Team

Dino Mavrookas is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Saronic Technologies, where he spearheads the company's strategic vision, product roadmap, and overall performance.

With eleven years of experience as a Navy SEAL, including eight combat tours, Dino possesses a firsthand understanding of the critical role advanced military technology plays in protecting and empowering U.S. and allied forces.

Prior to co-founding Saronic Technologies, Dino honed his expertise in private equity at Vista Equity Partners, leading technology investments across various sectors, including government, cybersecurity, finance, energy, and media.

Beyond his business endeavors, Dino's commitment extends to The Navy SEAL Foundation, where he actively contributes as a board director, providing unwavering support to SEALs and their families.

Rob is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Saronic Technologies, where he leads all marketing, sales, and customer support activities for the company.

Rob brings 21 years of combined active duty and reserve experience as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, forging an essential connection to those who rely on the solutions developed by Saronic Technologies.

After leaving active duty in 2006, Rob supported multiple Navy and Marine Corps programs at both Northrop Grumman and ManTech International. As CEO of TTI, a leading maritime technology supplier, he led the design and delivery of technologies that are afloat on multiple surface combatants today. Most recently, Rob brought his expertise to 9 Line Solutions, a government relations and consulting firm he co-founded to help technology companies navigate the DoD acquisition process.

Rob holds a BA in International Politics from Penn State University.

Vibhav Altekar is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Saronic Technologies, where he drives the development of the company's autonomous systems and software architecture. He leads Forward Deployed Engineering, Product, and Special Programs as well as Software, working with cross-disciplinary teams spanning perception, navigation, machine learning, command and control, and systems integration.

Vib is a highly accomplished perception engineer, with expertise in the field of autonomous systems and maritime technology. He has spent a large part of his career in industry driving advancements in U.S. Department of Defense technology. As one of the earliest engineers at Anduril, he led engineering efforts across multiple programs including the Royal Australian Navy's Ghost Shark drone submarine. His other career highlights include software engineering at Twitter, Juicero, and 8VC.

In addition to software, Vib provides meaningful thought leadership at Saronic, and invaluable strategic vision for its technological advancements. Outside of Saronic, he seeks opportunities to give back to the entrepreneur community, often through angel investing, advisorship, or teaching classes.

Vib studied Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. In his free time, Vib likes to play poker, basketball, and cricket.

Doug Lambert is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Saronic Technologies where he is responsible for shaping and executing Saronic's operational strategy. He oversees R&D, Engineering, and Production and works closely with Supply Chain and Services leadership to ensure alignment with customer requirements and production timelines.

Doug has been at the forefront of maritime engineering since 2012, and is a dynamic and innovative engineering leader with a proven track record of turning concepts into reality. As Head of Engineering at Liquid Robotics, Doug was instrumental in the development of nautical robotics, including the Wave Glider and deep sea buoyancy engines. Subsequently as VP Engineering at Terradepth, Doug successfully architected, prototyped and demonstrated a novel diesel electric autonomous underwater vehicle.

Doug holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University and a Masters of Engineering Management from Dartmouth.

Patrick DePriest serves as Chief Financial Officer at Saronic Technologies, where he leads financial strategy and capital planning, overseeing FP&A and accounting to support disciplined growth and long-term value creation.

With nearly 20 years of experience across corporate finance and high-growth technology companies, Patrick brings a deep understanding of how rigorous financial execution and strategic capital allocation enable organizations to scale responsibly and execute on their mission. Prior to joining Saronic, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Merlin Labs, where he led financial planning, strategic initiatives, and operational finance for autonomy programs supporting both commercial and defense applications.

Patrick holds a BA in Economics and an MS in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as an MBA from Boston College.

Soo Cho is the Chief People Officer at Saronic Technologies, having joined the company in July 2025. She leads the company's people strategy, culture, and organizational development, bringing nearly two decades of experience in employment law, people operations, and executive leadership.

Prior to joining Saronic, Soo served as Chief Operating Officer at Merlin, helping to scale operations and build internal systems. Before Merlin, she spent more than eight years at Palantir Technologies, first as Employment Counsel and later as Head of People, where she oversaw global employment matters and people initiatives.

Earlier in her career, Soo practiced employment law at Seyfarth Shaw LLP and at Fenwick & West LLP, where she managed complex employment litigation, compliance matters, and client counseling.

Soo earned her Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Tobi Young is the General Counsel of Saronic Technologies. Her responsibilities include managing global legal affairs, regulatory compliance, litigation, risk management, and corporate governance.

