Kristen Smith
NobleReach has added Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Director Ralph Semmel and National Geographic Society CEO Jill Tiefenthaler to its board of directors.
Ralph Semmel’s Contributions as APL Director
Semmel brings to the board over four decades of experience in the development of breakthrough technologies, such as artificial intelligence and large-scale database systems, that have maintained U.S. leadership in next-generation national security and space exploration capabilities, NobleReach said Thursday.
Appointed to his current role in 2010, he oversees research and development projects for the Department of Defense, NASA, the Intelligence Community and other federal agencies. Before he became APL’s director, he held various roles at the laboratory, including head of the applied information sciences department, business area executive for infocentric operations, assistant head of the power projection systems department, deputy director of the research and technology development center and supervisor of the system and information sciences group. Prior to joining APL, he held leadership and technical positions with Wang Laboratories, MITRE Corporation and the U.S. Army.
Semmel, a West Point graduate with master’s degrees in computer science and systems management and a doctorate in computer science, has served as a member of the Defense Science Board and the U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group. He is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Jill Tiefenthaler Career Highlights
Tiefenthaler is the first female CEO of the National Geographic Society, where she guides a global community of national geographic explorers, namely scientists, educators and storytellers, to illuminate and protect the wonder of the world. She assumed the role in August 2020, bringing over three decades of experience in teaching and leading higher education institutions, including Colgate University, Wake Forest University and Colorado College.
According to the National Geographic Society, Tiefenthaler previously secured financial support for complex and dynamic organizations and fostered environments where growth and new thinking are celebrated and the next generation can make their mark.
Commenting on the new additions to the NobleReach board, the nonprofit organization’s CEO, Arun Gupta, said Semmel and Tiefenthaler’s experiences will add unique value to APL’s work to scale the United States’ talent and innovation infrastructure. “They are both exemplars of the leadership we seek to cultivate through our programs, embodying the entrepreneurial mindset and cross-sector acuity required to transcend institutional barriers and drive change,” he added.
Lisa Disbrow, NobleReach board chair, said Semmel and Tiefenthaler’s public and private sector experience would contribute to the organization’s initiatives supporting emerging leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers “who will help the U.S. stay ahead of its adversaries in technological and scientific innovation.”
