Brian MacCarthy is the tech exploration lead for Booz Allen Ventures, our corporate venture capital fund. In addition to building The Helix, Booz Allen's Center for Innovation, he leads tech scouting teams in San Francisco, Austin, and Washington, DC, focused on finding and vetting non-traditional venture-backed startups and helping those companies gain adoption in the federal government. 

Brian is also managing partner for our $100 million Venture Capital Fund, which invests in dual-use startups across artificial intelligence (AI), cyber, defense tech, and deep tech. Brian’s mission-driven leadership bridges the gap between the venture-backed startup and commercial ecosystem and the nation’s most pressing defense and national security challenges.

Brian has 20 years of experience in commercial and government consulting, including in healthcare, e-commerce, defense, and national security. Before leading Booz Allen Ventures, Brian launched our tech scouting practice. Under his leadership, it has become an instrumental approach to solving Department of Defense mission challenges while providing critical research and recommendations to inform Booz Allen’s broader strategic priorities.  

Brian also built Booz Allen’s hackathon strategy, including organizing and leading the world’s largest DOD hackathon, the U.S. Navy’s HACKtheMACHINE digital experience. In 2017, HACKtheMACHINE won the Secretary of the Navy Award for Innovation Catalyst. 

Before joining Booz Allen, Brian led sales organizations in New York and Washington, DC, focused on software, hardware, and telecom implementations.

A vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Brian has served on Booz Allen’s DEI Executive Council since its inception and is executive sponsor of our Global Disabilities Business Resource Group. For more than 35 years, Brian has worked to help patients afflicted by cystic fibrosis, raising funds for a cure, and serving as a national spokesperson for the disease.

Brian earned his B.A. in communications and journalism from James Madison University. 

Ms. Betsy Kowalski serves as the Executive Director of the Defense Science Board, which provides independent advice and recommendations on matters of special interest to drive innovation and efficiency in the global science and technology enterprise for the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior stakeholders throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). As a principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, she represents the DoD substantively on Board matters having equities within the science and technology enterprise at meetings with congressional staff, executives, and high-level officials of other government agencies, industry, academia and the private sector. She is also the Board’s Designated Federal Official and is responsible for ensuring that the Defense Science Board operations are conducted according to all applicable laws and regulations as the Designated Federal Official.

Ms. Kowalski has work experience in private industry, uniformed military service, county, state, and federal government positions. Previously she was the Senior Advisorto the Defense Science Board, where she was responsible for all Board messaging, communications, materiel support, special access portfolio management, and acted as an interface between the Board and groups such as the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Intelligence Community organizations, Military Departments and other governmental entities to ensure timely coordination to meet stakeholder needs. She previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor and Analyst for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security, where she was responsible for leading, influencing, and negotiating massive policy reform throughout the Department of Defense. She has also served as an Inspector General and Operations Security Program Manager for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency which enables the United States Government and International Partners to counter and deter Weapons of Mass Destruction and Improvised Threat Networks worldwide. Ms. Kowalski has worked for numerous private industry firms, the State of Mississippi’s Tort Claims Board, and Pinellas County’s Department of Risk Management in the state of Florida. Ms. Kowalski is a trained Intelligence Officer who retired from the United States Army, including both Active Duty and Reserve statuses in April 2022. She served in a combat tour to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and she received her commission through the United States Army’s Officer Candidate School in Fort Moore, Georgia. Ms. Kowalski has been recognized with numerous commendations during her career including, but not limited to the Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Achievement Medal and Army Commendation Medal.

Ms. Kowalski completed a Master of Arts in Intelligence Studies from American Military University in Charles Town, West Virginia. She also holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi; and she is a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute.