Our Board
Andrew Platou, CPA, CGMA, Chairman
Andrew Platou, CPA, CGMA is a Director at Cordia Partners. Andrew has more than 25 years’ experience in financial and accounting leadership positions through his audit, accounting, and management roles which has helped advance the missions of many non-profit organizations. He is well versed in Board governance, financial oversight, and strategic leadership through prior Board of Director experience as a Treasurer and Co-Chair on steering committees. Along with his Certified Public Accountant license and Chartered Global Management Accountant designation, Andrew obtained dual Bachelor degrees in Management and Business and Accounting from Tulane University. Andrew is a longtime resident along with his wife and son in Bethesda, MD.
Lisa R. Younger, Vice Chair
Lisa R. Youngers served most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Nextlink Wireless, LLC, a spectrum management firm which operates primarily in the Upper Microwave bands in both the fixed and mobile space. Ms. Youngers oversaw all aspects of the business including financial, operational and technical objectives, engineering planning and implementation, M&A activity, as well as the development of policy positions and the strategic direction of the company with a particular focus on the roll-out of 5G. Prior to Nextlink, Ms. Youngers was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel – Federal Affairs at XO Communications one of the nation’s largest competitive carriers serving business and government end users as well as carrier and wholesale service providers. Ms. Youngers was responsible for all federal policy, regulatory, and legislative matters affecting XO’s interests before the FCC, Congress, and all levels of executive administration including regulatory and legislative strategy. She also oversaw the company’s corporate PR and internal and external messaging. Prior to joining XO, Ms. Youngers was Federal Regulatory Counsel for General Communication, Inc. (“GCI”), in Washington D.C., a telecommunications and cable television provider operating primarily in the state of Alaska, whom she represented before the FCC on wireline, wireless, universal service, telehealth, and school access issues. Ms. Youngers also served as Federal Regulatory Counsel for MCI appearing before the FCC on competition policy, enforcement matters, and consumer issues.
Ms. Youngers is a former Assistant Attorney General for the state of Minnesota where she served as legal counsel to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. A former television news producer, Ms. Youngers is a frequent presenter at industry events and has been quoted in several publications regarding regulatory and public policy matters. Ms. Youngers has served on several boards. Ms. Youngers earned her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and received her J.D. magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law. She is a member of the Minnesota and District of Columbia Bars and currently resides in suburban Washington, DC.
Meagan Stables, Treasurer
Meagan Stables is a Controller for a prominent architecture firm in the metropolitan DC area. She brings 25 years of accounting, finance, and analysis expertise, including operations work at a large nonprofit specializing in grants accounting and compliance. Mrs. Stables has a Master’s degree in talent and resources management from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from George Mason University. Meagan and her family live in Northern Virginia. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her extended family.
Philip Macres
Philip Macres is a Principal at Klein Law Group PLLC. His leadership has expanded over two decades on national communications, regulatory, litigation, and business matters. Philip’s extensive experience includes advising telecommunications and information service providers on regulatory policy and compliance, rulemaking, litigation, arbitration, dispute resolution, mediation, risk mitigation, and business strategy management. He is recognized as an effective relationship builder and collaborator with business leaders and regulators along with professionals at associations, industry partners, and non-profit groups. His in-depth knowledge and background robustly enhances the Board of Director’s governance and oversight.
Philip earned his Juris Doctor at Stetson University College of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Florida. Philip and his wife are longtime residents in Arlington, VA and enjoy hiking and traveling internationally.
Saad Hasan
Saad Hasan is a Managing Director within Accenture Federal Services. He is currently responsible for overseeing all aspects of technology and digital strategy, innovation, and delivery for the Defense Agencies sector within the Defense Portfolio. In this role, Mr. Hasan is responsible for YoY Digital, Cyber and Cloud growth and rotation. Before being appointed to his current position, Mr. Hasan held several Technology Lead roles within Accenture and was responsible for large scale transformation and systems integration and delivery. Mr. Hasan joined Accenture in 2000. He holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Kim Thorsen
Kim’s 30+ year career began in 1981 with the U.S. Forest Service as a volunteer wilderness ranger and continued with seasonal positions in public information, fire prevention, and law enforcement. She was hired permanently as a criminal investigator and conducted investigations of timber theft, arson, illegal marijuana cultivation, archeological resource protection violations, and a variety of other resource investigations. She moved to Washington D.C. where she managed program-wide issues, developed policy, and liaised with external law enforcement organizations. She ultimately became the Deputy Director for the Forest Service’s Law Enforcement and Investigations program.
