Entrepreneur Fellowship Recipients

(Capt) Sarah M. Ford

Our first recipient, (Captain) Sarah M. (Sanders) Ford, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2007 with an MBA.  While on active duty, Sarah won the Colonel Kriendler Award for Leadership Excellence at OCS and the Marine Corps Military Skills Award at The Basic School – the first female in the history of the Marine Corps to earn either award.  She served as a Platoon Commander, Operations Staff Officer, and Company Commander in Combat Service Support units and deployed in 2003 and 2004 to Iraq.  Upon graduation from HBS, Sarah was recalled to active duty and served six months in Afghanistan until early 2008.  Sarah founded and ran the western footwear brand, Ranch Road Boots from 2012 to 2023.  In 2024, Sarah opened Concho Pearl Construction and began working as a general contractor building spec homes.  Sarah graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1999, where she continued to participate in triathlons.  She resides in San Angelo, TX, with her Marine husband, retired Lieutenant Colonel Mike “Honcho” Ford, and their four children.

(Capt) Nathaniel C. Fick

Our second recipient, (Captain) Nathaniel C. Fick, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2008 with dual degrees – a Master in Business Administration from HBS and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.  Nate served as an infantry and reconnaissance officer, including combat tours with 1/1 in Afghanistan in 2001 – 2002 and with First Recon Battalion in Iraq in 2003.  His book, “One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer,” was a New York Times bestseller, a Washington Post “Best Book of the Year,” and one of the Military Times’ Best Military Books of the Decade.”  Nate graduated from Dartmouth College in 1999, where he later served on the Board of Trustees and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.  He built and sold a cybersecurity software company over the course of a decade.  Nate now serves as the inaugural U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace & Digital Policy, leading U.S. diplomacy on technology topics at the State Department.  Nate and his wife, Margaret, reside in Cape Elizabeth, ME, with their daughters, Ella and Kate.

(Capt) Michael J. Lobach

Our third recipient, (Captain) Michael J. Lobach, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2009 with an MBA.  Mike served as a Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer in logistic operations while on active duty and was most recently the CLB-453 H&S Company Commander in the SMCR.  He was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2005-2006 and to Al Asad, Iraq in 2006-2007.  Mike graduated Cum Laude from Harvard College in 2003 and was an Academic All-Ivy League.  He was also a noted soccer player earning recognition as All-Ivy League, Team MVP, and Regional All-American.  Mike is a Patrol Sergeant and a member of the SWAT team for the Greenwood Village Police Department.  Mike and his wife, Elli, reside in Denver, CO, with their two children.

(Capt) Patrick R. Cleary

Our fourth recipient, (Captain) Patrick R. Cleary, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2010 with an MBA.  Patrick served as a Deployment Readiness Officer, Platoon Commander, and Mobile Assault Company Executive Officer in the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion – and was deployed to greater Fallujah, Iraq in 2007.  He is the recipient of the Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  Patrick graduated Cum Laude from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003.  He is the Team Leader of ETF Architect, an asset management firm, where he oversees firm operations, compliance, and strategic initiatives.  Patrick resides in Philadelphia, PA, with his wife, Ronica, and their three children.

(Capt) David C. Crabbe

Our fifth recipient, (Captain) David C. Crabbe, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2011 with an MBA.  A Logistics Officer, Dave served two combat deployments in Iraq.  In 2005, Dave deployed to Taqqadum as a Motor Transportation Platoon Commander with the principal mission of leading combat logistics patrols throughout the Al Anbar Province.  In 2006 and 2007, he deployed again as the Team Embarkation Officer and Assistant Logistics Officer for Battalion Landing Team 2/4.  In this role, Dave led extensive amphibious operations in the Persian Gulf and supported combat operations throughout the Haditha Triad in support of the earliest phases of The Surge.  He graduated with honors from the United States Naval Academy in 2003, where he served as the Brigade Commander.  Dave is a Partner at Bain & Company and resides in Dover, MA, with his wife, Molly, and their sons, Charlie and William, and two children.

