DRON8 Summit 2026 — Austin, Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Robert S. Howden as the 116th Texas Secretary of State in July 2026. Secretary Howden previously served as a senior advisor to Governor Abbott and as his Director of Legislative Affairs. As Secretary, he is Texas’ Chief Election Officer, Chief International Protocol Officer, and Senior Advisor to the Governor for Border and Mexican Affairs. Secretary Howden served four governors and has extensive experience in business and economic policy. He led the Texas division of the National Federation of Independent Business for a decade before joining the administration of Gov. Rick Perry, first as communications director and then as a senior advisor overseeing the Governor’s Task Force on Economic Development and Growth. He is one of the primary architects of our state’s award-winning economic development incentive programs which made Texas the national leader in job creation year after year. Following those roles, he worked as a political affairs consultant. Early in his career, Secretary Howden worked for Gov. Bill Clements and at the Texas Department of Commerce. A proud Longhorn, he is a member of the University of Texas Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, former Chairman of the Texas Exes Legislative Committee, and former member of the Texas Exes Board of Directors. Secretary Howden is committed to community service. He is a board member of the Austin Club and sat on the advisory boards of Helping Hand Home for Children and the Austin Junior League. Secretary Howden and his wife Jana are parents to three grown children and have three grandchildren. They reside in Austin.

Terry Zrubek is Deputy Executive Director of Texas Economic Development & Tourism within the Office of the Governor, the agency that markets Texas as one of the world's premier business and travel destinations. He supports oversight of divisions including Business & Community Development, Economic Development Finance, Tourism, the Texas Workforce Investment Council, the Texas Music Office, the Texas Film Commission and the Texas CHIPS Office. He previously served as Director of Economic Development Finance, where he oversaw the state's three main financial incentive programs — grants, loans and tax rebates — totaling more than a billion dollars, and earlier led the Economic Development Bank and the Research & Economic Analysis division. Before entering public service he worked in the private sector within a division of Fortune 500 company Newell Rubbermaid. He holds a degree in economics from Texas State University, a Master of Business Administration from St. Edward's University with a concentration in corporate finance, and has completed the Governor's Executive Development Program at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. A native of Taylor, Texas, he attended Taylor High School, graduating in 1993.

Joseph Kopser, Master of Ceremonies, is a technology entrepreneur, Army combat veteran, and President of Grayline Group. He co-founded and led RideScout as CEO through its acquisition by Mercedes-Benz, and today advises organizations including Capital Factory and The University of Texas, where he serves as special advisor for military and veteran affairs. Joseph served 20 years in the U.S. Army, earning the Ranger Tab and Bronze Star, and is a former member of the Army Science Board. A West Point graduate in Aerospace Engineering with a master's from the Harvard Kennedy School, he is co-author of Catalyst and a 2025 Texas Business Hall of Fame Future Legend honoree.

Maruthi Akella is a professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Cockrell Family Endowed Chair in Engineering. His research spans coordinated autonomous systems, learning, adaptation, and vision-based sensing — and his group contributed the onboard guidance algorithm for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission, the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years. A Fellow of the AIAA, IEEE, and AAS and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, his contributions to astrodynamics were honored in 2024 when the International Astronomical Union named asteroid 5376 Maruthiakella after him.

Frank Trevino is a technology executive with more than 30 years of experience advancing innovation, AI, and data intelligence across the space, telecommunications, and technology sectors. He is Managing Partner of Illumulus Space, co-founder of Frontier Forum, and leads the Data Intelligence Group at Space Foundation. He advises governments and industry — including the U.S. Department of State and NASA — on technology strategy, dual-use commercialization, and space situational awareness. A graduate of the University of Oxford, where he is currently pursuing his DPhil, he also holds an MBA from the University of Houston and a BS from The University of Texas at Austin.

Scott Firsing, PhD is an aerospace and technology executive with over 20 years of experience spanning aviation, space, UAS, and dual-use innovation. He is Founder and President of Scott Sky Advisors and co-founder of Frontier Forum, with senior business development and advisory roles across the aircraft, simulation, and space sectors. He has worked for the United Nations and advised the U.S. Department of State and the White House. A former professor and author of more than 100 publications, he holds a PhD in International Politics and is a graduate of the London School of Economics.

Michael W. Mosser, PhD is Director of the Center for European Studies at The University of Texas at Austin and Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Government and the International Relations and Global Studies program. A Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, he served as Executive Director of UT's Global Disinformation Lab from 2022 to 2024 and as faculty liaison to the U.S. Department of State's Diplomacy Lab. His teaching and research focus on European and international security, international organizations, and the intersection of technology and defense. An award-winning educator named to the 2021 Texas Ten, he holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Jonathan Josephson is the founder and Chief Technology Officer of Quantum Interface, the Austin-based company he started in 2012 to rebuild how people command machines. Built on vector and free-motion analysis of user input, QI's patented interface reads decision-making in real time across mouse, touch, touchless, eye- and head-gaze and robotic motion, in a single build spanning PC, mobile, wearables and XR. The U.S. Air Force named the technology "Intelligent Reality", and the engine now runs in command-and-control and intelligent dashboard systems including USSOCOM deployments and the DFW Airport Smart Dashboard. An AFWERX portfolio innovator, he presented QI's augmented and virtual reality work for the Department of Defense at SXSW in Austin in 2024. He studied engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

Ligeia Zeruto is Head of Practice for Government, Aerospace and Defense at Beyond Identity, where she works with a Texas A&M University research team on the authentication and non-human identity challenges facing UAVs across both defense and disaster response missions. A retired US Army Intelligence Officer and decorated combat veteran, she served 23 years leading intelligence operations against foreign intelligence, military, and cyber targets, and was lead author of the original US DoD Joint Cyberspace Training and Certification Standards for Cyber Protection Teams. She has advised defense ministries and allied industry in Japan, Singapore, the UK, Italy, and Kuwait, and led public sector technology organizations at AWS. Among the first class of women to attend US Army Ranger School, she serves on the board of the National Military Intelligence Foundation and as Cyber Advisor to the Q-Branch/Texas Embassy Accelerator.

Marcos Cervantes, Founder & CEO of Q-Branch, is an accomplished Army Officer with 23 years of experience specializing in technology development efforts. Having excelled in leading cutting-edge projects during his military career, Marc possesses deep expertise in government research and development (R&D) procurement. As the Managing Partner of Copperstone Venture Firm, he leverages this knowledge to identify and invest in promising startups, particularly those with a focus on innovation. Marc's strategic vision and understanding of government contracts and procurement processes allow him to guide these startups in securing lucrative contracts and establishing a strong market presence. His ability to bridge the gap between private sector innovators and government agencies has positioned him as a trusted and influential figure in the technology and defense communities. Marc's diverse skill set, passion for innovation, and extensive experience contribute to driving technological advancements, enhancing national security, and fostering economic growth.