Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Systems engineer with more than 35 years of experience developing mission-critical defense systems for the U.S. military and leading aerospace organizations. A U.S. Naval Academy and Desert Shield/Desert Storm combat veteran, Ron earned his Master’s degree in Wireless and Embedded Systems from UC San Diego in 2015 and has led software and systems engineering efforts supporting platforms including BACN, MQ-4 Triton, and the B-21 while serving in advanced development roles at Northrop Grumman. Throughout his career, Ron recognized that organizations repeatedly lose valuable engineering knowledge between programs, a challenge that inspired the development of Rapid System Design (RSD) and Afuera’s mission to ensure engineering knowledge endures.

Manager

Mechanical engineer focused on systems engineering, digital engineering, and product development for complex aerospace and defense systems. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and has contributed to advanced engineering programs. Justin leverages tools including MATLAB, Simulink, System Composer, Simscape, Cameo MagicDraw, ANSYS, and SolidWorks to model complex systems, analyze performance, and develop engineering solutions. At Afuera, Justin primarily handles back office duties related to business continuity and development. However, he is committed to the vision of Rapid System Design and helping defense organizations preserve engineering knowledge, reduce technical risk, and build capabilities that compound over time.