Stephynie Velez
Deputy Director, Cyber Innovation and Research Center, Noblis
As the deputy director of Noblis’ Cyber Innovation and Research Center, Stephynie Velez leads groundbreaking projects that shape the future of cyber capabilities and defense strategies. With two decades of experience managing complex technology innovation projects, she thrives in high-stakes environments that demand adaptability and a forward-thinking mindset.
Velez sees the unique approach of Noblis Sponsored Research projects as a driver of Noblis’ CIRC and its success in expanding cyber capabilities.
“Our NSRs focus on developing unique solutions rather than repurposing commercial technologies for government use,” she said. “Through a company-wide ideation process, we collect, prioritize and develop the very best ideas to solve real-world problems, maximizing value to customers with breakthrough solutions.”
A key NSR project in fiscal year 2023 involved leveraging model-based systems engineering to implement the DOD’s zero trust framework, transforming a document-based architecture into a digital, reusable MBSE model.
“I used to be a federal agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, running cyber intrusion investigations,” Velez said. “I still bring that sense of adventure to my work, letting my curiosity drive me to explore new cyber issues, turning every challenge into an opportunity to innovate and discover something exciting.”
Why Watch
In the coming year, Velez and her team will be advancing those MBSE and zero trust gains by building a federated “innovate anywhere” research network. This network will enable Noblis partners and customers to conduct secure cybersecurity testing and deploy various modeling and simulation techniques. It will also ensure interoperability among different agency frameworks, fostering secure prototyping and collaboration.
“Stephynie has shown extraordinary leadership and vision in expanding Noblis’ CIRC research capabilities,” said Rick Harrison, president of Noblis ESI, a Noblis subsidiary. “This includes launching three technical cohorts and advancing our hybrid cyber lab to pioneer cutting-edge tools in generative artificial intelligence, post-quantum encryption and reverse engineering.”