About Spear AI
Founded in 2021, Spear AI specializes in delivering maritime artificial intelligence solutions that bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and operational reality.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Falmouth, MA and Groton, CT, we're dedicated to raising the standard of technical performance in the national security space.
Our Team
Matthew Barchick
VP, Services
Matt Barchick served as a USMC Captain on USDI&S Project Maven from 2019-2021, where he oversaw 60+ global sites and 30+ contractors deploying Computer Vision Models. His career began as a civilian in the DOD with the Navy, earning his Security Fundamentals Professional Certification (SFPC) before commissioning as a Marine Corps officer in 2015. He holds PMP certification and specializes in AI/ML, JADC2, and international partner engagements.
Alex Buck
Director, Data Engineering
Alex Buck is a former Naval Aviator and Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor with degrees from the US Naval Academy (B.S. in Aerospace Engineering) and MIT (M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics). He previously worked on Project Harbinger Air, developing processes for collecting operational acoustic data from MH-60R units. He holds AWS Cloud Practitioner and CompTIA Security+ certifications and has accumulated over 1,400 flight hours while continuing to fly in the US Navy Reserve.
Mandi Haase
Software Engineer
Mandi Haase brings nearly five years of experience building innovative web applications, holding a Bachelor's in International Relations with a minor in German from UC Davis and a Master's in Education from the University of Phoenix. She is a Registered Scrum Master™ and has extensive experience developing secure web applications using Java and JavaScript for large corporate clients. Her expertise includes engineering student learning management systems and implementing extensive testing protocols.
Matt Harlow
Project Manager
Matt Harlow is a graduate of the University of Idaho (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering). Matt is a Navy veteran who served as the Main Propulsion Assistant and Quality Assurance Officer on the USS Mississippi from 2019 to 2021. In his spare time Matt enjoys whitewater rafting and music festivals.
Briant Higgins
JADC2 SME
Briant Higgins brings over two decades of experience in IT management and defense operations as a Joint Interface Control Officer (JICO) and JADC2 Development Lead, holding a TS/SCI clearance. He earned recognition as the 1st JSOAC Civilian of the Year in both 2022 and 2023 for his work integrating SOF tactics, techniques, and procedures with conventional and coalition partners. He holds an MBA in IT Business Management from the American Public University System and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Southern Illinois University, both completed with honors.
Michael Hunter
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Hunter's extensive experience includes serving as a Navy intelligence analyst, supporting SEAL Team Two in Baghdad, and working with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He holds a BA in History and International Relations from Virginia Military Institute and an MA in National Security from Georgetown University. His career highlights include leading Navy projects for Project Maven and serving as a Technical Program Manager at Amazon Web Services.
Carl Kaiser
VP, Hardware
Carl Kaiser earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering/Robotics from Colorado State University and previously managed the UUV portion of the National Deep Submergence Facility at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. His career includes significant roles at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Saildrone, where he specialized in sensor development and integration for unmanned surface vessels. He brings extensive experience in deep-water deployments, holds multiple patents in acoustics and undersea technology, and is an experienced mixed gas rebreather certified diver.
Rory Keefer
Project Manager
Rory Keefer earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Grand Valley State University. He served in the Marine Corps specializing in aviation command and control, receiving qualifications as a Tactical Air Director and Air Support Element OIC. He now works in support of CDAO’s Global Information Dominance Experiment, improving DoD planning systems and processes that enable warfighters to deliver data informed options that enhance global awareness and integration.
Cody Kilpatrick
Software Engineer
Cody Kilpatrick served nine years as a Sonar Technician in the U.S. Navy, earning five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement awards. His Department of Defense contributions include configuring AWS environments, orchestrating Kubernetes deployments, and leveraging large language models to modernize legacy codebases. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife Sasha and their dog, pursuing interests in fast vehicles, video games, and hiking.
