Adam R. Pearlman

Adam Pearlman is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lexpat Global Services.  He is a National Security Law expert and a proven senior leader with experience across the U.S. Departments of Justice, Defense, and State, in the White House, and with the U.S. Federal Judiciary.

Before founding Lexpat, Mr. Pearlman served as the Senior Advisor for Legal Policy in the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism.  There, he counseled senior officials on matters covering the entire spectrum of programs and operations to counter terrorism and violent extremism.  While participating in sensitive diplomatic engagements and helping to coordinate military operations, he also advised on the development of sanctions policy and initiatives to build legal and operational capacity in partner nations.  Mr. Pearlman also managed the Bureau’s participation in federal litigation and led U.S. delegations in multilateral forums concerning criminal justice and the rule of law.  Separately, Mr. Pearlman supported the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) as the contracted Senior Justice and Rule of Law Advisor in Cabo Verde, Africa.  There, he was the chief implementer of a Foreign Assistance program that grew eightfold during his tenure, building host nation capacity across the law enforcement, justice sector, rule of law, anti-money laundering, and corrections disciplines.

A former Associate Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Mr. Pearlman was agency counsel for complex civil and criminal national security matters in federal and military courts.  He also led the Supreme Court and appellate unit of the team dedicated to litigating classified counterterrorism cases.  His earlier service in the Department of Justice spanned four litigating divisions and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General.  His diverse experience included reviewing complex international transactions and mergers, and advising on immigration removal proceedings, human rights abuses, and terrorist financing investigations.  Mr. Pearlman also served with distinction in Iraq as an early advisor to the Iraqi High Tribunal’s prosecution of Saddam Hussein.  He was a law clerk for The Honorable Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and during law school, interned in the White House Counsel’s Office.

Mr. Pearlman is a Senior Fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, a member of the American Bar Association’s Advisory Committee on Law and National Security, and the Editor-in-Chief of the U.S. Intelligence Community Law Sourcebook.  Previously, he has been a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, National Security Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, member of the ABA’s Africa Law Initiative Council and of the Center for Strategic & International Studies’ (CSIS) Project on Nuclear Issues, vice chairman of the ABA Section of International Law’s committees on national security, and aerospace and defense, and a liaison to the Board of Directors of the ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative.  He has published articles in the Harvard National Security Journal, Stanford Law & Policy Review, Intelligence & National Security, The Foreign Service Journal, Lawfare, and many other outlets.

Mr. Pearlman earned his B.A., with honors, from UCLA, and his J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School, where he was a member of the International Law Review.  He also earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence degree from the National Intelligence University, where he was the inaugural recipient of the Kornblum Award for national security law and ethics.  Mr. Pearlman is a Certified Financial Crime Specialist and holds certificates in international human rights law from the University of Oxford and in anti-corruption law from American University’s Washington College of Law.  He is admitted to the State Bars of California and Virginia, as well as to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.  He speaks and reads Portuguese at the intermediate level.

Colonel (Ret.) Jane Ellen Paschall

Jane Ellen is a Co-Founder and the Chief Operating Officer of Lexpat Global Services.  She has over 29 years of experience as a leader and senior attorney working in international law and development, national security law, the law of armed conflict, security assistance & security sector reform, institutional capacity building, rule of law, and humanitarian assistance & pandemic response.  Ms. Paschall retired from the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps as senior legal advisor for national security law.  She was the Army’s primary legal advisor for all legal issues impacting national security, including the application of treaties, international agreements, status of forces agreements, the law of armed conflict, foreign criminal jurisdiction, detainee operations, intelligence law, stability operations, international strategic engagements, and security assistance.

Ms. Paschall served in conflict-affected areas in numerous overseas and hardship assignments.  While serving in the U.S. Army, Ms. Paschall established U.S. Africa Command’s Legal Engagements Division and rule of law initiatives.  These initiatives promoted disciplined security sector operations that respected the rule of law while fostering recognition of democratically elected civilian authority and respect for human rights and civilian populations in Africa. While deployed to Iraq, she advised the Iraqi High Tribunal on the prosecution of Saddam Hussein and former Iraqi Regime members for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.  During her career, Ms.  Paschall deployed to the Balkans multiple times to restore peace, bring persons indicted for war crimes to justice, and advise on security sector reform matters in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  She has worked closely with security sectors and civil societies in developing countries throughout Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Upon retiring from the Army, Ms. Paschall joined the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) where she served as a legal advisor from 2015-2019, in Washington DC and Islamabad, Pakistan.  Ms. Paschall provided legal advice on complex statutory requirements related to U.S. foreign assistance.

Ms. Paschall is a graduate of the Army Judge Advocate General’s School (L.LM. 2001) and the University of Arkansas School of Law (J.D. 1990).  She is a member of the Arkansas Bar and admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Ms. Paschall studied French at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute and speaks and reads French at the 2+/2+ level.  She is married to Richard “Carl” Paschall, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service who served as the Ambassador of the United States to The Gambia from March 2019 to February 2022.

Nikoleta Chalanouli

Nikoleta is a Co-Founder of Lexpat Global Services, as well as its Senior Counsel and Lead International Consultant.  She is a dual-qualified lawyer with the Bar Associations of Athens (Greece) and Madrid (Spain).  She is a European Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) accredited lawyer.

Ms. Chalanouli has advised international organizations, private actors, and national public institutions in Europe for more than 10 years. Her experience extends from European Union law to International and Operational law, having provided legal advice during several NATO-led operations, including to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, Operation Unified Protector in Libya, as well as operations in the Balkans.

She was previously a Deputy Member of the EU Satellite Center Appeals Board, and has served as a lawyer counseling numerous European and multilateral organizations, including EUROCONTROL and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  She held several positions within NATO, including in the Office of Legal Affairs in the office of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the office of the Legal Advisor in the Allied Command Transformation-Staff Element Europe, and at the NATO Defense College.  She has also advised the Bar Association of Athens, Greece, and worked as a researcher for the Department of Criminology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Ms. Chalanouli is a certified Data Protection Officer and has worked with International Organizations and private actors alike to develop procedures compliant with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, within each client’s unique structure, procedures, and operating culture.

