Howard Bland
Program Manager

For the past five years, Howard Bland has been responsible for overseeing the development and fielding of interoperable deployable communications systems for MPRI. With nearly thirty years of military and contractor experience in the design, installation, operations, maintenance, and assessment of long-haul satellite and terrestrial systems, his goal with each project is to deliver a system that is reliable, is easy to use and provides maximum return on the customer’s investment.

“MPRI provides a team environment where all hands are impassioned with the singular goal of delivering the finest products and services to the customer,” notes Howard. “Such single-mindedness on the mission of serving the customer is a rarity and it is a true honor to be associated with such fine professionals.”

Howard continues, “The opportunities provided by the company for professional development are second to none and the ethical standards exemplified in the entire leadership team set the highest standard that I’ve witnessed in the industry.”

Cliff Concello
Operations Manager

Cliff Concello joined L-3 MPRI in 2005 and today serves as the operations manager in the Program Management Office. Here he is responsible for the daily operational, planning, directing, and coordination of regional program staff, procurements and PMO resources assigned to country project teams. He also serves as a key interface with DOJ/ICITAP to ensure all regional programs are in line with meeting the mission’s goals, timelines and objectives.

Cliff’s vast background in the criminal justice sector spans more than 30 years working as a law enforcement officer in California. He has extensive experience providing training and expert witness testimony to law enforcement agencies, courts and government agencies on street and outlaw motorcycle gangs as well as narcotics crimes.

He also managed a California Office of Criminal Justice Planning (OCJP) Community Crime Resistance Program, which developed community crime resistance and crime prevention activities in cooperative efforts with law enforcement, government and community-based agencies.

Cliff is proud of the opportunity to have shared his U.S. law enforcement background with police officers in countries with emerging democracies that are moving under the Rule of Law. “L-3 MPRI enables me to combine my passion for criminal justice with my skills in spearheading and managing complex, multi-party programs to help ensure the safety and well-being of people around the globe.”

James Crawford
Deputy Program Manager

Since joining the company in 2006, James Crawford has served in a number of key positions that directly support L-3 MPRI’s contract with the Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP). In his current role as deputy program manager, James plans, directs and ensures the successful utilization of Program Management Office resources and assigned project management teams. He is also a key interface with the DOJ/ICITAP, ensuring that all PMO engagements are aligned with meeting the mission’s goals and objectives.

Previously at L-3 MPRI, James served as field operations manager at the Jordan International Police Training Center and as operations manager at the Program Management Office.

Prior to joining L-3 MPRI, James was basic training manager for the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. There, he was directly responsible for the entry-level training of more than 250 police officers and/or deputy sheriffs a year, representing seventeen different metro area law enforcement agencies. He also played a major role in helping the Academy become the third in the nation to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

“I’m most proud of the opportunity to work in a program that is committed to a high standard of professional ethics,” noted James. “International law enforcement development has proven challenging for our nation, and L-3 MPRI has made significant contributions to its successes. Our people are extremely dedicated to the core principles and continue to strive to exceed expectations.”

Kurt Kleinsorge
Vice President of Product Development

Kurt Kleinsorge joined L-3 MPRI in 2006. As vice president of product development for TSG, he is responsible for bringing total training solutions to market for both commercial and military customers.

Kurt began his career as a software engineer, developing real-time weapons simulations for embedded training applications and developing metrics for weapon-systems effectiveness assessments. Later, as a research engineer at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, he contributed to the development of tool sets for the automated mathematical symbolic manipulation used for deriving the differential equations associated with multi-bodied dynamics.

Kurt also founded, built, ran and sold games developer “Image Space Incorporated” and later simulations developer “gForce Technologies.” Over the course of his career, Kurt has leveraged his expertise to develop complex real-time simulations for the automotive manufacturing, NASCAR, and driver-training communities.

“MPRI is a builder: A builder of security; a builder of the critical infrastructures associated with gaining access to with public health; and a builder of the skill sets necessary to properly and safely perform a wide variety of critical, and often times dangerous,  jobs throughout the world,” Kurt elaborates. “Providing these goods and services requires assembling men and women of incredible talent; providing them with the tools necessary to perform their work; and through world class leadership, creating the opportunities and the vision for success. I’m proud to be a small part of that mission and to have had the chance to work alongside such extraordinary people.”

