StraCon has a professional acquisition staff that has developed an extensive network of subject matter experts and support capabilities that are immediately accessible.
Debbie Paris
Chief Executive Officer
Debbie Paris is the CEO of StraCon Services Group. Debbie has over 20 years experience supporting the government as an Integrated Product Team (IPT) lead and as a vendor providing OEM based products to government clients. She has extensive experience in Program/Project management and has performed lead roles on the development and delivery of numerous complex products and is widely recognized for her ability to develop and lead high performance teams. She has planned, organized, staffed and lead multiple teams to deliver multi-million dollar products on cost and schedule while meeting performance requirements. She fully understands the challenges associated with the integration of complex systems. She has been responsible for the development of multiple major program initiatives that required her to personally brief several Flag Officers and Senior Executive Service personnel. One of her strengths, whether as a manager on the industry team or as a government IPT lead, is ensuring all parties have an aligned understanding of the requirements prior to embarking on the development of a product, and that they maintain that alignment throughout the entire procurement process. This intense focus on maintaining a government, industry and warfighter alignment with regard to the requirement has resulted in multiple under budget and ahead of schedule product deliveries. She passionately believes in the development of a high performance team that includes all components of the Acquisition Triad (government, industry and warfighter). Debbie holds a BA degree in Communications.
Ken Fancher
Chief Strategy Officer
Ken has spent the last 21 years in acquisition related assignments. He is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the development of Acquisition Strategies for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAP), and has helped multiple clients manage the integration of highly complex training system components. Ken has been heavily involved in providing Technical and Program Management Support and is experienced in all phases of government acquisition activities that include planning, organizing, staffing, leading team efforts, and managing the integration of multiple highly complex training system components. He has been responsible for planning and leading teams composed of diverse engineering management disciplines through a variety of complex tasks in support of developing transformational weapon system concepts. Ken retired from the USMC in 2005 after having served in NAVAIR and OPNAV as a Level 3 certified acquisition professional. As a Marine Lieutenant Colonel, Ken was responsible for the cost, schedule, and delivery of V-22 USMC and USAF Special Operations Command high fidelity training products valued more than $700 million. He led a program team with over 150 industry and government acquisition personnel and delivered over 30 products with an average cost performance index (CPI) of 1.12 (12% under budget) and schedule performance index (SPI) of .99. He developed the USMC’s Training Transformation initiative that removed unnecessary training from the V-22 aircraft and increased training from less than 10% in the ground based training environment to greater than 68%. This allowed $1.6 billion in aircraft assets to be delivered to the operational fleet and accelerated the operational squadron deployment for this new production aircraft. Ken is a highly qualified Program Manager that understands the complexity associated with the integration of multiple systems, and how numerous functional disciplines must work together to deliver quality products to the warfighter. Ken has been heavily involved in continuing to provide Technical and Program Management Support for multiple Naval Acquisition programs over the last 12 years.
Austin Craig
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
Austin Craig serves as CFOO and is responsible for the strategic financial planning and financial management for the organization. His direct duties include forecasting, budgeting, risk mitigation, government cost submissions, and rate agreements along with management of credit and financial agreements. He is also responsible for cost control within all departments to meet the organizations overall profit and competitive objectives. In addition, Austin represents the company in its interaction with external audit agencies such as DCAA, DCMA and third party independent auditors. Furthermore, Austin maintains oversight of the company-wide internal operations to include Accounting, Human Resources, Quality Assurance, and Information Systems. Austin reports directly to the CEO and has proven to be a critical component of the management team by ensuring that StraCon remains both sustainable and profitable during multiple substantial stages of growth. Austin has developed a strong operational foundation by creating many of the company’s policies and procedures and still plays a major role in this process. Prior to joining StraCon in 2010, Austin progressed through a wide range of leadership roles within the supply chain industry where he assisted multiple clients in the successful launch of new business units. His Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma certifications along with his extensive knowledge in Procurement, Forward and Reverse Logistics, Operations Management and Information Systems enabled Austin to lead cross-functional teams in the successful launch of many new startups. To enhance StraCon’s scalability and agility, Austin maintains a vigilant commitment to continuous improvement. He is a proven leader with tremendous success in both strategic and operational roles. Austin holds a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at Arlington.
