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Commanding Officer (CO)
Captain Matthew R. O’Neal assumed duties as Commanding Officer of Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC Atlantic) on July 18, 2024. NIWC Atlantic hosts more than 4,900 federal civilian and military personnel and approximately 9,000 industry partners. NIWC Atlantic’s main campus is in Charleston, South Carolina, with offices spanning 12 major geographical areas inside and outside the continental United States. NIWC Atlantic is a Navy engineering and technology command, and in his role, O’Neal oversees the full-spectrum research and development, test and evaluation, engineering design, development and fleet support across the complete Information Warfare domain.
Raised in Lawton, Oklahoma, CAPT O’Neal was commissioned in 2002 after graduating from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. He holds Master’s degrees in computer science and business administration from the Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to his role as NIWC Atlantic’s Commanding Officer, CAPT O'Neal was assigned as Director for Naval Enterprise Networks in Program Executive Office (PEO) Digital and Enterprise Services.
Commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) and later transferring to Engineering Duty Officer, he has served at sea aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) leading the Sixth Fleet flagship's communications systems maintenance department, USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) where he earned SWO qualification aboard the flagship of the first West Coast Expeditionary Strike Group, and on the staff of Amphibious Squadron Three as assistant operations officer.
His shore assignments include Deputy Technical Director for the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) 1000-Class Combat System (IWS 9.0), Deputy Branch Head and Resource Officer for Protected Transport programs for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (OPNAV N2N6), Assistant Program Manager in the Information Assurance and Cyber Security Program Office (PMW 130), DDG Type Desk Officer for Commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Computer and Network Defense Project Officer at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (formerly Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific).
Personal awards include the Meritorious Service, Navy Commendation, and Navy Achievement Medals. He is authorized to wear various unit, campaign, and service awards.
Executive Director
As Executive Director and senior civilian official of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, Peter C. Reddy sets command-wide strategic goals and manages engineering and business operations for more than 4,900 federal civilian and military employees, and approximately 9,000 industry partners. NIWC Atlantic’s main campus is in Charleston, South Carolina, with several offices located inside and outside the continental U.S. Reddy is responsible for the execution of technical work applying systems engineering and programmatic discipline to deliver information warfare solutions to warfighters. He provides technical stewardship and expert advice to the Fleet, resource sponsors and stakeholders in the cyber warfare and business IT domains. He works closely with Naval Information Warfare Command (NAVWAR) headquarters and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (RDT&E) to further strengthen NIWC Atlantic’s organic engineering capabilities.
Commissioned a U.S. Marine Corps second lieutenant in May 1984, Reddy served as an Air Defense Control Officer. He served as an Air Control Officer and Weapons and Tactics Instructor at Marine Air Control Squadrons 7 and 6 in Yuma, Arizona, and Cherry Point, North Carolina, respectively. Significant operational assignments were as Command, Control, Communications Department Head at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1; and commanding officer of Marine Air Control Squadron 4, MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, deploying with his squadron to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was also commanding officer of Marine Air Control Group 38, deploying with the Group to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Reddy’s staff and acquisition assignments included Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System Project Officer at Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), Quantico, Virginia; and Air Defense Action Officer, Air Command and Control Branch at Marine Corps headquarters. He served as Project Team Leader for the Common Aviation Command and Control System, MARCORSYSCOM; and Product Group 11 Director, MAGTF C2, Weapons and Sensors Development and Integration, MARCORSYSCOM. After a command reorganization, he was named Program Manager, MAGTF Command, Control and Communications from 2012 until his retirement from active duty in February 2014.
After briefly working as a contractor supporting the Rapid Reaction Technology Office, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (AT&L), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Emerging Capability & Prototyping), Reddy entered federal civil service as chief engineer for the Expeditionary Enterprise Systems & Solutions Sub-Portfolio at NIWC Atlantic. He was selected systems engineer for the Marine Corps and Special Operations Command Portfolio in March 2015. In this position, he provided technical oversight for all center engineering support provided to the Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command spanning command, control, communications, cyber operations, vehicular integration, information technology, and software development and sustainment projects.
In January 2017, Reddy was selected for the Senior Science and Technology Manager (SSTM) position of NIWC Atlantic Chief Engineer/5.0 Engineering Competency Lead. He provided technical leadership of the Engineering competency, and formulated, planned and developed comprehensive sets of systems engineering best practices across NIWC Atlantic.
