Mr. Warren Ward

Director of Operations

Mr. Warren Ward is the Chief of Staff for the Louisiana Tech Research Institute, an organization dedicated to providing preeminent interdisciplinary research and integrated education capability to government and industry sponsors to solve complex emerging problems facing our nation. His team provides Nuclear Command, Control and Communications education for the Air Force. Additionally, he manages the National Security Fellowship placing university students with Air Force Global Strike Command champions to solve specific problems.

Mr. Ward served 25 years in the Air Force as a B-52 pilot and retired in 2010 as a Colonel. His experience in the B-52 includes a 35.4-hour sortie opening Operation Desert Storm and later circumnavigating the earth during a non-stop 47-hour flight in 1994. After his military retirement, he served as an Air Force civilian at Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command from 2010-2020 culminating as the Chief, Architectures, Requirements and Futures Division at the Air Force Nuclear Command Control and Communications Center. He is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in the B-52G/H, T-37B and T-38A/C. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University, MS in Systems Science from Louisiana State University-Shreveport, MS in Military Operational Arts and Science from Air University, a graduate certificate in Information Assurance from Louisiana Tech and a graduate certificate in Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy and Proliferation from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Mr. Shane Grosso

Director of NC3 Education, Teaching Fellow

Shane Grosso is the Director for Nuclear Command and Control and Communications Education at the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI), a non-profit partnership that connects Louisiana Tech University with the Department of Defense. LTRI provides external partner expertise required to rapidly develop and deliver a tailored and ever- evolving professional development experience. This includes addressing strategic leadership, deterrence and nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) thought, education, and applied research needs of Air Force Global Strike Command.

Chief Master Sergeant Shane Grosso retired from the Air Force in May 2019 after 25-years of service culminating as the Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Global Strike Command Directorate of Operations and Communications. Within the nuclear enterprise, he dedicated 14 years of service specializing in nuclear command and control at Whiteman, Barksdale, Incirlik and finally Ramstein as USAFE’s command post functional manager. His educational accomplishments include a teaching practicum, a Master Instructor certification through Air Education and Training Command and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management and Leadership.

Dr. Jerome DuBose

Deputy/Program Director

Dr. Jerome DuBose is the Program Director for the National Security Fellowship program at Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRi). As an esteemed leader with over 30 years of experience, Jerome is notable for his strategic and financial expertise. A retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant, he has a distinguished administrative management and program leadership background. As a Program Director, he strategically oversees multiple initiatives, ensuring they align with organizational goals and achieve impactful results. He demonstrates a commitment to excellence and innovation in leadership and program management. During his LTRi tenure, he significantly advanced Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) curricula and student training.

His role as Senior Staff Fellow involves pioneering contributions to the professional development of Air Force Airmen, enhancing industry standards and NC3 education, and profoundly influencing the nuclear field. Jerome holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, with additional master’s degrees in Management & Leadership and Business Administration. His executive-level education, completed at the prestigious Cornell University, spans Business Strategy, Change Management, Executive Leadership, and Executive Healthcare Leadership. Jerome’s leadership is marked by his ability to blend executive insight with a professional style, achieving outstanding outcomes. His career, characterized by visionary leadership, ethical practices, and an international perspective, has established him as a trusted influencer. His legacy is defined by his transformative impact on leadership, management, and educational excellence.

Mr. Alex Jordan

Teaching Fellow NC3 Education

Mr. John Alex Jordan is a native of Haughton, Louisiana.  He honorably served in the United States Air Force (USAF) for more than twenty years with focused expertise in emergency operations, management, and training. He was a contributor to Raytheon’s federal wartime studies concerning the effectiveness of Nuclear Command and Control (NC2), including analyses of Department of Defense (DoD) message transmission processes. He has also drafted detailed, technically complex DoD, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force policy and procedures. An expert in his field, he also administered compliance inspections for various USAF agencies and renovated the command-and-control career field’s promotion examination.

He joined the Louisiana Tech Research Institute team to develop and deliver a Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) professional continuing education program for the USAF. This flagship joint USAF-LTRI effort arms Airmen and sister-service members with knowledge to advocate processes and modernization efforts across the DoD nuclear enterprise. As LTRI has evolved and is now positioned to provide state-of-the-art secure research capability, Mr. Jordan now serves as the Louisiana Tech Applied Research Corporation’s industrial security professional. He is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of security procedures as required by the DoD and the Code of Federal Regulations 117, National Industrial Security Program. All U.S. government security clearances associated with LA Tech faculty, staff and students are centrally held under his oversight. 

Mr. Jeffrey Clough

Information Systems Security Officer

Mr. Jeffrey J. Clough is the Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) for Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) located in Bossier City, Louisiana. He is responsible for planning, designing, and implementing new and improved cyber security architectures to support Department of Defense (DOD), commercial, and research information systems to meet customer organization’s business requirements. His responsibilities also include the planning and coordination of testing, operations, systems solutions, and maintenance of security hardware and software systems to minimize interruptions and ensure network integrity in support of LTRI’s Information Assurance (IA) program. 