She has co-authored the book on the North Atlantic Treaty (Wolf Legal Publishers, 2020) and co-authored several chapters in books and papers, most recently (co)-authoring four chapters on civilian components, taxes and customs exceptions, foreign Exchange regulations, and the financing of operations in the European Union, African Union, and NATO, in The Law of the Visiting Forces (Oxford University Press, Dieter Fleck, ed., 2018) and on Chinese Legal Operations for the Duke University School of Law (China, an active practitioner of legal warfare, 2020).

Ms. Chalanouli completed her law studies in the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the University of Paris II, Panthéon-Assas, with a specialization in Public International Law, and the Université Libre de Bruxelles with a specialization in European Union Law. She has attended and lectured courses in the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy, the NATO School in Germany, and the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Army School in the United States. She is a visiting professor at the Universidad Catolica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM).

The NATO Secretary General awarded Ms. Chalanouli the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, NATO’s highest award, in recognition of her distinguished and outstanding service to the Alliance. She is also the recipient of the Serge Lazareff Prize for excellence in legal services.

She speaks Greek, English, French, Spanish, German, and Russian.

Alexis Martin

Alexis Martin is Lexpat’s Vice President for Business Development, having been promoted from her former role as Senior Consultant for Development and Government Programs.  She is a democracy, human rights, and communications expert with over 20 years of experience working in fragile and complex environments.  Her expertise also extends to program development, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as international business operations.

Alexis began her international development career in Central Asia, supporting the development of independent television and radio stations.  She then joined the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where she served as the media and democracy advisor for Europe and Eurasia.  Alexis later moved to Afghanistan, where she developed a network of women-led radio stations, and then to Iraq, where she served as a media advisor for the United Nations and also initiated the National Dialogue Program to inform and include Iraqi citizens in political discussions.

Most recently, Alexis served as the head of the Washington Office and business development for a justice and human rights-focused NGO, writing over $20million in grants from various government and foundation donors.

During her service in the United States Army, Alexis was a certified human intelligence collector.  She has a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Russian studies and International Economics.  Alexis speaks Arabic, Polish, Russian, and Spanish.  She is also an officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Learning Centre for Democracy and Human Rights.

Alice Borene

Alice Borene is a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  An experienced foreign policy and intelligence professional, Alice previously served as an executive at the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) with a focus on interagency collaboration and support to NSC and White House stakeholders.  She held several senior positions in ODNI, including as the first Director for Human Rights and War Crimes, in addition to assignments as Special Assistant to the Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Director of Export Controls, and Assistant Director for Europe.  Her expertise includes the US-EU Transatlantic relationship, NATO and its individual EU members, Five Eyes intelligence issues, and the Balkans.  She also has refined communication skills in explaining complex national security, legal, and technical concepts to senior executives and policymakers, as well as foreign and domestic partners.

Alice also served as the Civil Liberties and Privacy Officer for the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), where she provided oversight for groundbreaking scientific research, and as the Deputy Privacy Officer at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), after having been a senior NCTC intelligence analyst focusing on European legal issues.

As a decorated soldier in the United States Army, Alice served as a Serbian-Croatian linguist and intelligence analyst, graduating first in her class in combat training, language school, and technical training.

Alice holds a BA in history from the University of Minnesota, an MA in modern European history from the University of Washington, and a JD from the University of Virginia, where she interned with the War Crimes Division of the State Court in Bosnia-Herzegovina and was a 2009 Presidential Management Fellowship Finalist.  She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at King’s College London.

Alice is editor of The International Human Rights Law Sourcebook and The International Humanitarian Law (Law of Armed Conflict) Sourcebook, both published by the American Bar Association, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional.  She speaks Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, French, and German.

Alyssa Johnson

Alyssa M. Johnson is Of Counsel at Lexpat Global Services, where she advises clients on complex litigation, investigations, and human rights matters.  She brings nearly a decade of experience representing organizations and individuals in high-stakes legal and regulatory proceedings.

Prior to joining Lexpat, Alyssa practiced in New York and Washington, D.C., where she counseled clients on internal investigations and criminal and civil enforcement matters brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and federal regulatory agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Alyssa has also built a respected human rights practice focused on international criminal law and advocacy before the United Nations and regional human rights bodies. Her work includes representing a petitioner before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in a landmark case clarifying States’ obligations to prevent and prosecute sexual violence.

Alyssa holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University. She is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.

Andrew Borene

Andrew Borene is Of Counsel & a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  An on-demand resource to the firm, Andrew specializes in institutional capacity building, security cooperation, cybersecurity, threat intelligence, privacy, human rights, and international humanitarian law.  His experience has included interagency policy, planning, and strategy design in coordination with the White House National Security Council for issues in Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa.  A worldwide deployable resource, he has working language proficiency in Spanish and Italian.

A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and a U.S. licensed attorney, Andrew is currently a London-based Executive Director with Flashpoint, a leading data and risk intelligence company, and is active on several boards related to security cooperation, security partnerships, higher education, and cybersecurity. He is also a Senior Fellow at George Mason University Law School’s National Security Institute (NSI) and an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He is an active member of both the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations and the UK’s Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs. He serves on the Editorial Board of Partnership for Peace Consortium’s quarterly academic journal “Connections” for international security cooperation on behalf of more than 800 defense academies and security studies institutes across 60 countries.

A former U.S. senior intelligence officer with more than 25 years of experience in management, security, law, operations, and investigations, Andrew’s roles included serving as a group chief in the National Counterterrorism Center’s Directorate of Strategic Operational Planning, senior advisor to the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, independent contractor to the Central Intelligence Agency, and Associate Deputy General Counsel at the Pentagon. He was also a U.S. State Department Fellow studying post-conflict peacebuilding and counterterrorism in Northern Ireland. An honorably discharged U.S. Marine Corps officer, he served overseas early in his career with a combat tour in the Middle East.

