Eric Versluys brings a broad range of experience in program management across aerospace, automation, and manufacturing to the TBGA team. He started his career developing custom robotic systems for nuclear decommissioning, and moved into the aerospace and defense sector at Lockheed Martin, working as a manufacturing engineer with cross functional and international teams to bring the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to low-rate production. Eric then transitioned to Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs, Signature Management Directorate, where he led R&D programs and integration and test efforts across the entire aircraft lifecycle, from concept and proposals to manufacturing, and sustainment. In 2018, Eric led the team of designers and fabricators that built the X-72 Darkstar for Paramount’s Top Gun Maverick, completing the entire full-sized model in less than 3 months.

Eric served as the ADP Platform Integration Lead, responsible for design and integration of antenna systems on various Lockheed Martin aircraft systems, and was selected as an Associate Technical Fellow in Additive Manufacturing of RF structures. He pioneered the use of additive manufacturing for antenna systems and has taken AM parts through the qualification journey completing successful flight tests and subsequent program integration on multiple manned and unmanned programs.

Following his tenure at the Skunkworks, Eric served as the Director of Defense Programs at 3DFortify, a composite DLP AM company that has pioneered composite additive manufacturing for the RF/antenna markets, as well as industrial and ceramic applications. During his time at Fortify, Eric grew the defense sales pipeline to over $10m and led as the Principal Investigator for an SBIR developing directional lens-based antennas that demonstrated >90% efficiency improvements with >90% cost savings compared to conventional beam-steered systems.

Eric graduated with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University, and lives in Southern California with his wife and 7 children.

Dr. Kevin Slattery was the Chief Scientist for Additive Manufacturing at Boeing Research and Technology (BR&T). He was responsible for developing and integrating the technical roadmaps and development plans for metallics AM for the entire company, along with building and leading a multi-skilled team to execute and deliver the technology throughout the enterprise. Prior to that, he was the Chief Scientist for Metals, Ceramics, and Mechanical Systems at BR&T, responsible for portfolio development and coordination while executing the additive manufacturing portion. He served as the Division Chief Engineer for USN & USAF fighters and U.S. Army rotorcraft in Boeing’s Military Sustainment organization, including international operators. From 1997 to 2012, he was on the BR&T Metals Team as a researcher and senior manager, where he primarily developed advanced low-cost titanium processing technologies supporting all Boeing products. He was the technical and programmatic lead in implementing the first in aerospace metal additive manufactured structural aircraft components for both spares and production, along with five other first in the industry technology implementations. Kevin currently holds 34 U.S. patents, with another 15 applications pending. Kevin has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T) and a DSc in Material Science and Engineering from Washington University.

For the last ten years, Dr. Kirk Rogers has used additive technologies to solve manufacturing, repair, and supply chain problems. He recently was the technical leader on the startup of a $40M Additive Manufacturing R&D center, culminating a nearly 20-year career at GE. Most of Kirk’s career has been in the medical device manufacturing realm, where he built manufacturing lines for and qualified numerous products. Kirk has 25 years of experience in materials processing and business strategy, including metal powder production, novel joining methods, metal additive manufacturing, novel refractory alloys, sustainable manufacturing, carbon composite materials, powder metallurgy, technology portfolio management, identification, and application of new process methodologies. Additionally, he is experienced in the development of patent and technology strategy. A technical innovator, and adept thinker, Kirk has obtained 3 U.S. patents and has filed more than 20 trade secrets and patent applications. Kirk obtained his B.S. Materials Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Purdue University. He completed postdoctoral work at The Ohio State University and is a certified Six Sigma Blackbelt.

Cynthia is one of the leading experts in Communications and Digital Engagement for the Additive Manufacturing industry, making connections and producing relevant and impactful content for various AM organizations for several years. She has been instrumental in building the online profile for several small to medium-sized AM companies, engaging a receptive audience, and analyzing the pulse of the industry through a variety of platforms and interactions. With her background in advertising and video production, Cynthia has been highly successful in telling the story of the industry, producing hundreds of informative videos for several AM clients. A native of Canada, Cynthia was a top ad agency producer with international agencies, winning the prestigious Gold Bessie for Top Commercial of the Year and produced high profile campaigns for clients such as Air Canada, Molson Breweries, and McDonald’s. Cynthia has a Bachelor of Arts in Radio and Television Communications from Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University). She is a regional ambassador for Women in 3D Printing and was named an America Makes Ambassador in 2023, recognizing her contributions to the additive manufacturing industry over the last 10 years.