(Capt) Colin S. Barry

Our sixth recipient, (Captain) Colin S. Barry, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2012 with an MBA.  Colin served as an Infantry Platoon Commander, Infantry Company Executive Officer, and Infantry Battalion Assistant Operations Officer.  He was deployed in the northeastern suburbs of Fallujah, Iraq, in 2008, and led 48 Marines in counterinsurgency operations, economic and infrastructure reconstruction, local government reform, and development of Iraqi Security Forces.  In 2009, Colin planned and supervised counterinsurgency operations involving 320 Marines in four combat outposts in Farah and Nimruz Provinces, Afghanistan.  He was an Honors Graduate from Dartmouth College in 2006, and was President of the school newspaper, The Dartmouth, Inc.; Moderator for Palaeopitus Senior Leadership Society; Programming Chair for Fire and Skoal Senior Society; and first team flanker on Dartmouth Rugby Club.  Colin is now a Director of Growth at Tripadvisor.  Colin resides in Wellesley, MA, with his wife Katie, and their son.

(Capt) Blake J. Rice

Our seventh recipient, (Captain) Blake J. Rice, graduated from Harvard Business School (HBS) in 2013 with an MBA.  As a Marine infantry officer, Blake served from 2007 to 2011 in Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer billets with Delta Company, Third Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.  He deployed with the Wolfpack to Iraq in 2009, and to Afghanistan in 2010-2011.  Before joining the Marine Corps, Blake worked as a French linguist for the U.S. State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program in Africa and was the Executive Officer to the President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonpartisan research institute.  He graduated from Davidson College in 2003 with a degree in German and Political Science.  Following HBS, Blake co-founded a search fund that acquired a Southern California software company in healthcare.

(Capt) Daniel B. Burton II

Our eighth recipient, (Captain) Daniel B. Burton II graduated from Harvard Business School in 2013 with an MBA.  Dan served as a Marine infantry officer from 2007 to 2011.  During his tour of active duty, he held the following leadership positions and attained the rank of Captain.  First, he was a Platoon Commander in the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Dubuque and led 42 Marines on various missions throughout the Middle East and Asia.  Next, Dan was a Mobile Assault Platoon Commander in Western Iraq and led 60 Marines in patrols and convoys throughout the Al-Anbar Province.  Then, he was the Executive Officer of an Embedded Training Team of 27 Marines assigned to train and insert an Afghan Army Unit from Kabul to Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Prior to joining the Marine Corps, Dan worked in the U.S. Senate and attended New York University.  Dan is the Founder & CEO of Dronebase, a 45-person startup.  Dan resides in Los Angeles, CA, with his wife, Corie, and their two children.

(Capt) Peter H. Brooks

Our ninth recipient, (Captain) Peter H. Brooks graduated from Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Government in 2014 with dual degrees – Master in Business Administration and Master in Public Policy.  Peter served in 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in Twentynine Palms, CA, as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Mobile Assault Platoon Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, and Rifle Company Commander.  He was deployed to Hit, Iraq in 2007-2008, and to Al Karmah, Iraq in 2009.  In 2010, Peter was the officer in charge of the cold weather trial for the newly-fielded Marine Corps Infantry Automatic Rifle.  From 2010 to 2011, he was a Fulbright Scholar in India, studying water resource policy.  Peter graduated from Harvard College with high honors in 2006 with a degree in Government.  He was also a member of two national champion heavyweight rowing teams and the Battalion Commander of the MIT Navy ROTC.  Peter is the Principal and co-founder of Sylmar Group.  He is also a board member of the Warrior-Scholar Project, an academic boot camp for college-bound enlisted service members.  Peter and his wife, Lily Stockman, reside in Los Angeles, CA, with their three children.

(Major) Ahron K. Oddman

Our tenth recipient, (Major) Ahron K. Oddman graduated from Harvard Business School in 2015 with an MBA.  Ahron was commissioned as a Marine officer in 2004 and earned his wings as a Naval Aviator in 2007.  Following MV-22 Osprey training, he was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 and served as the Navigation Officer, Flight Scheduler and Section Formation Leader.  The squadron deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in 2009, where he flew 180 combat sorties and was awarded three Air Medals.  Ahron then trained with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operation Capable) before being transferred to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161, where he was selected to attend Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI), the Marine Corps equivalent of “Top Gun.”  He spent the next three years as a senior flight instructor in San Diego, CA, assisting with the stand-up of five MV-22 squadrons.  He ended his active-duty career in 2013 as Executive Assistant to the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16 and then served six years in the Marine Reserves with VMM-774.  Ahron graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 2004, where he served as Regimental Commander of half the student body.  From 2015-2020, he helped scale the sales team at nCino, Inc.  He was part of a team that grew revenue from $12M to $160M ahead of nCino’s IPO, NASDAQ: NCNO.  In 2020, Ahron acquired PSS (Presentation System South), which provides wide format printers and services to over 2,600 K-12 public schools.  Today, he is focused on growing PSS to serve as many of the 100,000 K-12 US schools as possible.  He and his wife, Devan, reside in Charlotte, NC, with their four children.