In the private sector, Andrew was CEO of a publicly traded U.S. encryption developer and Managing Director for a global cybersecurity company. He also led high-performing business units and corporate development initiatives for Symantec, IBM, LexisNexis, and several advanced technology startups.

Andrew earned a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Macalester College. He has completed executive education programs and seminars at Harvard University, Joint Special Operations University, and the U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School. In addition to military decorations and other awards, Andrew’s professional recognition includes the FBI Director’s Award and the ODNI Exceptional Achievement Award.

Arthur Traldi

Arthur Traldi is the Lead Human Rights and International Criminal Law Attorney and a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services. An internationally respected lawyer, he is known for his work on landmark atrocity crime prosecutions and institution-building. As an attorney, Arthur has investigated, prosecuted, or advised on cases before courts around the world, including serving as one of the lead prosecutors in the trial of Ratko Mladić at the ICTY. He provides expert counsel to international organizations, NGOs, and governments on international criminal law, human rights, and the law of armed conflict. As a consultant, Arthur leads projects to strengthen justice systems and promote accountability in challenging post-conflict contexts.

A sought-after legal educator and trainer, Arthur has taught at law schools on four continents. He is also a member of several arbitration rosters and has chaired panels in contentious disputes. Arthur is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and the College of William and Mary and is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, before the U.S. Supreme Court, and several international courts.

Darrell M. Blocker

Darrell M. Blocker is the Senior Strategic and Global Intelligence Advisor at Lexpat Global Services.  Among other things, Darrell is a globally-recognized subject matter expert on North Korea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and counterterrorism, and serves as a strategic advisor to high net worth individuals and businesses operating in the defense, national security, and international affairs sectors.  He is active in the entertainment and nonprofit industries and as a creative consultant, keynote speaker, and ABC News contributor.  He is also the founder of DMB Consulting Services, a strategic crisis management and executive advisory firm.

In his 32-year career in public service, Darrell served across six consecutive Presidential Administrations (from Reagan to Trump), including four years in the U.S. Air Force, followed by 28 years as a Central Intelligence Agency operative within their Clandestine Service.  His traditional overseas assignments include the Republic of Korea (with the USAF), Niger, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, and Switzerland (with the CIA).  His war zone assignments were to Panama (USAF), and then Somalia in the aftermath of Blackhawk Down, Burundi after the Hutu-Tutsi massacres, and Pakistan after 9/11 (CIA).

During his storied career, Darrell rose to the civilian rank equivalent to a 3-Star general (Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral).  Along the way, his contributions to national security earned him several awards, including the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the George H.W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism, the Iraqi Campaign Citation for contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom, the USAF Commendation Medal for Korea, and the Expeditionary Campaign Medal for Panama.  It has been widely reported that he was later on President Biden’s shortlist to become the Director of the CIA.

Darrell is a prolific speaker and contributor to public discourse on international security and effective operations.  His speaking engagements include the Jewish Federation of Toronto, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, the International Spy Museum in Washington DC., the CIA’s CulperCon 2022, and numerous international conferences on intelligence and security matters.  His TEDx talk, delivered in April 2022, entitled “LISTEN MORE, SPEAK LESS:  LESSONS IN KINDNESS FROM A CIA OPERATIVE can be found here.  Stories about Darrell have been featured in press and news articles by ABC News, the Wall Street Journal, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Fox News, CNN, the New York Times, the Daily Beast, and the DailyMail.

Darrell volunteers with and serves on the board of Peace4Kids.org, a non-profit advocacy group for youth in foster care, and cofounded SME/Creatives, a creative and collaborative storytelling consulting firm operating in the entertainment space.  He is also the Vice Chairman of the GreenMet Board of Directors, a nonresident fellow at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs Center for International Trade and Security, and a 2024 Council of Advisors Leadership Council member for Black Professionals in International Affairs.

Darrell is an avid crossword puzzle enthusiast, and music was his first true love.  He sang in the UGA’s Men’s Glee Club for four years and in bands in Senegal and Uganda.  He spent his formative years in Okinawa, Japan, but his dream of becoming a ninja never materialized.  Even so, being an intelligence officer brought all his passions into a singular and meaningful career that took him to 27 addresses and homes in eleven foreign countries over the past 60 years.

Dianna English

Dianna H. English is a Senior Consultant for Policy and Programs at Lexpat Global Services. She is an experienced foreign policy professional with over fifteen years of service in government, international organizations, and the nonprofit sector. Dianna spent ten years in the U.S. government, including serving as a Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security and Human Rights, for whom she was an expert policy advisor focused on security sector reform and transitional justice. She was the Rule of Law Programs Director at the U.S. Embassies in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in South Sudan, where she led an interagency assessment focused on criminal justice sector reform and rule of law development. Dianna was also instrumental in early State Department planning and coordination for the Atrocity Prevention Board.

Prior to joining the State Department, Dianna worked at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and as a research consultant for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Dianna served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Tanzania, where she focused on HIV/AIDS prevention. She has volunteered with a refugee resettlement agency in New Haven, Connecticut and as an Emergency Room Crisis Counselor for the D.C. Rape Crisis Center. She also volunteers with Women in International Security.

In addition to her work as a Senior Consultant with Lexpat, Dianna currently serves as the Director of Program Management as part of the senior management team of the Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in Waterloo, Ontario.  She is a fellow with the Truman National Security Project and serves on the executive committee for the Toronto branch of the Canadian International Council.

Dianna holds a B.S. in International Studies and Social Policy from Northwestern University and earned her M.A. in International Relations with a Certificate in International Security Studies from Yale University. She speaks Swahili.

Donald Cinnamond

Col. (Ret.) Donald M. Cinnamond is Lexpat’s Senior Consultant for Judicial and Court Administration.  He brings 30 years of senior leadership experience in the U.S. federal judiciary, and another decade of experience working internationally to build justice sector and rule of law capacity abroad.

