Brad Chedister

Operating at the convergence of global scale transformative technology, Innovation, capital, and dynamic human & team interaction, Mr. Chedister is a “Human Potential” Leader with a passion for solving complex problems through leading diverse expert teams, ecosystem building, collective development, and resource teaming. Globally recognized expertise in connecting partnering organizations and operational users to innovative solution providers; building, engaging, and empowering ecosystems to collaboratively solve complex problems to achieve maximum positive impacts for National Security objectives and societal benefits. From 2018 – 2024, Mr. Chedister served as the Chief Technology & Innovation Officer of one of the world’s largest innovation ecosystems in partnership with the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, Federal Government, Academia, and Private industry – building and leading multiple relationships with key Political and business leaders as well as innovation Facility locations and teams across the United States, serving as the overarching architect and innovation & technology lead, and serving as a Special Advisor for Bio-Tech / Med-Tech / Human Performance Optimization Technologies. Mr. Chedister held the position of Warfighter Systems Architect Director at MIT affiliated Draper Laboratories from 2016-2018. In this role, he supported the building of relationships inside the National Security community and the development, test, evaluation, and transition to use of novel concepts in support of partner objectives for several project and effort lines. Mr. Chedister also served as a strategic innovation advisor/architect to SOCOM’s innovation hub from 2016-2018 for the Special Operations leadership. From 2013-2016, Mr. Chedister was a Technical Lead / Subject Matter Expert supporting USSOCOM HQ Commander’s top Science and Technology Initiative, the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) Joint Acquisition Task Force. The TALOS task force encompassed all aspects of Research and Development across the Special Operations Forces enterprise, to include human factors, biomedical, communications, novel materials, vision systems, and robotics / exoskeleton developments. Mr. Chedister was responsible for assembling and managing the global network of strategic interdisciplinary experts and organizations across Government, Industry, and Academia to achieve a “moon-shot” technology objective in service of the highest levels of National Security. From 2004 to 2016 he served as a supporting R&D Subject Matter Expert for several interagency / interservice / SOCOM programs including the Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) portfolio, Human Performance Program (HPP), TALOS, classified programs portfolio, Biomedical Initiatives Steering Committee (BISC), Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) portfolio, interagency Identity Dominance and Identity Superiority Programs, and Village Stability Operations Task Force for Credibility Assessment. Additionally, Chedister was selected to lead a brainstorming & working group dealing with key technologies in collaboration with the World Health Organization and White House R&D leadership in response to the Ebola crisis in Africa. Chedister is a Biomedical Engineer by education/training and holds a double master’s in engineering management and technology Management, as well as multiple certifications for advanced acquisition, R&D, and organizational leadership training. Prior to joining USSOCOM in 2005 – he played professional baseball for the Houston Astros MLB organization. • Mr. Chedister currently serves as a Board of Directors member and lead of LANDWERX (Non-Profit Agricultural Innovation Hub serving a large United States Agricultural cooperative and the US Ag sector), a Co-Chairman for the Warfighter Sustainment and Performance Working Group (NDIA); Chief Development Officer and Partner of the Liminal Collective; Advisory Member of the Cognitive Performer Working Group, Member of the Ergo Global Futures ecosystem, Northwestern University’s Kellogg Institute TWIN Member, and a Senior Strategic advisor to multiple Government, Academia, and Industry organizations.