MCAA LEADERSHIP
Board of Directors
National Commander
LtGen Robert S. Walsh, USMC (Ret)
Deputy Commander
LtGen Terry Robling, USMC (Ret)
Treasurer
Col Chris Boniface, USMC (Ret)
Adjutant
Col Paul Fortunato, USMC (Ret)
Senior Enlisted Advisor
MSgt John Newport, USMC (Ret)
Legal Counsel
Vacant
Previous Commander
LtGen Thomas Conant, USMC (Ret)
Previous Commander
LtGen Jon Davis, USMC (Ret)
Previous Commander
LtGen Keith Stalder, USMC (Ret)
Previous Commander
Gen William Nyland, USMC (Ret)
West District Lead
Col Earl Wederbrook, USMC (Ret)
South District Lead
Col Chris Seymour, USMC (Ret)
Southeast District Lead
Col John Gumbel, USMC (Ret)
North District Lead
Col Laura Sampsel, USMC (Ret)
Northeast District Lead
Col James Quinn, USMC (Ret)
Governance Committee Lead
Col John Rupp, USMC (Ret)
Membership Committee Lead
Col Michael Orr, USMC (Ret)
Strategy Committee Lead
BGen Kevin Killea, USMC (Ret)
Audit Committee Lead
Col Al Sullivan, USMC (Ret)
Industry Committee
Col John Ostrowski, USMC (Ret)
Col Glenn Klassa, USMC (Ret)
Executive Director
Col John Rader, USMC (Retired)
A son of a corporate executive, “Smoke” was raised in the suburbs of New York City with four sisters. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Marine in 1976. He has had operational jobs that range from being a Weapons Platoon Commander to a Commander of a night-attack F/A-18 squadron. He is a graduate of U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and the Air War College and has over 4,000 hours in over 40 different type, model, series light civil, helicopter, sailplane, transport, and fighter/attack aircraft.
He had three tours as a test pilot and led the integration of many systems on the F/A-18, including AMRAAM, Maverick, Night Attack navigation, Harpoon, Laser Guided ordnance, various AIM-9 variants and was the first to fly with a helmet mounted visor display in a fighter class airplane. Spending part of his career in acquisition, he was the Chief Systems Engineer at the F-35 Program Office, and a program manager for both the Government and Industry, having spent 12 years as a Vice President at the Boeing Company, after 28 years of active duty service. He retired from Boeing in 2016, as the President and CEO of two Boeing subsidiaries: ArgonST and DRT. John is currently a part-time professor at the Defense Acquisition University, teaching a range of topics to include Program Management, Systems Engineering, Industry behaviors, Requirements Management, and Leadership Development. He assumed the role as MCAA Executive Director in August 2018.
John and his wife, Patty, have been married for 28 years; he has four grown children. He is an avid woodworker, enjoys playing the guitar and violin, and continues to fail in his attempts to keep his lawn and a variety of plants alive at home.
Membership & Financial Services
Debbie Martin
Debbie Martin was born into a military family. Her father served 31 years in the USAF and her brother and husband are also USAF veterans. Though she lived many places throughout the United States growing up, Debbie spent much of her life in Georgia, where she graduated college with a degree in Public Service/Human Services. Debbie spent many years working in finance and banking before deciding to get involved in animal rescue and welfare as a full-time volunteer. During her time in Georgia, she helped start and grow a non-profit animal rescue organization that assisted in saving hundreds of unwanted and abandoned animals, and she is an advocate for special needs and senior pet adoption.
Debbie began working with MCAA in 2017 when she relocated to Northern Virginia from Georgia, and now resides on Florida’s Space Coast. She is an NHL and MLB fan and also enjoys singing, spending time on the beach, visiting local theme parks, and hanging out with her husband, Dalton, and their dog, Disco.
Events and Community Outreach
Kelly Rupp
Kelly Rupp is a veteran of creating and managing groups of people with the intent of building lasting relationships for organizations and individuals. Along with her extensive retail background and her undeniable need to serve others, she has worked for numerous military nonprofits. Kelly was born and raised in Maryland. She attended the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and Villa Julie. She is married to John "Pappy" Rupp and has four daughters. After twenty two moves, Alexandria Virginia is home. When she is not baking sourdough breads, she is most likely hiking on the west coast with one of her daughters or sneaking in a good book.
Editor and Public Relations
Kristina Bitancurt
Kristina Bitancurt attended the University of Mary Washington where she received a bachelor’s in History with a concentration in Museum Studies. There she also played varsity soccer as well as won a national championship in rugby. After graduation, Kristina moved to England to play soccer for Durham University winning an England National Championship. She also received her Masters in Education with a pathway in Intercultural Communication from Durham University. After some time traveling abroad she moved back to the states and attended George Mason University where she received her second Masters in Special Education. Kristina taught at Holmes Middle School as a 7th grade Special Education Science Teacher for 7 years before working for MCAA.
Kristina has a passion for history and traveling as well as athletics and still plays soccer most weeknights. Kristina and her husband Tyler have been married for a year and have a sassy daughter named Sophie and an evil chihuahua named Tico. They live in Northern Virginia and are avid Liverpool and Packer fans!