In January 2019, he was selected as NIWC Atlantic Deputy Executive Director, providing management oversight over the command’s customer facing departments and project management function. He entered the Senior Executive Service as the command’s Executive Director in November 2019.
A 1984 graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering, Reddy also received a Master of Science in systems engineering (electronic warfare) (with distinction) from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Monterey, California; and a Masters of Strategic Studies (distinguished graduate) from the Marine Corps War College. He also has a Master’s in Business Administration from George Mason University and a Master’s Certificate in Information Systems and Operations from NPS. Reddy also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College and the Marine Corps War College. He is certified Level III in the Defense Acquisition Program Management and Systems Engineering Career Fields; as a Certified Systems Engineering Professional; as a Project Management Professional; and as a Professional Engineer.
Deputy Executive Director
As Deputy Executive Director, Kevin Charlow provides the overall technical leadership for the planning, execution and quality of the work performed at Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, applying systems engineering and programmatic disciplines to deliver Information Warfare solutions to warfighters.
Charlow reports directly to Executive Director Peter C. Reddy, supporting command-wide strategic goals and the management of engineering and business operations for more than 4,900 federal civilian and military employees, and approximately 9,000 industry partners.
As a Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) leader, Charlow maintains technical decision authority over projects and oversees their execution, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, architectures, engineering standards and official Command/Department of the Navy/Department of Defense policies.
Working closely with Naval Information Warfare Command (NAVWAR) headquarters and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDT&E), Charlow helps strengthen NIWC Atlantic’s organic engineering capabilities while establishing the Command’s future direction of research and development based on high-level requirements.
Charlow brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from three decades as a Department of the Navy engineer. Since he launched a federal career in 1986 as an electronics engineer for the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Center in Charleston, he has held many leadership positions at NIWC Atlantic. His previous assignment was serving as the SSTM and Department Head for NIWC Atlantic’s Expeditionary Warfare Department, where he was directly responsible for delivering Command, Control, Computer, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Cyber, and Information Technology systems and engineering services to meet the expeditionary and mobile operational needs of the Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command. In that role, he oversaw a team of engineers, scientists, logistics specialists, technical specialists and financial managers, providing strategic direction and managerial oversight of the Department’s programs and projects.
Charlow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering from Clemson University. He also holds a Masters of Business Administration with emphasis in computer and information resources management from Webster University. He is Level III certified in both Program Management and Systems, Planning, Research, Development and Engineering (SPRDE) from the Defense Acquisition University. In 2014, he graduated from the Federal Executive Institute leadership course, “Leadership for a Democratic Society.”
Charlow is a member of the Acquisition Professional Corps and has received several awards including a NAVWAR Lightning Bolt Award and numerous letters of appreciation and certificates.
Technical Director
Mansfield serves as the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic Technical Director. Mansfield establishes and directs the execution of the command’s technology strategy within NIWC Atlantic as well as across the NAVWAR claimancy to ensure our warfighters and federal government as a whole are continuing to evolve in advance of the IT we use to develop capabilities. Mansfield advises NAVWAR and NIWC leadership and other stakeholders within the Department of Defense (DoD) and federal sectors on information warfare, cloud computing and agile systems engineering, DevOps and other modern information technology patterns, practices and technologies—at all levels from developmental to enterprise engineering. Mansfield is also employed by Navy and DoD leadership to conduct key experimentation and technology analyses as pathfinders for enterprise cyber security and operational ways forward. Mansfield also coordinates with our claimancy to ensure effective results of NAVWAR as the Navy's System-of-Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) agent and Technical Authority for information warfare. Mansfield was appointed to the Senior Executive Service as a Senior Leader in October 2011 and has more than 33 years of federal service. Prior to this appointment, Mansfield served as the NIWC Atlantic Chief Engineer and 5.0 Competency lead. He was also NAVWAR national lead for Net-Centric SE&I. As the National Technical Warrant Holder for Service Oriented Architectures and Net-Centric Engineering, Mansfield served as both the NAVWAR National and local NIWC Atlantic Command & Control (C2) and Business Information Technology Systems Competencies Senior Manager, as well as the NetCentric Engineering and Platform Integration Competency’s Senior Manager. He has designed and managed the implementation of operationally effective and cost-saving Enterprise/Net-Centric architectures and provided disciplined technical oversight resulting in the delivery of agile, state-of-the-art System-of-Systems engineering solutions. These solutions support the development, delivery and sustainment of integrated, interoperable and effective capabilities systems and services across both the DoD and federal sectors in strategic, tactical C2, enterprise security and business domains. Mansfield held multiple other lead engineering positions during his tenure at Team NAVWAR resulting in notable contributions and awards for his support to the Veteran’s Administration Office of Enterprise Development as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Horizontal Fusion Program. Mansfield has performed on the leading edge of many of the most critical information warfare developments providing breakthrough solutions to the most challenging SE&I problems for more than 30 years. He currently holds patent 7,860,983 for Enterprise Identity Orchestration Service which was utilized in multiple NAVWAR-delivered programs. Mansfield began his civil service as a GS-3 Electrical Engineering co-op at Naval Air Engineering Center, Lakehurst, New Jersey while attending Drexel University in 1985. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Drexel University in 1989.
