Board of Directors
The Decision Sciences Board of Directors includes seasoned decision-makers with decades of experience in technology, software innovation, product development, strategy, finance, government contracts and compliance.
Dr. Gene Ray - Chairman of the Board (Non-Executive)
A successful businessman and entrepreneur, Dr. Gene Ray brings extensive experience in technology, defense and government relations to Decision Sciences. Dr. Ray co-founded and led Titan Corporation, a leading provider of comprehensive information and communication products, services and solutions for national security, as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer for 21 years. Prior to that time, Dr. Ray served as Executive Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for twelve years. He has also served as Chief of the Strategic Division of the USAF and as a defense industry analyst.
A native of Kentucky, Dr. Ray holds a B.S. degree in mathematics, physics & chemistry from Murray State University and a M.S. degree in physics from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Ray holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Ray is currently Managing Director of GMT Ventures.
Honorable Jay M. Cohen - Board Member
Hon. Cohen joins Decision Sciences after a 38-year career with the U.S. Navy and, most recently, the Department of Homeland Security. After retiring from the Navy in February 2006 with the rank of Rear Admiral, Hon. Cohen was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as Undersecretary for Science and Technology for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS S&T) in August of that year.
As a testament to his force of personality and management prowess, in two short years Hon. Cohen transformed DHS S&T. At the time of his assuming the position, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 U.S. Senate Appropriations Report described DHS S&T as “a rudderless ship without a clear way to get back on course”. Through Hon. Cohen’s leadership and the people and programs he put in place, the FY 2008 Senate Appropriations Report stated the committee “is pleased with the rapid progress S&T appears to be making…” and in FY 2009 the Congress added $63M to the nearly $1B DHS S&T budget and directed that Hon. Cohen be given acquisition authority over his responsible programs. The output focused, customer oriented makeover of DHS S&T (from the lowest morale federal government component in 2006 to amongst the highest in 2008) is a success story that is captured in Hill testimony, press articles, international partnerships, and a recent National Geographic TV special “Hi-Tech War on Terror” that documents the high risk/high gain innovation portfolio which Hon. Cohen put in place to make the nation safer.
Prior to his role with DHS, Hon. Cohen held positions of increasing responsibility with the U.S. Navy. In June 2000, he became the 20th Chief of Naval Research. He served as CNR for nearly six years during Operation Iraqi Freedom as the Department of the Navy’s Chief Technology Officer, reporting directly to the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. In that capacity, he was responsible for the $2B+/year Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology (S&T) Program (involving basic research to applied technology portfolios and contracting), and coordinated investments with other U.S. and international S&T providers to rapidly meet war fighter combat needs. Before that, from 1999 to 2000, he acted as Director of the Navy Y2K Project, the organization responsible for transitioning all Navy computer systems into the 21st century. In October 1997 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral following four years as Deputy Chief of Navy Legislative Affairs. His first Flag officer assignment was as Deputy Director for Operations for the Joint Staff, and was responsible to the President and Department of Defense leaders for strategic weapons release authority.
His earlier Navy assignments included service on conventional and nuclear submarines. From 1985 to 1988 Cohen commanded USS HYMAN G. RICKOVER, and from 1991 to 1993 he commanded the submarine tender USS L.Y. SPEAR, including a deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation DESERT STORM. Between commands he served on the U.S. Atlantic Fleet as a senior member of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, responsible for certifying the safe operation of nuclear powered ships and crews.
Hon. Cohen holds Master of Science in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a joint Ocean Engineering degree from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He was commissioned into the Navy in 1968 upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy.
Mr. Stuart J. Rabin - Board Member
Stuart J. Rabin is the President and CEO, as well as the Chief Investment Officer, of Nine Thirty Capital. Launched in 2004 and based in New York, Nine Thirty Capital is a registered investment advisor that designs and manages customized investment portfolios for prominent families and institutional clients from around the world.
From 1997 through 2008, Mr. Rabin was the Co-Founder, President and CEO of Jacobson Family Investments, Inc. (JFI), a diversified family investment company. At JFI he constructed and managed a series of sizeable portfolios for two New York based families that included numerous public market managers and hedge funds, an internal equity effort, direct/private equity investments and real estate partnerships.
Previously, Mr. Rabin was employed by a New York based hedge fund, by Morgan Stanley Asset Management, and by Bear Stearns & Co. Earlier in his career, Mr. Rabin practiced law with the New York firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and with the Washington, D.C. firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernard, McPherson & Hand.