Mr. Cinnamond served as the Clerk of Court – the chief administrative officer and chief operating officer – of two United States District Courts, in the states of Florida and Oregon.  In those roles, he managed and directed teams of 75 administrative staff supporting fifteen judges across multiple courthouses in each district.  He managed all civil and criminal case administration; information technology integration and training; personnel, budget, finance, and procurement activities; professional legal and management education and training programs; capital construction, renovation, and facilities operations; management information and statistical reporting systems; and court performance, monitoring, and evaluation systems.  This included leading his judges through the design, development, and implementation of an automated Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system, and also managing the design and construction of two new courthouse complexes, with a combined budget of a quarter-billion U.S. dollars.

Concurrently with many of his court administration duties, Mr. Cinnamond served for 25 years in the United States Army and National Guard, including several assignments leading Special Forces units.  Achieving the rank of Colonel, his responsibilities included leadership roles in defense reform and political-military liaison in post-conflict countries.

His many years of international experience in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East give Mr. Cinnamond a rare global perspective and nuanced insights into comparative legal systems and cultures, in both the civilian and military spheres.  He has served with distinction in more than a dozen countries, including Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, Moldova, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, and Vietnam.  His roles have included several tours of duty as USAID Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party, as well as Team Chief, Senior Legal Advisor, or Senior Court Administration Advisor for USAID and U.S. Department of Justice missions.

Mr. Cinnamond’s accomplishments in those roles cover the full spectrum of foreign judicial and court administration, foreign assistance.  He has led judicial and court administration assessments of several countries’ trial and appellate courts, evaluating judicial caseloads and workflow, case management processes, filing and service procedures, fee assessments, and enforcement of judgments.  He developed USAID’s Guidelines for Effective Court Administration, as well as a Court Reforms Best Practices Toolkit.  He has developed and implemented court performance measurement metrics and monitoring and evaluation programs; trained judges, magistrates, litigators, and administrators in court operations and case management systems; coordinated the design, procurement, and installation of secure information technology systems for judiciaries; managed operational and movement security for judicial personnel in high-risk areas; and directed the efficient operations and maintenance expenditures of several courts’ facilities.

Through each of these assignments, Mr. Cinnamond has coordinated closely with judicial, law enforcement, diplomatic, civil society, and justice sector stakeholders to develop and evaluate programs, work plans, and procurement/program funding requirements for each endeavor.  Himself a lawyer, he has also provided relevant legal technical assistance, such as evaluating prevailing laws, regulations, and local court procedures relating to registration of cases, parties, and commercial entities, and has provided in-depth training in investigating and prosecuting corruption-related crimes, especially corruption directed at judges and justice-sector actors.

Mr. Cinnamond earned a juris doctorate from Lewis and Clark Law School, an MPA from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of California at San Diego.  He is also a graduate of the US Federal Judicial Center’s Senior Leadership Course, the US Army War College, the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and several other prestigious civilian and military leadership programs.

Frits Bontekoe

Frits Bontekoe is a Senior Counsel with Lexpat Global Services, advising international organizations and companies operating effectively in complex environments. He brings over 30 years of practical experience in international law, governance, and institutional reform, and a diplomatic style shaped by years in the field. Frits has served as Legal Counsel at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), where he led all legal matters and served as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and Member States on oversight, compliance, and dispute resolution.

Earlier in his career, Frits spent over thirteen years in senior legal positions in UN peacekeeping missions across Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans. His work ranged from negotiating host country agreements and supporting peace and border talks to drafting post-conflict legal frameworks.

Frits serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, on the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law, and the Executive Board of the Global Governance Forum. He holds law degrees from the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is a member of the New York State Bar.

Hillary Batjer Johnson

Hillary Batjer Johnson is a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services, bringing over 26 years of experience at the nexus of homeland security, counterterrorism, and foreign policy. An internationally recognized leader in smart security strategies that facilitate secure global travel, she has shaped policies on U.S. and UN terrorism designations, sanctions, watchlisting, screening, and vetting. Hillary led the development of international good practices on critical infrastructure protection, resilience, and safeguarding soft and vulnerable targets. Her work has included extensive engagement with multilateral and regional organizations, including the UN, EU, APEC, ASEAN, and the Organization of American States.

Previously, Hillary served in the U.S. Department of State’s Senior Executive Service, including serving as Deputy Coordinator for Homeland Security, Screening, and Designations and Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator in the Bureau of Counterterrorism. Earlier roles included service in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff.

Hillary holds a B.A. in History from Whitman College and a Master’s in Pacific and International Studies from the University of California, San Diego. She is a member of the Council on National Security and Immigration.

Jacqueline Natter Brand

Jacqueline Natter Brand is a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  A seasoned security cooperation and diplomatic professional, Jacqueline has dedicated her career to advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives and strengthening international partnerships. With a diverse background spanning military service and government roles, she brings a unique blend of operational expertise, strategic acumen, and cultural sensitivity to complex global security challenges.

Jacqueline’s public service career highlights include serving as the Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, where she oversaw a significant security assistance portfolio and led initiatives in maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism. She successfully negotiated and implemented programs that enhanced partner capacity, fostered regional cooperation, and advanced U.S. interests in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to her diplomatic role, she served as a Naval Flight Officer, gaining invaluable experience in combat operations that she later applied to her role as Deputy Commanding Officer of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan, where she coordinated interagency activities and led civil-military cooperation. She has also held key positions in the U.S. Navy, including on the personal staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Jacqueline’s early career included a stint as a Military Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Howell T. Heflin, where she first developed her deep understanding of defense policy and budget issues. She also served as an intern at the U.S. Department of State, focusing on international security and peacekeeping.

Jacqueline holds a Master of Arts in National Security Studies (with a concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa) from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Villanova University. She is a graduate of Georgetown University.

Joel Winton

Joel “JW” Winton is a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services, focusing on national and international security. He is an experienced national security practitioner with over thirty years of federal and state government service as both a civilian attorney and uniformed operator.  His expertise includes security cooperation and international partnerships, and Defense Contracting.

