Joe Francescon is a national security executive, investor, and technology leader within Highlander Partner's defense practice. Joe sets government strategy for a multi-billion-dollar fund and directly oversees Washington, D.C. operations for portfolio companies. He works with U.S. and foreign government agencies to design, source, and integrate cutting edge autonomous technologies globally. Previously, Joe served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism (SOCT), Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council (NSC), and as a Liaison Officer with the National Security Agency (NSA).