Richard Patterson joined the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation as its CEO in 2018. Patterson had a distinguished tenure as the Assistant Head of School for Advancement with the Santa Catalina School and during his ten years with the school, he was responsible for Development, Communications, Alumni Relations and the Facilities Departments. Prior to Santa Catalina, he worked for over sixteen years with the Pebble Beach Company. Over his sixteen-year career with Pebble Beach, he served as the Director of Community Affairs, Tournament Director and as the Chair of Volunteer Services for the 2000 U.S. Open.
Patterson has served on the Boards of the Monterey Chamber of Commerce, Monterey County Convention and Visitor Bureau, AT&T Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association, and is currently a member of The Rotary Club of Monterey. He holds a BA in Communications and an MA in Political Communications from California State University, Chico and began his career working as a staff member for a California State Senator in Sacramento.
Patterson is married to Ann, a local business owner and avid SF Giants fan, and they have two daughters pursuing their professions.
Retired Colonel Todd Lyons serves as the Vice President for the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and Foundation. In this role, he bridges the divide between industry, academia, and DoD entities to accelerate the responsiveness of NPS to the challenges arising from great power competition and emerging technology. Lyons also serves as a volunteer instructor for Innovation Leadership at NPS.
Lyons served in the Marine Corps for 30 years. In his last assignment, he served as the Senior Marine Representative and the Associate Dean of Research at the Naval Postgraduate School. In those roles, he connected the work of students and faculty to the operational challenges of the Marine Corps, the Navy, and the broader DoD. As an innovation leader, he leveraged the research at NPS and the operational experiences of the students to drive the adoption of new practices across the Naval Services.
After graduating from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2000, Lyons became a Middle East Foreign Area Officer and an Intelligence Officer with assignments at the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity and the Defense Intelligence Agency. Todd spent nine of his last eighteen years in the Marine Corps serving in a variety of assignments across the Middle East, including Qatar, Israel, Oman, and Iraq.
Lyons earned a Master of Arts with honors in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Haifa and was the Honor Graduate from the Israeli National Defense College in 2007. For his reporting during the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, he received the Department of State Superior Honor Award. He received a second Superior Honor Award from the Department of State for his service in Oman from 2011-2014.
Lyons is married and has three daughters. He enjoys being active and keeping up with his family.
Ryan Basford, serves as the Product Manager for the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. In this role, he leads the development of Athena—an emerging platform designed to bridge the divide between industry, academia and DoD entities in order to accelerate our nation’s responsiveness to the challenges arising from great power competition and emerging technology. He bridges technical, operational and financial stakeholders to ensure the platform’s strategic alignment, scalability and mission relevance.
A results-oriented leader, Basford has a proven track record of scaling multimillion-dollar businesses, optimizing operational processes and driving strategic growth across both public and private sectors. He brings deep expertise in leveraging data analytics, financial modeling and performance KPIs to enhance decision-making and long-term sustainability. Prior to joining the NPS Foundation, he served as Program Manager at Jane Technologies—a leading cannabis software company—where he launched and scaled national logistics programs and oversaw the go-to-market strategy for integrated point-of-sale and payment solutions.
As a former Surface Warfare Officer, Basford served with distinction at a Coastal Riverine Squadron, where he led high-risk missions in contested littoral environments and helped to operationalize emerging maritime security capabilities. His disciplined, analytical approach to problem-solving—honed through military service and private-sector leadership—makes him uniquely suited to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of SaaS, emerging markets and national defense.
Basford holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy and was a three-year letter winner on the Navy Football Team. He is passionate about driving innovation, operational efficiency and strategic growth through structured problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration. He lives in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife, three children and their dog Hoss. When away from work, he enjoys surfing, long-distance paddling, mountain biking, camping and fishing along the California Coast.
Desirée Dillehay comes to the NPS Foundation with a wealth of experience in government public affairs and U.S. Army Service. In her role as Vice President of Strategic Alliances, she is focused on driving synergy for partners across industry, defense and academia with NPS and the NPS Foundation in order to foster a collaborative innovation ecosystem, enable partner support for strategic initiatives, and advance the mission and vision for both the Foundation and the institution through strategic communication initiatives.
Prior to the Foundation, Desirée worked in public affairs as a Department of the Army civilian at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria in Germany, the Seattle Army Recruiting Battalion, and U.S. Army Garrison Fort Benning. She has also worked in the corporate sector as a publicity director for an independent publishing company and as a marketing representative for a promotional product company. Simultaneously, she served as an officer in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve for 12 years. She has deployed to the Middle East as the assistant operations officer and public affairs officer with a Military Engagement Team, where she collaborated with foreign military partners, state department officials and other DOD entities to enhance international cooperation in 13 countries in the Central Command region. Desirée's many global experiences include building strategic partnerships and enhancing strategic communication (issues management, partner and media relations, and internal communications). Her technical experience spans journalism, photography, web and graphic design, and digital media.
