custom title Amber Ingwell
default title Amber Ingwell
MAJ Amber Ingwell is an aviation officer with leadership experience in the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade and 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade. She currently serves as an Instructor at the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where she has also taught American Politics in the Department of Social Sciences. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an M.P.A. from Cornell University.
custom title Bre Washburn
default title Bre Washburn
Lieutenant Colonel Washburn is a Military Intelligence Officer with over eighteen years in the Army serving in tactical, operational, and strategic units. She is a 2003 graduate of the US Military Academy and is a Marshall and Truman scholar. She holds masters’ degrees in International Security Studies, National Security Studies, and War Studies. Her broadening assignments include time with the Joint Special Operations Command and Theater Special Operations Command-Africa, as well as serving as a special advisor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander. Bre’s leader development interests include self- and community-development; mentorship; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
custom title Patrick Naughton
default title Patrick Naughton
Major Naughton is a Medical Service Corps Army Reserve officer and a Military Historian. He is currently serving as an Executive Officer in a Field Hospital. Naughton is a former Legislative Liaison to the US Senate, an Interagency Fellow, and a Congressional Partnership Program Fellow with the Partnership for a Secure America. He is a recipient of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. Naughton holds a Master of Military Arts and Science degree in History from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, where he was an Art of War Scholar, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has published in several venues to include Military Review, Interagency Journal, Joint Force Quarterly, Journal of America’s Military Past, Journal of the American Revolution, Journal of the Southwest, Military Images Magazine, and with National Defense University.
custom title Paul Lester
default title Paul Lester
Dr. Paul Lester is an Associate Professor and teaches ethical leadership at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA. A retired U.S. Army officer, Paul received his undergraduate degree from West Point and doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was commissioned as an Infantry officer, served in the 101st Airborne Division, commanded in the 2nd Infantry Division, and later transferred to the Medical Service Corps as a research psychologist. He served on the West Point faculty and taught leadership, deployed to Iraq to study combat leadership, and next mentored faculty at the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. Prior to joining NPS, Paul served in the Pentagon and later founded the Research Facilitation Laboratory in Monterey, the Department of Army’s premier people analytics and data science organization.
Paul is the recipient of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. He has published extensively on leadership, resilience, well-being, mentorship, and courage.
custom title Joseph Huitt
default title Joseph Huitt
Major Huitt is a Cyber Warfare Operations Officer, currently serving at U.S. Army Cyber Command. He is a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff, U.S. Naval War College and a Distinguished Military Graduate of Augusta University. Over his twenty-three plus years in service, including his enlistment prior to commissioning, Major Huitt has served in leadership positions from the tactical to strategic levels. He has gained invaluable experience serving with Special Operations Command in West Africa, USAFRICOM in England, NATO-ISAF in Afghanistan, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade in Germany, USARCENT in Saudi Arabia, 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea and numerous stateside units. Major Huitt holds masters’ degrees in Defense and Strategic Studies, and Intelligence Studies. In addition to his traditional awards, Major Huitt is also a proud recipient of the Sergeant Major of the Army Van Autreve Leadership Award and the Saint Isidore Cyber Award.
custom title Josh Bowen
default title Josh Bowen
Major Bowen is passionate about making people and organizations better through leader development. He is an engineer officer currently serving as a student at the Command & General Staff Officer Course at Fort Leavenworth, KS. He most recently served as a Tactical Officer and instructor of leadership at USMA. Josh is the founder of 3×5 Leadership, a blog and supporting portfolio of free resources for leader development. He has conducted graduate studies in organizational psychology and engineering management. Josh is married to Lindsey, and they have a 2-year-old daughter and newborn son.
custom title Kevin Wolgast
default title Kevin Wolgast
Captain Wolgast is an active-duty Engineer officer. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2020 with a degree in Computer Science and was captain of the Orienteering team as well as a leading member of the Student Conference for United States Affairs (SCUSA). Kevin is focused on helping the Army create and maintain 21st Century Soldiers who are powerful, empathetic, and forward-thinking individuals. He is personally interested in the development and influences of technology as well as the United States’ international relations with China. Kevin is currently serving as a Platoon Leader in the 630th Clearance Company, 11th Engineers Battalion under the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Humphreys, South Korea.
custom title Austin Wesley
default title Austin Wesley
Captain Wesley is an active duty Engineer currently assigned to Colorado School of Mines Army ROTC as the Assistant Professor of Military Science. He graduated from Viterbo University with a B.A. in Technology Education and commissioned through ROTC as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He earned his master’s degree at Missouri S&T in Geological Engineering simultaneously completing his Project Management Professional certification. His previous assignments include time at Fort Carson, CO where he served as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer. Austin spent the last four years at Fort Bragg, NC serving as a Battalion Engineer for a Civil Affairs unit and completed company command in an airborne Engineer Support Company. Austin has a passion for leader development and the Army profession. He enjoys mentoring and coaching leaders to become the best versions of themselves. He spends his free time reading and spending time with his amazing wife and son.
custom title Max Weisman
default title Max Weisman
Second Lieutenant Weisman is a Field Artillery Officer, 2021 West Point graduate and 2021 CJO 30 under 30 recipient. During his time at the Academy, Max served as a member of the Army football team, led the Black & Gold Leadership forum, and was selected as a Brigade Leader Development Officer. While studying abroad his Junior year at Tel Aviv University, Max focused his studies and research on disruptive innovation. His interest in innovation-focused companies led him to intern at companies including the private equity firm, Blackstone. At Blackstone, Max worked in portfolio operations and assisted with the veteran’s initiative. Max also created a leadership organization, Leaders of Character, which aims to influence the next generation of leaders through interviews with prominent leaders that provide differing perspectives on leadership development. Some of the leaders interviewed have included U.S. Secretary of State, Army Generals, and CEOs of companies such as PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble.
custom title Michael Watkins
default title Michael Watkins
Second Lieutenant Watkins graduated with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic in 2015. He was a Gilman International Scholar and formally studied in both Jordan and Israel. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted for active duty. After over five years of enlisted service, he commissioned through the Officer Candidate School (OCS) in 2021 as a Signal officer. Michael has trained in Persian Farsi at the Defense Language Institute, served with 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and will serve with the 1st Armored Division. Lieutenant Watkins enjoys carpentry, cycling, and running in his free time.