(Capt) Daniel G. West

Our eleventh recipient, (Captain) Daniel G. West graduated from Harvard Business School in 2017 with dual degrees – Master in Business Administration and Doctor of Laws.  Dan served as a Marine infantry officer from 2009 to 2013 – first as a Platoon Commander on the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Mesa Verde from 2010-2011 leading the Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel force for the NATO aerial campaign over Libya.  Concurrently, he helped enlisted Marines pursue college degrees by teaching accredited economics courses.  He then served as Executive Officer of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines as it mentored Afghan forces to assume lead security responsibility and executed counter-narcotics missions in Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan from 2012-2013.  Dan received the Thurman Award as an honor graduate of the Army Reconnaissance Course in Fort Knox, KY, and studied Arabic at Damascus University as an Olmsted Scholar.  He graduated with honors from Harvard College in 2009.  Dan also was selected by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a Tillman Military Scholar and served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.  He currently provides entrepreneurs with equity capital and strategic growth assistance as an investor at SCF Partners and serves as a term member of the Council of Foreign Relations.  Dan resides in Houston, TX, with his wife, Isabel, and their son.

(Capt) Mark M. Powers

Our twelfth recipient, (Captain) Mark M. Powers graduated from Harvard Business School in 2016 with an MBA.  Mark served on active duty from 2006 to 2014 as a ground intelligence officer.  He first deployed with the 1^st Marine Regiment to Fallujah, Iraq in 2008 as the collections manager.  Mark then transferred to 1^st Battalion, 4^th Marines where he commanded the Scout Sniper Platoon and later became the Intelligence Officer.  While with 1/4, he deployed with the 15^th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the USS Dubuque to the western Pacific and Middle East in 2010, conducting theater security cooperation exercises with four foreign militaries.  He then transferred to Intelligence Department, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps where he managed the Marine Corps Foreign Language Program.  Mark graduated from the Basic School, Infantry Officer, Ground Intelligence Officer, Scout Sniper Platoon Commander, Summer Mountain Leader, and Urban Reconnaissance and Surveillance Courses.  He graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2006.  Mark currently is the Chief Operating Officer at Franklin IQ.  Mark resides in Escondido, CA, with his wife, Alicia, and their son.

(Capt) Carlo A. Salvarani

Our thirteenth recipient, (Captain) Carlo A. Salvarani graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2016 and Johns Hopkins University in 2010. Carlo served on active duty from 2010 to 2014 as a tank officer.  He reported to the 2nd Tank Battalion as an Armor Officer in 2012 and was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2013, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  He was one of three Platoon Commanders in the last Tank Company returning from combat operations in Afghanistan and then served as the Company Executive Officer upon his return.  Carlo graduated in the top ten percent of his class at The Basic School, was the Marine Honor Graduate from the Armor Officer Leaders Course and earned his parachutist qualification from Airborne School in Fort Benning, GA.  After earning his MBA at HBS, Carlo was a Partner at McKinsey & Company and later left to become a private equity Operating Partner at KKR & Co. in New York.  He has since left KKR & Co. and now works as a private equity Partner at Alcorn Partners.  He currently resides in Washington, D.C.

(Capt) Daniel L. Brooks

Our fourteenth recipient, (Captain) Daniel L. Brooks, graduated from Harvard Business School in 2017 with an MBA.  He served on active duty from 2006 to 2015, first as an Infantry Officer and then a Special Operations Officer.  As a lieutenant with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, he deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2007, and then Haditha, Iraq in 2008-2009, conducting counter-insurgency operations on both deployments.  After attending the Assessment & Selection course for Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), Dan joined the 1st Marine Raider Battalion (1st MRB) in 2010.   While at 1st MRB, Dan deployed twice as a Team Commander to the Helmand River Valley of Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012, and then to Guam in 2014 as part of a Maritime Contingency Response Force.  Dan was awarded the Douglas A. Zembiec Award for Outstanding Leadership in Special Operations in 2011.  He graduated in the top 10 percentile of his class at The Basic School and was the honor graduate from his Marine Corps Combatant Dive School course.  Dan graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Michigan, College of Engineering in 2004.  Dan is a Vice President at TA Associates in Boston, MA, where he resides with his wife, Cara, sons, Donny and Ryan, and daughter, Ada.