Mr. Clough has over 12 years of IT/Cyber Security experience while (currently) serving in the Louisiana Army National Guard and working as a contractor. In the National Guard, 1LT Clough is now a 17A Cyber Operations Officer serving as a Mission Element Lead and has been apart of the 178^th Cyber Protection Team (CPT) for 6 years. Before joining the CPT, he operated as an 25B Information Technology Specialist for 7 years. As a contractor, Mr. Clough spent 5 years as a Systems Administrator/IT Specialist supporting Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and a year and a half as an ISSO supporting Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Mr. Clough also holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science received from Grambling State University, has a CompTIA Security Plus certification, and is a Cisco Certified Network Associate.

Ms. Tamira London

Alternate FSO

Ms. Tamira London is a native of Albany, GA. She honorably served in the United States Air Force for twenty-two years retiring as a Master Sergeant. She brings to the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) a vast array of operational leadership, administrative support, and security experience gained in trusted positions as the Superintendent of Executive Support at Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon and at Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command and Barksdale Air Force Base. Her diligent efforts in maintaining security for various Air Force command organizations over fourteen years resulted in consistent “excellent” ratings for security program management.

Ms. London currently serves as the Alternate Facility Security Officer for the Louisiana Tech Applied Research Corporation. In this crucial capacity, she manages and maintains the overall security posture and ensures compliance with United States Departments of Defense and State requirements as presented in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). She assists the Facility Security Officer in managing personnel, physical, and industrial security programs to ensure compliance with government and company security policies and procedure. All U.S. government security clearances associated with LA Tech faculty, staff and students are currently monitored by Ms. London and the security team.

Mr. John Robertson

Deputy Director of NC3 Education, Teaching Fellow

Mr. John Robertson is the Deputy Director of Nuclear Command, Control, and Communication (NC3) Education at the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI). He is responsible for NC3 course curriculum review, coordination, liaison, development, and delivery. His knowledge of the NC3 weapons system ensures that the U.S. Air Force remains a partner to LTRI in its efforts to support national security, provide next-door access to a dedicated applied research and development center, build focused competencies to attract talent and industry, and serve as the official home for cyber, defense, and intelligence-related education, training, and workforce development programs for North Louisiana and beyond.

Mr. Robertson has over 24 years of NC3 experience ranging from hands-on equipment repair to joint force battle staff management. His focused-on bomber operations, and he specialized in B-52 armament systems. He served as a test team coordinator with the 49 th Test and Evaluation Squadron, to carry out the Nuclear Weapons Sustainment and Evaluation Program. Furthermore, Mr. Robertson executed duties as a strategic weapons systems manager, bomber division, Joint Nuclear Operations Center. In this role, he was assigned to the Joint Global Strike Operations Center and advised the Joint Force Air Component Commander on bomber, ICBM, and NC3 status and capability. Additionally, Mr. Robertson spent over three years instructing for the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) where he taught various curriculum to include the Nuclear Enterprise. He earned his Level II CCAF Instructor Certificate with over 3,000 hours of classroom instruction and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Military Management and Program Acquisition with a concentration in Leadership.

Ms. Sharon Jackson

Operations Manager

Ms. Sharon Jackson is the Operations Manager for the Louisiana Tech Applied Research Corporation (LTARC), a Louisiana Tech 501(c)3 affiliate organization responsible for classified research and security clearances for the university.   As a part of the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) team, she exemplifies strategic leadership in financial management and operations for LTARC-assigned research and programs executed by LTRI.  She masterfully coordinates events, manages human resource procedures, and provides legal continuity with the university attorney for both LTARC and LTRI endeavors.    She is our Business Manager, Contract Manager, Procurement Manager and Marketing Manager.

Prior to assuming her current position, Ms. Jackson served in the Louisiana Tech Office of the Provost as an administrator and operations manager.  She earned a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana Tech and a Master of Management from Birmingham Southern.  She is skilled in project marketing, sales, management, and administration.  As an educator, she has served as a professor, education coordinator, proctor, and administrator.

Ms. Jackson is a strategic thinker who pays attention to detail.  Her business acumen stands out both professionally and in her personal endeavors.  She is a champion in her community with many philanthropical activities.  In addition, she serves her parish on the Board of Directors for the Bienville Hospital District.

Mr. Steve Spacek

Facility Manager

Born and raised in Bossier City, Louisiana, Mr. Steve Spacek is the Facility Manager for the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) Bossier City, Louisiana. LTRI is state-of-the-art research and development facility devoted to providing interdisciplinary research and integrated education capability to government and industry sponsors to solve complex emerging problems facing our nation. During his 30-year career, Mr. Spacek has directed and managed building and grounds maintenance services for several municipalities both in Louisiana and Georgia that has enhanced the efficiency of day–to-day operations for those community governments.                                     

Highly experienced in managing, maintaining, and optimizing large scale facility operations. Mr. Spacek brings a unique perspective to facilities management as his professional experience has involved providing services from both in-house teams as well as contracted service partners. He provided direction and oversight for facility operations and maintenance, capital improvements & project management, environmental services, landscape services, and facility policy and procedures.

Mr. Spacek develops and maintains annual maintenance budgets to fit the agency’s needs. He coordinates all facility maintenance for LTRI along with office relocations, event setups, janitorial, landscape, pest control, and A/C and mechanical services contracts. He is dedicated to maintaining the unique LTRI facility to accommodate the requirements presented by our research partners.