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×DR. PRESTON B. CLINE
Co-Founder
Dr. Preston B. Cline is the Co-Founder and Principal at the Mission Critical Team Institute where he spends his time as Director of Research. After beginning his career in the late 1980’s leading 60-day remote wilderness trips with adjudicated youth out of New Jersey he has since been cold wet tired and hungry on all seven continents leading both terrestrial and ocean expeditions. His previous training as a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, an NAUI Rescue Diver and an Ocean Lifeguard Trainer meant that Preston has led primary, secondary and tertiary responses to numerous critical and catastrophic incidents. It was these experiences that were the catalyst for 30 years of academic research on human interaction with uncertainty. The question of why some people make it, while others do not. Preston has received a Bachelor’s of Science from Rutgers University, a Masters of Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Since 2008 his primary research and practice has focused on supporting the Instructor Cadres of Mission Critical Teams: Small (4-12 agents), integrated groups of indigenously trained and educated experts that leverage tools and technology to resolve complex adaptive problems in an immersive, but constrained (five minutes or less), temporal environments, where the consequence of failure can be catastrophic. These instructor cadres represent Collaborative Inquiry Communities of Practice within Military Special Operations, Emergency Medicine, Tactical Law Enforcement, Aerospace and Urban and Wilderness Fire Fighting Organizations within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States. When he is not working with Cadre, he resides outside Philadelphia with his extraordinary spouse Amy who, when not teaching, plans and leads their international sailing expeditions.
Preston@missioncti.com
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×COLEMAN RUIZ
Co-Founder
As a Co-Founder, Principal, and Director of Performance at the Mission Critical Team Institute (MCTI), Coleman focuses primarily on the applications and practices of Mission Critical Teams which are small (4-12 agents) integrated groups of indigenously trained and educated experts that leverage tools and technology to resolve complex adaptive problems. Mission Critical Teams operate in immersive but constrained (300 seconds or less), temporal environments where the consequence of failure can be catastrophic. Coleman is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former officer in the Naval Special Warfare community (U.S. Navy SEALs). Coleman spent 13 years on active duty in the U.S. Navy serving overseas during six (6) combat deployments in both the Afghanistan and Iraq theaters of war. While serving as a troop commander and joint task force commander, Coleman led hundreds of operations and dozens of sensitive military programs. He also served in U.S. Embassies in both Yemen and Kenya working directly with the Ambassador’s country team and host nation forces. Coleman also served as both a basic and advanced training officer in Naval Special Warfare, and is a former Director of Human Performance at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. Through the MCTI, he’s now serving both the instructor cadre and students from training pipelines where he led the training, education, and development of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced special operations programs. In addition to his work at the MCTI, Coleman has also served as a trainer, educator, and advisor for dozens of collegiate and professional athletic organizations. He serves as a U.S. Naval Academy Trustee for Athletic and Scholarship Programs. He’s a General Partner at special asset holding company, Anchor Capital Holdings, and a board member of a former portfolio company. In his “free” time, Coleman has served as the Executive Director of Carry the Load in Dallas, TX, a 501(c)3, as a board member at Tip of the Spear, a veteran-focused non-profit, and is a volunteer mentor at both the Station Foundation, and the COMMIT Foundation, both veteran transition programs. Coleman graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in Mathematics and earned an MBA in Finance at the Government School of Business & Public Policy from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He lives in Annapolis, MD with his wife Bridget Ruiz and their three children, Coleman (age 16), Ben (age 13), and Oliver (age 9).
Coleman@missioncti.com
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×JANESE JACKSON
Director of Operations
Janese Jackson is the Director of Operations at Mission Critical Team Institute. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Business Management from the University of Notre Dame, she went on to pursue a career in event planning and coordination with Wharton Leadership Ventures at the Wharton School of Business. For almost four years she facilitated self-discovery, leadership and character development for MBA and Undergraduate students while coordinating these ventures and traveling domestically and abroad. Now as the Director of Operations at MCTI, Janese leverages her leadership and management skills to insure all coordinated events, seminars and courses for the Instructor Cadres of Mission Critical Teams are completed to the satisfaction of our member organizations. Janese is responsible for ensuring that day to day communications and logistics of MCTI run smoothly and effectively. When not working, Janese is an amateur chef, always trying out new recipes and ingredients in the kitchen, and traveling to new countries with her family.