Desirée has a Master of Professional Studies in Strategic Public Relations from The George Washington University, and is a graduate of the Public Affairs Qualification Course at the Defense Information School. She is a 2019 recipient of the Mark & Debbie Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Award. Desirée is married to an active-duty Army officer, and they have two children and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking and homesteading activities, and as a family they enjoy traveling, exploring cultures and food, skiing and hiking.
Victoria Engman-Rossman comes to the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation with extensive experience in high-level administrative, development, and event functions. Rossman manages processes and administrative functions related to the internal operations of the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation and oversees and provides support to the alumni relations, and development departments. She has an associate degree in business administration, is a certified Meeting & Event Planner, has a Project Management certificate from George Washington University, and is a trained mediator.
Prior to the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, Rossman worked for Hospice Giving Foundation as a Development Associate serving Monterey and San Benito Counties. Her experience includes providing executive support, meeting and event planning, and project management. She possesses a very strong knowledge of board relations and non-profit organization operations.
Since moving to California, Rossman has been an active member of her community, serving as a special events committee volunteer and feeding the homeless.
Timothy Hughes, the Athena Software Developer at the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association, excels in developing cutting-edge data extraction tools and ensuring seamless data ingestion, playing a pivotal role in Athena's Success.
With a keen eye for detail, Hughes actively maintains Athena's data taxonomies and ingestion tools, fostering a smooth and efficient operation. His commitment to security and performance is evident in his thorough code reviews and enhancements, establishing a secure and high-performing software environment.
Timothy's journey includes managing full-stack development for a psychology group before joining the NPS Foundation. A former Sergeant in the US Army, he deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan as a combat engineer, bringing a diverse set of individual and collaborative set of skills to his current role.
Outside of work, Hughes is a family man, married with one child. He finds joy in outdoor activities with his family, exploring new technologies, traveling, and indulging in his passing for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Margo Kwasnoski joined the Naval Postgraduate Foundation in March of 2022 after her family served with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Belgium for the past few years. Margo supports the Foundation in daily operations, administration, fundraising events and research initiatives.
Kwasnoski is an Air Force military spouse of almost 20 years with two children and has served in eight different locations. Prior to joining NPSF, she worked for the nonprofit Junior Achievement Finance Park in the Northern Virginia/DC metro area, and was a Director with the Fortune 500 company, United Services Automobile Association (USAA) in Financial Sales, Insurance and Underwriting for 14 years in San Antonio, Texas, Phoenix, Arizona, and Norfolk, Virginia.
Kwasnoski has a Bachelor of Business in Leadership and Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s University in Texas. She studied Business Education for a teaching certification at Fayetteville University in North Carolina as well as Communications at Trinity University in Texas. She also holds an Accredited Financial Counselor Certification (AFC) through the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE).
Sarah Meyers joins the Naval Postgraduate Foundation as a communications professional with over 10 years of experience in email and social media marketing communications for small businesses. Throughout her career, she has developed and executed strategies that drive engagement and visibility, helping businesses grow through effective content creation and digital marketing. Her expertise in crafting tailored messaging and securing sponsorship opportunities has been instrumental in boosting brand awareness and enhancing customer engagement across various platforms.
In addition to her marketing experience, Meyers has served military families as a Navy Ombudsman for Naval Special Warfare Development Group, where she demonstrated crisis leadership by providing essential support to families during short-notice deployments. She has also contributed to over six nonprofits, including the Navy SEAL Foundation, Travis Manion Foundation, and the Equi-Vets and Equi-Kids therapeutic riding programs.
Meryes holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor’s degree in History with a focus on the Middle East from the United States Naval Academy. She has also earned certificates in Artificial Intelligence in Marketing from the University of Virginia, Navigating AI Ethical Challenges and Risks from Skillsoft, and Advanced Content and Social Tactics to Optimize SEO from Coursera. Married for over twelve years to an active-duty Navy service member, Meyers and her husband are raising a vibrant young daughter.
Sue Moore joined the Foundation in November 2017 as an associate in the Peacock Shop. In December 2018, Moore began to work with the Alumni Association and Membership. As Membership Manager, she interacts closely with our members to facilitate club activities and enhance their experience at NPS.
Before joining the foundation team, Moore was a member of the NPS Foundation Cycling and Running clubs since 2012. She is a 20+ year army spouse and has lived at several duty stations while raising four children. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Sociology from St. Lawrence University. She lives in Pacific Grove with her children and her husband who is Retired Army.
Alyssa Olson leads communications for the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, amplifying the impact of NPS research, student and alumni success, and national security innovation. As director of communications, she drives strategy across development campaigns, impact storytelling, special events, donor engagement and strategic initiatives including the Naval Innovation Center at NPS.