Doug Mederos
Chief Customer Officer
Doug joined the StraCon Team in October 2015 and brings with him 25 years of DoD professional experience, with the last 10 years in Navy Acquisition Program/Project and Logistic management roles. Doug has performed multiple management and technical leadership roles with progressive levels of responsibility for major weapons systems program offices within NAVAIR including PMA-242, PMA-274, PMA-213 and PMA-201. Doug has served as a Deputy Program Manager for Logistics as both an active duty Marine and a Navy Civilian supporting Crew Served Weapons Systems, Advanced Precision Kill Weapons Systems (APKWS)/Digital Rocket Launcher, In-Service Presidential Helicopters and the OE-120/UPX-29 shipboard antenna system. In addition to Doug’s management experience he has provided Subject Matter Expertise (SME) in systems acquisition processes, milestone development, aircraft training systems hardware requirements, and has actively participated in the test and evaluation of CH-53E, VH-3D and VH-60N aircraft and training related products. His expertise and experience with the design, development, delivery and integration of multiple aircraft and weapon systems upgrades have directly improved the warfighters ability to maximize the capability, sustainment and utilization of those weapon systems. Doug currently serves as the Program/Contract Manager for StraCon’s PMA-201 and Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) PM support contracts. He is responsible for the cost and performance management of over 60 geographically dispersed personnel. Doug is a United States Marine Corps retiree with over 20 years of aircrew training management, aviation aircraft system development/integration, and aviation ordnance weapons system development/integration and sustainment experience. His background in acquisition and sustainment of multiple aircraft platforms, aviation training systems, aviation ordnance systems and program development provides extensive experience for clients seeking program solutions. He is DAIWA Level III certified in Life Cycle Logistics, Level II certified in Program Management and is a Defense Acquisition Corps member. Doug has over 20 years of CH-53 USMC active duty experience and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Excelsior College.
Anne Welfare
Vice President of Contracts
Anne Welfare joined StraCon in 2015. She has over 15 years of experience in providing cradle to grave contract administration in support of federal contracts. Prior to moving to the USA in 1998, Anne’s British career was spent working for the Ministry of Defence and she has over 20 years’ experience specifically in the logistic support of military aircraft and associated equipment. She has worked for both large and small businesses’ and held leadership positions at Precise Systems, Inc., and GE Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace) in Germantown, MD. Anne is responsible for pre-marketing support and post-award contract administration, which includes: proposal preparation, cost and price proposals, negotiations, reviewing and approving prime and subcontractor contractual agreements, letter contracts, purchase orders, and task orders. She has responsibility for non-disclosure agreements, consulting agreements, teaming agreements, and government property oversight. Anne is the point of contact for StraCon’s Ethics and Compliance Program, maintaining the corporate registrations, drafting, reviewing, and administering StraCon’s contract-related policies and procedures.
Ryan Morning
Director of Business Development
Ryan joined StraCon in October 2018 brings over 20 years of leadership, operational, technical, and acquisition related aviation experience to the team. He has flown over 2,700 mishap-free flight hours in 18 Type/Model/Series (T/M/S) aircraft and a possesses a unique combination of fixed and rotary-wing experience coupled with an intimate knowledge of the DoD acquisition life cycle, systems engineering, and program management. He is a school trained Aviation Safety Officer, Operational Risk Management Instructor, and Crew Resource Management Instructor and has served as Standardization/Instructor Pilot as well as a Director of Safety and Standardization. Outside of the cockpit, he has managed programs and projects with annual budgets in excess of $850M. Ryan is a retired Marine Officer (Pilot/Acquisition Professional), a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps, and is DAWIA Level III certified in Program Management. Through the Scrum Alliance, he is a Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) and a Certified Scrum Master (CSM). Through the Project Management Institute (PMI), he is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP). Ryan holds BA degrees in Political Science and Economics from the University of Rochester, a Master of Business Administration from Boston University, a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from Marshall University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Systems Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School. He is a graduate of Marine Corps University Command and Staff College. Ryan has supported NAVAIR Programs for the past nine years. He served as the Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineering (APMSE) for Presidential Helicopters Program Office (PMA-274), the Program Manager for Electronic Flight Clearances (eFC) supporting NAVAIR Airworthiness and CYBERSAFE Directorate (AIR-4.0P), and as the Program Manager for Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) and Project Janus/Impact Next-Generation Open Mission Services (NOMS) for the Strike Planning and Execution Systems Program Office (PMA-281). He has successfully led software development efforts through CMMI Level III certification via Agile/Scrum methodologies. He currently serves as the Program Manager for Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Support Program Office (PMA-273) and as the Business Development Manager for StraCon.
