The ADI Team
At ADI, we’ve worked hard to build a dedicated team of individuals who have established invaluable working relationships with decision makers across the Federal Government and throughout the private sector. Our senior staff draws on their extensive government service working on the Hill, in federal agencies and in active duty to contribute to your organization’s success. We are your force multiplier in Washington, DC.
Senior Staff
Wade Hall
Vice President of Business Development and Military Affairs
Wade Hall is Vice President of Business Development and Military Affairs for American Defense International, Inc.
His background includes over 27 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing his career as a Colonel. Mr. Hall commanded at the squadron and regimental levels, served as the operations officer for the Marine Corps largest Marine Air Group, and the Navy’s largest advanced jet training squadron. He conducted aircraft carrier operations aboard the USS Nimitz and USS Kennedy, and his tours took him worldwide from Australia to Norway, the Middle East to the Far East. He served a joint tour with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, working for the Deputy Secretary in the Office of Force Transformation with the late Admiral Arthur Cebrowski. He was designated as the Secretary’s director for Force Protection issues and managed operational experimentation efforts in non-lethal directed energy weapons and active protection systems. He also served at Headquarters Marine Corps – Aviation Office as the director of all Marine Corps Aviation platform weapons systems.
Mr. Hall participated in four combat operations from Desert Storm, Allied Force, and Iraqi Freedom. He has over 3900 flight hours in six different type aircraft, with 2000 in the EA-6B Prowler and 330 hours in combat. He was qualified as a pilot, instructor pilot and mission commander in the EA-6B Prowler, instructor pilot in the A-4 Skyhawk and aircraft commander in the KC-130 Hercules. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, two Strike/Flight Air Medals with combat V, six Air Medals, and two Navy / Marine Corps Commendation Medals.
Mr. Hall grew up in Eastern Tennessee graduating from East Tennessee State University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He completed Marine Corps Officer Training at The Basic School in Quantico, Va., followed by Naval Aviator flight training in Pensacola, Fla. He was designated a Naval Aviator in October of 1984.
Mr. Hall holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies and is a certified Joint Service Officer. He is a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College, Marine Corps War College, Marine Corps Command & Staff College and Amphibious Warfare School.
He is married to the former Keri Chelgren of Bloomington, Minn., and has three grown children: Jessica, Karen and Matthew.
Jessica Kenyon
Director of Health Affairs
Jessica Kenyon is Director of Health Affairs for American Defense International, Inc.
She has more than ten years of experience in the oversight, planning, and management of DoD medical research and development (R&D) programs in multiple technical domains. From 2001 to 2011, Ms. Kenyon served in several capacities at the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), where she played a central role in developing a portfolio of medical research to deliver critical medical technologies to the warfighter.
Most recently, she served as the Director of TATRC’s West Coast Satellite Office in Marina del Rey, Calif., where she worked to build strategic partnerships among government, academia, and industry in order to foster successful military medical R&D. While at TATRC West, she served as TATRC’s liaison with congressional staff and research award recipients in the Western U.S. In addition, she established and funded competitive research programs to promote, support, and accelerate university-based, military-relevant medical research and entrepreneurship in Southern California. Before taking the reins of TATRC West, Ms. Kenyon served as a Congressional Liaison at TATRC’s headquarters office, a role that required her to understand and communicate all aspects of proposal selection, funding, and product development processes within the Army as well as the tri-service realm. She also served as a liaison between TATRC and the Joint Medical Information Systems Office, creating a partnership between the two entities that would facilitate the transition of new and innovative health information technologies from the bench to the bedside.
Ms. Kenyon joined the ADI team in June 2011, and uses her wide-ranging experience at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), as well as her keen understanding of federal research and acquisition process, to advise clients in their dealings with the federal government.
Born and raised in Frederick, Md., Ms. Kenyon graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Johns Hopkins University, and earned her master’s degree from Bryn Mawr College.
