Dr. Ann Carbonell

Dr. Ann Carbonell is the Principal Technical Advisor at the Digital Transformation Center (DTC), powered by UDRI, and a seasoned Senior Executive with over 34 years of leadership in national security, program management, and mission-focused innovation across the defense and intelligence sectors. Her work consistently centers on enabling faster decision advantage, resilient infrastructure, and digital integration critical to modern threat environments—including those addressed by “Golden Dome”-like capabilities.

During her 13-year tenure as a Senior Executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)—including three years at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC)—Dr. Carbonell led analytic modernization and enterprise-level initiatives in strategic planning, infrastructure acquisition, architecture development, and IT transformation. She helped accelerate sensor-to-decider workflows, drive AI/ML adoption, and operationalize space and airborne sensing in support of integrated deterrence and rapid threat response.

Most recently, as MASINT mission lead and Director of a Commercial Innovation Center at Riverside Research, she advanced GEOINT and missile defense capabilities through partnerships that strengthened early warning, targeting, and situational awareness across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. She also currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the U.S. MASINT Foundation, which she led the establishment of in 2024, fostering deeper collaboration across technical intelligence domains.

Dr. Carbonell holds a BSEE from the University of Dayton, an MS from Creighton University, and a PhD in Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University. Her career has been recognized with multiple USDI, DoD, and national awards—including the prestigious Presidential Rank Award—highlighting her enduring impact on mission readiness, threat detection, and the digital foundations of next-generation defense systems.