Arun brings a 15+ year career in strategy and technical program management of advanced aerospace structures spanning new product development, advanced manufacturing, sustainability, digital product lifecycle, translating global market trends to product strategy and technology roadmaps, and implementing business process transformations using advanced data analytics. As the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Leader for the Advanced Structures business at Collins Aerospace, Arun spearheaded the business and IP strategy, technology and manufacturing readiness, life cycle assessments, and customer and regulatory acceptance of several business-critical metal and polymer AM technologies. Outside AM, Arun was deeply involved in the business financial planning, and helped craft sustainability, and digital product life cycle business strategies. He held the roles of Chief Engineer and Technical Product Manager for engineered equipment and nacelle thrust reverser system components on commercial airplane programs and helped establish engineering centers of excellence in India and Mexico. Arun holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of California, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and a Professional Certificate in Life Cycle Assessment from MIT.

Lexie brings a wealth of experience to her role, demonstrating a proven track record in event management and market research. She excels in managing every aspect of the event lifecycle, from initial brainstorming sessions to post-event evaluations. Prior to her current position, Lexie served as the Global Events Coordinator at Nikon SLM Solutions, where she successfully managed and executed an extensive calendar of 50+ global events annually. Her journey into the world of advanced manufacturing began during her college years, where she supported projects highlighting America Makes and Neighborhood 91 initiatives. Lexie developed organization and leadership skills while a student at Youngstown State University, serving in several leadership roles at different capacities. She graduated from Youngstown State with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.

Marshall first encountered additive manufacturing as an aerospace engineering student at The University of Texas at Austin, where he gained hands-on experience working with companies such as Arconic, SLM Solutions, EOS, and Authentise. After graduation, he started his career as a technical account manager at Origin, an additive manufacturing OEM startup, where he played a key role in developing, launching, and scaling the production of dental and medical devices. Following Origin's $100M acquisition by Stratasys, Marshall built and led teams in process engineering, materials development, and emerging technologies, with operations in San Francisco and Tel Aviv. His teams delivered solutions for the production of industrial tooling, electrical connectors, and end-use medical devices and implants. Marshall is passionate about integrating advanced manufacturing technologies at scale to drive the future of American manufacturing.

Erin is a leader in the areas of in-situ process monitoring and nondestructive testing (NDT) for additive manufacturing. She spent almost seven years at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, where she led research projects, developed the agency’s approach for qualifying in-situ process monitoring, and investigated radiographic sensitivity. With TBGA, she supports NDT, in-situ monitoring, and other AM qualification efforts on a variety of projects. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) and her Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Alabama in Huntsville. She currently resides in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where she enjoys their barbecue, temperate weather, and a successful football team.

Allie brings extensive experience in marketing strategy, branding, event management and promotions, and video production. With a specialty focus on graphics and multi-media design, Allie delivers impactful results for both print and digital applications. Allie successfully managed and executed three grand opening events at Neighborhood 91 Pittsburgh Airport Innovation Campus, the world’s first end-to-end additive manufacturing production campus. She has grown AM brands through logo creation, cohesive collateral, events, videos, and media campaigns. Previously, she worked with McConnell Marketing as an Account Executive/Senior Graphic Artist. Her impressive portfolio of work includes Mandarin Oriental, InterContinental, and the Ritz-Carlton, along with several boutique independent brands. She was instrumental in the planning and execution of the America Makes interactive Front Door To Additive experience at the Youngstown headquarters. She graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Advertising/Public Relations and a Minor in Graphic Design.

Dr. Richard Grylls is an internationally-recognized expert in metal additive manufacturing (AM), having worked in the industry for over 25 years, with experience across machine OEMs, end-users, suppliers, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. Richard has worked in a variety of engineering, applications, commercial, and market roles, with the common thread being a passion to drive industrialization of metal AM as a mainstream production process. Richard began his AM career in 1996 and was the first user of Optomec’s newly commercialized LENS technology in 1998. At GE Aerospace, Richard served as an SME for Ni-base superalloys, including alloy development, casting and welding process development, and materials qualification. He then became a world leader in DED technology upon joining Optomec, managing the applications-development lab for over ten years, and introducing two additional DED machines to the market. He was the lead author for ASTM’s Standard Guide for DED, published in 2016. Richard then gained broader experience in metal AM processes as Technical Director at SLM Solutions N.A., and as a Commercial Director at Carpenter Additive, adding skills in L-PBF process and equipment development, powder manufacture, service bureau part sales, and part qualification. Most recently, Richard served as Chief Engineer for Additive Technology at Beehive Industries, where he was responsible for developing novel metal AM processes to support Beehive’s products, and qualification of those products within critical industries. Richard currently holds 23 U.S. patents, with another 2 applications pending, and has published twenty-five technical papers. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Science of Materials from The University of Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Metallurgy from The University of Birmingham.