In 2003, she accepted a position with the Department of the Interior, Office of Law Enforcement and Security. She was responsible for developing policy, managing Department-wide cross-cutting issues, assisting bureaus in developing programs, and supporting the Office of the Secretary. Beginning in 2006, she attained positions that broadened her portfolio to include budgeting, homeland security, intelligence, emergency management, international border coordination, wildland fire, and aviation. She retired in December 2015 as the Deputy Assistant Secretary – Public Safety, Resource Protection, and Emergency Services.
She attended Humboldt State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management and a minor degree in Criminal Justice. Ms. Thorsen is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security – Executive Leadership Program and the Harvard JFK School of Government – Senior Executive Fellows Program.
Kim has extensive knowledge of the Department of the Interior and deep connections within the bureaus. She resides in North Carolina.
Dan Connolly
Dan Connolly is an economic development advocate with substantial experience in the private and public sectors. His work at the Washington, D.C. consulting firm of Hall & Associates focused on transportation safety, health care, and energy consulting. Connolly worked with one of the world's largest non-profit corporations on designing and implementing this ambitious program.
As counsel for private clients, Mr. Connolly has been involved in various Economic Development efforts, having been a part of efforts that have combined to bring billions of dollars of public and private investment together. He has been a vital part of the team that has re-opened a long-closed steel mill, worked on site selection, purchasing, and funding for a new facility to assist residents with mental health and substance abuse issues, and represented local governmental entities in seeking funding and assisted companies in growing and expanding their facilities. Mr. Connolly’s experiences range from federal contract procurement, federal grant locating and attainment, land use issues, permitting, and various other government relations services for clients ranging from non-profits to IT companies to healthcare companies to heavy manufacturers.
Attorney Connolly is a George Washington Law School graduate, where his studies included labor and employment discrimination law. He was a Counsel for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, drafting multiple chapters of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007.
Mr. Hurd is an executive with over 20 years of management, government relations, and fiscal management experience. His extensive military career extends from command and staff positions in Korea, Germany, and the U.S. to Commander of a cavalry squadron in Europe to Chief of the U.S. Army’s Senate Liaison Division.
In his former position as Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), Mr. Hurd oversaw all fiscal aspects of CRI, its sustainability efforts and managed it’s federal and state advocacy programs. Mr. Hurd serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Carpet America Recovery Effort an organization dedicated to finding ways to divert carpet waste from landfills. As Managing Director, Finance and Operations, for the Chlorine Chemistry Council, he designed and implemented a computerized budget commitment tracking system and streamlined contracting and payment procedures. As Chief, Senate Liaison Division, United States Army, he functioned as the Army’s prime contact with the U.S. Senate and managed a government relations staff.
Mr. Hurd’s academic degrees include a Bachelor of Science from Mercer University and a Master of Science in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Hurd was appointed to the Board in 2001.
Mr. Stearns had a 30-year career with Dow Chemical in marketing, sales management, as District Sales Manager, General Sales Manager, Zone Vice President, and finally as Corporate Chlorine Issue Manager.
At present he is consulting for Chlorine Chemistry Council International Affairs, including representing industry in multiple UNEP treaty negotiations.
His board experience over the years has been with the Sam Houston Council of Boy Scouts of America, the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association, Executive Committee & Treasurer, the Eagle Valley Humane Society, Treasurer of the Homeowners Association, President. He received his BS in Chemistry, Wichita State University in 1967, and his MS in Chemistry, Wichita State University in 1968, and an MBA from University of Houston in 1973. Mr. Stearns was appointed to the Board in 2003.
Andrew Platou, CPA, CGMA is a Director at Cordia Partners. Andrew has more than 25 years’ experience in financial and accounting leadership positions through his audit, accounting, and management roles which has helped advance the missions of many non-profit organizations. He is well versed in Board governance, financial oversight, and strategic leadership through prior Board of Director experience as a Treasurer and Co-Chair on steering committees. Along with his Certified Public Accountant license and Chartered Global Management Accountant designation, Andrew obtained dual Bachelor degrees in Management and Business and Accounting from Tulane University. Andrew is a longtime resident along with his wife and son in Bethesda, MD.
Philip Macres is a Principal at Klein Law Group PLLC. His leadership has expanded over two decades on national communications, regulatory, litigation, and business matters. Philip’s extensive experience includes advising telecommunications and information service providers on regulatory policy and compliance, rulemaking, litigation, arbitration, dispute resolution, mediation, risk mitigation, and business strategy management. He is recognized as an effective relationship builder and collaborator with business leaders and regulators along with professionals at associations, industry partners, and non-profit groups. His in-depth knowledge and background robustly enhances the Board of Director’s governance and oversight.
Philip earned his Juris Doctor at Stetson University College of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Florida. Philip and his wife are longtime residents in Arlington, VA and enjoy hiking and traveling internationally.
Matt Habibi is the founder of AppTech, Inc. and works as the primary advisor and subject matter expert for business process management and enterprise resource planning projects. With more than 18 years of experience in designing and implementing financial systems as well as business process re-engineering, he oversees solution delivery, business development and consulting management in the Financial, Government Contracting, and Federal sectors. Matt has worked in various management and regulatory liaison roles in companies such as Perot Systems, Freddie Mac, ManTech International as well as numerous Federal clients including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Matt is a certified Project Management Professional and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from George Mason University. In addition, he has earned a Master’s of Science in Information Systems from George Washington University. Matt lives with his wife and two sons in Fairfax, VA.
Saad Hasan is a Managing Director within Accenture Federal Services. He is currently responsible for overseeing all aspects of technology and digital strategy, innovation, and delivery for the Defense Agencies sector within the Defense Portfolio. In this role, Mr. Hasan is responsible for YoY Digital, Cyber and Cloud growth and rotation. Before being appointed to his current position, Mr. Hasan held several Technology Lead roles within Accenture and was responsible for large scale transformation and systems integration and delivery. Mr. Hasan joined Accenture in 2000. He holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Lisa R. Youngers served most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Nextlink Wireless, LLC, a spectrum management firm which operates primarily in the Upper Microwave bands in both the fixed and mobile space. Ms. Youngers oversaw all aspects of the business including financial, operational and technical objectives, engineering planning and implementation, M&A activity, as well as the development of policy positions and the strategic direction of the company with a particular focus on the roll-out of 5G. Prior to Nextlink, Ms. Youngers was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel – Federal Affairs at XO Communications one of the nation’s largest competitive carriers serving business and government end users as well as carrier and wholesale service providers. Ms. Youngers was responsible for all federal policy, regulatory, and legislative matters affecting XO’s interests before the FCC, Congress, and all levels of executive administration including regulatory and legislative strategy. She also oversaw the company’s corporate PR and internal and external messaging. Prior to joining XO, Ms. Youngers was Federal Regulatory Counsel for General Communication, Inc. (“GCI”), in Washington D.C., a telecommunications and cable television provider operating primarily in the state of Alaska, whom she represented before the FCC on wireline, wireless, universal service, telehealth, and school access issues. Ms. Youngers also served as Federal Regulatory Counsel for MCI appearing before the FCC on competition policy, enforcement matters, and consumer issues.
Ms. Youngers is a former Assistant Attorney General for the state of Minnesota where she served as legal counsel to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. A former television news producer, Ms. Youngers is a frequent presenter at industry events and has been quoted in several publications regarding regulatory and public policy matters. Ms. Youngers has served on several boards. Ms. Youngers earned her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and received her J.D. magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law. She is a member of the Minnesota and District of Columbia Bars and currently resides in suburban Washington, DC.