Michael Khatchadurian
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
Michael Khatchadurian is Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for American Defense International, Inc.
In early 1997, he moved to Washington, D.C. and assumed a position on the press office staff of the House Armed Services Committee, where he was responsible for research and media support for the full committee. Mr. Khatchadurian served on the House Armed Services Committee staff until 1999, when he accepted the position of Military Legislative Assistant for Congressman Jim Ryun of Kansas, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. As the MLA, he was responsible for all legislative matters pertaining to the Armed Services Committee along with being the senior liaison to the Congressman for the military installations and industry represented within the 2nd District of Kansas. After serving Congressman Ryun until 2001, he became the Military Legislative Assistant for Congressman Ander Crenshaw of Florida, then a member of the House Armed Services Committee and now a member of the Appropriations Committee. After four months of service as Congressman Crenshaw’s MLA, he assumed the duties of Legislative Director, where he was responsible for the oversight of all legislative matters in Congressman Crenshaw’s office, while continuing to represent the Congressman to the House Armed Services Committee.
After a year of service to Congressman Crenshaw, he departed the legislative branch of government for a political appointment in the public affairs office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he was responsible for contributing to the briefing of Joint Staff representatives, providing support in the management of the Chairman’s media and speaking requests and serving as a liaison directly with members of the national television and print media. He assumed his current position at ADI in January of 2003.
Mr. Khatchadurian’s experience on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon has given him an in-depth knowledge of the legislative and defense budgeting and appropriations process that is extremely beneficial to his current position.
He was raised in Marblehead, Mass., and attended Hobart College, graduating with a degree in political science.
David Myers
Vice President of Government Affairs
David Myers is Vice President of Government Affairs for American Defense International, Inc.
In 1992, he joined the staff of U.S. Senator Alfonse M. D’Amato in Washington, D.C., where he served as the Senator’s Executive Assistant. Mr. Myers later joined the personal staff of Senator Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, where he held the position of Military Legislative Assistant until 2006. His responsibilities included working with the Senate Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations and managing a portfolio of defense and military construction requests totaling more than $100 million. He also advised Senator Domenici on veteran’s affairs, foreign affairs, intelligence and base realignment and closure issues. During his time with Senator Domenici, he attended the evening division of the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, earning his J.D. in 2004 and becoming a member of the District of Columbia Bar in May 2005.
From 2006 until July of 2008, David held the position of Director of Congressional Affairs in the Washington, D.C. office of SAP America, Inc. In this capacity, he represented the company’s federal government business interests before members of Congress, House and Senate Defense Authorization and Appropriations Committees, and the Intelligence Committees. His primary responsibilities included defense appropriations and intelligence policy and required him to often work with key customers such as Army PEO-EIS, Navy ERP, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency, and the U.S. Intelligence Community.
David joined the ADI team in August 2008 and uses his experience in defense legislation, appropriations, and corporate business to advise clients in their dealings with the federal government.
He was raised in Star Lake, N.Y., and attended the State University of New York College at Fredonia where he earned the J. Murdoch Dawley Award as outstanding graduate in political science in 1991.
David Rice
Vice President of Business Development and Military Affairs
David Rice is Vice President of Business Development and Military Affairs for American Defense International, Inc.
He comes to ADI with over 30 years of active duty Army experience. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C. Mr. Rice was later commissioned in the Field Artillery from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He held a variety of tactical field artillery positions in Europe, including Fire Direction Officer, Platoon Leader, Battery Commander, Pershing Team Commander, Nuclear Artillery Detachment Commander and Battalion Operations Officer, and became an Army Acquisition Officer in 1991.
