Marcus X. Alan Marcus X. Alan is a certified acquisitions professional and U.S. Army Reserve officer. He currently serves as the Fire Control Lead for the U.S. Navy’s Sea-Launched Cruise Missile–Nuclear (SLCM-N) program at Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), where he supports the U.S. deterrence mission. His prior work assignment includes Weapons Control System Program Manager for the Navy’s Hypersonic Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) Program Office and Lead Systems Engineer supporting the NATO Sea-Sparrow Program Office (NSPO). In parallel, Marcus Alan serves as the Company Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 1100th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group (TASMG) in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. His operational experiences include an overseas deployments, joint domestic operations and multinational exercises. He holds an MBA and an M.S. in Engineering Management and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Defense and Strategic Studies focused on weapons of mass destruction, nuclear deterrence, multilateral arms control, and strategic competition. Michael Baham Michael Baham is an experienced project manager, foreign policy analyst, and lead data analyst, focusing on nuclear, battery technology, and oil and gas projects. Currently, he works for TechSource, Inc. in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration—Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC). The NWC is charged with the management of the existing nuclear weapons stockpile and planning for the future nuclear deterrent. His experience in project management branches across multiple offices within the U.S. Department of Energy; working on civil nuclear technology and non-proliferation, and with the Department of Defense working on energy use optimization. He is an experienced energy policy analyst with a background working on Capitol Hill and the American Petroleum branching domestic oil and gas, and electric grid infrastructure safety, and international trade agreements. His international experiences involve living and working in multiple countries including Mexico, Costa Rica, and Italy. He graduated from Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, and with a minor in Spanish. He also obtained a Master of Arts in International Relations specializing in Political Theory from St. John’s University. He resides in the Washington D.C. area with his wife and children. Anna Bartoux Anna Bartoux is a Belfer Young Leader Student Fellow and Master in Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she conducts research on crisis management in U.S. foreign policy in collaboration with Professor Fredrik Logevall. Her work focuses on nuclear policy, deterrence strategy, and alliance dynamics, with a transatlantic perspective shaped by her dual French-American background. Previously, Anna was a James C. Gaither Junior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she researched French nuclear policy and contributed to projects on NATO deterrence and defense policy, escalation dynamics, U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, and the intersection of climate change and nuclear policy. She was also a Saltzman Student Scholar at Columbia’s Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, where she focused on U.S. nuclear decision-making during the Cold War. Anna holds a dual B.A. in Political Science and Government from Sciences Po Paris and Columbia University. Lotje Boswinkel Lotje Boswinkel is a PhD researcher at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where she studies deterrence and alliance strategy in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. In spring 2026, she is an affiliated researcher at Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies in Washington, D.C. Lotje’s research examines how U.S. allies adapt their deterrence postures amidst shifting strategic and alliance contexts, and her work has appeared in journals and policy outlets including Survival, International Affairs, and War on the Rocks. Lotje is a Next Generation Fellow at NATO Defense College and a former Morgenthau Fellow at the Notre Dame International Security Center. Prior to joining CSDS, she worked as an analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies and as a trainee at the European Union Institute for Security Studies. She holds an MA in International Security from Sciences Po, Paris. Dominic Brennan Dominic Brennan is a postdoctoral fellow in Technology and International Security with the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, based in Washington, D.C. In this fellowship, Dom is researching novel frameworks to identify and classify the interactions between AI decision-making and civil nuclear security. The goals of this framework are three-fold: to better communicate the risks of AI-enhanced nuclear risk; to better develop robust, system-cognizant decision-making tools; and to better evaluate the trustworthiness of these tools. Dom read for a B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Birmingham and holds an M.Sc. in Physics and Technology of Nuclear Reactors from the same institution. He received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Cambridge University; his thesis developed bias-correcting optimization algorithms for nuclear power design, nuclear security, and economics. Daniel Cebul Daniel Cebul is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specializing in security studies and international relations. His research focuses on the implications of ambiguous crisis signaling for strategic stability and deterrence. Daniel’s broader interests include coercion and deterrence, nuclear strategy, wargaming methodology, and emerging technologies such as unmanned weapon systems and cyber. Before starting his PhD at MIT, Daniel worked in the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington, D.C., researching how democratic backsliding states use emerging technologies to repress democratic opposition groups. Daniel also holds an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University, where he studied the potential effects of autonomous weapon systems on strategic stability, and a BA in Political Science from Kenyon College. Emily Cheesman Emily Cheesman is a Young Global Professional at the Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense team. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, she was a research associate at the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where her research focused on NATO deterrence strategies and alliance unity. She previously interned with LLNL’s Nuclear Threat Reduction program and the U.S. Department of State. She was also a Young Fellow at the Nuclear Nonproliferation Education and Research Center (NEREC) in South Korea. Her research interests include extended deterrence, nonproliferation and global governance. She holds a BS in International Politics from Georgetown University. Sam Clayton Sam Clayton is a Program Manager in the Office of Defense Programs at the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). At NNSA, Sam’s program is responsible for modernizing the capabilities, facilities, and equipment necessary to produce components for the nuclear weapons stockpile. Sam’s work also includes oversight of strategic material stockpiles to ensure reliable supplies for nuclear weapon production and other Department of War, DOE, and NNSA missions. Prior to joining as a federal employee, Sam worked at NNSA as a program analyst for Defense Programs and the Office of Infrastructure where he informed strategic decisions in program planning, funding, execution, and project design. Upon earning his B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College, Sam worked in the United States Senate, where he developed an interest in strategic forces, deterrence, and escalation management. Candace Huntington Candace Huntington is a graduate student in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. She is also an Intelligence Analyst for AMZ Risk Management. In June 2026, she’ll begin a year-long fellowship with the Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration. Her research interests include the impact of emerging technologies on deterrence, strategic stability, and space security. Previously, she worked as a Research Associate at the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where she conducted research on China’s military space and counterspace developments. She was also a Research Associate at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, where she worked on arms control and nuclear policy issues. In this role, she worked on track-II security dialogues with Russian, Chinese, and Indian counterparts. At Georgetown, she is the co-president of the student nuclear club “All Things Nukes” and writes for the Georgetown Security Studies Review. She earned a BA in Political Science from Skidmore College. Shafaq Khan Shafaq Khan is a master’s student in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. She is also a Huffington Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. In summer 2025, Shafaq served as a Political Fellow at the U.S Mission to NATO. Previously, she was the Roger L. Hale Fellow at Ploughshares and a Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellow at the Stimson Center. She has also held fellowships in congressional offices. Shafaq has presented her research and spoken about her career on panels hosted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues, Princeton University, and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows Program. Shafaq received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, where she wrote her senior thesis on the abrogation of Article 370 and its implications for Kashmir. Shreya Lad Shreya Lad is research assistant to Scott D. Sagan at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). Here, she supports research on nuclear security and deterrence, international law, and non-proliferation. Her research interests include alliance dynamics, targeting in U.S. nuclear strategy, space policy and security, and the role of emerging technologies on nuclear deterrence and escalation. Shreya has a Master of Arts in International Affairs, with a focus on International Security and Science and Technology, from George Washington University (2024). Before she joined CISAC, she worked as a Research Assistant with the Cyber program at the Stimson Center. Shreya speaks French, Japanese, Hindi, and Marathi. Dylan Land Dylan Land is a Strategic Planner and Analyst at U.S. Strategic Command, J5 Plans and Policy Directorate. In his role, Dylan works with operational planning teams, the warplan evaluation division, and contributes to national policy and guidance documents. Before working at STRATCOM, Dylan completed his graduate degree at the Fletcher School where he studied international security and his undergraduate coursework at the University of Oregon. Caitlin Listek Caitlin Listek is a Treaty Analyst with the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, where she supports arms control notifications under the New START treaty. She previously served as a contractor for both the Navy and the U.S. Department of State, specializing in submarine direct commercial sales and nuclear energy export control. Caitlin holds a B.A. in International Affairs (Europe and Eurasia) from George Washington University and a Master’s degree in Security Policy, Science and Technology Policy, with a focus on nuclear security. Laura Luca Laura Luca is a PhD candidate in Political Science at UCLA, a Hans J. Morgenthau Predoctoral Fellow at the O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center, and an incoming postdoc at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Center for National Security and International Studies (CNSIS). Her research examines how states use strategic