Dr. Denise Nicholson is a leading executive known for her unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen, spanning government, academia, and industry. She serves as COO and VP of Mission Portfolios at SoarTech, which, until the recent acquisition, was a growing small business specializing in DoD AI applications. Her impact at SoarTech is profound, professionalizing business development and project execution processes in preparation for a successful managed acquisition. With a focus on AI/ML technologies, Denise contributes to various DoD domains, including Autonomy, C4I, and Training and Simulation. She excels in concept creation and ensures effective project execution through staff alignment.Additionally, as the head of the Engineering Team, she fosters an innovation-driven culture, achieving Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that significantly contribute to SoarTech's growth. Denise's multi-faceted background and strategic prowess position her as a key player in shaping the future of AI technology for the military's toughest challenges. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and ability to lead mission-critical initiatives set her apart as a dynamic leader in the field, making her a driving force behind SoarTech's success.Highlights:Denise has a PhD & MS in Optical Sciences from UofA, BS in ECE from Clarkson University, is a graduate of NAVAIR’s Senior Executive Management Development Program (SEMDP), DAWIA Level III Certified, in Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering, SAK Improv Level I and a Certified Modeling and Simulation Professional (CMSP). Dr. Nicholson has a technical patent (#US5986758 A), over 100 referred publications, was founding Co-Chair of Augmented Cognition International, Chair for AHFE’s Human Factors in Robots and Unmanned Systems, as well as the Cross-Cultural Decision Making and Human Factors in Cyber Security Conferences.Member of Team Orlando since 1997 serving IITSEC, Women in Defense (WID) and NDIA. She is an alumna of Leadership Orlando Class #94 and is the 1st female Executive member of Lake Highland Preparatory School's Board of Trustees. Denise is passionate about paying forward serving as CFL NDIA's STEM Cooridator, an ASPIRE mentor, FIRST Robotics FRC Judge, Instructor for USNSCC Centurion Battalion and coach of the Netrunners CyberPatriot Team.