Janese@missioncti.com
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×HARRY MOFFITT
DIRECTOR
Harry Moffitt is a Director at the Mission Critical Team Institute (MCTI) responsible for operations in Australia and New Zealand. He focuses on the capability and practice development of mission critical teams across emergency medicine, urban and wildland fire, tactical law enforcement, aerospace, and military Special Operations. A former SAS Team Commander, Harry spent 28 years with the Australian Defence Force, including over 20 years with Special Operations. He completed 11 active service deployments globally, including being wounded in action in 2008. Harry completed his time with the SAS as its Director of High-Performance and senior cadre instructor. Harry is a registered psychologist having received a Master of Psychology from Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. His primary research and practice remains dedicated to the instructor cadres of mission critical teams: small (4-12 agents), integrated groups of indigenously trained and educated experts that leverage tools and technology to resolve complex adaptive problems in an immersive, but constrained (five minutes or less), temporal environments, where the consequence of failure can be catastrophic. In addition to his work at the MCTI Harry is CEO for his own performance company and is the founder of the Wanderers Education Program, a multimillion-dollar initiative that provides current serving operators with education opportunities. He is also serves as the Victorian State Manager for the Wandering Warriors—a veteran transition organisation—and is a partner with Point Assist a veteran adventure and expedition training program. Harry lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife Danielle, and has two adult children Georgia and Henry.
Harry@missioncti.com
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×CLARE MURPHY
Director of Story
Clare Murphy is a Director of Story at Mission Critical Team Institute USA. Dublin born, now based in Bristol UK, Clare has worked as an international storyteller since 2006. She was raised by an actor and a poet, and began her life as a storyteller at the age of 30. She learned her craft by watching storytellers from 2001-2006 before beginning her career as a performer. Since then Clare has performed in more than 20 countries and in two languages. Because storytelling can work in a formal and non-formal environment (i.e. she does not need a stage, a costume, or any props) Clare has performed in a lot of unusual situations including at a dinner for the former President of Ireland, for 120 quantum physicists at the Von Karman Lecture Series for NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and for the General Public at the National Theatre London. Her performances can last anything from two minutes to two hours. She has performed in converted potato cellars, medieval roundhouses, beaches, castles, theatres, art centres and universities. Clare has been teaching and training all kinds of groups to use storytelling skills since 2007 from veterans to actors, scientists, academics, lawyers and sports coaches. She has a BA International from National University of the Arts at Galway in English and Spanish. When not working, Clare is a wild gardener, book addict, and world traveller.
Clare@missioncti.com
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×DAN DWORKIS
Chief Medical Officer
Dan Dworkis, MD PhD FACEP is the Chief Medical Officer at the Mission Critical Team Institute, a board-certified emergency physician, and an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He performed his emergency medicine residency with Harvard Medical School at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital / Brigham Health, and holds an MD and PhD in molecular medicine from the Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Dworkis is the founder of The Emergency Mind Project, and the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure.
Dan@missioncti.com
Dr. Preston B. Cline: Education, with a primary focus on Mission Critical Teams. www.missioncti.com. Currently, the CEO of Mission Critical Team Institute, a private applied research and education institute. BS, Rutgers University; M.Ed Harvard University, Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania. Senior Fellow, Center for Leadership and Change Management. Visiting Scholar in the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative (WiN). The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dan Dworkis, MD PhD FACEP: Emergency Medicine, with a primary focus on the optimal development of mission critical medical teams. ScB, Brown University, M.D./Ph.D. Boston University School of Medicine, Residency Harvard Medical School. Currently, the Chief Medical Officer at the Mission Critical Team Institute www.missioncti.com and an Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Dworkis is the founder of The Emergency Mind Project.
Dr. Art Finch: Consulting Psychologist with a primary focus on team optimization, assessment and selection, culture, personality, and executive coaching. https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-finch-24559895/ BS and Ph.D., Brigham Young University. Retired COL and US Army Ranger (23 Years Active Duty). Currently MCTI Director of Psychology and Founder and President of The Gauge Group – Psychological Consultation.
Shea Diamond: Cognitive Science, Emotional Intelligence, Positive Psychology, and Adult Education. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheadiamond/ BA, Saint Louis University, Master of Applied Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania (2024). Former Intelligence Officer with the US Air Force with multiple deployments. Served as the Wing Intelligence Weapons Officer, an instructor in the Intelligence Weapons Instructor Course and held the prestigious position of Chief of Academics at the US Air Force Weapons School.