Executive Officer
Commander Aaron Gall serves as the Executive Officer (XO) for Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic. Working at the Hampton Roads, Virginia site, Gall oversees research and development, test and evaluation, engineering design, development, and pierside fleet support across the Information Warfare domain.
Gall comes to NIWC Atlantic from OPNAV (Chief of Naval Operations) N2N6 as Deputy Executive Assistant for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare where he served from January 2023 to May 2024.
A native of Waupaca, Wisconsin, Gall enlisted in the Navy in 1997 as a nuclear-trained Electricians Mate. He earned his commission and Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Marquette University, Wisconsin in 2004. In 2011, he received a Master of Business Administration from Marquette University. In 2020, he received a master’s degree in government information leadership and CIO (Chief Information Officer) Graduate Certificate from National Defense University. He is a qualified Submarine Warfare Officer, Information Warfare Officer and Joint Specialty Officer.
As a Submarine Warfare Officer, his initial sea tour was aboard USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) where he served as the Damage Control Assistant and Assistant Weapons Officer and deployed on Jimmy Carter’s first mission in 2007. He then reported to USS New Mexico (SSN 779) as the Combat Systems Officer, where he deployed on New Mexico’s first deployment in 2013 and her participation in ICEX 2014. As an Information Professional (IP), he served as the CSIO (Combat Systems Information Officer) aboard USS Essex (LHD 2), deploying in 2018 in support of the first combat operations for the F-35B in both Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel. He was most recently assigned to Carrier Strike Group Eight where he served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Assured Command and Control (N6) for the Truman Carrier Strike Group, deploying in 2021 to provide overwatch of the initial invasion of Ukraine.
Ashore he served as a NROTC (Naval Reserves Officer Training Corps) instructor at Marquette University, Wisconsin. He also served as an Assistant Inspector General at U. S. Strategic Command, where he lateral transferred to the Navy’s Information Professional community. He served his first IP tour as the Operations Officer at NAVCOMTELSTA (Naval Computer & Telecommunications Station) San Diego.
Commander Gall’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is most proud of the unit awards that represent the efforts of the great teams that he has been fortunate to be a part of during his career.
Command Master Chief, Hampton Roads Detachment
Master Chief Petty Officer Matthew D. Keller is Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s Command Master Chief, serving at the Hampton Roads Detachment in Norfolk, Virginia. He is third generation Navy and a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He enlisted in the United States Navy and reported for basic training at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois in June 1999.
Master Chief Keller completed fireman Apprenticeship School, known today as the Professional Apprentice Career track (PACT) program, in August 1999 before reporting to his first command, the conventional aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) in Mayport, Florida.
While on board, he was assigned to One Main Machinery Room M-1 Division, working with the Machinist Mate (MM) rating, but would later rate as Machinery Repairman (MR); he completed two deployments and qualified as Machinist Mate of the Watch (MMOW).
In May 2003, he reported to Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA) Mayport, Florida. While assigned to SIMA he qualified as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) operator and programmer where he developed his skills and completed his Navy Advanced Maintenance and Training Strategy (NAMTS) for inside machinist.
His subsequent sea duty assignments include: USS Mcinerney (FFG 8) – three deployments and qualified as Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW); USS Nimitz (CVN 68) – one deployment and served as Repair Division Leading Chief (LCPO); USS Lassen (DDG 82) – one deployment and served as the 3-M Coordinator, Executive Department Leading Chief (DLCPO), Senior Enlisted Watchbill Coordinator and Vice President of the Chief Petty Officers Association.
Throughout his career, he completed deployments in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Fleet areas of responsibilities and participated in Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. Additionally, he spent four years conducting Counter Narcotic Drug Operations in fourth fleet across three deployments.
