Fractional CTO for defense tech startups. 30+ years inside IC and DoW programs, active TS/SCI clearance.
TS/SCI CLEARED
30+ YEARS
SOCOM
CENTCOM
STRATCOM
NGA
AFRL
DTRA
DHS
Prototype to Fielding
Your tech works in the demo. I pressure-test architecture and operational assumptions against real-world conditions before they become real-world failures.
Advocacy Chain Building
Operator enthusiasm doesn't become a program of record on its own. I build the advocacy chain from operators up to senior decision makers.
CEO Technical Translation
I help CEOs translate their vision into a credible technical narrative that investors and program offices can both say yes to.
Engagements range from a focused readiness assessment to embedded fractional CTO leadership.
01
You just received SBIR Phase II funding and need cleared technical leadership to execute.
02
You're preparing for your first government technical evaluation and aren't sure you'll pass.
03
Your team is building for DoW but nobody on staff has ever worked inside a SCIF.
04
You need CMMC certification before your runway runs out.
05
You're a VC looking to derisk a defense tech portfolio company before its next contract milestone.
Fractional CTO · Defense Tech
You raised the money. Your team built something the DoW needs. Operators are asking for it by name. The problem is everything between it works in the demo and it works downrange. That's where I operate.
30+ years inside IC and DoW programs, active TS/SCI clearance, and a track record of getting technology through the compliance gauntlet and into production. I plug into your leadership team as a fractional CTO so you get cleared strategic guidance without burning runway on a full-time executive hire.
My active TS/SCI clearance means I can walk into a classified meeting next week without waiting months for access.
CLEARANCE
Top Secret / SCI (Current)
EDUCATION
PhD, Chem Engineering, University of Illinois
CERTIFICATION
Project Management Professional (PMP)
EXPERIENCE
30+ years, Defense and Intelligence programs
HALF-DAY OPERATIONAL STRATEGY SESSION
QST ENGAGED: FRACTIONAL CTO
QST ADVISOR: STRATEGIC ADVISORY RETAINER
I help defense tech portfolio companies become procurement-ready faster, reducing time-to-first-contract and protecting your capital. Happy to discuss how I can support multiple companies in your portfolio.
Architecture review before demonstration
Identified critical technical debt during an architecture review that would have caused a failed government demonstration.
Engineering org structure
Structured the engineering org for an early-stage AI/ML company so the founder could stop making every technical decision personally.
Counter-UAS Sensor Selection
Redirected a drone detection program from video to acoustic sensing, avoiding a 12x cost increase while improving detection performance.
CMMC certification path
Guided a geospatial analytics startup through CMMC certification, clearing the path for their first prime contract.
Capability Statement
Background, credentials, and how I work with defense tech startups moving from prototype to fielded.
Follow-On Diagnostics
The five warning signs show up months before the proposal is due. Most founders don't recognize them in time.
Fielding Readiness Scorecard
A 7-minute self-assessment across architecture, security, documentation, and operational fit. Score yourself and find where the fielding risk actually lives
What is a fractional CTO?
How is this different from hiring a consultant?
What if we already have a developer or an agency?
How much of your time do we actually get?
How does an engagement start?
What's the commitment?
We'll talk about your timeline, your next contract milestone, and whether QST is the right fit. No pitch, no pressure.