Mr. Rabin is a director of a number of private companies and serves as an advisor to several hedge funds. He is also involved in various charitable and civic causes. Mr. Rabin is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and of the New-York Historical Society. He is a member of the Columbia Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council and is the co-chair of the Council’s Neurosciences Committee. Mr. Rabin also serves on the Wharton Global Family Alliance Research Council of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Rabin graduated with honors from Georgetown University and from the Georgetown University Law Center. He received his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Eric Womble - Board Member
In March 2008, Eric Womble was assigned to lead the Advanced Capabilities Group and reinvigorate the front end of the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding’s strategic, technology and business development enterprise. As Sector Vice President he leads the research and development, strategic planning, advanced concepts and new business development efforts for the Shipbuilding sector which has $6 billion in annual sales. The Shipbuilding sector builds 70 percent of the ships for the U.S. Navy and cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Prior to this assignment, Mr. Womble led the Advanced Capabilities Group from December 2005 until March 2008 for the Ship Systems’ sector which builds surface combatants and amphibious ships for the U.S. Navy and cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard. From September 2004 until December 2005, he served as Vice President for Large Deck Amphibious Programs. The Large Deck Amphibious program office is responsible for the design and construction of LHD-8 and LHA-6.
Mr. Womble joined Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) in late 2002 as Corporate Vice President, Programs in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for business and strategic development with the Executive Branch of the U.S. government and international customers.
Mr. Womble joined NGC with over twenty‑three years of experience serving in the Executive and Legislative Branches of the United States federal government. He became the Military Legislative Assistant for Senator Trent Lott, Mississippi, in December 1995, and concurrently assumed the duties of National Security Advisor for the Senate Majority Leader in April 1997. In these positions, he was instrumental in setting and passing legislation and appropriations that positively impacted the Department of Defense, its service members and their families. He also was responsible for coordinating all military, legislative and budget activities with the Pentagon, other Congressional offices, industry, academic institutions, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Defense and Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittees.
Mr. Womble was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1980. After his first squadron tour in Patrol Squadron TWENTY‑FOUR (VP‑24), he was selected for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Intern Program in Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to the Program Resource Appraisal Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OP‑81). Concurrently, he earned an MBA from Marymount College of Virginia and served as a White House Social Aide for President Ronald Reagan.
Following his tour in Washington, D.C., he was assigned as Flag Secretary to Commander Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. Subsequently, he was assigned as a Fleet Replacement Instructor in Patrol Squadron THIRTY (VP‑30) and Operations Officer in Patrol Squadron FORTY‑NINE (VP‑49).
Mr. Womble served as Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Research from April 1992 to December 1995. In this position, he was the principal assistant to the director of the Navy's science and technology executive agency, encompassing a headquarters staff of 450 personnel and the Naval Research Laboratory with 4,500 employees, which included over 900 PhDs and 71 senior executive service managers, with an annual budget exceeding $1.4 billion. After this assignment, he was selected to participate in the Department of Defense's Congressional Fellows program.
Eric Womble was born in Bethesda, Maryland and received his undergraduate degree in 1979 from the United States Naval Academy.
Dr. Lawrence Delaney - Board Member
Dr. Delaney, former Acting Secretary of the Air Force, retired in 2005 as Vice President, Special Programs, L-3 Communications. He previously served as Executive Vice President of Operations and President and CEO of the Advanced Systems Development Sector of the Titan Corporation. Dr. Delaney was Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of Areté Associates from 2001-2003. He was Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and Chief Information Officer from May 1999 to January 2001. Dr. Delaney held the position of Acting Secretary of the Air Force from January 20, 2001 until June 1, 2001.
Dr. Delaney is a senior executive specializing in space and missile systems, information systems, propulsion systems and environmental technology. He received the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for his work on the Army Science Board (1981-1988). In 2001, he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service and the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. He has authored numerous articles in research and engineering journals. He recently served as Chairman of the National Academies (NAS) Air Force Studies Board and currently serves as a member of the NAS Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Acquisition Committee, and as Vice Chairman of the Army Science Board. Dr. Delaney chairs the NAS SOCOM study on Universal RF Systems. Dr. Delaney is a member of the Board of Trustees of Clarkson University. He currently serves as Chairman and Board Member on several high technology companies. He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a BChE and MChE from Clarkson University.