communication to manage the core trade-offs of international security: inducing burden-sharing from allies without weakening deterrence, regulating new weapons while preserving strategic advantage, and advancing technologically without triggering arms races. Her three-paper dissertation combines formal game-theoretic modeling, archival research, and computational text analysis including machine learning and large language models. Previously, Laura worked at the European External Action Service in Brussels on multilateral affairs, served as a diplomat at the European Union Delegation to Iceland, and covered disarmament affairs at Romania’s Mission to the UN Office in Geneva, including the Conference on Disarmament (CD) and the CCW’s Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS).Laura holds a master’s in International Relations/Political Science from the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) and a bachelor’s in Economics and Political Science from UCLA. Her policy writing includes a co-authored Foreign Policy commentary on autonomous weapons regulation. Paige MacKinnon Paige MacKinnon is a MA candidate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California and graduate research assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies where she works on the open-source intelligence team. Her research largely centers on nuclear nonproliferation and defense policy with a specific focus on North Korea, China, and Russia. Paige is a fellow of the IAEA’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme. Previously, she was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Semey, Kazakhstan. Paige graduated with honors from Smith College with a B.A. in Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian studies and government. William Maxwell Mayo William “Max” Mayo is a General Engineer in the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Defense Programs. He oversees programmatic efforts to establish a reliable supply of enriched uranium for NNSA defense mission requirements. Prior to federal service, Max worked as a professional engineer at the international engineering firm Bechtel, Inc. for 8 years, most recently on the DOE/NNSA’s Uranium Processing Facility project. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University. Ryan Nesselrodt Ryan Nesselrodt, a physicist and policy professional, was most recently the American Physical Society’s 2024-2025 Congressional Science Fellow and a Legislative Assistant in the office of Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08). In this role he assisted in nuclear weapons oversight and policy development, helping prepare amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act on plutonium pit production and the potential for artificial intelligence to impact nuclear escalation dynamics. He also helped develop draft legislation on nuclear risk reduction and Congressional engagement with nuclear weapons issues. In 2023, he attended the Princeton School on Science and Global Security, where he presented on potential nonproliferation applications of quantum sensing technologies. Ryan is interested in Congress’ changing role in shaping and influencing nuclear weapons policy, strategy, and capability acquisition. Ryan studied math and physics at Franklin & Marshall College and received his doctorate from Georgetown University in 2023 for his work modeling quantum materials. Hailing from East Berlin, Pennsylvania, Ryan is currently a Senior Policy Research Analyst in the Center for Innovation Strategy and Policy at SRI International. Wesley Odom Wesley Odom is a research scientist and engineer at Sandia National Laboratories working on nuclear deterrence and intelligence analysis. He specializes in complex human-systems integration and vulnerability analysis. His work emphasizes human-AI collaboration, arms control, and modern large-scale data governance in high-consequence, increasingly AI-augmented environments. He has led projects spanning R&D for the assurance of high consequence cyber-physical nuclear weapons sub-systems, investigations into command and control of Minuteman III missileer operations, and vulnerability assessment of enterprise-level monitoring and verification systems. Wesley has also contributed to strategic futures research examining how AI and coming changes to knowledge management will reshape national security R&D workflows. His interdisciplinary training in mathematical physics, industrial engineering, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence informs a cross-functional approach to reliability, risk, and strategic design of modern R&D methods for national security. Captain Devin Riley Captain Devin Riley is an active-duty U.S. Air Force ICBM operator and flight commander at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and an Applied Physics master’s student at Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering. He holds a BA in History and Russian from Howard University and has conducted research with St. Petersburg State University in Russia and field research in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Captain Riley combines technical and regional expertise—leading crew readiness and training for strategic forces while producing analytic briefs on nuclear deterrence, strategic stability, and Eurasian security for military, diplomatic, and intelligence audiences. He has taught and presented on Russian language and security topics, contributed to scholarly and professional forums, and integrates rigorous scientific training with operational experience to inform policy and force development Hannah Riley Hannah Riley is an Analyst in the Office of International Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). She supports the 1958 U.S./UK Mutual Defense Agreement (MDA) and U.S./NATO MDA, assisting in the exchange of nuclear weapons related activities with U.S. nuclear partners. She also functions as a subject matter expert for Defense Programs’ export control activities. Prior to this role, Hannah was an NNSA Graduate Fellow at the Department of Commerce’s Strategic Intelligence Division. She has served in a variety of roles at the U.S. Department of State, including at the U.S. Mission to the UN and U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. She has also served as a graduate research assistant for Brookhaven National Lab, contributing to analysis of international nuclear agreements. Hannah holds a M.A. in Security Policy from George Washington University, and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota. Philip Sheers Philip Sheers is an Associate Fellow with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His research covers escalation management and nuclear deterrence, airpower and great power conflict, and defense industrial base (DIB) and defense budget issues. While at CNAS, Sheers has published reports on nuclear issues in the Indo-Pacific, air battle management, the U.S. defense budget, and the U.S. DIB. Prior to joining CNAS, Sheers worked as a risk analyst at Ipsos Public Affairs. Sheers’s writing and commentary have been featured in The Economist, Foreign Policy, The Telegraph, Breaking Defense, and Fox News. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Sheers holds an MA in security studies from Georgetown University and a BA in international studies from Kenyon College. Samreen Singh Samreen Singh is a Policy Analyst at Leidos, specializing in nuclear deterrence and strategic modernization. She supports the Nuclear Weapons Council within the National Nuclear Security Administration, advising on deterrence priorities and coordinating decisions across multiple warhead modernization programs. Her work includes guiding senior leadership on material negotiations with UK counterparts under the U.S.–UK Mutual Defense Agreement. Previously, at the U.S. Department of Justice she managed bilateral and regional programs across Asia to counter transnational crime and terrorism, strengthening cooperation with foreign criminal justice institutions. Samreen holds a Master’s in Public Policy from American University and a Bachelor’s in Government and International Politics from George Mason University where she was a Global Politics Fellow. Samreen participated in CSIS’ Labs Nuclear Scholars Initiative, and has engaged in strategic dialogue on advancing trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Australia through the Atlantic Council’s Next Generation Agenda. Captain Curtis Smith Captain Curtis “LoTro” Smith is a B-52H Stratofortress Aircraft Commander and Assistant Flight Commander for the 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, ND. In this position, Curt is responsible for nuclear and conventional global strike operations, has taken part in multiple deployments, and oversees Mission Qualification Training for new B-52 aircrew. Curt holds a Bachelors of Science in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an MA in International Affairs from King’s College London, in addition to being a current student in the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy, and Proliferation (NWEPP) program. Past assignments include completion of Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX, and serving as a parachuting instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Will Smock-Egan Will Smock-Egan is a national security specialist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the Emerging Threats and Technologies Division. In this role, he works at the intersection of technology and policy, focusing on nonproliferation, space security, and critical minerals and materials. Previously, Will served as a National Nuclear Security Administration Graduate Fellow with the Office of Stockpile Management, where he contributed to the modernization and sustainment of the United States’ nuclear deterrent. He also served as chief of staff to a state legislator in Colorado. Will holds an MA in International Security and dual BAs in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Denver. Rebecca Spencer Rebecca Spencer is a Policy Advisor in the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) for Policy’s Office of Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction. There, she serves as a subject matter expert for North Korean and Iranian weapons of mass destruction programs as well as counterproliferation. Prior to joining OSW, she worked on East Asian Issues with the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, Stanford University, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She most recently was a Sullivan Climate and Ecological Security Fellow at The Council on Strategic Risks, where she explored the interplays between security and climate change. Rebecca holds a B.A in East Asian Studies and a M.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University. Her research interests revolve around how climate change may affect nuclear issues, especially in Asia. Natasha Wood Natasha Wood is a Graduate Fellow at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in the Office of Nuclear Verification (NA-243). In that capacity, she supports US-UK verification cooperation, seismic monitoring in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and oversees a $100k+ budget to review and prepare for future monitoring and verification missions. Natasha previously served as a congressional staffer for four years, during which time she managed the House Foreign Affairs Committee portfolio for Rep. Jim Costa, and led the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue on the staff level. She is an Atlantic Council Eurasia Center Congressional Fellow, and a former graduate intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the Strategic Technologies Program. Natasha has a master’s in international security and technology policy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a bachelor’s (magna cum laude) from the University of Pennsylvania.