Dr. Reginald Turner is the Associate Dean of the School of Systems and Logistics, one of four schools that make up the Air Force Institute of Technology, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Dr. Turner is responsible for the daily operations of the school, which includes executing an annual operating budget of $12.5 M across three Professional Continuing Education departments and one Administrative department. These four departments develop and deliver defense-focused professional continuing education, research and consulting services in order to sustain America’s Air and Space Forces technological supremacy. Dr. Turner also serves as the school’s Chief Academic Officer and assumes the responsibility for the management and professional development of over 120 faculty and staff members, to include military, civilian and contractor personnel. To this end, the school provides more than 120 resident, on-site, virtual and both synchronous and asynchronous distance learning professional continuing education courses in acquisition management, logistics, contracting, systems management, software engineering and financial management. Approximately 18 thousand DoD personnel in 50 worldwide locations attend Systems and Logistics courses each year.

Dr. Turner has a diverse professional background, which spans nearly three decades of dedicated, exemplary military and civil service. After being commissioned into the Air Force from Tuskegee University as a 2d LT, he began a distinguished 22 year military career that included working in the intelligence, research and development, and education career fields, as well as program and technical management. Dr. Turner has been recognized by The Under Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions as an Acquisitions Subject Matter Expert and continues to serve the nation having brought that expertise to the civil service workforce.

Dr. Talitha Washington is the Director of the Atlanta University Center Data Science Initiative, a Professor of Mathematics at Clark Atlanta University, and the President-Elect of the Association for Women in Mathematics. As Director, she oversees and provides strategic direction of data science across Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College to increase the number of African Americans with expertise in data science. Most recently, Dr. Washington was a Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Convergence Accelerator and was instrumental in building and establishing NSF's first HSI Program. She is the recipient of the 2019 BEYA STEM Innovator Award, the 2019 Outstanding Faculty Award from Howard University, and the 2020 NSF Director's Award for Superior Accomplishment. She is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the Association for Women in Mathematics.

Former Chairman of the Board, USAA, Retired General and former Vice Chief of Staff, United States Air Force

General Lester L. Lyles entered the United States Air Force in 1968 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program. His first assignments included special assistant and aide-de-camp to the commander of Air Force Systems Command and avionics division chief in the F-16 Systems Program Office. He then served as program director of the Medium-Launch Vehicles Program and Space-Launch Systems offices during the recovery from the Challenger Space Shuttle accident.

Lyles served as commander of Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, then commanded the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Lyles then became the director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. He was assigned as vice chief of staff at U.S. Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. He became the commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. He retired in October 2003.

Lyles served as commander of Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, then commanded the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Lyles then became the director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. He was assigned as vice chief of staff at U.S. Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. He became the commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. He retired in October 2003.

Executive Director
Student Freedom Initiative ("SFI")

Accountable to the Board of Directors for leadership, guidance and direction, business development, and strategic communications for SFI.  Previously responsible for the $1.7 Trillion federal student loan portfolio and engagement with 6,000 colleges and 600,000 students as Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid, Department of Education.  In this role, Brown had statutory authority for all the nation’s Title IV (Pell Grants, Work-study, Student Loans) funding for 600,000 students and a total lending portfolio of $1.7 trillion, and 6,000 partner institutions around the country.  The lending portfolio of Federal Student Aid is equivalent to that of the nation’s 5 largest consumer lending banks.  During his time at FSA, Brown oversaw the total digitization of financial services for students, parents, and borrowers. With over 2O digital improvements, FSA now provides the Free Application for Federal Student Aid on all digital platforms including mobile applications and artificial intelligence for routine student inquiries. In addition, faced with a pandemic, Brown oversaw the transformation of over 25 million borrowers from active to forbearance status which temporarily eliminated payments for most students, parents, and borrowers across the country.

Led organization responsible for the education and training of 200,000 airmen and the funding mechanism within the USAF.  Retired Major General (USAF), with 32+ years’ experience leading organizations responsible for educating, developing, and training their workforce. Graduate of National Defense University (Master of National Security Strategy), Air Command & Staff College (Master of Strategic Studies), Troy State University (Master of Public Administration), Tuskegee University (Accounting).

Dr. Walter F. Jones is the Director and Chancellor of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for a team of approximately 500 military and civilian Airmen and Guardians, who provide professional continuing education to more than 27,000 people annually, and advanced academic education to more than 3,000 students.

Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Jones served 11 years as the Executive Director of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), planning and managing the entire $3-billion science and technology program for the Navy and the Marine Corps. While serving as the senior civilian manager, he provided executive, technical, and scientific direction in the performance of ONR’s mission. He worked closely with ONR’s Technical Director and Department Heads in the identification, prioritization, and support of specific areas of science and technology development. He also served as Executive Director of the Navy International Programs Office (IPO), where he was responsible for oversight of the development, planning, and implementation of the Department of the Navy’s International Programs, primarily in the areas of Security Cooperation, Cooperative Programs, Research and Development, Technology Transfer, and Strategic Planning. Dr. Jones also held the position of Director, Plans and Programs, at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio where he was responsible for developing and managing the processes that defined AFRL’s $3-billion annual investment in technologies for future Air Force systems. These included space, weapons, aeronautics, materials, propulsion, sensors, information, directed energy, and munitions.

Dr. Thomas

President, Central State University

Dr. Jack Thomas joined Central State University as president on July 1, 2020, bringing a long track record of success in several academic settings.

Dr. Thomas brings visibility and insights from experience in every aspect of academia. Roles he has held have included president, interim president, provost and academic vice president, executive vice president, executive assistant to the president, dean, department chair, and English professor.

Dr. Thomas was a Senior Fellow with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Previously, Dr. Thomas served as president of Western Illinois University (WIU), a state-run university where he served for nearly a decade. As president, he successfully managed a budget of nearly $224 million during a period of unprecedented state fiscal challenges.

At WIU, Dr. Thomas was responsible for a number of accomplishments, including increasing diversity, creating new academic programs, managing fiscal and cash flow issues brought on by the state’s financial crisis, investing in STEM and other academic programs, increasing funding for student scholarships, and establishing a presidential institute to foster and improve corporate, community and K-12 relations. Under Dr. Thomas’ leadership, the Institution constructed a new campus in Moline, Illinois, and achieved its multimillion-dollar capital campaign goal. WIU has been rated as a "Best in the Midwest College" by the Princeton Review and as a top tier Midwest Universities Master's institution by U.S. News and World Report.

Prior to WIU, Dr. Thomas spent more than 20 years serving in various capacities in several institutions of higher education. From 2004 until 2008, he served as senior vice provost for Academic Affairs and interim dean at Middle Tennessee State University. There, Dr. Thomas improved diversity, assisted with the design of new academic programs, coordinated the implementation of a new key assessment instrument, enhanced academic reviews, and mentoring.

From 1990 until 2004, Dr. Thomas served in several roles at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, including interim president, executive vice president, and associate vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. During his tenure, he enhanced fundraising, implemented new academic programs, and drove increased enrollment.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Thomas served as an English instructor at South Carolina State University and Johnson C. Smith University.

Dr. Thomas is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in higher education administration.

Dr. Thomas' influence on the academic community extends to his service on several distinguished boards including the Marguerite Casey Foundation Board of Directors; the Illinois Board of Higher Education; the Stillman College Board of Trustees; the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Board; the American Council on Education Council of Fellows; the NCAA Presidential Forum; the Illinois Campus Compact Board; the Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross Board; and the Rutherford County YMCA Board.

Nationally, Dr. Thomas graduated from the Harvard Leadership Program, served as an American Council on Education Fellow, was a Kellogg-NAFEO Fellow, participated in the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, and participated in Leadership Middle Tennessee. He has also served as the chair of the NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) Selection Committee. He served as the chairperson of the (AASCU) Christa McAuliffe Award Presidential Selection, and as a committee member of the Middle States Visitation Team.

A native of Lowndes County, Alabama, Dr. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in English (Literature and Criticism) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of English Education from Virginia State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Alabama A & M University. He is a noted scholar and lecturer, as well as a highly sought-after keynote speaker presenting his research and inspirational messages locally, nationally, and internationally.

Dr. Thomas is a published researcher, and the focus of his research has been on black males in literature. Additionally, Dr. Thomas is the author of numerous publications and professional presentations including his most recent publication titled, Within These Gates: Academic Work, Academic Leadership, University Life, and the Presidency.  Dr. Thomas has been a committed advocate for diversity and inclusion. He has been recognized by Minority Access, Inc. and others for his work helping to provide meaningful and transformative opportunities for minorities through mentorship and access at various universities. Dr. Thomas has done further graduate work in theological studies at Liberty University and is an ordained Baptist Minister. Dr. Thomas' current body of work includes research on public institutions that have had to make transformative programmatic and human capital decisions due to decreased federal and state financial support and declining enrollment. The working title of Dr. Thomas’ latest book is "From the Segregated South to the Presidency."

Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti serves as the Associate Provost for Research at Central State University (CSU), and Director of the Center for Academic Research and Innovation at Central State University. Dr. Kuti has secured over $12.5 million in public and private funds that have enhanced Central State’s physical infrastructure, enabled faculty research and scholarly activities, and provided students with scholarships and experiential learning opportunities. He has demonstrated a record of success facilitating positive outcomes for underrepresented students, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Over 1,700 students have been positively impacted through Dr. Kuti’s programs with 300 entering the workforce or graduate studies. Dr. Kuti leads the enhancement of CSU’s research administrative infrastructure to meet and enhance the university’s 1890 land grant mission, increase academic capacity, and improve retention and graduation rates. Dr. Kuti has made oral and poster presentations at national and regional conferences in research and research administration. He has administered $180 million in public and private funds since 2005. Dr. Kuti holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Central State University, a Master of Business Administration in Finance from St. Thomas University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University

MS. LISA D. COKER

Principal and CEO of Infinite Management Solutions, LLC

Lisa Coker is the principal and CEO of Infinite Management Solutions, LLC, a woman veteran-owned certified small business which primarily partners with middle-market and large organizations in both private and public sectors in the Midwestern region.

Coker is a proud United States Air Force veteran. She has earned a reputation as a trusted partner, dynamic team facilitator, outstanding problem-solver, and accomplished professional. She helps C-Suite executives develop strategic plans, optimize operational processes, and execute their vision with precision. Coker is a certified Lean Six Sigma/Continuous Process Improvement Black Belt practitioner and is often consulted for her innovative business improvement strategies and solutions resulting in reduced operational costs and improved mission effectiveness. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Coker also holds a master’s degree in Organizational Change Management and has completed professional executive programs at University of Tennessee, University of Dayton, and Dartmouth College.

Coker’s passion, professionalism and poise continue to propel her forward as a recognized expert and leader in her field. In 2017, Coker had the distinct honor of leading a comprehensive strategic planning project for the Air Force Materiel Command’s (AFMC) 4-Star General Commander. The commander managed an $80 Billion annual budget and employed over 27,000. Coker’s outstanding team leadership skills enabled the General and her 120-member leadership team to establish a new vision statement and multiple strategic goals and objectives. In 2018, the Dayton Business Journal recognized Coker as one of the region’s brightest young professionals and named her a “Forty Under 40” award winner. She was also recognized as top 100 business professional across the nation, as she was named as an “American Business Journal Rising Star.”

Coker holds memberships to, Forbes Business Council, Women in Defense (WID), Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-Wise), Rotary Club of Dayton, and Women in Business Network (WIBN). Coker also serves as a Board of Trustee for the Dayton Art Institute,  a member of the Miami Valley Alzheimer’s Association board and Downtown Dayton Partnership Recovery Plan Committee. In her spare time, Coker enjoys traveling and engaging in equestrian activities with her family.

Ms. Anissa Lumpkin, member of the government civilian corps, is the Lead Program Manager for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Small Business Office. Ms. Lumpkin directs an over $105M research budget focused on qualified small businesses in the nation’s high-tech arena as a critical source of innovative technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace force. Through a competitive awards-based program, Ms. Lumpkin leads hundreds of yearly contract efforts sponsored by Air Force organizations from across the nation.

Serving the US Air Force for nearly 20 years, her experienced service has included both active duty and reserve time in the United States Air Force along with civilian time in the areas of Science & Technology and Acquisitions. Ms. Lumpkin’s career began in 2001, serving as an active duty Acquisitions Officer in support of warfighter training, common operating systems, and unmanned combat air systems for the Aeronautical Systems Center. In 2009, she transitioned to a federal civil service role as an Operations Research Analyst for the Air Force Research Laboratory. Prior to her current assignment she was a Legislative Liaison serving a two-star General Commander, she assisted with all aspects of hearing preparation for senior-level officials and congressional briefings, as well as analyzing, researching, and formulating official responses to requests from Members of Congress, their staff, and congressional oversight committees on matters of Congressional interest.

Amanda is working on the digital transformation and modernization efforts across AFRL, where she is responsible for managing the activities, tasks and undertaking of a team of Enterprise Architects who are located in the Business Process Reengineering Division of the Engineering and Technical Management directorate at headquarters. 

She holds a BS in Statistics from Eastern Kentucky University and a MS in Applied Statistics from Wright State University (WSU). She obtained her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 2013.  Upon graduation, she worked as a post doc studying Non-Destructive Evaluation and Non-GPS navigation.

Following her post doc at AFIT, Amanda taught math and statistics at Central State University (CSU). During her time at CSU, she was selected for a Fellowship where she worked in the Survivability and Lethality Analysis Division at the Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Upon her return to government, she served as a Project Engineer and a Program Manager for the LEGACY program, an Air Force STEM internship program. She left the Education Office for her current position as a team lead for Process and Data Integration in 2019. 

Additionally, she has taught statistics, biostatistics, signal processing and data science at WSU and AFIT.

Her research interests include Enterprise Architecture, STEM education for underrepresented populations, Data Science and Analytics, and Signal Processing.

Her personal interests involve chasing her twin tornados around.