Most recently, Mr. Rice served as the Army’s Project Manager for Precision Fires, Rocket and Missile Systems, at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. His life cycle management portfolio included the M270A1 tracked launcher as well as the wheeled High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). Managed munitions included Guided MLRS rockets and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). In addition to supporting deployed launchers and munitions, he started the U.S. Department of Defense’s only program developing technical alternatives to cluster munitions. He also served as the Army’s Product Manager for Large Caliber Ammunition at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., and managed 11 different tank ammunition cartridges in various phases of the acquisition life cycle spread across 13 separate contracts. Under his leadership, the Midrange Munition program began prototyping activities, the M1028 canister cartridge began the engineering and manufacturing development phase and the Army’s newest tank training cartridge, the M1002, entered full rate production.
Mr. Rice also has a wealth of Pentagon staff experience. He served on the Army Staff in both G3 and ASA (ALT), exercising programmatic oversight for Special Access Programs. He was also one of the “seven dwarfs” in Executive Communications and Control, serving as the acquisition action officer for the Secretary and Undersecretary of the Army and the Chief and Vice Chief of Staff, Army. He also had a tour on the OSD AT&L staff, working in Acquisition Resources and Analysis where he provided DoD-level resource analysis and recommendations for the Army’s portfolio of Major Defense Acquisition Programs.
He holds a master’s degree in strategic resourcing from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces; a Master of Business Administration degree from Texas Tech University; and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cameron University. He attended both the Program Manager and Executive Program Manager courses at the Defense Acquisition University and is Acquisition Level III certified in Program Management. He is a graduate of the Army’s Command and General Staff College. He is also Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified and is a Distinguished Graduate of the Buckley School of Public Speaking. His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal and Office of the Secretary Defense and Army Staff Identification Badges.
Mr. Rice and his wife, Sheila, have three children: Jessie, a second year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine; Catilin, a sophomore at Southern Methodist University; and Ian, a standout baseball player and high school senior.
Bonnie Shindelman
Chief of Staff
Bonnie Shindelman is Chief of Staff for American Defense International, Inc.
Since joining the ADI team in 1999, she has continued to provide extensive technical, operational and government relations expertise across abroad range of defense and technology issues.
Ms. Shindelman is responsible for all aspects of client issues and provides a full range of services to ADI clients, including the development and implementation of congressional funding strategies. She works closely with congressional authorization and appropriations committee staff and has successfully guided her clients’ funding requests. In doing so, she has developed a vast network of contacts within Congress, various federal government agencies and within the defense and technology industries.
Ms. Shindelman also has extensive election campaign experience, having served various functions in support of congressional and presidential races, as well as actively participating in the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Prior to joining the ADI team, she was a program manager for the Washington Occupational Health Associates in Washington, D.C., where she managed multiple medical surveillance, drug and alcohol testing, and executive physical programs nationwide for various clients, including Rolls Royce and Amtrak.
Ms. Shindelman is originally from Staten Island, N.Y., and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1993 to attend the George Washington University, graduating with a degree in political science and a minor in art history.
George Smith
Senior Vice President for Business Development
George Smith is Senior Vice President for Business Development for American Defense International, Inc.
After graduating from college, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and later designated as a Surface Warfare officer. While at sea, Mr. Smith’s assignments included tours in Amphibious, Cruisers and Frigates and command of Mine Countermeasures and Destroyer class warships. Naval shore duties included duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel and the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. He also served in the Pentagon as a policy advisor for European matters in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Smith retired as a Captain in June of 2000. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals and the Bronze Star with combat V.
More recently, Mr. Smith has performed international business consulting for Guardian Group, Asian and domestic armaments, and defense related marketing for Boeing, and led the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle International business development efforts at Northrop Grumman. In addition, he served a member of the Board of Directors of the Western Policy Center (a Washington, D.C. based Eastern European public policy forum) from 2000 to 2005.
His naval background and his extensive international and domestic marketing experiences provide significant insight and expertise in both the U.S. and international defense and national security leadership, decision making and procurement processes.
He was raised in Woburn, Mass., attended public schools and graduated from The Citadel in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 1997, he earned a master’s degree from the National War College.