Tobi brings over 20 years of experience with sophisticated legal, regulatory, and compliance issues through leadership roles in all three branches of the federal government and in Fortune 500 companies. Among other governmental positions, she has been an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice and in the Office of the White House Counsel; a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch; and a press secretary for Congressman J.C. Watts. Tobi also currently serves as the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee on the Halliburton Board of Directors (NYSE: HAL) and previously was Senior Vice President of Legal and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Cognizant Technologies (NASDAQ: CTSH).

Tobi grew up in Oklahoma and is a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation. She recently became the youngest inductee into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame.

Blake is the VP for Government Affairs at Saronic Technologies. Prior to Saronic, Blake spent five years at 8VC, an Austin-based venture capital firm. Blake is also an attorney and previously served in various roles in government including as Chief of Staff to a United States Senator in Washington, D.C., Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kentucky, and Deputy Attorney General in Texas.

Blake is a native of Dallas, Texas and a board member at the Cicero Institute, a state-based policy organization that focuses on transparency and accountability in government. He received a B.A in History and Spanish from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Jonas is the Vice President of Programs at Saronic Technologies, leading program execution, delivery, and lifecycle support across the company's product portfolio.

He brings nearly two decades of experience across U.S. Navy and industry leadership roles, with responsibilities spanning combatant shipbuilding, autonomous systems, combat system integration, sensor development, and fleet maintenance.

Jonas holds a B.S. in Business Operations Management from North Carolina State University and an M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Dave Cascalenda is VP of Corporate Development at Saronic Technologies, where he leads mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and long-term corporate strategy. He works closely with cross-functional teams to accelerate Saronic's growth trajectory and drive long-term value creation.

Prior to joining Saronic, Dave led Corporate Development at Axiom Space, where he supported the company's growth at the intersection of space infrastructure and national security. Before that, he spent ten years as an investment banker advising public and private companies on mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs.

Most of his career has focused on the defense and national security sector, primarily working with fast-growing technology and engineering businesses. Dave holds a B.A. in Financial Markets from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Outside of work, he enjoys endurance sports, skiing, playing poker, and traveling with his family.

Swaroop Kadur is the Vice President of Construction and Facilities at Saronic Technologies, where he leads global facilities strategy, infrastructure design, and large-scale construction operations. He is responsible for building and scaling the physical environment that supports Saronic's rapid growth in maritime autonomy, ensuring infrastructure aligns with the company's mission to transform naval and commercial operations through autonomous surface vessels.

Previously, Swaroop spent seven years at Tesla, holding leadership roles in global infrastructure development and project delivery. He executed mission-critical projects across Austin, Fremont, and Reno— each playing a key role in supporting Tesla's unprecedented manufacturing scale-up. In Fremont, he led initiatives that doubled the production capacity of the factory, directly contributing to Tesla's ability to meet global demand. In Austin, he was instrumental in the creation of Tesla's first Cybertruck general assembly line, as well as the development of Tesla's first cathode factory, which established a new standard for vertical integration of battery materials. In Reno, Swaroop delivered critical infrastructure upgrades to meet ambitious cell production targets and spearheaded the development of North America's first LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cell manufacturing facility, a groundbreaking achievement that solidified Tesla's leadership in next-generation battery technology.

Earlier in his career, Swaroop worked at Skanska, contributing to healthcare and public transit projects across North America and Sweden, including state-of-the-art hospitals and major light rail expansions. These experiences gave him a foundation in managing complex, large-scale infrastructure with global impact.

With a proven track record of delivering transformative infrastructure, Swaroop combines technical expertise, strategic leadership, and executional excellence. At Saronic, he continues to shape the future of maritime autonomy while expanding the company's global footprint.

Sam Lisbonne is VP of Product at Saronic Technologies. Sam leads the Product Management team, which defines Saronic's product roadmaps and sets the direction of future product development, and Special Programs, an advanced prototyping team responsible for exploring new product verticals. Sam also collaborates across business development, engineering, production, and other functions on a variety of strategic projects.

Prior to Saronic, Sam managed a portfolio of classified programs as the Technical Director for an advanced research and development team in the Navy. He has also worked at the Defense Innovation Unit, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, the Center for Strategic and International Systems, and Kratos Unmanned Systems, among other organizations.

Sam holds an MS in Engineering For National Security and a BS in Mechanical Engineering with Honors in International Security from Stanford University.

John Morgan is Head of Manufacturing at Saronic Technologies. John leads the development and execution of the company's production and manufacturing capabilities, and is responsible for scaling vessel manufacturing from prototype through production at scale. He is an experienced advanced technologies leader with a proven track record of rapidly advancing business units from developmental environments to full production lines.

