The people behind
OCEANS.

Michael has collaborated with the OCEANS Leadership team at DHS for more than a decade and officially joined the team in 2025. He collaborates with OCEANS Engineering teams supporting C-UAS mission operations for border security, maritime operations, and urban defense. In his role, he leads strategy and growth to increase OCEANS brand awareness, contract pursuits, and overall business development. He is a serial entrepreneur and retains more than 30 years delivering IT strategy, business intelligence, and geospatial services.

Prior to supporting OCEANS, Michael was an Ernst & Young (EY) Technology Transformation Partner/Principal focused on delivering technology within DHS, specifically Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Prior to being recruited by EY, Michael was a Founder & Owner of ArdentMC GIS Technology contractor responsible for scaling the business from bootstrap investment to 200+ FTE and more than $68M in annual revenue as the premier geospatial firm delivering across DHS, Military Health IT, and Federal Civilian Agencies. While leading ArdentMC's growth as Chief Growth Officer (CGO), Michael developed proven business development capture processes to win strategic sourcing contracts totaling more than $352M in prime contract awards. Prior to Ardent, his first homeland security effort was leading the design, development, and implementation of the Statue of Liberty's reservation system for its reopening after the events of 9/11. Under his leadership, he conducted safe operations for public visitors along with secure information sharing between Federal/Local law enforcement, USCG, and National Park Service.

Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Washington & Lee University and is a current Board member of The George Washington University's Security in Transition MBA Program sponsored by DHS.

Michael currently lives in South Riding, VA with his wife and two teenage children.

Momena Ali is a Portfolio Manager with more than eight years of experience supporting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in counter-UAS, homeland security technology, and operational systems integration. She specializes in systems engineering, operational test and evaluation (T&E), red teaming, and the transition of emerging technologies into operational use.

Momena has designed and led operational test strategies that evaluate technology under realistic mission conditions, helping federal agencies assess performance, identify operational risks, and inform acquisition decisions. She has helped establish first-of-their-kind C-UAS test environments at Miami International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, briefed congressional and senior executive leadership, and supported technology integration across DHS and interagency partners. Her experience spans program leadership, systems engineering, operational planning, and the deployment of mission-critical capabilities into complex operational environments.

Momena holds a Master's degree in International Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), an active pilot, and participates in several international affairs and national security fellowships, bringing both operational and strategic perspectives to emerging security challenges.

Specializes in performance testing, systems integration, and advanced sensor solutions, with experience supporting technical analysis and emerging-technology research for the Department of Homeland Security. Her background in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and detection informs a practical, systems-based approach to evaluating and integrating technologies that enhance security and operational effectiveness.