Ship Happens

Daniel Fata is President of Fata Advisory, LLC, a strategic consulting firm based in Virginia as well as a Senior Advisor (Non-Resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is both a board director and an advisory board member with numerous dual-use technology start up efforts. He has nearly three decades of experience working at the highest levels in Washington, D.C. as a Congressional leadership staffer in both the House and the Senate, a senior Pentagon official responsible for Europe/Russia/NATO, as an executive at a global strategic consulting firm, and as a Vice President with Lockheed Martin. His expertise focuses on aerospace and defense, transatlantic security, emerging technologies, supply chain, and renewable energy. He was appointed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a Commissioner on the congressionally-mandated Afghanistan War Commission. He received his B.A. with Honors in Political Science from UCONN and a M.A. in International Relations from Boston University. In 2024, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from UCONN.

Dino Mavrookas is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Saronic Technologies, where he spearheads the company's strategic vision, product roadmap, and overall performance. With eleven years of experience as a Navy SEAL, including eight combat tours, Dino possesses a firsthand understanding of the critical role advanced military technology plays in protecting and empowering U.S. and allied forces. Prior to co-founding Saronic Technologies, Dino honed his expertise in private equity at Vista Equity Partners, leading technology investments across various sectors, including government, cybersecurity, finance, energy, and media. Beyond his business endeavors, Dino's commitment extends to the Navy SEAL Foundation, where he actively contributes as a board director, providing unwavering support to SEALs and their families.

Captain David Gast, U.S. Navy, is an Engineering Duty Officer who recently served as Program Manager for the Navy’s Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMW 150) and is now serving as both the Innovation Lead and the Mission Effects and Requirements Analysis Lead for Program Executive Office, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (PEO C4I). He served operationally in USS LAKE ERIE (CG 70) and USS HEWITT (DD 966), and as Combat Systems Officer in USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). He led acquisition teams at the National Reconnaissance Office, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), and PEO C4I, and was an Associate Fellow to the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group (CNO SSG) XXIII. Captain Gast was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering. He also holds a master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Sang H. Yi is the Acting Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. As Acting Administrator, Mr. Yi oversees MARAD's responsibilities that provide critical infrastructure and support for the nation’s commercial and military maritime sectors. Before joining MARAD, Mr. Yi served in the U.S. House of Representatives for almost 15 years. He most recently served as the Director of Investigations for the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he led congressional oversight and investigations related to various national security matters, including transportation and maritime security. He previously served as the Chief Investigative Counsel and Subcommittee Staff Director for the House Committee on Natural Resources. Mr. Yi began his congressional career at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where he ultimately served as Senior Policy Advisor. Prior to his congressional career, he served in the Intelligence Community. In addition to Mr. Yi’s federal service, he served his local community as a Councilman in Fairfax, Virginia. First elected in 2018, he served on the City Council for two terms. For more than two decades, Mr. Yi served as an officer in the Navy Reserve and held a U.S. Coast Guard issued Merchant Marine license. Mr. Yi holds a B.S. in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.