Shipbuilding Panel 

Mark Vandroff

Fincantieri Marine Group  |  SVP, Government Affairs

Mark Vandroff is SVP of Government Affairs for Fincantieri Marine Group. Prior to joining Fincantieri, Mark served as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council staff at The White House.  Before his civilian career, Mark served in the United States Navy, retiring from active duty with the rank of Captain. His command level tours included service as the Major Program Manager for ARLEIGH BURKE Class destroyers and Commanding Officer of Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock, Maryland. He holds a B.S. in Physics from the United States Naval Academy and an M.S. in Applied Physics from The Johns Hopkins University.

Admiral Mike Gilday, USN (Retired)

Crossover Solutions National Security  |  CEO

Mike Gilday is the CEO of Crossover Solutions National Security, the defense division of a global manufacturing consultancy specializing in improving the performance of manufacturers in the defense industrial base. He also serves on the advisory boards of a number of private equity and hi-tech firms. A career surface warfare officer, he retired from the U.S. Navy in 2023 as the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His 38-year career included command at every level – from two warships and a destroyer squadron, to an aircraft carrier strike group, and the Navy’s Cyber Command. He served in leadership positions on the Joint Staff, NATO, U.S. Cyber Command, and the White House.

Vince Stammetti

Blue Forge Alliance  |  COO & EVP

With over 30 years of leadership in the maritime industrial base, Vince brings extensive experience across shipbuilding, engineering, and defense programs. Previously, he held senior executive roles at CACI, Fincantieri Marine Group, Serco, BAE Systems, and DRS Technologies, where he managed major shipbuilding, engineering, and modernization initiatives across U.S. and allied naval fleets. Vince’s maritime expertise is rooted in his distinguished 20-year career in the U.S. Navy, where he retired as a Commander. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School."

Phil MacNaughton

House Armed Services Committee  |  Professional Staff Member

Phil MacNaughton serves as Staff Director for the House Armed Services Committee Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee under Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT). A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a BS in Political Science (1996-2000), MacNaughton brings extensive military and legislative experience to his role. His career includes service as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant (1996-2009) where he flew cargo planes during the Iraq War, followed by his transition to Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve (2009-present). MacNaughton's congressional career began at the House Armed Services Committee (2009-2013), followed by a brief role as Scan Eagle Officer in Charge with the International Security Assistance Force (2013-2014). He returned to the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in 2014, where he has served for nearly a decade, advancing to his current leadership position in 2023.

Matthew Bernard

[ Moderator ]

Harvard Business School

Matthew is a first-year MBA student at HBS. Matthew served 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator including assignments with HSM-73, the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, and the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).