(Major) Carl-Werner Scott

Our fifteenth recipient, (Major) Carl-Werner Scott graduated from Harvard Business School in 2017 with an MBA.  Carl served on active duty from 2007 to 2015 as an infantry officer.  From 2009 to 2012, he served with the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  During his time with 2/9, he deployed once to the Caribbean and twice to Marjah District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, serving as a platoon commander, a combat advisor to an Afghan National Army rifle company, and as the assistant battalion operations officer.  Upon returning from his second deployment to Marjah, Carl was transferred to the United States Naval Academy where he served as a faculty member in the History Department. Carl graduated with honors from The Basic School and is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Course, Foreign Advisor Gold Course and Joint Fires Observer Course.  He graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2007 and earned a Master of Philosophy in Oriental Studies from the University of Cambridge the following year.  Carl is currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserve with the MAGTF Staff Training Program in Quantico.  He works at Corning Incorporated in New York, where he started a new role as director of operations for a new business.  Carl and his wife, Ashley, reside in Painted Post, NY, with their two children.

(Capt) Lawrence W. Ault

Our sixteenth recipient, (Captain) Lawrence W. Ault graduated from Harvard Business School in 2018 with an MBA.  As a lieutenant, “Ward” served with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines in Camp Pendleton, CA, as a rifle platoon commander and deployed to Garmsir District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Here he conducted counterinsurgency combat operations focused on local security, economic reconstruction, governance reform, and development of the Afghan National Security Forces. Ward briefly worked as a company executive officer after his deployment.  Shortly after moving into this role, the Commanding General of 1st Marine Division (Forward) selected him to serve as his aide-de-camp, and he returned to Afghanistan.  While deployed, he was competitively selected by the Commandant’s Career Level Education Board to attend in-resident professional education.  He moved to Fort Benning, GA, to attend the Maneuver Captains Career Course (MCCC).  After graduation, Ward returned to Camp Pendleton and joined the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company where he served as a force reconnaissance platoon commander and company executive officer.  He graduated with honors from the Basic Officer Course, Maneuver Captains Career Course, Basic Reconnaissance Course and graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2008.  Ward also received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), and Combat Action Ribbon.  Ward is now a Regional CEO with Lyra Technology Group.  He resides in Austin, TX, with his wife Dina, and three children.

(Capt) Bradford A. Holden

Our seventeenth recipient, (Captain) Bradford A. Holden graduated from Harvard Business School in 2018 with an MBA.  Brad served on active duty from 2011 to 2015 as a Combat Engineer Officer.  He deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2013-2014 as a route clearance platoon commander with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion.  Upon returning from Afghanistan, he served as the company executive officer and then officer in charge of the battalion’s route clearance company.  Brad graduated in the top five percent of his class at The Basic School and was the academic honor graduate from the Combat Engineer Officer Course and Combat Hunter Trainer Course.  He graduated with honors from Carnegie Mellon University in 2011 with a double major in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering.  Brad also received the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat Valor, the Navy and Marine Association Leadership Award, and Combat Action Ribbon.  Brad is the co-founder and CEO of Resilient Lifescience, a medical device startup combating opioid overdose deaths through intelligent drug delivery methods.  Brad and his wife Christina reside in Wexford, PA, with their son.

(Major) Lauren E. Harris

Our eighteenth recipient, (Major) Lauren E. (Bosco) Harris graduated from Harvard Business School in 2019 with an MBA.  Lauren served on active duty from 2008 to 2017 as a KC-130J pilot.  Following initial flight training, she was designated a Naval Aviator in January 2011.  From 2011 to 2014, Lauren served with VMGR-352 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, CA.  During her time with VMGR-352, she deployed to Djibouti, Bahrain, and to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, serving as an aircraft commander, personnel officer, and as a maintenance division officer.  Lauren was then transferred to Officer Candidates School, where she served as a candidate training company platoon commander, executive officer, academic instructor, and -assistant battalion operations officer. Lauren is a graduate of The Basic School and Expeditionary Warfare School.  She graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2008 and earned a Master’s certificate in International Affairs from Texas A&M in 2015.  Lauren is a project leader with the Boston Consultant Group and resides in Seattle, WA, with her husband, Jordan, and their two children.