Dr. Angus Fletcher: Angus Fletcher. Narrative Cognition, aka Low-Data Intelligence. Neurophysiology and Narrative Theory. BSc, University of Michigan, (Ph.D Yale). Army Commendation Medal for “groundbreaking research” into training imagination, intuition, and commonsense. Currently Professor of Story Science at Ohio State’s Project Narrative. angusfletcher.co
Anne Gibbon: Strategy & Data Analysis with AI, with a primary focus on innovating how humans interact with information using novel 3D graphics and drive decision processes with AI. BS, US Naval Academy. https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-gibbon/ Currently, founder and CEO of Matri, an early-stage tech startup revolutionizing how teams manage complex decision processes with AI.
Shaun Huls: Human Performance. B.S. University of Nebraska, MS California University of Pennsylvania. Formerly head strength and conditioning coach, and combatives coordinator, for US Naval Special Warfare. Later served as Director of High Performance at the Philadelphia Eagles supporting their 2017 Superbowl win. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Huls. Currently, Director of High Performance at the Cleveland Browns.
Dr. Martin Ihrig: Knowledge Strategy. MBS University College Dublin, Ph.D. Technische Universität Berlin. He is an associate dean and clinical professor at New York University and a senior fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder and president of I-Space Institute, an applied research and consulting venture that helps organizations create innovation and growth opportunities.
Dr. Zab Johnson: Neuroscientist, with a primary focus on vision and visual behavior. AB, Mount Holyoke, Ph.D. NYU. Currently executive director and senior fellow of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. An adjunct professor of Marketing at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Joe Kable: Neuroscientist, with a primary focus on human decision-making. BS, Emory University, Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania. Director of MindCore at the University of Pennsylvania, Primary Investigator, Kable Labs, and the Jean-Marie Kneeley President’s Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dawn Kernagis: Neuroscientist, with a primary focus on neuroprotective strategies for individuals working in extreme environments. B.S. North Carolina State University, MPA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, PhD. Duke University. Vice Chair for Research, Department of Neurosurgery at UNC School of Medicine, visiting research scientist IHMC. Currently, the Director of Scientific Research at Deep www.deep.com.
Blair Mannix: Admissions, with a primary focus on Selection and Assessment. BA, Saint Joseph’s University, M.S.ED University of Pennsylvania. https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairmannix/ Currently, Executive Director of Graduate Admissions at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Anthony “Harry” Moffitt: Psychologist (APS registered) specializing in human performance and team development – BA, Edith Cowan University; MPsych, Deakin University. Served 30 years with Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) as Team Commander and Director of High-Performance. Currently Director MCTI Australia & New Zealand www.missioncti.com, senior lecturer at the Australian Institute of Police Management and Managing Director of Stotan Group.
Chief David Morkal: Leadership Development, with a primary focus on coaching and mentoring. BFA, University of Evansville. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-morkal-83961797/ Currently serving on the Board of the Leary Firefighters Foundation. Retired from FDNY as a Battalion Chief after 33 years of service.
Dr. Mario Moussa: Organizational Consulting and Executive Education, with a primary focus on large-scale change initiatives, collaboration, and negotiation. BA, Northwestern University; MA, SUNY/STONY BROOK; MBA, The Wharton School; Ph.D., University of Chicago. President of Moussa Consulting. Currently, Affiliated Faculty, Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Clare Murphy: Storytelling, with a primary focus on the use of narrative in teaching. B.A., University of Galway. Director of Story with the Mission Critical Team Institute www.missioncti.com. Currently, internationally recognized professional storyteller https://claremurphy.org/.
Dr. Gloria Park: Psychological Performance. B.A Villanova University, Masters, Applied Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D. Temple University. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriahmpark/ Currently, the Director of Performance Psychology at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.
Dr. Michael Platt: Neuroscientist, with a primary focus on the brain’s decision-making processes. BA, Yale, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania. Currently James S. Riepe University Professor, University of Pennsylvania. He holds appointments in the Department of Neuroscience in the Perelman School of Medicine, the Department of Psychology in the School of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Marketing in the Wharton School.
Dr. Sharon Ravitch: Education, with a primary focus on instructor professional development. B.A., Temple University, Ed.M. Harvard, Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania. Principle Investigator, Semillas Digitales Initiativeas. Currently, Professor of Practice, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
Holly Ridings: Spaceflight. B.S. Texas A&M University. NASA’s first female Chief Flight Director https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Ridings, Currently, She is the Gateway Deputy Program Manager, where she leads teams to build and launch NASA’s foundational infrastructure in deep space.
