ManTech, a defense technology company, has announced the members of the company’s first defense advisory board.

The defense advisory board will provide strategic insights that enhance innovation, capabilities and mission success for the company’s defense customers, the Herndon, Virginia-based company announced Thursday. The board also aims to support the continued growth of ManTech’s defense sector leadership.

David Hathaway, ManTech defense sector president and chairman of the defense advisory board, said, “Our Defense Advisory Board members bring extraordinary insight and expertise to ManTech’s core strategic objective – defending national security, whatever the need, whatever the mission.”

ManTech Defense Advisory Board Members 

Lt. Gen. Bill Bender

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Bill Bender is a 34-year veteran who served as the service branch’s chief information officer, holding senior authority over the USAF’s information technology. In this position, Bender oversaw three directorates and supported 54,000 cyber missions and personnel worldwide.

In addition to his role on ManTech’s defense advisory board, Bender serves in an advisory capacity for organizations like The Chertoff Group.. He also previously served as a senior vice president of accounts management at Leidos.

Rear Adm. Kathleen Creighton 

Rear Adm. Kathleen Creighton retired from the U.S. Navy in 2021 following a 33-year tenure. Creighton served as an information warfare community flag officer specializing in cybersecurity, IT services, network operations and C4ISR technologies. 

While serving in the Navy, she held numerous leadership roles including director of command, control, communications and computers at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. 

Vice Adm. Peter Daly

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Peter Daly served as the CEO and publisher of the United States Naval Institute from 2011 to 2023. As CEO, Daly oversaw a transformation of the Naval Institute, producing strategic plans that restored prestige and put the institute in a good financial position. Daly currently serves as the Naval Institute’s advisor. 

Daly was also a career surface warfare officer who led at sea at all levels through command of a carrier strike group.

Claire Grady

Claire Grady is the SVP of strategy at ManTech, where she guides the development of the company’s corporate strategy to deliver efficient outcomes for its clients.

Grady previously worked as the director of defense procurement and acquisition policy at the Department of Defense. In this position, she spearheaded the execution of $300 billion in yearly acquisition spending and oversaw strategic services acquisitions.

Lt. Gen. Michael Groen

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen Michael Groen spent 36 years in the service. Groen’s most recent roles include serving as director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and senior executive for AI in the DOD.

Groen previously served at the National Security Agency, spearheading computer network operations and as the director of Joint Staff Intelligence and collaborating with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and secretary of defense.

Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn served as director of the Defense Information Systems Agency. In this role, he managed the third-largest network in the world, which aimed to develop an advantage for U.S. combat forces and allied nations.

Lynn has overseen classified and unclassified networks for all branches of the military and the White House.

Maj. Gen. Kurt Sonntag

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Kurt Sonntag, CEO of Strategic Overwatch Consulting, was the commanding general of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In this position, he was tasked with training and educating U.S. Army civil affairs, psychological operations and special forces soldiers.

Sonntag also oversaw modernization for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.