Joel possesses a diverse security background, with attorney experience as a State and County criminal prosecutor, at the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD), Office of General Counsel, where he litigated complex terrorism matters, and five years as a Space Lawyer at the Joint Functional Component Command for Space at Vandenberg AFB, CA.

Joel’s decorated career in the U.S. Air Force earned him recognition as a subject matter expert (SME) in Combined, Joint All Domain Command and Control (C-JADC2), and certification as a Dual-Status Joint Force Commander for Disaster Preparation, Response, and Management by NORAD-NORTHCOM.  Joel also built significant Security Cooperation expertise with his time in uniform, including engagements and experience around the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe (NATO and Partners) through deployments, exercises, and other security cooperation activities.  During his various tours, he served as an Air Battle Manager and progressed through Joint planning and operational warfighting roles, including O-6 Colonel Command in the 613 Air Operations Center (AOC) where he served interchangeably as the AOC Director, the primary Command and Control (C2) advisor to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Theater Joint Force Air Component Commander (T-JFACC) for the employment of air, space and cyber power, across the Indo-Pacific.  Joel also served as a Combatant Command, Current and Future Operations Officer (J33 and J35) during exercises and crises at USAFRICOM, USEUCOM, and USCENTCOM.

Since retiring from government and military service, Joel shifted to Defense contracting roles, preferring to work and live from his original home in Hawaii, including as a Site Lead and Strategic Planner on a classified DoD contract.

Joel holds a B.A. in Government with an International Relations concentration from California State University, Sacramento, a M.A. in Strategic Studies from the USAF Air War College in Montgomery, AL, a J.D. focused on criminal and international law from the University of Cincinnati, College of Law, and an LL.M. with a Certificate in National Security Law from Georgetown University Law Center.  He also has earned an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School following successful completion of three Executive Education courses, including Leadership Decision Making, Leadership in Crises, and Senior Executives in National and International Security.  He has also competed with and coached the U.S. Military Pentathlon team.

Joe Orenstein

Joseph (“Joe”) N. Orenstein is a Senior Counsel and the Lead Security Cooperation Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  He specializes in institutional capacity building, security cooperation, and international humanitarian law.  Mr. Orenstein has more than 25 years of experience as a senior attorney working in national security law, international security cooperation, capacity building, rule of law, foreign internal defense, criminal law, administrative law, and investigations.  He has advised and trained members of U.S. and foreign militaries on five continents.

After retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Mr. Orenstein served as the lead Institutional Capacity Building attorney at the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies in Newport, Rhode Island. There, he designed, coordinated, and executed all long-term legal capacity building projects with partner nation military forces and security sector organizations in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility.

Mr. Orenstein’s military assignments included: Command Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Regional Health Command-Atlantic; Chief of Military Law, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; Chief of Strategic Engagements in the U.S. Army Office of The Judge Advocate General; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for U.S. Army Japan; Future Concepts Officer at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School; and Brigade Judge Advocate for 2d Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).  He started his career as an enlisted Signals Intelligence Analyst and was assigned to 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) in Wiesbaden, Germany.

In addition to other overseas tours of duty, Mr. Orenstein has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans.  His military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.  He is entitled to wear the Combat Action Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

A graduate of the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s School (LL.M 2008) and the New England School of Law (J.D. 1996), Mr. Orenstein also graduated from the resident U.S. Army Command and General Staff College with a specialty in Strategic Studies.  He is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Katherine (Kate) Gorove

Katherine (Kate) Gorove is a Senior Counsel and Senior International Affairs Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  Kate is a globally recognized, culturally fluent senior lawyer and diplomat, having served with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser for over 25 years. She has a wealth of experience in advising on, drafting, negotiating, and litigating complex international legal issues. Kate has successfully concluded bilateral and multilateral agreements, crafted and negotiated solutions to complex international issues and disputes, and guided senior policymakers in times of crisis. Her areas of expertise include human rights, international peace and security, global health security, maritime security, and business and human rights.

During her tenure at the State Department, in addition to her time in Washington, Kate served at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, and was detailed to the U.S. Army School for Judge Advocate Generals, where she co-edited a book on Rule of Law in complex environments. She also represented the United States for four years on the Board of Directors of a multi-stakeholder organization – the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Companies (PSCs) (“ICoCA”) – which provides a framework for oversight and monitoring of PSCs. She has taught multiple international law-related courses, including as a Fulbright professor at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, a visiting professor at AU’s Washington College of Law, and on the law faculty at the University of Mississippi, as well as an adjunct at Johns Hopkins University, GWU Law, Georgetown Law, and the Washington College of Law. Prior to joining the State Department, she served as a legal counsel for the Government of Hungary in the International Court of Justice’s Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Case.

Kate earned her J.D. from Columbia University and her M.Sc. from the London School of Economics.  She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Kurt Donnelly

Kurt D. Donnelly is a Senior Consultant for Policy, Security, and Risk, and the Energy and Climate Lead for Lexpat Global Services.  He is a senior foreign policy and diplomacy expert, with 33 years of experience in the U.S. Foreign Service, conceiving and implementing U.S. foreign policy goals in Washington, D.C. and overseas.  He brings a wealth of experience in global energy and climate policy, national security risks, and in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Central Asia.

As a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Donnelly served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy and as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Energy Resources, where he led the U.S. State Department’s efforts to advance global energy security and climate policies and implement energy sanctions.  Previously, as the Deputy Chief of Mission – the chief operating officer – and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, he led a staff of 400 to advance the full spectrum of U.S. foreign policy, security, and development goals in the Balkans.

Mr. Donnelly also served as the Political Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, where he led negotiations with Allies to bolster NATO’s support for Allies and Partners threatened by Russia.  As the Political-Military Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, he coordinated U.S. military and diplomatic efforts throughout Afghanistan, and at the White House, he was the National Security Council’s Director for Central Asia.  Mr. Donnelly was also Director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

In addition to Belgrade, Brussels, and Kabul, Mr. Donnelly has served at overseas posts in Germany, Russia, Hungary, and Turkey.  He speaks some German and Russian.