(Maj) Michael J. LeBlanc

Our nineteenth recipient, (Major) Michael J. LeBlanc graduated from Harvard Business School in 2019 with an MBA.  Mike served as an infantry and intelligence officer throughout the course of his military career. He served twelve months as an advisor to the Afghan Army in Southern Helmand Province where he led over 300 combat patrols for which he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Upon his return from Afghanistan, Mike joined 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in Camp Pendleton, and was immediately deployed to the Arabian Peninsula to join Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula (JSOTF-AP).  Mike was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his work against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. He graduated from St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, in 2009 with BA degrees in Philosophy and Math, and minors in Comparative Literature and Classics.  Mike is the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Cobalt Robotics, a groundbreaking security company that utilizes artificial intelligence, machine learning, and fully autonomous security robots to ensure workplaces are safe and secure.  Under Mike’s leadership, Cobalt has placed a major emphasis on veteran hiring and proudly participates in the Department of Defense’s Skillbridge program to help train and employ more veterans.  As a result, nearly one-third of Cobalt’s employees are former military.  Mike resides in Irvine, CA, with his wife Chiryze, and three children.

(Capt) Thomas H. Hamrick

Our twentieth recipient, (Captain) Thomas H. Hamrick graduated from Harvard Business School in 2020 with an MBA and as a Baker Scholar.  “Hill” served as a human intelligence officer and was deployed twice to Afghanistan.  On his first deployment in 2015-2016, Hill led a team of counterintelligence/human intelligence Marines in Kabul supporting Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan targeting enemy combatants and mitigating threats to friendly forces.  He was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for this deployment.  On his second deployment in 2017-2018, Hill served as the aide-de-camp to the Commanding General of Task Force Southwest, a Marine advise and assist task force based in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  Hill also received the First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez Honor Graduate Award as the top graduate from his class at The Basic School.  Hill graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College in 2013 with BA degrees in History and Arabic Studies.  He is currently the co-CEO of Central Storage & Warehouse LLC, a cold storage company he acquired through his search fund Thomas Street Partners.  Hill resides in Milwaukee, WI.

(Capt) Thomas M. Payne

Our twenty-first recipient, (Captain) Thomas M. Payne graduated from Harvard Business School in 2020 with an MBA.  Thomas served as an infantry officer during his time in the Marine Corps.  As a platoon commander, he deployed to Okinawa, Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program and conducted security cooperation operations in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines during Landing Force Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training.  After returning, he became the Company Executive Officer for the Crisis Response Company and deployed to Spain and North Africa in support of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Crisis Response Africa. After two deployments he transitioned to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory where he participated in the Sea Dragon experiments focused on modernizing the Infantry Battalion and served as the aide-de-camp for the Commanding General.  He graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 2012 with a BA in Honors Political Science and a minor in Spanish.  Thomas is a Senior Manager with Bain & Co., in their Dallas office, and currently resides in Dallas, TX, with his wife, Alexandra.

.

(Capt) Ian B. Epperson

Our twenty-second recipient, (Captain) Ian B. Epperson graduated from Harvard Business School in 2021 with an MBA.  Ian served on active duty as an Infantry Officer from 2013-2019.  He served in 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines from 2014-2016, first as a platoon commander deployed on the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit where he supported Operation Inherent Resolve.  He then served as a headquarters company commander before moving to Quantico, VA, to instruct Lieutenants at The Basic School (TBS).  He was selected to instruct at the Infantry Officer Course in 2017 and received the Captain John Maloney Award for the TBS Instructor of the Year in 2019.  He graduated in the top five percentile of his class at The Basic School and is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Course and Expeditionary Warfare School non-resident course. He graduated with honors from Carnegie Mellon University in 2012 and earned a Master of Science in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics the following year.  Ian is an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company in Boston, MA, where he resides with his wife, Meredith, and their son.