Jenn Lewis
Executive Assistant
Jennifer Lewis is the Executive Assistant with 25+ years of experience in administration and organizational leadership. As a administrator at Spear AI, INC , she specializes in a variety of areas, including office management, human resources, and financial management and is known for her administrative support to other employees within the organization . Her career highlights include Service Manager at Wells Fargo Bank, which resulted in the 2007 & 2008 Highest Servicing Branch in Washington State. Jenn holds a Associates Degree in Elementary Education from Daytona State College, but has worked in office management since 2002. Passionate about creating efficient systems, maintaining organization, supporting her team, Jenn takes pride in the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the office running smoothly. Jenn is a retired Navy spouse of 27 years, mother of 4, and grandmother of 3. When not working, she enjoys attending various sporting events, anything Disney, and caring for her family. She is the mother of a special needs child and volunteers at local events supporting Unified Programs.
John McGunnigle
Executive Chairman
John McGunnigle brings 30 years of experience in ASW operations with the US Navy, serving as a submarine Commanding Officer and Squadron Commodore. He holds a BS in Computer Science from the United States Naval Academy and an MS in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. As former Director of the Tactical Analysis Group at Undersea Warfighting Development Center, he founded Project Harbinger, pioneering the application of AI/ML to acoustics in the undersea domain.
Joseph Obeid
Machine Learning Engineer
Joseph Obeid holds degrees in Physics (Magna Cum Laude) and Mathematics (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was awarded the prestigious Levine Scholarship. After earning his M.S. in Applied Physics with honors, he transitioned to machine learning, leading projects in deep learning object detection and winning the 2022 HacktheMachine Unmanned competition. His current work focuses on developing generalized reinforcement learning tools and acoustic data pipeline management.
Hersh Rai
Project Manager
Hersh Rai previously served as a Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) officer in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he specialized in tropical cyclone forecasting applications. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and earned an MS in Computer and Information Technology from Purdue University as a Purdue Military Research Institute (PMRI) Fellow. His expertise lies in enhancing advanced data strategies and deploying scalable machine learning pipelines to improve national security effectiveness.
Sam Scanlon
Project Manager
Sam Scanlon served as an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer, commanding the 53rd EOD Company and deploying with 1st Special Forces Group, where he supervised over 500 EOD technicians in 23 locations. His military service earned him recognition as #1 out of 37 peers and a Bronze Star. At Ontic, he managed a $2 million portfolio with a 95% retention rate and served as the company's lead technical SME.
Tulsa Scott
Project Manager
Tulsa Scott served 8 years in the Navy, including 3.5 years aboard the submarine USS Georgia and 2 years leading submarine initiatives in Project Harbinger. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His expertise includes managing petabytes of data, overseeing algorithm development and deployment among naval platforms, and creating training programs for forward operators.
Thomas Seaver
Software Engineer
Thomas Seaver holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, specializing in media computing and systems architecture. He spent two years at IBM's Weather team developing business-to-business software solutions and integrating complex systems. Outside of work, he enjoys exploring new technologies through hands-on projects, running, watching movies, and spending time with his black cat, June.
Adam Syed
Intern
Adam Syed earned his Master's Degree in Data Science from the University of Connecticut in 2024, following his Bachelor's in Management Information Systems from the same institution. From 2020 to 2023, he worked as a data analyst and contact tracer at UConn, developing strong skills in data analysis and collaboration. He is currently pursuing AWS and Security+ Certifications to enhance his technical capabilities.
Dennis Torres
VP, Software
Dennis Torres earned his Computer Science degree from Carnegie Mellon University and co-founded Blrrt, a real-time voice messaging platform. He previously served as technical lead for Silverstreet Technologies, a fintech platform helping people without access to traditional banking services. He specializes in large-scale acoustic datasets, acoustic object detection/classification algorithms, and multiagent reinforcement learning.
Jared Wilson
Director, Product Management
Jared Wilson graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. His military experience includes serving as a submarine officer on the USS Connecticut from 2017 to 2020, where he developed expertise in naval operations and technical systems. He specializes in managing acoustic data pipelines and infrastructure.