Lynn Sicade

Lynn Sicade is a Senior Consultant for Corporate Due Diligence & Risk Management at Lexpat Global Services. A distinguished authority on democracy, human rights, and multilateral engagement, Lynn is one of the most experienced voices shaping and leading U.S. policy on critical global issues, including internet freedom, corporate accountability, and human rights diplomacy. During her 35-year U.S. State Department career, Lynn frequently represented the United States at the highest levels in the United Nations and other key international organizations. Lynn leverages her extensive diplomatic and policy expertise to provide strategic advice on implementing responsible business conduct and aligning corporate practices with established international standards such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Her unique insights help clients mitigate risk, ensure compliance, and build sustainable value in a changing global landscape. Lynn is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law and Biola University.

Matthew Krause

Matthew Krause is a Senior Consultant with Lexpat Global Services, specializing in national security, crisis management, human rights, and military law. A retired U.S. Army Colonel, he brings over 25 years of distinguished military, diplomatic, and legal experience worldwide.

Mr. Krause held key leadership positions, including Staff Judge Advocate at Fort Lee and Military Advisor to the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice at the U.S. Department of State. He provided strategic counsel to senior military commanders and State Department officials on accountability for atrocity crimes committed by the Islamic State and the Assad regime, as well as on human rights, transitional justice, security cooperation, and institution building in diverse international contexts.

He earned his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and holds LL.M. degrees in National Security Law from Georgetown University Law Center and in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School.

Rear Admiral (Ret.) Melissa Bert

RADM Melissa Bert (USCG, Ret.) is a Senior Counsel and the Senior Maritime & Homeland Security Consultant with Lexpat Global Services.  An innovative leader, lawyer, and strategist, Melissa offers expertise in strategic planning, organizational leadership, disaster planning and response, national security law and policy, criminal litigation, maritime and international law, diplomacy and capacity building, intelligence law, negotiation, and mediation.

She recently transitioned from her role as the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard – the most senior attorney in an agency unique for its combination of civilian and military responsibilities.  She previously served as the Coast Guard’s Director of Governmental and Public Affairs, where she synchronized the service’s external engagement with Congress; the U.S. government’s inter-agency processes, groups, and task forces; the media; and strategic partners and stakeholders.

Before becoming the Coast Guard’s top lawyer, Melissa’s legal positions in the service included being its Chief of Maritime and International Law, where she provided legal advice on the Law of the Sea, drug and migrant interdiction, homeland security, search and rescue, pollution response, port and vessel safety/security, counterterrorism, Arctic policy, and environmental protection.  She also led the legal support of the U.S.’s engagement with the International Maritime Organization.  Melissa previously held positions as a prosecutor and military judge.  For her legal expertise and leadership, she was awarded the Judge Advocates Association Outstanding Career Armed Services Attorney Award in 2006, having also been recognized as the Young Military Lawyer of the Year for the Coast Guard by the American Bar Association in 1997.

Melissa’s military career also included several operational tours, including as Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Northern Command, overseeing homeland defense and defense support for civil authorities for North America, as well as theater security cooperation with Mexico and The Bahamas.  She has also served as a Captain of the Port, Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection, and Federal On-Scene Coordinator for oil and chemical spills.  Melissa commanded Coast Guard Sector Juneau, responsible for the shipping, ports, and waterways of Southeastern Alaska; served as Chief of Staff for the Seventh Coast Guard District, overseeing Coast Guard operations in the Southeastern United States and Caribbean; and completed two tours at sea, including one as the executive officer of a cutter.

Core to her beliefs in advancing the next generation of talent, Melissa founded the Coast Guard Women’s Leadership Initiative, a grassroots-endowed nonprofit that actively supports and provides formal mentoring, leadership development, and business networking opportunities for young women in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Melissa holds a J.D. from George Washington University and a B.S. in Government from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.  She was a fellow in residence with the Council on Foreign Relations and Harvard University’s National Security Program, and is a published author featured in the New York Times, the Miami Herald, and the Boston Globe.  She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Proctor in Admiralty in the United States Maritime Law Association.

Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan serves as Senior Consultant for International Investigations and Post-Conflict Transitions at Lexpat Global Services. With over 20 years of experience as an attorney, academic, and international relations professional, he specializes in international law, transitional justice, and the documentation of war crimes and human rights abuses. In addition to his international fieldwork, Michael currently serves as an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, D.C., a law faculty member with the Afghanistan Law & Political Science Association (ALPA) in Exile, and a Visiting Researcher at the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.

At present, Michael’s fieldwork focuses on Myanmar and Ukraine. In Myanmar, he addresses federalism, transitional justice, and war crimes investigations, supporting efforts to document human rights abuses, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and prepare for potential transitional processes. In Ukraine, he collaborates with organizations on war crimes investigations and related accountability efforts. His programs integrate field-based evidence collection with cyber-enabled investigative methods, including open-source intelligence (OSINT), equipping local and international stakeholders to document abuses, enhance investigations, and build robust cases for justice. This expertise builds on his work as Senior Program Manager with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (2022–2025), where he managed programs delivering OSINT training to support anti-money laundering (AML) efforts for Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) across the Greater Mekong region.

Michael’s focus on training and investigative innovation stems from over a decade of experience in some of the world’s most challenging conflict zones. He was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (2014–2021), where he held prominent roles, including Kramatorsk Team Leader, managing over 150 personnel operating on both sides of the line of contact in Donetsk Oblast. Prior to this, he served in Kandahar, Afghanistan, with the U.S. Department of State (2010–2013). In this role, he established the U.S. rule of law program at the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT) and later served as Director of Rule of Law (ROL) for Regional Platform South, overseeing ROL efforts across Kandahar, Zabul, and Uruzgan provinces.

Earlier in his career, Michael lectured for the U.S. State Department’s Antiterrorism Assistance Program, training senior foreign officials on humanitarian law and human rights in crisis situations. In Baghdad, Iraq, he supported Iraq’s Constitutional Drafting Committee during a pivotal transitional period and managed the National Democratic Institute’s Executive Program. As a relief worker during the Bosnian War, he contributed to humanitarian efforts and conducted war crimes investigations in Kosovo with Physicians for Human Rights.