(Capt) Phillip D. Jones

Our twenty-third recipient, Major Phillip D. Jones graduated from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School in 2021 with an MBA and MPP.  Phillip served as an infantry officer during his time in the Marine Corps.  As a platoon commander, he deployed to Okinawa, Japan, as part of the Unit Deployment Program and conducted peacekeeping operations in Mongolia and the Philippines.  Phillip was recognized as a finalist for the Tarawa Award – most exceptional Platoon Commander in the Second Marine Division.  After returning, he was designated as the Company Executive Officer for the Security Force Company and deployed to Italy and North Africa in support of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Africa.  After these deployments, Phillip was selected by a Commanding General to serve as an instructor at The Basic School and guide the professional development of the officer corps as a Staff Platoon Commander.  He graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 2012 with a BS in History as a Burke Scholar, where he served as Brigade Sergeant Major.  Phillip is currently the 27th Mayor of Newport News, VA, serving as the city’s youngest-elected mayor, and is married to Dr. Jamila Wynter.

(Capt) Akhil R. Iyer

Our twenty-fourth recipient, (Captain) Akhil R. Iyer graduated from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School in 2022 with an MBA and MPP.  Akhil served as an infantry and special operations officer during his time in the Marine Corps from 2011 to 2019.  He was first assigned to Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, deploying twice with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and serving as a Weapons and Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Rifle Company Executive Officer, and Rifle Company Commander.  In 2016, Akhil transitioned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), where he served as a Marine Special Operations Team Commander and deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.  Akhil graduated with honors from Stanford University in 2011 with a BA in International Relations and a minor in Arabic.  He was also the top graduate of his class at The Basic School and the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course.  Akhil is a Vice President at Shield Capital, a venture fund investing in early-stage technology companies with national security applications.  He lives in California, with his wife, Alyssa, and two children.

(Capt) John S. McAuliffe

Our twenty-fifth recipient, (Captain) John S. McAuliffe graduated from Harvard Business School in 2022 with an MBA.  “Jack” served as a Human Intelligence Officer from 2015-2020.  In 2017-2018, Jack led a team of Counterintelligence / Human Intelligence Marines supporting Operation Inherent Resolve working to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, for which he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  He later served as Company Commander for Battlespace Surveillance Company, First Intelligence Battalion, where he worked to modernize outdated ground sensor technology.  He graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 2015 with a BS in Honors Political Science and served as Captain of the Rugby Team and head of the Honor Committee.  Jack is a Business Operations and Strategy Manager with Scape AI, a technology firm that provides training data to fuel AI applications for the public and private sectors.  He resides in northern Virginia, with his wife, Shannon.

(Capt) Joel K. Malkin

Our twenty-sixth recipient, (Captain) Joel K. Malkin will graduate from Harvard Business School in 2024 with dual degrees – Master in Business Administration and Doctor of Laws.  Joel served on active duty from 2014-2020 as an infantry officer.  He was first assigned to 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, where he was a Rifle Platoon Commander and Rifle Company Executive Officer.  He deployed to Central Command in 2016 as commander of the Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel force, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.  In 2017, Joel moved to Quantico, VA, to instruct lieutenants at The Basic School, where he served as Staff Platoon Commander twice.  In 2019, he was selected to join the faculty of the Infantry Officer Course as an instructor.  Now a reservist, he continues to serve as a TBS instructor.  Joel graduated at the top of his class from Dartmouth College in 2013 with dual degrees in Linguistics (BA) and Classical Languages and Literatures (BA).  Joel resides in Watertown, MA, with his wife, Julianna.

(Capt) Marcus E. Landers

Our twenty-seventh recipient, (Captain) Marcus E. Landers graduated from Harvard Business School in 2023 with an MBA.  Marcus served as an Infantry Officer from 2015-2020.  As a Platoon Commander, he deployed to Okinawa, Japan, as part of Forward Deployed Battalion – East, during which he conducted security cooperation operations with Marines and soldiers from Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines.  Marcus next served as a Rifle Company Executive Officer and deployed to Norway as part of the Marine Rotational Force – Europe.  Throughout this deployment, he led Marines in various NATO exercises in the Arctic Circle, including the Trident Juncture 2018.  After his second deployment, Marcus moved back to the Pacific and served as the Exercise Officer for US Marine Corps Forces – Korea, where he led planning for all security cooperation missions between the US Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, and other branches of the US military.  Marcus graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University with a BA in Mathematics and is a Veteran Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.  He currently resides in New Jersey and is the founder of RESILIFT, a climate adaptation start-up.