His shore duty assignments include tours at Navy Recruiting District Jacksonville, Florida (Large station LCPO) and Commander Naval Personnel Command (COMNAVPERSCOM) as Enlisted Detailer and DLCPO.
In January of 2023, he reported to Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic Hampton Roads as the Department Leading Chief for Maintenance Figure of Merit, and in June 2023 was selected as the Project Team Leader for all Force Level platforms on the Eastern Seaboard, Bahrain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Master Chief Keller is a graduate of the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 218) and was selected by his peer group as an Honor Graduate. He recently graduated from the Command Master Chief-Chief of the Boat Course Class 24040 in Newport, Rhode Island. He is married and has two children.
His personal awards include: Enlisted Surface Warfare; Enlisted Aviation Warfare; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (10 awards) and various unit and campaign awards.
Officer in Charge, New Orleans Detachment
Commander Andres Otero serves as the Officer in Charge of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s site in New Orleans, Louisiana. Previously Otero was assigned as the APM for Infrastructure, Project Overmatch.
Officer in Charge, Naval Forces Europe-Africa Site
Commander Alexander Williams serves as the Officer in Charge of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s site in Naple’s Italy serving Naval Forces Europe and Africa interests and is responsible for providing regional oversight. Williams comes to NIWC Atlantic after serving as the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Principle Assistant Program Manager (PAPM) for Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I). In this role, he led a team of more than 500 civilian, contractor, and military personnel responsible for the cost, schedule, and performance of six programs and projects. Williams led one of the first DoD programs to transition to the Adaptive Acquisition Framework Software Acquisition Pathway which enables delivery of intelligence capability to the Fleet in months rather than the traditional hardware-centric, four-to-seven-year process. A native of Fort Ord, California, Williams received his commission as an ensign through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering in 2006. In 2017, Williams earned a Master of Science in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Califormia. He was recognized for his outstanding thesis in the field of autonomous systems. Williams holds a professional engineer license for industrial engineering in the state of California and Project Management Professional certification through the Project Management Institute. Williams started his career as a Surface Warfare Officer. His tours included assignments as the Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer and Force Protection Officer on the USS John L Hall (FFG 32); as the Training Officer and Staff Tactical Action Officer with Commander Destroyer Squadron Two Four; and as the Deputy Operations and Training Department Head at the Naval Satellite Operations Center during launch and early on-orbit activities of the first Mobile User Objective System satellite, MUOS-1. Williams lateral transferred to the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community in 2012. During his first EDO assignment at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, he served as the Integration Test Director and Modeling and Simulations Lead for the Joint Space Operations Center Mission System. He then pursued a systems engineering graduate degree from the Naval Postgraduate School before returning to sea as the C4I Systems Maintenance Officer forward deployed in Europe onboard the Sixth Fleet command ship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20). Williams returned to San Diego as the Force Level Class Desk Officer responsible for force-level ships’ C4I integration and modernization management before being selected as the Distributed Common Ground System-Navy Future Systems Assistant Program Manager and later selected as the acting PAPM for ISR programs before transitioning to NIWC Atlantic. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), along with various other campaign and unit awards.
Officer in Charge, Middle East
Lieutenant Commander Tricia D. Nguyen serves as the Officer in Charge of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s Middle East site in Bahrain. She is responsible for the delivery and sustainment of information warfare technologies for ashore and afloat platforms within U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet. A native of San Jose, California, she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in earth science and a commission as an ensign from the the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2013 at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. In 2019, Nguyen earned a Master’s Degree in applied physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. In 2021, she attained Joint Professional Military Education Phase I from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island Nguyen is Space Cadre VS5/VR1. As a Surface Warfare Officer, Nguyen served aboard USS MOBILE BAY CG 53 as the Main Propulsion and the joint Electronics and Communications Officer. During her tour, she deployed to 7th Fleet with the JOHN C. STENNIS CSG. She also served as Damage Control Assistant onboard USS BULKELEY DDG 84, where she was involved in various operations in the North Atlantic. In 2020, she reported to NIWC Pacific as an Engineering Duty Officer. She led teams of military, scientists and engineers and supported a diverse range of projects, from the Coalition Warfighter Program to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Rapid Prototyping and Experimentation Council. During this time, she received one patent and published three papers. She was selected to work for the Chief of Naval Operations Novel Modernization Task Force and Project Overmatch Science & Technology in support of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command 7.0, which included the planning and execution of the 2021 Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX). She assumed her current role at NIWC Atlantic’s Middle East site in December 2022. Her awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (three awards) and various service medals and unit awards.