A licensed attorney in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, Michael holds a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, specializing in International Security Studies. His accomplishments have earned him several prestigious honors, including the U.S. Department of State Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the NATO Non-Article 5 Medal, and the U.S. Department of State Expeditionary Award. He has co-edited two legal volumes for the American Bar Association: The International Human Rights Law Sourcebook and The International Humanitarian Law (Law of Armed Conflict) Sourcebook. Michael is a member of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council in Washington, D.C., Chatham House in London, and the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand in Bangkok.

Nathan Charles

Nathan “Nate” M. F. Charles is Of Counsel and Senior Security & Justice Consultant for Lexpat Global Services, the founding principal of Charles Legal & Security, and a U.S. Navy SEAL officer. He brings over two decades of national security experience as an operator, planner, and attorney.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Nate immediately entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training and spent most of the next seven years in active service in conflict-affected areas. He led and executed complex military operations in Afghanistan. In Colombia, he supported Special Operations Forces in combatting narcoterrorism and organized crime, and facilitated prospective hostage rescue operations. Nate also led security assistance and capacity-building missions to train, advise, and assist military forces and law enforcement officers in the Bahamas, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Upon leaving active duty, Nate joined the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) as a Joint Operations Planner. There, he collaborated with the U.S. Special Operations Command in designing operations to combat terrorist acquisition and use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. While working full-time and serving as a Navy Reserve SEAL Officer, Nate attended law school at American University, Washington College of Law. Upon graduation, Nate clerked for the Honorable J. Michael Eakin, Associate Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and was subsequently selected for the prestigious U.S. Attorney General’s Honors Program.

At the U.S. Department of Justice, Nate served as a prosecutor in the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) of the National Security Division. During nearly six years at CES, Nate supervised the investigation and prosecution of numerous cases affecting national security, foreign relations, and the export of military and strategic commodities and technology. Specializing in export control matters, Nate secured the conviction of several international arms smugglers. As an outgrowth of his export control work, he also spearheaded several cases involving members of Foreign Talent Plans sponsored by the People’s Republic of China exploiting the U.S. academic community and U.S. Government research grants. In the course of prosecuting many other cases under statutes relating to espionage, sabotage, neutrality, and atomic energy, Nate also provided legal advice to investigative agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on numerous national security investigations and other issues, including application of the Classified Information Procedures Act and the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

He has further experience as a prosecutor as both a Special Assistant United States Attorney and as an Assistant District Attorney, taking more than a dozen cases to trial. He also served in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, investigating and implementing administrative remedies for violations of federal securities laws, and as a law clerk on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas.

Nate continues to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a SEAL Officer at the rank of Commander. He is licensed to practice law in Alaska, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He speaks and understands Spanish at the elementary level. He holds an active TS/SCI security clearance.

Oren Leff

Oren D. Leff is a Senior Counsel and Strategic Consultant for Air, Space & Emerging Technologies at Lexpat Global Services. A retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, Oren brings three decades of expertise at the intersection of law, business, and national security. As a senior General Counsel, he was the chief legal officer, counseling organizations and leaders on government procurement, regulatory compliance, and risk management in complex environments. Oren specializes in advising on strategic development, designing and implementing cohesive lines of effort that drive organizational growth and goal attainment, and helping clients navigate the unique challenges of working internationally or with the federal government. He also helps clients overcome challenges in air and space operations, international negotiations, cyber law, intelligence oversight, and AI compliance. A certified mediator with semi-fluency in Russian, French, and Hebrew, Oren is a collaborative problem-solver who excels at bridging the gap between commercial interests and national security imperatives, positioning clients for success within the national security sector. He is a graduate of Vermont Law School and Lehigh University and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts.

Paul Hickman

Paul Hickman is the Senior Law Enforcement Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  He brings nearly thirty-five years of experience as a distinguished and decorated law enforcement officer.  Paul served fourteen years as an officer of the Bridgeport (West Virginia) Police Department, where he rose to the rank of Sergeant.  He then joined the U.S. Marshals Service, where he served for more than twenty years as a Deputy United States Marshal, including more than fifteen years in the Special Operations Group.  Paul has completed several overseas tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, during which he trained and built the capacity of foreign police and security forces.

Paul’s awards include the Congressional Badge of Bravery, the USMS Director’s Valor Award, the Attorney General’s Exceptional Heroism Award, and five USMS Director’s Special Achievement Awards (four individual and one group award).  He is a certified instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and the National Tactical Officers Association.  He has also been a certified Contracting Officer’s Representative for the U.S. Department of Defense.  He earned his degree in criminal justice from Fairmont State University.

Raymond White

Raymond M. White serves as a senior advisor at Lexpat Global Services, specializing in counterproliferation, counterterrorism, and the design and delivery of large-scale training initiatives. A senior operations officer in the CIA’s clandestine service for 25 years, Ray is recognized for his leadership, innovation, and ability to deliver transformative results in support of national security and intelligence priorities.

Throughout his distinguished career, Ray held multiple field leadership roles and directed the CIA’s largest operational training program. He served across five U.S. presidential administrations in postings that included Malta, Romania, the United Kingdom, and Austria, as well as two-year-long deployments to Iraq, leading teams pursuing ISIS senior leadership. His deep expertise in building trust-based relationships across the U.S. intelligence community, foreign partners, and host nation officials has been central to advancing mission objectives in complex, multicultural environments.

Ray holds an M.A. in Adult Education from American University.

Rob “Butch” Bracknell

LTCOL Rob “Butch” Bracknell (USMC, Ret.) is an Attorney-Consultant with Lexpat Global Services.  He is an international security, innovation, technology, and public procurement attorney, an ethics and compliance professional, and a certified innovation practitioner.