Mark has a proclivity for all things mechanical and is skilled at turning concepts into reality within the defense, commercial, and automotive sectors. He has an extensive manufacturing background spanning over 42 years, with critical roles in engineering, operations, facilities, supply chain, and quality. Over the last decade, Mark has focused on large-scale additive manufacturing, specializing in titanium laser wire directed energy deposition (DED) for aerospace. His most recent role as Chief Technologist for GKN Aerospace focused on the industrialization of DED technologies, including application selection, Design for DED, cost-modeling, upstream and downstream process maturation, facility and infrastructure readiness, and AM equipment and process development. Mark helped establish an $18M CRADA and spent 5 years working with the Oak Ridge National Labs team to develop equipment and process controls for robotic laser wire DED. As an active member of SAE AMS-AM committee, Mark authored draft AMS 7009 and 7010 DED material and process specifications. Mark obtained a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Washington University of St. Louis and makes his home in the St. Louis region.

Chelsea began her engineering career at Honeywell Aerospace, gaining experience in various roles, including additive manufacturing. Her AM experience focused on developing metal parts built on powder bed machines for aerospace applications. Her experience qualifying production parts for AM with the FAA at Honeywell led her to a role in new product engineering at Arconic (formerly Alcoa) where she successfully qualified additively manufactured parts for aerospace production for a major aircraft manufacturer. Her work with various manufacturers for flight and space has honed her AM design skills for diverse applications. Lean certified by her alma mater, Arizona State University, and Honeywell, she cultivates streamlined AM designs, production, and applications.

Matthew has demonstrated his ability to successfully guide the implementation of new metallic materials and processes in production environments through his unique combination of technical expertise, qualification/certification knowledge, and ability to develop new suppliers. This expertise has been cultivated over a 20+ year career in developing new technologies for military, space, and commercial aerospace platforms with multiple companies. His involvement with metallic AM began in 2001 when working in Lockheed Martin Skunk Works on laser powder-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes under the Metals Affordability Initiative. This initial exposure to AM led to a primary career focus on maturing DED technologies for titanium alloys to realize their benefits within the aerospace industry. In Matthew's latest position as an Associate Technical Fellow on the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Product Development team, he led the development of titanium wire-DED processes. In 2017, he led qualification of the first additively manufactured structural titanium parts for commercial aircraft which was recognized by an Aviation Weekly Laureates Award. Beyond metallic AM, Matthew has experience in developing a wide variety of metallic materials and processes including qualification of a Ni-based superalloy composite overwrapped pressure vessel for use on the International Space Station. He also serves as a member of the MMPDS Committee involved in the development of metallic allowables for the aerospace industry. Matthew currently holds 3 U.S. patents with another 2 applications pending. Matthew has a B.S. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a M.E. in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Ethan is an experienced business and engineering professional in the Aerospace & Defense industry. While at Lockheed Martin, he garnered a broad set of skills and experience from developing, building and managing complex supply chains, leading billion-dollar defense proposals, and implementing advanced manufacturing technologies into production programs. During his tenure, Ethan’s proposal leadership resulted in the capture and execution of over $1B in new business for Lockheed’s Aeronautics business unit. In his most recent experience with nTopology, Ethan's focus was relationship building, driving application adoption of new and novel AM applications and identifying expansion opportunities across strategic accounts. His new role with The Barnes Global Advisors will fuse two of his passions together, supply chain management and advanced manufacturing, to assist the Department of Defense in cultivating a strong, resilient, responsive and healthy United States industrial base that improves readiness for the Warfighter and ensures America’s safety. Outside of work, Ethan is a BBQ pit master and can be found at local Dallas breweries selling out of his delicious, craft smoked meats.

Nikki has 15 years of business and accounting experience, with an emphasis on small business. She has spent a portion of her business career in management and played important roles in process implementation and improvements. Nikki holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. Nikki is located within Illinois, in the Great St. Louis region, where she is also self-employed as a Residential Real Estate Appraiser. Outside of work, she and her family enjoy time spent outdoors with family, friends, and animals.

Chris started his career at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, focusing initially on additive manufacturing technology development, characterization, and implementation for composite tooling and flight hardware. While at LM, Chris was responsible for optimizing AM process parameters, developing an initial database of design allowables, and producing the first internal design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) guidelines. He managed additive manufacturing research and development activities at Arconic (formerly Alcoa) Titanium & Engineered Products facility in Austin, Texas. While at Arconic, Chris was involved in all aspects of AM process development, machine operation (EOS, SLM, Renishaw, and Arcam), facility build-out, and production qualification of additively manufactured flight hardware. Chris supports customer projects involving any aspect of the AM design process (DfAM, topology optimization, build file preparation, process simulation, inspection) or AM production implementation for laser/electron beam powder bed fusion (process specifications, powder management, machine, and process management). Chris obtained his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with High Honors from the University of Texas at Austin.