Building Momentum with confidence, creativity and speed

Brad Halsey co-founded Buildmo in 2015, leading the company as Chief Executive Officer since its inception.

Brad thrives on tackling the toughest technical challenges, especially in demanding environments. His expertise spans optics, polymers, material characterization, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and various advanced material systems. 

Brad's experience extends beyond the classroom. He has deployed his expertise in war zones and disaster areas, rapidly developing solutions and fostering community self-reliance. He's a strong advocate for global resilience, technology independence, and workforce development. 

Brad is a recognized thought leader in the field of innovation. He's a captivating speaker (TEDx, keynotes), a published author on topics like in-situ prototyping, and has been featured on Amazon Prime's Regular Heroes. His dedication has been acknowledged through numerous awards, including: 

• CEO of the Year (2021) by the Washington Business Journal 

• Best Veteran Owned Business in America (2021) by US Chamber of Commerce 

• Best Overall Business in Alexandria (2021) by Alexandria Chamber of Commerce 

• Inc.com Best in Business (2021).

Before joining the private sector, Glenn Gaffney served in the US Intelligence Community for 31 years. His government service included senior positions as the Director of Science and Technology for the Central Intelligence Agency, the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection, and the Associate Director of CIA for Talent. Throughout his career he has led new endeavors in technical collection operations, the analysis of space and advanced conventional weapons systems, information operations, and identity intelligence to address critical national security challenges.

Prior to joining Buildmo, Glenn served as Executive Vice President  and Senior Fellow at IQT, where he served from 2017–2022.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Gaffney has received two Presidential Rank Awards, two National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medals, three CIA director’s awards, and two CIA Distinguished Service Medals.

Mr. Gaffney is an engineering sciences graduate from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Dr. Vega is the Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of Building Momentum. He leads Building Momentum’s Innovation Designed team and has become a renowned expert in rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing, RF and software defined radios, mechatronics and robotics, coding, unmanned systems, remote sensing, and fabrication. 

Previously Dr. Vega has worked in rapid prototyping and product development for the Department of Defense/US Army Rapid Equipping Force. This includes time in Afghanistan as a scientist developing solutions in the battlefield.  He also has consulting experience in  failure mode and effects analysis focusing on lithium-ion batteries, ceramic transducers, and automobile electronic systems.  

Albert received his PhD and Master’s in electrical engineering from Purdue University. His graduate work focused on the design, simulation, fabrication, and testing of an InP based quantum-well reflection modulator for high-speed direct space-to-time pulse shaping. He also has developed expertise in optics/RF photonics, semiconductor device fabrication, ultra-high vacuum systems, and digital manufacturing.

Prior to joining Buildmo in 2025, Chris Hancock served as Chief Executive Officer of AARNet, Australia’s Academic and Research Network for over ten years. Under his leadership AARNet extended the nation’s advanced network infrastructure and developed a suite of leading-edge technologies and solutions, enabling Australia’s participation on the world stage for research, science, education and innovation.

At Buildmo, Chris oversees the team’s Australia operations and is an integral thought leader across the firm’s global operations.

Earlier in his career Chris held several senior executive positions at the Seven Television Network, Vodafone, and Optus. Chris is a past Chair of the Internet Industry Association and a member of the Global REN CEOs Forum and Cyber Security Group. He is a director of the board of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue and a past director of the boards of the New England Girls’ School, the Smart Services CRC and the Starlight Foundation. In January 2021, Chris was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to education and online research networks, and to Australia-USA relations. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of New South Whales.

Julie Rios is a seasoned curriculum designer and expert technology educator with over 20 years creating impactful, hands-on learning experiences. As Chief Experience Officer at Building Momentum, Julie leads the design and delivery of immersive STEM programs that engage students, educators, and communities through creative and real-world problem solving.

Julie specializes in integrating emerging technologies- such as 3D printing, electronics, and robotics- into meaningful learning environments. She has developed and scaled programs that include field trips, design thinking workshops, and team-building experiences, all rooted in empowering learners through exploration and engineering.

Julie has extensive experience in educator professional development, equipping teachers with the tools and confidence to bring hands-on STEM activities into their classrooms. Her programs have reached schools, districts, and organizations across the country, always with a focus on access, equity, and community impact.

Julie also serves on the board of Alexandria Beyond the Classroom, supporting citywide out-of-school-time learning initiatives. She is driven by a deep belief that when people are given the space and tools to build, they gain more than just technical skills- they gain agency, confidence, and a future they can shape.

As Chief Operating Officer, Ned Ash is the beating heart of Buldmo’s day to day operations, and the human centred strategic thinking that drives sustains the team’s capacity to innovate at speed. 

Ned graduated from West Point and spent the next sixteen years leading Cavalry units around the world, culminating as an Executive Officer/2IC of a Squadron as it trained, deployed, and executed security operations in Afghanistan.  He then spent six years in the Pentagon at the Army’s Program Analysis and Evaluation Office, and as an Army Budget Liaison to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.  After retiring from the Army, Ned pursued his interest in the industrial arts and design as the founder of a business making custom storage devices for the X-Wing Miniatures Game and as a Member Ambassador at TechShop Arlington-DC.  Ned has been with Building Momentum since 2018, contributing across multiple departments to solve interesting problems and make cool stuff. 

Jennifer Hendrixson White serves as Buildmo’s European Director, and is widely recognized as a leading expert on national security issues related to foreign affairs and defense, international trade and economics, cyber, AI and emerging technologies.

Prior to joining Buildmo, Jennifer served in senior positions across the U.S. government from 2010 to 2025, working on a range of Asian security, economic, and technology issues at the State Department, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate, as well as stints at the Pentagon, USINDOPACOM, and the National Security Council.

As a senior advisor to two former Chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jennifer played a critical role in the passage of major bipartisan legislation, including the landmark Australia–UK–U.S. (AUKUS) Security Partnership; the 20-year renewal of the Compacts of Free Association enabling U.S. military access in the Western Pacific; and sanctions on the North Korean regime in Title III of the Countering American Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) of 2017. In addition, she drafted and negotiated complex bipartisan legislation to eliminate double-taxation for businesses in the U.S. and Taiwan and facilitate investment in the United States, including on advanced semiconductors.

Ms. White is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for New American Security. Jennifer earned a Master of Arts degree from the Johns Hopkins School of International Studies.

As Chief Strategy Officer at Buildmo, Matt Renninger oversees the team's overall strategic planning in addition to taking a leading role in managing external partnerships, government and international engagement, as well as marketing and development. 

Prior to joining Buildmo Matt served as Managing Partner at Apollo Group Consulting, Chief of Staff to Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk, Legislative Assistant to Congressman Rick Larsen (WA-02), Senior Congressional Liaison to the Embassy of Australia and the Senior Government Relations Manager at the Planetary Society.

Matt holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from Washington State University, and an M.A. in Government and International Relations from the University of Sydney. He is a returned United States Peace Corps Volunteer, and sits on the Congressional Advisory Board at the U.S.-Asia Institute, and is Co-Chair of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue Space Leadership Dialogue.