Board of Trustees Events

Dr. Shawn DuBravac is author of the New York Times Best Seller Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate (Regnery, 2015), which explores how the world’s mass adoption of digital technologies portends the beginning of a new era for humanity in the realms of business, healthcare, finance, transportation and culture.

DuBravac is a well-regarded futurist and trendcaster who writes frequently on disruptive technological shifts. He advises companies and C-level executives on market opportunities and industry strategy. He is president and founder of Avrio Institute which provides consulting, research and advisory services to CxOs on a myriad of topics including digital transformation strategies, business model disruptions, the pace of technological change and overcoming myopic thinking.

For over a dozen years DuBravac served as chief economist for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer tech companies and owner and producer of CES.

Ken was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June 2025 to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department. As Assistant Secretary, he leads a team of about 120 staff responsible for developing and implementing federal tax policies and programs. Ken also serves as Acting IRS Chief Counsel. As Acting Chief Counsel, he is the chief legal advisor to the IRS Commissioner on all matters pertaining to the interpretation, administration and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Laws. The Chief Counsel provides legal guidance and interpretive advice to the IRS, Treasury and to taxpayers.

Previously, he served as the managing director of the Federal Policy Group, LLC and co-managing partner of the Washington National Tax Services office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Prior to joining PwC, he served as Chief of Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation and Chief Republican Tax Counsel to the Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives. He also served as the firm wide Chair of the Tax Practice at the law firm Baker Hostetler. Mr. Kies holds an L.L.M., Taxation from Georgetown University Law School, 1986, a JD, Cum Laude from The Ohio State University College of Law, 1977, and a B.G.S. (The Honors Tutorial College), Cum Laude, from Ohio University, 1974.
 

Founder, Mehlman Consulting; formerly Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy; Policy Director and General Counsel to the House Republican Conference under Rep. J.C. Watts (R-OK); and General Counsel to the National Republican Congressional

With nearly three decades experience in public policy, business and the law, Bruce helps leaders and organizations understand, anticipate and navigate political risk.

Mehlman is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on policy and political trends, regularly headlining business conferences and strategic planning sessions. His quarterly infographic analyses are consistently picked-up by national media and eagerly consumed by tens of thousands of readers around the world. Television networks and shows including Showtime’s The Circus, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business and Hearst often ask Bruce to appear to discuss trends and their implications.

Bruce previously served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy under President George W. Bush. He also worked as a senior leadership aide in the House of Representatives, general counsel to a national political party committee and policy counsel to Cisco Systems.

Bruce is widely-regarded as an expert in running coalitions, quarterbacking issue campaigns and managing C-suite associations, bringing innovative approaches and determined execution to achieve impactful outcomes. An Adjunct Professor and Board Member of The Washington Campus, Bruce frequently lectures MBA candidates on “effective business-government relations.” He was a 2021 fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. Bruce serves on the advisory boards of start-up companies including FiscalNote, iLearningEngines and Virtru, in addition to serving on the Boards of The Center for Democracy & Technology, The Washington Campus and the State Science & Technology Institute.

Bruce earned a BA degree from Princeton University and a JD from the University of Virginia Law School where he served on the Virginia Law Review.

Matthias Bolling, based in Boston, supports industrial, technology, and private equity clients and organizations with a global manufacturing footprint. He is active in Egon Zehnder’s Industrial and Technology practices, with particular expertise in digital transformation. Matthias guides recruitment for CEOs, general management leaders expanding into commercial and operational functions. He also provides a range of leadership development services, including management appraisal and accelerated integration of transitioning executives.

Prior to joining Egon Zehnder, Matthias was COO North America for TUV Rheinland, a global leader in the testing, inspection and certification services market. Previously, Matthias held global leadership roles at Danaher Corporation in industrial and consumer product businesses. Earlier, Matthias held positions at Lucent Technologies and was responsible for Business Development at Bosch Telecom in Eastern European markets. Matthias began his professional career at a start-up technology company in Germany.

