William A LaPlante

Dr. William A. LaPlante is the Principal Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Washington, D.C. He is the senior civilian assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition). His duties include providing expert advice and guidance on Air Force acquisition programs and procurements. Dr. LaPlante is also responsible for development and execution of policies and procedures in support of the operation and improvement of the Air Force's acquisition system. He oversees an Air Force research and development, test, production and modernization program portfolio of over $40 billion annually. Dr. LaPlante has more than 28 years of experience in defense technology including positions at the MITRE Corporation and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He has also served on the Defense Science Board (DSB), U.S. Strategic Command Senior Advisory Group and Naval Research Advisory Committee. He has also taught as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Catholic University of America. Prior to entering public service, Dr. LaPlante was the Missile Defense Portfolio Director for the MITRE Corporation. In this role, Dr. LaPlante led a technical team providing analytic and system engineering expertise across the Missile Defense Agency portfolio of ballistic missile defense systems. Previously, he was the Department Head for Global Engagement at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) where he was responsible for all of APL's work supporting offensive military capabilities. Dr. LaPlante was a member of APL's Executive Council and served on many other Laboratory leadership initiatives. His earlier APL work included Associate Department Head of the National Security Technology Department and Program Area Manager for the Strategic Submarine Security Program. Dr. LaPlante has also served on numerous prestigious scientific boards. He was appointed to the Defense Science Board (DSB) in 2010 where he co-chaired a study on Enhancing the Adaptability of U.S. Military Forces and participated in studies on technology and innovation enablers, missile defense, cyber resiliency and contractor logistics. Dr. LaPlante chaired a Commander, USSTRATCOM Strategic Advisory Group study on nuclear planning factors and participated in various studies sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, the Naval Research Advisory Committee, USSTRATCOM and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics). EDUCATION 1985 Bachelor of Science degree in engineering physics, University of Illinois 1988 Master of Science degree in applied physics, Johns Hopkins University 1998 Doctorate in mechanical engineering, Catholic University of America CAREER CHRONOLOGY 1. 1985 - 1993, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. 2. 1993 - 1998, Chief Scientist and Technical Director for several large at-sea submarine security experiments, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. 3. 1998 - 2001, Program Area Manager for the Strategic Submarine (SSBN) Security Program, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. 4. 2001 - 2003, Business Area Executive for Undersea Warfare and Associate Department Head, National Security Technology Department (Undersea Warfare, Homeland Security and Biomedicine), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. 5. 2003 - 2011, Department Head, Global Engagement Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. 6. 2011 - 2013, Missile Defense Portfolio Director, MITRE Corporation, McLean, Va. 7. 2013 - present, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Washington, D.C. OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS Defense Science Board Member USSTRATCOM Strategic Advisory Group Member Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Catholic University of America (Current as of May 2013)