a National Defense Fellow at the University of Illinois.
Lester Lyles is a Senior Principal Advisor for Elara Nova. He brings over 50 years of military and civilian expertise in tactical aircraft, space-launch, and missile defense systems to the team.
During his distinguished military career, General Lyles (Ret.) served for over 35 years in several prominent positions that included Commander of Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah, Commander of Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., and Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Lyle’s military accomplishments culminated in his roles as Vice Chief of Staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Force (USAF) and Commander of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, before retiring in 2003. As Commander of AFMC, Lyles was tasked with implementing all USAF research, development, acquisition, and logistics for an 82,000-person organization.
In his civilian career, Lyles has remained heavily involved as a respected and influential voice in the national defense and space industries. Lyles served as a member of the The President’s Commission on Space Policy and chaired the Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program Committee of the United States National Academies. Contributions to the industry also include membership on the Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee for the Office of Science and Technology Policy, an election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2011, an appointment as the Vice Chairman of the Defense Science Board that advises the U.S. Department of Defense on scientific and technical matters, and an appointment to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board by President Barack Obama from 2008-2012.
Lyles currently chairs the User Advisory Group for the National Space Council. He also chaired the NASA Council for the National Advisory Council through four different NASA Administrators from 2016-2024. Additionally, Lyles contributed to national security and intelligence issues as a member of the State Department’s International Security Advisory Board, the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and chaired the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Academy of Engineering.
In the private sector, Lyles has over 20 years of experience serving on the Board of Directors for several corporations including General Dynamics Corporation, Precision Cast Parts and Battelle Labs. Additionally, Lyles served on the Board of Directors for USAA for 15 years, including serving as the Chairman of the USAA Board for the last eight years. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for KBR Corporation, a role he’s held since 2007. To this day, Lyles still serves as a member on the Board of Directors for the following organizations: Frontier Technologies Inc., Virginia Humanities, Partnership for Public Service, Virginia Academy of Science Technology and Medicine, Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, and the Air Force Museum Foundation.
Lyles earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Howard University and an M.S. in mechanical/nuclear engineering from New Mexico State University. He is also a recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Laws degrees from New Mexico State University and Urbana University. Lyles’ academic accomplishments also include graduating from the Defense Systems Management College, the Armed Forces Staff College, the National War College, and the National and International Security Management Course at Harvard University.
Jacqueline van Ovost is a proven strategic leader, communicator, and experienced aviator. She is currently a consultant in the areas of national security and logistics. She is a Trustee for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a youth STEM advocate. She rose to the highest levels of leadership in the military, retiring as a US Air Force General and one of 11 Combatant Commanders in the Defense Department.
During her 36 years of service, she led diverse teams to success while being directly accountable for managing resources, improving capabilities, and driving reform. She earned a reputation as an inspirational leader, strategic thinker, and problem solver.
As Commander of US Transportation Command, she was responsible to project and sustain military power utilizing air, land, and sea transportation capabilities. She was the unifying voice for the Department’s global distribution network, including bulk fuels. She supported US European Command with the largest joint force deployment in two decades, overseeing the transportation of equipment to Ukraine and support to NATO. Following Hamas’ attacks on Israel, she supported US Central Command positioning force protection capabilities and providing support to Israel.
As Commander of Air Mobility Command, she led the US Air Force core mission of Rapid Global Mobility supporting warfighter needs and directing a team of 110,000 Airmen and 1,100 mobility aircraft at 116 global operating locations during a global pandemic. Under her leadership, Air Mobility Command undertook the nation’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, culminating in the largest noncombatant evacuation in US history.
Her aviation experience spans from being a certified flight instructor in general aviation aircraft to military aircraft instructor and evaluator. She is a test pilot with experience in many types of aircraft, including as the lead military test pilot for the C-17 program and an assignment teaching at the Air Force Test Pilot School.
She commanded a Flying Training Wing specializing in flight instructor and combat systems operator training, and the Presidential Airlift Wing responsible for global airlift, logistics and communications for the President, Vice President, and other senior leaders.
She graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988 with a Bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering, and from California State University, Fresno with a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. She is a command pilot with more than 4,200 hours in over 30 military aircraft including the KC-46, C–32A, C–17A, C–141B, and KC–135R.
Additionally, she held a variety of staff, operational combat, and educational assignments, retiring in 2024.
Lieutenant General (Retired) Steven L. Basham served more than 36 years in the United States Air Force, holding a series of high-impact leadership roles across the Department of Defense and on the global stage. He brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, large-scale operations management, and risk mitigation, with a proven record of overseeing substantial budgets and diverse government, civilian, and military workforces. He is known for clear communication, collaborative leadership, and driving organizational change while delivering high-impact results.
From July 2022 to July 2024, Lt. Gen. Basham served as Deputy Commander of United States European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he led a warfighting headquarters overseeing more than 85,000 U.S. personnel in Europe. In this role, he worked closely with NATO allies and partners to deter Russian aggression, support global operations, and counter transnational threats. Previously, he served as Deputy Commander of United States Air Forces Europe–Air Forces Africa at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Lt. Gen. Basham is recognized for his leadership, extensive operational expertise, and deep understanding of defense policy, legislative affairs, and acquisition processes. He served as the United States Air Force Legislative Director, advocating for the service’s interests on Capitol Hill, and played a key role on the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, shaping defense capability development. His strategic experience also includes work in the Indo-Pacific region, where he focused on operational requirements related to China and North Korea in collaboration with Pacific allies.
Lt. Gen. Basham has accumulated more than 3,400 flying hours in the B-1, B-2, B-52, T-38, and T-37 aircraft. He is among a select group of pilots to have flown all U.S. operational bombers and was one of four pilots to fly the B-2 on its combat debut.
Lt. Gen. Basham holds a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Western Kentucky University and was commissioned through Officer Training School in 1989. He has earned multiple master’s degrees in management and strategic studies from institutions such as Webster University, Air Command and Staff College, Army War College, and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. His executive education includes programs at the University of Virginia, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Center for Creative Leadership.
Air Vice-Marshal (Rtd) Mark Chappell is a highly experienced defense and security consultant having completed over 36 years in the UK Armed Forces in a broad range of international military roles. Through Elara Nova, he supports international clients to resolve solutions for today’s defense and security challenges. He specializes in digitized command and control systems, precision strike, and full spectrum air defense and he has expertise in aircraft procurement and development, weapons integration, and synthetic training.
During his career he has: commanded all levels and deployed on numerous operations across the globe. He is a strategic level crisis and emergency response expert and has worked at the most senior-levels in UK government. In his last military role he was the Senior British Military Adviser to the US 4-star commander of Central Command. He maintains strong links and associations with a broad range of senior industry executives and military officers in the UK, USA, Europe, and the Middle East.
Rear Admiral Tom Druggan, U.S. Navy (Ret.) served in the U.S. Navy for over 33 years with significant experience serving onboard U.S. Navy Destroyers, supporting senior leaders at Navy Headquarters, and leading large technical and acquisition organizations to deliver critical Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) systems for the Department of Defense.
Tom Druggan delivers deep expertise leading large technical and engineering teams in the design, development, integration, delivery, testing, and deployment of complex (IAMD) systems that are safe, effective, and reliable in arduous operational environments. His experience also includes oversight of complex military construction projects, natural space environment engineering, and over $2 billion of Foreign Military Sales to international allies.
His duties in Defense Technology & Acquisition include serving in the Missile Defense Agency as the Program Executive for Aegis BMD Sea-based Weapon Systems and as Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC). As Commander, Aegis BMD and Program Executive for Sea-based Weapon Systems, he led an annual budget of nearly $2 billion, completed upgrades to Aegis BL 9C, fielded Sea-based Terminal defense with the SM-6 missile, contracted the MDA’s first multi-year procurement for the SM-3 Block IB missile, completed the cooperative development program of the SM-3 Block IIA, fielded space domain awareness capabilities in support of Space Force, demonstrated the SM-3 Block IIA’s capability against an ICBM-class target, advanced the Aegis Ashore Poland project, and initiated the Glide Phase Interceptor program for hypersonic missile defense. As Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center, led nearly 18,000 government scientists and engineers across eight commands, providing the Navy with critical research and development capabilities to meet national priorities. Additionally, he served as major program manager for Aegis Combat Systems in the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS 1.0). He also served as major program manager for In-Service Aegis Fleet Readiness (PEO IWS 1.0F) and previously as principal assistant program manager for In-Service Aircraft Carrier Combat System Integration, directly supporting Program Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers.
Druggan’s Pentagon tours include Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO), the 2001 Navy Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), and as a founding member of the Navy Operations Group Deep Blue.
He also served on five destroyers, including Commanding Officer of USS O’KANE (DDG 77), conducting strike group operations, BMD taskings, and independent missions world-wide.
Druggan earned a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, an M.S. in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California, and an M.S. from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School, formerly the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), in Washington, D.C.
Tom Druggan regularly speaks publicly on Missile Defense, hypersonic missile defense, fire control, Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD), ship design and integration, STEM, digital engineering, artificial intelligence, and talent management.