Bob Mosier
Law Enforcement Professional

Bob Mosier has served in L-3 MPRI’s Embedded Law Enforcement Program since 2007. On a project in Mosul in 2008, he met with the Ninawa Provincial Police Operations Chief to investigate stolen vehicle patterns and determine how they could be associated with the construction of Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices.

In 2009, Bob worked with the Iraq Criminal Investigation Department to review the Criminal Investigative Processes to be used for the collection of evidence against more than 2,000 Dangerous Radicals and Enduring Security Threats. Also that year, he met with the Joint Subcommittee, established by the Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister to oversee the implementation of the U.S. and Iraq Security Agreement. In this meeting the formal establishment of a joint investigative process between U.S. and Iraqi Forces was sought and approved.

Bob’s law enforcement career spans more than 25 years. He served in Northern Virginia, working through the ranks to become a Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division leading task force work and SWAT operations. Later, he served in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the United Nation’s International Police Task Force. He later served as director of investigations for the International Justice Mission in developing countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America. There he coordinated transnational organized crime investigations, primarily those involving human trafficking and commercial child sexual exploitation.

“I am proud to support a professionally diverse team that is sought out to provide meaningful solutions and is committed to serving our great nation,” commented Bob. “I chose L-3 MPRI for what the organization represents – particularly the culture of ethics in finding solutions to very complex problems.”

Ray Lynne Peterson
Quality Manager and Lead Instructional System Designer

As a quality manager and lead instructional system designer (ISD), Ray Lynne Peterson serves as information central. Ray Lynne joined L-3 MPRI 11 years ago as an ISD, but was quickly moved to project manager. Four years later, she was asked to become quality manager as the company began its journey to ISO certification.

One area that Ray Lynne has taken particular interest in is helping customers understand the complexities of their role in effective courseware product development. Whether during proposal development, post-award integrated project team meetings, or one-on-one, Ray Lynne enjoys explaining how adults learn and how instruction is best structured to bring about improvements in skills, knowledge and attitudes.

As quality manager, she has visited as many as 50 projects around the company either training, deploying the Quality Management System, or as an internal auditor. She appreciates the open, determined, hard-working professionals with which she interfaces every day.

“I’m so proud of everyone who works to provide instruction to our commercial and military trainees who, in turn, serve and protect our great country,” Ray Lynne concluded.

Denise Threlfall, Ph.D.
Vice President, Instructional Systems Development

Denise has more than 24 years of experience in adult education and training with an emphasis on curriculum development. She began her career in adult education by teaching Army enlisted non-commissioned officers and junior officers in the Basic Skills Educational Program (BSEP) and Advanced Skills Educational Program (ASEP) while living in Germany. Because of her passion for teaching adults, she completed a Master of Science in Adult Education from Old Dominion University, and subsequently completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Services Education there as well.

Denise joined L-3 MPRI in 2008 because of its ongoing, excellent reputation in the community. Today, she supports proposal development and bid opportunities, focusing on building strategic partnerships and identifying and pursuing strategic opportunities. When providing company capabilities briefings and product demonstrations to ensure the total solution is presented to the customer, Denise is more than enthusiastic to show the high quality instructional products produced by L-3 MPRI. Product development is a team sport and she enjoys ensuring the customer’s expectations are exceeded while working with a highly motivated and dedicated team of professionals.

In keeping the focus on the training solutions’ end users, Denise says, “If our products can answer yes to three critical questions: ‘Did it teach? Did they learn? Are they alive at the end of the day?’ we have done our best work for those who dedicate their daily mission to ensuring our safety at home. For that, I feel proud to be an employee of L-3 MPRI and all it strives to achieve.”

Tolga Yildirim
Software Engineer

As a software engineer, Tolga Yildirim is responsible for the full life cycle of software development from initial requirements gathering to the design, development, testing, documentation, publishing, deployment, version control and support for L-3 MPRI’s system software. He is specialized in graphical user interface design, data communications and networking, data analysis, and reporting. Tolga utilizes the highest software engineering technologies to make products that exceed customer expectations and maximize the value of each system.

Having joined L-3 MPRI in 2004, Tolga has applied his software engineering expertise internationally across the manufacturing, banking and defense industries. For him, education is a lifelong process and he seeks out opportunities to learn new things every day to both improve professionally and expand upon his contributions to the company. “I enjoy working in a challenging environment that sets the bar higher after each achievement,” he notes.

“As part of a team that designs and develops training systems used by armed forces and law enforcement personnel, I am proud to support the people who conduct critical missions all around the world to ensure our safety,” Tolga concluded.