Meet Our Team
Chris launched Verge Defense in July 2024 after 8 years of technical leadership in DoD Space and Air Force programs that include GPS satellite design, Command & Control (C2) software systems, and air-based mobile command centers. As an expert in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), he saw first-hand how MBSE became a siloed or niche method locked up in exquisite tool ecosystems. He set out to break barriers on integrating MBSE with other disciplines, including software, AI, cyber , and data science. Chris’s goal is to bring MBSE models to the verge (i.e., edge) of DoD decision-making.
Chris was previously a Director of MBSE Services for Air & Space Programs at Strategic Technology Consulting (STC), an MBSE leader across the DoD. He served as the founder and Chief Engineer of a Digital Engineering product line at Infinity Systems Engineering, capturing 3x SBIR Phase II contract wins in less than 2 years. Chris spent over 6 years supporting the Lockheed Martin GPS III & IIIF programs as a system architect. His has prior military experience with the Air Force Research Laboratory , the 19th Space Operations Squadron as a GPS Operator , & the 42nd Combat Training Squadron as a Space Electronic Warfare instructor .
Joe joined Verge Defense in April 2026 to spearhead business operations and strategic scaling. A seasoned leader with nearly two decades of experience in the technology and manufacturing sectors, Joe most recently served as a Rev Ops Business Partner at Dell Technologies. There, he led operations for business segments exceeding $1B, specializing in cross-functional optimization and go-to-market strategy. By blending the operational rigor of his tenure at Dell with a foundational background in sales from 3M, Joe ensures Verge’s internal infrastructure is built for rapid, reliable growth.
A proud “Double Badger,” Joe earned both his undergraduate degree and his MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Now based in Colorado, he is a devoted family man supported by his wife, Mary, and their six children. Joe is honored to apply his commercial expertise to Verge’s critical mission of supporting global democracy and national security.
Matthew Wells is a Lead Systems Engineer and Solution Architect with experience spanning satellite systems architecture, mission engineering, and defense program execution across national security space missions. His efforts at Verge Defense support EO/IR satellite ground segments and the development of a digital twin mission simulation framework. His work includes building system architectures, defining requirements and interface control documents, and guiding projects through major design reviews using MBSE and SysML methodologies. Matthew has a strong background in translating mission objectives and scenarios into executable system designs, supported by rigorous requirements, modeling, and performance analysis.
Previously, Matthew held multiple systems engineering roles at Lockheed Martin Space, where he contributed to business development, program design, and proposal efforts for DoD and international customers. His experience spans mission analysis, link budget and SWaP performance assessments, operational concept development, and systems architecture modeling using tools such as Cameo and STK. Matthew began his career as an electro-mechanical design engineer, gaining hands-on experience across the full product lifecycle. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Tulsa and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Engineering and Technology Management at the Colorado School of Mines.
Thomas joined Verge Defense in January 2026 after 7 years of experience as a United States Space Force civilian at the National Space Intelligence Center. He is excited to support a broad set of programs with work including mission architecture design, digital tool integration, mission analyses, and test and verification support. He is passionate about ensuring that system design meets operational needs for critical customers.
At NSIC, Thomas led teams analyzing threats to US Space Superiority from adversaries around the globe. With multiple years spent analyzing both counterspace weapons and communications satellites, he brings a broad knowledge set into the role of systems engineer as well as mission architect. Thomas credits much of his leadership skills to time spent as a campus missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.
Josh joined Verge in April 2026 as a Senior Staff Software Engineer, where he focuses on building scalable, high-performance applications and intuitive user experiences.
He brings a full-stack background and is comfortable working across a wide range of modern frameworks and technologies, enabling him to design and deliver complete, end-to-end systems. His work centers on simplifying complex problems, translating intricate workflows into clean, usable products, and building systems that are both reliable and easy to maintain.
Josh has experience developing and evolving distributed systems, including designing micro-services architectures, working within containerized environments, and implementing secure authentication and access control solutions. He is particularly focused on performance and scalability, and has led efforts that significantly reduced latency and improved overall system responsiveness.
In addition to hands-on development, Josh contributes to architectural decisions and engineering best practices, helping teams build maintainable, extensible systems. He enjoys working closely with cross-functional teams to align technical solutions with real user needs and business goals, ensuring the software delivers both technical excellence and practical value.
Summer joined Verge Defense in December of 2025 as a college intern, working on several special projects concerning the business operations. After the internship, she came on full time as the Associate of Business Operations. In this position, Summer heads the HR effort, accounting department, event coordination, facilities management, and the continued implementation of the Traction system. It has always been her dream and passion to work with young mission-driven entrepreneurs to help them grow their business and individual goals. Entrepreneurship has been a big part of Summer’s life (including owning her own business throughout high school), so serving at the grassroots level of Verge is a great opportunity.
Through her internship, Summer gained experience in a variety of areas – researching the BD pipeline, implementing the Traction system, guiding a number of vision/goal conversations, developing the employee handbook, restructuring the website, and networking with like-minded business owners. Previous to Verge, Summer attended Benedictine College, including a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. While at BC, Summer was a Gregorian Leadership Fellow, a Presidential Scholarship awardee, a Student International Business Council member (participated in a Dublin company consulting project), a President’s Office Student Worker, and a passionate intramural sports player. Summer currently lives with her parents and 7 younger siblings in the Littleton area, before she gets married to her fiance in July of 2026.
