Chris Groves
Executive Director of the PNW MAC Program
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Chris Groves connects innovative startups with National Security partners to enhance mission capabilities for front line operators.
His prior role with Oracle Government Defense and Intelligence fueled Chris’s passion for working with startups and expanded his knowledge of tech available to support National Security innovation. He built close partnerships with a portfolio of startups and applied Oracle’s cloud infrastructure and tactical edge hardware to develop pathways for National Security customers to onboard innovative, mission-relevant solutions.
Chris established a strong foundation in National Security during a 25-year career as an Operations Officer for the CIA. In a series of field command roles, he empowered teams to achieve significant results for the CIA's core mission objectives. He served in multiple war zones, applied cyber capabilities to intel operations, and enhanced relations, joint operations and/or training programs with foreign partners, US Military, and with US Intel and Law Enforcement Agencies.
Delivering effective leadership and providing a great work environment are important to Chris. He works hard to inspire teams to deliver their full potential, champions innovation and creativity to produce enhanced impact, and fosters a positive and inclusive team environment that keeps employees motivated, productive, and focused on the mission.
Chris holds an MBA from Thunderbird International Business School and enjoys developing new skills through executive education programs.
Dradin Kreft
Program Manager
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Dradin Kreft has a passion for the air and space industry, which is reflected in his impressive resume, which includes earning his law degree from University of Mississippi with a concentration in Air and Space Law and working for U.S. Representative Steven Palazzo.
During his time working for U.S. Representative Steven Palazzo, Dradin managed interest groups and maintained working groups for aerospace, science and technology during the complex legal and political environment of 2020. He also conducted a comprehensive review of policy, law and documents from many government entities while working for Seattle-based law firm, Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore.
As Program Manager for PNW MAC, Dradin enhances the defense connection within the Pacific Northwest industry ecosystem and executes and builds upon grant opportunities for technology and defense in the region. He also focuses on facilitating growth at the MAC through community building, expanding access and awareness about what the MAC can offer local businesses and leaders, and ensuring cohesion of industry interests.
Mitch Ehlke
Mission Innovation Lead
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Mitch is joining PNDC - MAC from the Idaho Department of Commerce where he had worked since January 2020. As an International Trade Specialist with the state of Idaho he planned, coordinated and executed several global trade activities. They include a state-led industry focused foreign trade mission, and trade shows in 5 continents. With a decade of prior experience working in the defense manufacturing sector of Idaho, he regularly provided consultations with businesses from various industries throughout the state with firsthand knowledge and an understanding of the many facets and challenges of growing a business.
Mitch is married (with two good dogs), and has a BBA in International Business from Boise State University. Mitch's proudest background info is being a US Marine Corps OIF (2005) combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient.
Joey Corigliano
Program Manager
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Joey has a strong foundation in national security innovation. He has expertise commercializing deep-tech such as, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), biotechnology, healthtech and space technology.
He started his career in the US government working for the US Secret Service and working on defense policy for US Congressman Adam Smith. Later, he served as Chief of Staff to Insitu, a UAS company based in the Pacific Northwest.
After working at Insitu, Joey founded a healthtech company with investment from NYU and Cornell. He graduated from Cornell’s one-year long startup accelerator and NYU’s startup bootcamp program. Joey recently helped spin out a startup from University of Washington’s Genomics Lab. The company completed the Nucleate accelerator program.
Joey holds a JD from New York Law School and BA from the University of Washington.
Todd Woods
Program Director – NATO DIANA
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Todd Woods has over 25 years of global market, strategic partnership, and international business development experience, cultivated across a broad range of sectors. Todd has led and supported teams from Fortune 500 enterprises to early-stage startups, with nearly half of his career spent living and working overseas as an expatriate, including stints in Asia, the Middle East, Russia and the EU. Todd’s interest in developing trusted relationships and as a lifelong learner has served him well in capitalizing on emerging opportunities in highly dynamic environments.
Most recently, Todd spent the last couple of years in the satellite startup space with HySpecIQ (Global Director of Partnerships and Marketing) and Spire Global, supporting Spire’s Maritime group with efforts to introduce new AIS and dark vessel detection solutions to global governments.
Todd and his wife Natalie, an accomplished broadcast journalist and now highly effective high school media teacher, resettled in the greater Seattle area from SE Asia with their son Lincoln and daughter Emerson, both avid wrestlers.
Jake Tozier
Mission Innovation Lead
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Jake Tozier served 14 years in the United States Army as both an enlisted artilleryman and as a Warrant Officer flying CH-47 Chinook Helicopters. During this time Jake had multiple deployments to include, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Honduras. After leaving the service Jake transitioned his military experience and applied it to working in and with the military-connected community, startups, entrepreneurs, federal and state agencies, and the nonprofit sector.
In 2016 Jake co-founded Bunker Labs Seattle in Washington state, setting out to build an entrepreneur ecosystem that supports the military connected community during transition from active duty to entrepreneurship. During this time Jake worked with and established lasting relationships with some of the most military supportive organizations in the PNW to include, the Schultz Family Foundation, Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Starbucks, Comcast, Business Impact NW, Hawk Transition Center, UW, Washington State Military Transition Council, WSVDA, and more.
After establishing Seattle’s Bunker Labs, Jake served as the West Regional Director for Bunker Labs National. During this time, he led efforts in launching and supporting nine new chapters. Jake last served as the National Resource Director for Bunker Labs, supporting their flagship program Veteran in Residence. Over the last five years Jake has advised hundreds of companies many of who have gone on to be very successful.
Jake lives in beautiful Tacoma, Washington with his wife Janna and their two daughters Josephine and Aubree.