Matthias has an M.Eng in electrical engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Esslingen, Germany, and an MBA from Columbia University. He is passionate about cycling, soccer, and disruptive technology.

Major General (Ret.) James A. “Spider” Marks is Head of Geopolitical Strategy and Academy Securities’ Senior Advisory Board Member.

General Marks is the Founder and President of The Marks Collaborative, an advisory for corporate leader development, education and training and has led entrepreneurial efforts in global primary research and national security. He served over 30 years in the Army holding every command position from infantry platoon leader to commanding general and was the senior intelligence officer in the LA Riots, the Balkans, Korea, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He culminated his career as the Commanding General of the US Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

He has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf cluster, Bronze Star, and multiple combat, expeditionary and service ribbons. General Marks is a Master parachutist, authorized to wear Korean and Canadian Airborne wings, Air Assault qualified, and Honor Graduate of the US Army Ranger School. General Marks is a national security contributor to CNN and member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

Kevin M. Lewis serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Tubular Solutions. In this role, Mr. Lewis leads all aspects of finance, including financial planning and analysis (FP&A), corporate accounting, tax, treasury, and pension investments, as well as real estate and sales & operations planning. He also oversees the Tubular Solutions business. He is a member of the senior leadership team, reporting to President and CEO David B. Burritt.

Previously, Mr. Lewis served as Vice President of Finance & Strategy. As part of this role, he was responsible for Corporate Strategy, further strengthening the alignment of Company’s strategy with the Finance organization. Mr. Lewis also led the Transition Execution Office and North American Flat-rolled and Tubular FP&A.

Mr. Lewis joined U. S. Steel in 2008 as a Management Associate in FP&A. During his tenure, he took on roles of increasing responsibility across the finance organization, including FP&A, strategy and investor relations.

Mr. Lewis earned his bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he majored in finance and sports marketing. He also earned his Master of Business Administration from Duquesne University. Mr. Lewis is a member of Duquesne University’s Palumbo-Donahue School of Business Investment Strategy Advisory Council.

Stephen Gold has served as President and CEO of Manufacturers Alliance since March 2011. Over the past three decades, he has represented U.S. manufacturers in a variety of senior-level roles in nonprofit membership organizations, including in government relations, communications, and operations. Mr. Gold is presently a contributing columnist for IndustryWeek, and has served as an occasional guest columnist for The Washington Times. He regularly writes on topics such as the geopolitical challenges, automation and technology advances, workforce and demographic challenges, and public policy.

Prior to his current position as the Alliance’s President, he held the position as Senior Vice President of Operations for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) from 2006 - 2011, where he provided management oversight of the trade association's 50 business units, member recruitment and retention, international operations, business development, and meeting planning. While at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in the early 2000s, Mr. Gold helped launch NAM’s Campaign for the Future of U.S. Manufacturing and served as executive director of the Coalition for the Future of U.S. Manufacturing. He specialized in regulatory law in the 1990s, working at a D.C.-based firm in the consumer product safety practice group and in energy and environmental issues in the government relations practice group.

He has served on the Board of Directors of NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations, on the Board of Trustees of The Manufacturing Institute, and on the Alumni Board of the George Mason University School of Law, including a stint as president. Presently he serves as treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW).

Mr. Gold received a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law (cum laude), an M.A. in history from George Washington University, and a B.S. in history from Arizona State University (magna cum laude). 

Chris Cillizza spent four years as an editor at large at CNN and regularly appeared as a political analyst on the network’s airwaves. Prior to CNN, Cillizza worked for a decade at The Washington Post, where he founded The Fix political blog and built a reputation as the authority on fast, incisive analysis of the day's events. A frequent TV guest across networks, Cillizza was an MSNBC political contributor for eight years. Prior to The Washington Post, Cillizza reported on campaign politics for Roll Call, where he served as their White House Correspondent. He also previously reported for The Cook Political Report, where he covered gubernatorial and House races. A graduate of Georgetown University, he lives in Virginia with his wife and two sons and is a diehard Hoyas basketball fan.