(Capt) Nicholas R. Hanson

Our twenty-eighth recipient, (Captain) Nicholas R. Hanson will graduate from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School in 2024 with an MBA and MPP.  Nicholas served as a ground intelligence officer during his time in the Marine Corps. As an intelligence officer, Nicholas was assigned to Third Marine Division and subsequently deployed to the Philippines as the Deputy Operations Officer for Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines. He was then assigned as the intelligence officer for First Battalion, Third Marines, and rotated back to East Asia as part of the Unit Deployment Program. He later served as a China Watch Officer at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC).  He then took an assignment to work at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At the conclusion of this rotation, he returned to the JIOC and served as head of analysis for the ground forces of the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Republic of China national police forces.  He graduated with Distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2011 with a BS in Arabic.  He was the honor graduate of both the Marine Corps Ground Intelligence Officer Course and the Intelligence and Tactics Instructor Course.  He left graduate school for two years to work at Vannevar Labs, a venture-backed defense technology start-up focused on building technology solutions for the Department of Defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community.  Nicholas currently resides in Watertown, MA.

(Capt) Ben M. Kallas

Our twenty-ninth recipient, (Captain) Ben M. Kallas graduated from Harvard Business School in 2024 with an MBA. Ben served on active duty from 2014 to 2022, first as a ground intelligence officer and then as a reconnaissance officer. He was first assigned to 6th Marine Regiment and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan with Task Force Southwest in 2017.  In Helmand he managed the task force’s intelligence production, analysis and targeting support, and established intelligence-sharing partnerships with U.S. special operations forces and partnered Afghan units.  He then transitioned to the reconnaissance community and joined 3d Reconnaissance Battalion in Okinawa, Japan in 2019.  While in Okinawa, he led a multidisciplinary intelligence detachment, centered on a senior reconnaissance team, to broaden the Marine Corps’ approach to reconnaissance operations in the Western Pacific.  Ben graduated Summa Cum Laude from Middlebury College with a BA in Political Science and the highest departmental honors.  He is the co-founder and CEO of Searchlight and currently resides in Washington, D.C.

(Capt) C. Drew Borinstein

Our thirtieth recipient, (Captain) C. Drew Borinstein will graduate from Harvard Business School in 2025 with an MBA.  Drew served as an active-duty Marine intelligence officer from 2017 to 2023.  He began his career in Camp Lejeune at the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, during this tour, he deployed to Spain as the Assistant Intelligence Officer and Collections Manager under Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa.  In Spain, Drew fostered uniquely close relationships with key stakeholders across US Africa Command in order to enhance his unit’s ability to integrate with the broader Africa security community.  In 2021, Drew was assigned to the Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion in Fort Meade, MD, where he led the Marine Cryptologic Support Element, the Marine Corps’ gateway to signals intelligence analysis at the National Security Agency (NSA).  As the Director of the Marine Cryptologic Support Element, Drew oversaw an expansion of national-tactical integration between the NSA and Marine units globally.  Drew graduated as the valedictorian of his class at the Virginia Military Institute in 2017 with a BS in Applied Mathematics.  He also holds an MS in Analytics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Drew continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserves and resides in Boston, MA, with his wife Brigitta, and their son.

(Capt) Joshua L. Raphaelson

Our thirty-first recipient, (Captain) Joshua L. Raphaelson will graduate from Harvard Business School in 2025 with an MBA.  Josh served on active duty from 2016 to 2023 as a combat engineer officer.  During his first assignment at 7th Engineer Support Battalion, he executed theater security cooperation missions in Southeast Asia during Task Force KOA MOANA 19 and supported the Mexican border mission with SPMAGTF 7.  Afterward, he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of 1st Marine Logistic Group.  During his final tour on active duty, he was the Marine Officer Instructor at Virginia Tech.  While at Virginia Tech, he earned an MS in Business Analytics and participated in a Digital Transformation Fellowship at NASA.  Josh graduated cum laude from Tulane University in 2016 with a BS in Finance.  He was the honor graduate of the Marine Combat Engineer Officer Course.  Josh resides in Boston, MA, with his wife, Abigail.