Board of Directors

Dr. Jennifer Buss is the Chairman & CEO of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. She leads a robust team of Research Fellows, Analysts, Scholars, the Board of Regents, and the Board of Directors. The Potomac Institute protects the United States national and economic security by galvanizing thought leaders with vision and foresight to anticipate science and technology (S&T) issues facing our society. Dr. Buss advises senior leaders in government agencies, corporations, start-up enterprises and currently serves on the advisory boards of Pellonium and Liminary.

She has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland and is married with two children.

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Gary Sojka is a partner of The Potomac Advocates, a Washington, D.C. consulting firm. He concentrates on a wide array of issues related to technology and government policy. Prior to this move into the consulting world, Mr. Sojka served as a professional staff member of the U.S. Senate for eight years, including positions on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee. From 1992 to 1994 he held the position of Deputy to the Minority Staff Director on the Intelligence Committee. Mr. Sojka also has vast experience with strategic defense and intelligence, having acted as a defense analyst for both the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Office of Naval Intelligence.

The Honorable John Young is a former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Mr. Young’s distinguished career includes past positions as Director, Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E); and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)). Prior to these Senate-confirmed positions, Mr. Young served ten years as a professional staff member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense.

Howard Schue is a Partner and Executive Vice President of Technology Strategies and Alliances Corporation specializing in line and marketing management, new business development, and strategic planning in the aerospace/defense and the command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) industries. Mr. Schue served on the 1993 Defense Science Board Summer Study on Global Surveillance and on the 1994 Summer Study on Information Architecture for the Battlefield. He is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, the National Military Intelligence Association, the American Society of Military Comptrollers, the Air Force Association, the Association of Old Crows, the Reserve Officers Association, the Air War College Alumni Association, the Planetary Society, the West Point Association of Graduates, and the Army Athletic Association.

Ted J. Glum is the former Director of the US Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), serving in that capacity from its inception in 1996 to his retirement in 2018. As the Director, Mr. Glum reported to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, (ASD (R&E)), and was responsible for over $2 Billion of microelectronics technology programs in addition to numerous classified programs for the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community.

DMEA provides a vital service to acquisition programs and operational fielded systems including field modification, upgrade, transition and support; and advancing microelectronics research, development, technologies, and applications to achieve the Department’s tactical, strategic and national security objectives. DMEA capabilities include a one-of-a-kind flexible foundry which enables DMEA to provide critical parts for intelligence, special operations, and combat missions as well as providing parts that are unobtainable in the commercial market. As such it serves the DoD, other US Agencies, industry and Allied nations and has been designated as a Critical National Resource by the US Government.

Prior to assuming the duties of the Director for DMEA, he served as the Chief of the Science and Engineering Division within the US Air Force Material Command (1994-1996). In this capacity, he was responsible for the Air Force’s Advanced Microelectronics Program, Advanced Composites Program, Electro-optics Program, and the Physical Science Special Testing Program.

Among his accomplishments and awards are the Federal Laboratory Director of the Year, Exemplary Civilian Service Medal, the Air Force Science and Technology Award, and the Air Force Engineer of the Year award.

He is a graduate of California State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronics engineering. He has participated in a variety of educational programs including the Executive Development Program on Science, Technology and Public Policy.

Mr. Alan R. Shaffer served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S) from January 2019 to January 20, 2021. Senate confirmed in January 2019, he was responsible to the Under Secretary of Defense (A&S) for all matters pertaining to acquisition; contract administration; logistics and materiel readiness; installations and environment; operational energy; chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons; the acquisition workforce; and the defense industrial base.

From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Shaffer served as the Director, NATO Collaboration Support Office in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating and synchronizing the Science and Technology (S&T) collaboration between NATO member and partner Nations, comprising a network of about 5,000 scientists.

Previous to his role at NATO, Mr. Shaffer served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) from 2007-2015. In this position, Mr. Shaffer was responsible for formulating, planning and reviewing the DoD Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) programs, plans, strategy, priorities, and execution of the DoD RDT&E budget that totals roughly $25 billion per year. He also served twice as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering from 2007-2009 and 2012-2015.

In 2009, he was appointed as the first Director, Operational Energy, Plans and Programs (Acting). Mr. Shaffer has also served as the Executive Director for several senior DoD Task Forces, including review of all research, acquisition and test activities during the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure. In 2007, he was the Executive Director for the DoD Energy Security Task Force and, and from 2007-2012, he served as the Executive Director of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection (MRAP) Task Force, where he was responsible for oversight, fielding and employment of 27,000 MRAPs across the Department of Defense.

Before entering the federal government, Mr. Shaffer served 24 years as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force and retired in the grade of Colonel. While serving, he held positions in command, weather, intelligence and acquisition oversight with assignments in Utah, California, Ohio, Honduras, Germany, Virginia and Nebraska.

His military career included deployments to Honduras in the mid-1980s and direct support of the United States Army, 3rd Armored Division in Hanau, Germany. During Operation DESERT STORM, he was responsible for deployment of the 500-person theater weather force and upon retirement from the Air Force in 2000, Mr. Shaffer was appointed to the Senior Executive Service. In 2001, he assumed the position as Director, Plans and Programs, Defense Research and Engineering.

Mr. Shaffer earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Vermont in 1976, a second Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in Meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He was awarded the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award in 2004, the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award, and the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award in 2007 and 2015.