2025
Founder (Technical)
Wagabond Pets, LLC
remote- iOS App Store Wagabond Pets app on 4th release, v1.2.
- iOS App Store Puppy Potty Tracker released with multiple language support and WatchOS.
- Launched in November, built alone.
Alex Sonne
Founder
Alex leads development and architecture, turning complex ideas into clean, maintainable code.
Experience
2022 – 2025
Senior Portfolio Manager
DHS Science & Technology Directorate (AECOM)
remote- Managed a $30M R&D portfolio spanning AI, hardware, and software deployments for the Department of Homeland Security. Promoted through the lifecycle from solutions architecture, to then include requirements analysis, and finally transition and commercialization.
- Latest shipped product: QWAKE C-THRU, allowing fire fighters to visualize barriers through particulate smoke and communicate to the command and control center in real time.
- Led multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, acquisition experts, and policy advisors to deliver national-level solutions from prototype to operational deployment. Managed 100+ member senior volunteer group. Implemented automated reporting pipelines and data dashboards, reducing manual effort by 40+ hours per month.
- Executed 100+ member senior volunteer workshops to capture first-responder requirements and improve adoption rates nationwide.
2019 – 2022
Senior Program Manager
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (Sancorp Consulting)
hybrid- Planned and managed studies selected from NDAA authorizations. Coordinated research and interviews with industry SMEs, military leadership, and federal senior executives. Delivered congressional research shaping DoD policy and funding priorities. Produced actionable studies on firearms background checks and data-sharing gaps that influenced policy reform.
- Authored the Department of Defense Insider Threat pipeline and policy manuals adopted enterprise-wide, which resulted in unit and installation level cooperation with federal insider threat analysis, improving prevention and response.
- Weapons background check study cited in DoJ settlement with Sutherland Church victims.
2018 – 2019
Cryptologic Linguistics and Analysis Course Instructor
U.S. Air Force
on-site- Designed, developed, implemented, and tested updated Asia Pacific training curriculum for new intelligence analysts.
- Developed 250+ instructional materials and trained 160+ analysts in Mandarin-language intelligence operations, reducing mission onboarding time by 70%.
2012 – 2018
Technical Director (Asia Pacific Analysis & Reporting)
National Security Agency, Hawaii (U.S. Army)
on-site- Led intelligence operations, foreign engagement, and training for over 100 analysts supporting Indo-Pacific Command. Served as Classification Advisory Officer and adjunct professor at the National Cryptologic School.
- Discovered operational anomalies indicating adversary command reorganization; authored mitigation directives adopted at the national level. Awarded multiple commendations for discovery and classified system design.
- Assisted in uncovering the scope and probable impact of the 2013 Snowden leaks; led to preemptive changes and new cooperation with allied partners, enabling continuity in watchfloor operations and target profiling for 7th Fleet commanders.
Education
Master of Business Administration
Business Administration
University of Maryland, Smith School of Business
Washington, D.C.
2020-2022
Bachelor of Science
Psychology
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL
2007-2011
Associate of Arts
Chinese Mandarin
Defense Language Institute
Monterey, CA
2013-2014
Publications
- Standard Practices and Procedures Manage - University of Maryland ARLIS2019
- DoD and Military Service Policy Gaps for Reporting Information to the NICS2019
- Feasibility Study on the Establishment of a Database of Military Protective Orders2020
- Information Share of the Defense Criminal Investigation Organizations with DITMAC2020
- Department of Defense Insider Threat Enterprise Manual2021
- Standardization and Merger of DoD Law Enforcement Training2021
Languages
- ChineseConversational