Prior to Saronic, John spent nine years leading production and manufacturing teams at SpaceX. He led the development of the full production line for the Raptor engine while significantly increasing team headcount, driving efficiencies, and implementing new processes that generated continuous improvement and accelerated the pace of delivery.

Outside of the office, John enjoys fly fishing and has a long-standing passion for sailing. He has competed in multiple long-distance races on the West Coast including Farr 40 World Championships, California offshore race week and Newport to Ensenada yacht races.

John Simmons is the Vice President, Mission Services at Saronic Technologies, having held the role since August 2024. He oversees Mission Operations, Training, Support and Systems.

Prior to joining Saronic, John held executive and senior leadership roles at Peloton Interactive, including Vice President of Post-Sales Operations, Senior Director of Supply Chain Development and Service & Support, where he scaled service and supply chain operations during a period of explosive growth.

In addition to his time at Peloton, John also spent more than six years at AT&T in positions such as Chief of Staff, Principal Customer Experience Program Manager, and Lead of Corporate Strategy, driving improvements across customer experience, operational performance, and post-merger strategic initiatives following the Warner Media acquisition.

John holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Design from the University of Minnesota, a foundation that has supported his ability to combine systems thinking, strategic planning, and customer- focused execution throughout his career.

Nick Stoner leads Defense Growth at Saronic Technologies, where he focuses on large-scale business strategy across product lines, portfolios, and development efforts, partnering closely with the executive team to transition innovative maritime autonomy capabilities into funded defense programs.

With over 12 years of experience spanning defense operations, acquisitions, and industry growth strategy, Nick brings a deep understanding of how requirements development, resourcing, and long- term procurement planning enable advanced technologies to scale responsibly and meet mission-critical needs. His background includes launching and executing complex, multi-year procurement strategies that move capabilities from rapid innovation into enduring Programs of Record.

Prior to joining Saronic Technologies, Nick led Anduril Industries' maritime business development efforts as a Senior Director, where he managed growth initiatives across subsea and surface domains. Earlier in his career, he served as a Navy Special Operations officer, with operational and staff tours supporting the European, African, and Indo-Pacific theaters, including an assignment on the Chief of Naval Operations staff, where he helped develop and direct the stand-up of multiple unmanned Programs of Record as a U.S. Government Resource Sponsor.

Beyond his professional role, Nick is a former Navy Fleet Scholar, with an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, San Diego. He resides in San Diego, California, hunting beach break barrels and sunny afternoons with his family.

Goutham is the VP of Software at Saronic Technologies where he leads the software department. Goutham brings software into the product development process – starting from initial product conception, through prototyping, and while designing for production. Goutham works closely with end users and customers to shape product requirements and ensure hardware + software co-design.

In addition to software, Goutham contributes to Saronic's product roadmap and go-to-market strategy. Software is a core pillar of saronic's corporate strategy and Goutham contributes to shaping the software strategy and executing the direction.

Goutham holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University. Prior to Saronic, Goutham worked at Anduril Industries, where he was an engineering lead on new product development initiatives. Prior to Anduril, Goutham founded and operated a distributed sensing startup selling to local governments.

Matthew is Vice President of International at Saronic Technologies, where he leads the business and operations of the company outside of the United States.

Matthew has worked in support of the defense and intelligence community for the last fifteen years. Joining in 2013, he was an early employee at Palantir, and lead teams in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Earlier in his career, he was a lawyer in Sydney, Australia focusing on deep technology. He holds dual degrees in Law and Economics.

Natalie Wiegand is VP of Global Expansion & Integration at Saronic Technologies, where she oversees: HR & Recruiting, EHS & Workplace, IT & Security, and Real Estate functions.

Natalie is a seasoned people leader with over 10 years of experience in business operations, recruiting, and human resources. Natalie's career has strong entrepreneurship roots, beginning with her being one of the first entrepreneurs to attend Draper University - an entrepreneurship bootcamp run by VC Tim Draper. She then joined Tesla as one of the first members of the Executive Search team, where she contributed to building the early leadership team that played a key role in the company's success story, including scaling the production of the Model S, and launching the Model X and the first Gigafactory in Sparks, NV.

Following Tesla, Natalie transitioned to venture capital and was Chief of Staff of Capital Factory, where she streamlined operations, was a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team, and facilitated the firm's growth in Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Natalie then served as Capital Factory's Vice President of People, where she led the HR department that scaled the company through significant growth, while prioritizing employee development, well-being, and diversity and inclusion.

Natalie has a degree in Economics from University of California, Santa Cruz.