Sharon Harp
Vice President of Proposals
Sharon Harp joined StraCon in 2021. She is a senior proposal professional with more than 25 years of experience in Federal contracting including proposal development, opportunity analysis, and technical editing/writing. Her proposal experience includes managing bids to U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and others. Sharon currently serves as the Director of Proposals for StaCon and is responsible for proposal process management, pre-RFP planning, preparing outlines and compliance matrices, facilitating kickoff meetings and review teams, writing sections as required, and managing production efforts. Prior to joining StraCon, Sharon held proposal leadership positions at Zenetex, LLC and Imagine One Technology and Management, LLC. She has successfully worked with large and small businesses and has more than 15 years of experience working with small businesses to develop right-sized proposal processes to meet the needs of a growing business. Sharon holds a BA degree in English from the University of Georgia.
Cereena Craig
Vice President of Human Resources
Cereena joined StraCon in 2015 and currently serves as Vice President of Human Resources. Cereena is responsible for directing all areas of Human Resources to include Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement and Retention, Performance Management, Benefits and Compensation, Professional Training and Development, HR Information Systems, and HR Data and Analytics. As an integral part of StraCon’s leadership team, she provides strategic guidance and leadership by establishing a clear vision and direction for organizational development. Cereena holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Science in Leadership and Management from Tarleton State University and maintains a Professional of Human Resources (PHR) certification.
Charina Wylin
Director of Finance
Charina joined the StraCon Team in February 2021 bringing 26 years of financial accounting experience to include international business finance, large inventory management, job costing and project account systems. Prior to joining StraCon, Charina was deployed for almost a decade serving the US military and our allies as a civilian contractor. She effectively organized and led teams handling all accounting and finance functions for a multi-billion-dollar program. She provided leadership and guidance to the site finance teams to ensure efficiencies in compliance with corporate, government contractual, and legal requirements while meeting program’s missions and initiatives. Her success operating on foreign soil is attributed to her understanding of different cultures and willingness to learn and transfer knowledge. Charina was an integral part of several business system integrations that led to cost reduction and increased competitive advantage. Charina is responsible for all direct supervision of all corporate finance functions. Charina holds a Bachelor of Science in Business degree and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree at Louisiana State University.
Damian Bates
Director of Strategic Communications
Damian currently serves as StraCon’s Director of Strategic Communications. He has over 25 years of dedicated service and experience in support of the Department of Defense and the defense contracting industry. Coming from a long history of family members who served in the military, he served as a United States Marine for over 20 years. Damian culminated a career in the Marine Corps having gained senior-level experience in building successful organizations, solving complex problems using creative solutions and following the disciplines of execution. He has worked with non-profit organizations across the country and has co-founded two non-profit organizations helping to communicate the needs and advance the well-being and vital social networks of the veteran community. Damian is responsible for developing the strategy and leading the execution of StraCon’s internal and external communications to include social media, print, and online content design. He has a strong understanding of cultivating and managing relationships across a broad spectrum of fields and industries using communication best practices. He also uses his natural and learned leadership styles to successfully serve as a Senior Program Manager in the defense industry and is committed to talent development. His engaged and creative approach to management, outreach and organization consistently produces quality results and impactful change for those he serves. Damian has a known reputation for building cohesive teams through servant-based leadership, stewardship, trust, and communication. He has managed a diverse portfolio to include major weapon systems and helicopter-based program offices within NAVAIR and strategic communication teams within NAVSEA and SURFPAC. Damian holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a focus on military veterans from the University of Southern California and a BA in Psychology from National University in San Diego.
Russ Bergeman
Director of Navy Operations, Orlando
Russ Bergeman joined StraCon in 2021 and serves as the Director of Navy Operations Orlando. Russ brings more than 30 years of military and civilian experience to the team. Russ was a Marine Corps CH-46E pilot with over 3,000 hours of flight time. During his time in the military, he attended and graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School with a degree in Defense Systems Analysis. After completing his graduate degree, Russ served in the Studies and Analysis Division of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command where he conducted and managed Marine Corps and Navy sponsored studies. After 9/11, Russ returned to the operational Marine forces and completed two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Russ is an organizational development expert and supported several programs within NAVAIR as a consultant. Russ recently sold a business he successfully grew from the ground up and has returned to supporting the Navy / Marine Corps team. Some of the government clients Russ has worked with include; Office of Personnel Management, Federal Executive Institute, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Labor and Naval Air Systems Command. Russ is a retired Lieutenant Colonel with 23 year of active military service. Russ holds a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and Aviation from Metropolitan State University of Denver, a Master of Science in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.