With a background in nonprofit development and mission-driven storytelling, Olson specializes in strategic partnerships, donor engagement and cause-related marketing. Before joining the NPS Foundation, she served as business and communications manager for Special Operations Warrior Foundation, where she led digital communications, fundraising campaigns, corporate sponsorships, cause-related marketing, third-party events and peer-to-peer initiatives all in support of the families of fallen and wounded special operations personnel.
In 2020, Olson started Alyssa Dawn, a communications consulting practice focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits build strong brand identities through storytelling, digital strategy and content development. She has worked with organizations to craft messaging, develop social media strategies and create compelling narratives that resonate with their audiences.
Olson holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and communications from Florida State University and a digital marketing professional certificate from the University of Vermont.
Carly Olson joined the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation as Director of Development. She manages the daily responsibilities related to all fundraising activity for the Foundation, as well as providing direct support to the CEO in the areas of fundraising and donor stewardship. Olson also works with the CEO and the NPSF Funding Committee in the preparation for research funding meetings and all related follow-up and project tracking.
Olson has extensive background in administrative work, as well experience in the nonprofit and hospitality fields. Prior to joining NPSF, she worked as the Development Manager of Administration for the Membership and Philanthropy Department at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona and worked for the Department of Defense Analysis at NPS for nine years.
Olson has a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from UNLV.
Tracy Rhoades comes to the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation with over a decade of nonprofit experience serving constituents, managing database interactions, and overall organizational operations. As the Administration Coordinator, she supports the communications team, development, alumni and student members, and the Foundation's daily operations.
Before joining the NPS Foundation, Rhoades was the Operations Manager at the Big Sur Land Trust, assisting the organization’s finance, philanthropy, stewardship and conservation departments.
Rhoades brings years of customer service, sales, marketing and administrative experience to the organization. After graduating from California State University, Northridge, with a journalism degree, she began a professional career in software sales and customer service for Adobe Systems.
She loves spending weekends outdoors, riding her e-bike, or hiking with her husband, Rob, and their son when he is in town. Her latest project is organizing and digitizing her grandfather’s stock photography collection, primarily historic California pictures, including glass negatives of the old Del Monte Hotel.
Lindsay Silva joined the Naval Postgraduate Foundation to open and oversee Waypoint, a new coffee shop opening on the NPS campus. Born and raised in Nebraska, Silva began her journey into food and beverage in her grandma’s kitchen as a young child and quickly realizing her true passion in life: nourishing those around her as a form of connection and community.
She has worked in dozens of kitchens throughout her 17-year culinary career and found community-based cooking for seniors to be especially rewarding, seeing the difference an incredible dining experience can make. For Silva, food and drink is not only a way to nourish the body; it’s an avenue for nourishing the soul and finding love and comfort through old memories and new experiences.
Silva has been married for two years to her wife, Kate, who is an active-duty Air Force member currently stationed at the Presidio of Monterey as a language professional. They moved to California in January 2024 and are excited about what the next few years will bring. Silva is mom to two very spoiled cats, Iris and Mabel, and she enjoys biking, DIY projects, and is an avid lover of marine life.
Amy Stocker serves as Vice President of Finance for the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. In this capacity, she oversees complex financial operations, ensuring the organization's fiscal health and strategic financial planning align with its mission. As a skilled professional with over 35 years of experience in finance and accounting for both the profit and not-for-profit sectors, Stocker blends her commitment to social impact with sound business expertise in support of the Foundation’s goals.
After obtaining her license as a Certified Public Accountant, Stocker served as an audit and tax senior for Deloitte & Touche LLP and has worked as a private consultant in the agricultural industry. She was CFO for FoodSource and Harbinger Group LLC and Regional Controller for C.H. Robinson, a global produce and transportation company. Stocker has worked with various nonprofit organizations in Monterey County including serving as VP of Finance for United Way of Monterey County and Director of Finance for Gathering for Women.
Stocker received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey with a concentration in Social Enterprise and Finance.
Passionate about community service, Stocker has contributed significantly to various nonprofit organizations and local initiatives, including her role as representative for the City of Monterey Neighborhood and Community Improvement Committee, member of the Rotary Club of Monterey and Monterey County Civil Grand Jury. She is married to David Stocker, a local builder, and they have five children.
Karen Woodson is the Peacock Gift Shop Coordinator for the NPS Foundation. She began working for the NPS Foundation in March 2010.
Woodson is originally from Fayetteville, NC and lived there until she moved to Monterey in January 2006. She obtained an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Woodson was an Elementary School Teaching Assistant for the Cumberland County School System in Fayetteville, NC.
Woodson is married to Major Glenn Woodson, a graduate of the Defense Analysis Program at NPS, and has four children. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at local events.