Before joining Lexpat, Butch served as Assistant Legal Advisor for International Law at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation.  During his years with NATO, his practice required his broad expertise on a range of topics, including commercial law and public acquisition, international law, maritime law, law of physical and cyber security, space law, institutional ethics and governance, the law of national and international security policy, innovation, technology law, collaboration with industry and the academy, crisis management, sustainability and institutional responsibility, and business, contract, and employment law.  He also edited three years’ volumes of the NATO Legal Gazette, focused on security innovation, military and economic aspects of space, and the international security facets of climate change.

Prior to NATO, he had a decorated 22-year military career in the US Marine Corps, with a career path that bridged the legal (litigation, litigation management, criminal and administrative investigations, international law, and general counsel skills), leadership/management, and policy communities.  He also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.  His military duty began as an armor officer with the 2^nd Tank Battalion, 2^nd Marine Division.  He served in numerous posts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Germany, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the U.S.

Butch’s work focuses on –

• Business-focused, ethical public procurement;
• Ethics, compliance, and codes of conduct;
• Accountability within organizations
• Human rights, and particularly mitigating the effects of armed conflict on noncombatants;
• The development of international law norms in future conflict, including emerging technologies such as AI, unmanned systems, space, cyber, and hypersonic weapons; and
• Emerging concepts, including urban warfare and the impacts of sea level rise and climate change on the future of conflict.

Butch is the Governor-appointed Vice Chair of the Virginia Commission to Investigate the May 31, 2019, Virginia Beach Mass Shooting.  He is a fellow with the Carnegie Council on Ethics in International Affairs and the Royal Society for the Arts, a member of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council, and is a subject matter expert for Arizona State University’s Preventing Space War Project.  He is also a former International Security Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

He earned an LLM at Harvard Law School, his JD (with Honors) from the University of Maryland, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Maryland Journal of International Law and Trade, and his B.A. at the University of North Carolina.  He also holds certificates and certifications in anticorruption law, government contracting, data protection and privacy, maritime law, project risk management, and Lean Six-Sigma.  He is currently a Master’s candidate in international taxation at the University of Oxford.  His publications can be found at https://butchbracknell.weebly.com

Timothy “TJ” Stecker

Timothy “TJ” Stecker, J.D., M.B.A., (LT USN Ret.), is an Attorney-Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  A seasoned government procurement attorney, Mr. Stecker offers a well-rounded perspective stemming from his experiences in a multi-faceted career.

Before joining Lexpat, Mr. Stecker served as an attorney advisor for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), where he counseled several teams on major contracts.  In this capacity, he advised on all facets of the contract life cycle, including determinations of requirements, solicitation drafting, competition, contract execution, and termination.  Mr. Stecker also successfully defended several Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency-level protests and won the Department of the Navy Office of General Counsel’s “Excellence in Legal Writing Award” for his work on a major protest defense.  Mr. Stecker fostered relationships with small businesses and research institutions through his expertise in the use of Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) and acted as the “subject matter expert” for NAVSEA’s use of Prize Challenges.

Before joining NAVSEA, Mr. Stecker served as a Law Clerk for U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (NE) on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.  While advising on legislation, including major anti-trust topics and social media influence, his main area of focus was supporting recommendations and votes on key judicial nominees.  Some of these nominees included Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Seventh Circuit of Appeals and Judge Steven Grasz’s nomination to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to pursuing law, Mr. Stecker served for nearly 10 years in the Navy as a Naval Flight Officer, where, following the loss of his leg, Mr. Stecker became the first amputee military officer to earn his aviation wings.  He served as a Mission Commander in theaters throughout Europe and Africa.  He was then stationed as an aide to the General Counsel of the Navy in the Pentagon while pursuing his J.D. at night.  Among his many decorations, he was awarded an Air Medal for extensive combat zone flight time.

Mr. Stecker earned his B.A. from Florida State University, his M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his J.D. from the Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law, where he was a member of the Journal of Law and Technology.  Mr. Stecker also earned certificates in Fiscal Law and Government Contract Law from the U.S. Army JAG School in Charlottesville, Virginia.  He is admitted to the D.C. Bar and speaks/reads Spanish at an elementary level.

Wayne Raabe

Wayne C. Raabe is a Senior Consultant at Lexpat Global Services.  He has extensive expertise in the justice and defense sectors, particularly in international investigations, mutual legal assistance, interagency operations, counternarcotics, and maritime law and operations.  He spent 13 years in the Senior Executive Service of the United States Government.

Mr. Raabe served as the Director of Interagency Partnering (J9) at U.S. European Command, where he led a team that embodied a “whole of society” approach in building and strengthening sustainable partnerships with other government agencies and outside organizations to ensure regional security and stability to better execute the command’s operations in Europe, Asia, the Arctic, and the Atlantic.

Prior to his leadership role in the Department of Defense, Mr. Raabe was a career prosecutor in the Department of Justice, first as a Trial Attorney in DOJ’s Criminal Division, and then as Principal Deputy Chief of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.  At the Justice Department, Mr. Raabe served as lead representative to the National Security Council-led Maritime Security Interagency Policy Committee and the Maritime Operational Threat Response Plan event resolution process.  Mr. Raabe also served as the lead U.S negotiator for the maritime boarding amendments to the SUA Convention from 2003 to 2005, and on the interagency team that drafted the 2005 National Strategy for Maritime Security and its eight sub-plans, including the Maritime Operational Threat Response Plan and the National Strategy to Achieve Maritime Domain Awareness.

Mr. Raabe also served in uniform in the United States Coast Guard as a deck watch officer, operations officer, and commanding officer afloat.  As a Coast Guard Law Specialist, he was an operations law advisor and the lead defense counsel for the Coast Guard Pacific Area.  After a tour afloat as executive officer, he served as assistant division chief of the Headquarters Office of Maritime and International Law, appellate defense counsel before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and was designated as a Special Courts-Martial Trial Judge.

Alongside his work for Lexpat, Mr. Raabe has supported programs implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and is an adjunct seminar leader at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.  He was also a member of the adjunct faculty of the Georgetown University Law Center from 2015 to 2018, where he taught International Criminal Law.  He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in June 1975 and graduated from the University of the Pacific/McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, CA, in June 1984.