The people behind Faction
A team of veteran technologists, operators, and advisors building owner-controlled trust
Leroy “Lee” Williams
A forward-thinking C-level executive, Lee has built high-performance teams and scaled customer-centric businesses from start-up through maturity across omni-channel, retail, and digital ecosystems. His career spans senior leadership roles at Samsung, Verizon, and Rogers Wireless, where he shaped go-to-market and brand strategy, channel productivity, and operating models that drove customer acquisition, retention, and growth. He brings deep experience across private equity, venture, and early- to mid-stage assets.
Dave Rand
A Silicon Valley technologist, serial entrepreneur, CEO, and CTO, Dave has a 30-year track record of successful products and patents spanning networking, privacy, and cybersecurity. He co-founded AboveNet Communications and the Mail Abuse Prevention System (MAPS), and served as Chief Technologist and CTO of Internet Content Security at Trend Micro. Over his career he has helped raise more than $4 billion and remains one of the foremost cybersecurity leaders in the United States.
Geoff Halstead
A visionary entrepreneur and product strategist, Geoff has conceived, built, and grown multiple disruptive products across digital media, traffic information, indoor navigation, and cybersecurity. As Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, he leads Faction's product vision — translating deep technical capability into tools that organizations can actually own and control — blending start-up founding with hands-on product leadership across consumer and enterprise markets.
Ben Quinones
Ben is a successful attorney, serial entrepreneur, investor, and advisor to high-velocity start-ups, currently serving as CEO of Pakal Technologies, Inc. He provides strategic advisory and board services to numerous startups at various stages, as well as to arts groups in San Francisco. A graduate of Yale University and Stanford Law, Ben has been advising, forming, investing in, and running technology companies in Silicon Valley since 1995.
Dan O’Sullivan
As an executive, manager, management consultant, investor, board member, and mentor, Dan has been actively involved in founding, funding, and building start-ups and early-stage technology companies for more than 25 years. As Co-Founder and VP of Business Development, he focuses on the partnerships and go-to-market relationships that bring Faction to the organizations that need it most.
Les Wilson
Les has extensive experience maximizing growth for both large and early-stage companies across silicon IP, EDA tools, 3D wafer-scale semiconductors, and SoC marketing and business development. He brings deep application knowledge spanning consumer, computing, communications, industrial, cybersecurity, IoT, and medical markets, and leads Faction's enterprise channel and OEM partnerships.
Michael De La Vega
Michael leads Faction's centralized PMO and strategic initiatives, with end-to-end oversight of portfolio prioritization, cross-functional execution, and risk management. He aligns product delivery with go-to-market operating models, activates strategic partnerships, and ensures solutions are production-ready, secure, and scalable. Partnering closely with the CEO, CTO, and CPO, he drives executive-level planning and initiatives that improve delivery velocity, fiscal efficiency, and operational effectiveness.
Jeong Vogel
Jeong is an accomplished program leader and former RF engineer, recognized for her technical expertise and leadership in driving innovation across wireless technology, robotics, and startup acceleration. She has led global teams delivering advanced products ranging from smartphones and automotive RF systems to next-generation service robots, and is known for bridging Korean technology startups with U.S. markets and investors.
Darren Lipschitz
With extensive experience developing product and marketing strategies, and a strong background in product development for online software solutions, Darren is a seasoned professional in the tech industry. He has a proven track record of shaping product strategies that align with the digital landscape, and a passion for nurturing startups from their earliest stages.
Chuck Stormon
Chuck is an eight-time serial entrepreneur and prominent figure in artificial intelligence and venture capital. He founded Coherent Research, which commercialized his AI-acceleration chip architecture (acquired by Cypress Semiconductor), and co-founded Coherent Networks, an early commercially successful hybrid-AI solution (acquired by Osmose). His venture Steleus was acquired by Tekelec, later Oracle. He co-founded StartFast Ventures and holds degrees in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University.
Scott Robidoux
Scott is Chief Operating Officer of Assured Information Security (AIS), leading day-to-day operations and strategic growth. Before joining AIS, he was Principal/Director and Business Operations Manager at Booz Allen Hamilton, leading its Air Force C4ISR and Cyberspace team through significant growth. He completed 22 years of active and reserve service in the U.S. Navy, and serves on advisory committees for SUNY Polytechnic Institute and the Masonic Medical Research Institute.
Philip Niedermair
Philip serves as Chairman of the Technology Assessment Center (TAC) Advisory Board and Senior Advisor to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0, and as a board member or advisor to organizations including the Gula Tech Foundation, Squadra Ventures, and the Army Cyber Institute. He previously spent more than a decade as a Managing Director at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, and served as a C-suite senior advisor to companies including ServiceMaster, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, UPS, and Citibank.
Douglas Cheung
Douglas is a seasoned technology executive with a track record of success leading product management, operations, and growth initiatives across networking leaders including Netgear, Cavium Networks, and Broadcom. He brings multi-dimensional expertise in leading cross-functional teams, scaling operations, and aligning product, engineering, and business goals — experience that supports Faction as it scales its impact in cybersecurity.
Chris Yakabe
Chris is a retired military and commercial pilot with more than 40 years of aviation and engineering experience. He has held positions as a NASA contract advisor on manned and unmanned aerial systems, and served as military liaison to the former DHS Center of Innovation — a public-private partnership adapting advanced cybersecurity technologies for government use.
Mark Spellen
In 2008 Mark founded YR LES, Inc., a consulting firm providing sales and business-development expertise to software developers, systems integrators, and managed network operators in the mobile industry. With more than 25 years of successful wireless software sales across North America, he has negotiated and secured contracts with all Tier-1 U.S. wireless operators and built revenue-generating partnerships at the executive level.
Lauren Groff
Lauren is the CEO and founder of Groff NetWorks LLC, with more than 15 years of experience serving hundreds of clients across the greater New York area with computer and network consulting services. She is also an advisory board member at Nerdwise, and brings a practitioner's perspective on what strong, manageable security looks like for small and mid-sized organizations.
Chase Cunningham
A retired Navy Chief cryptologist, Chase previously held leadership roles at Forrester Research and Ericom Software. A leading Zero Trust thought leader, he is a sought-after speaker who consults with governments and enterprises worldwide on security strategy and Zero Trust practices. He has authored several books, including "Cyber Warfare — Truth, Tactics, and Strategies."
Scott Hanson
Scott is an experienced physician with a broad range of success working in public and private healthcare systems. An active participant and leader with the Maine Medical Association, he is passionate about pioneering technology that makes HIPAA compliance, privacy, and security easier for care providers and their patients to use.
Jason Ciment
Jason is the co-founder and CEO of GetVisible, a digital marketing agency offering website, SEO, PPC, and social-media services since 2005. He also hosts a podcast on online visibility, and brings a growth-marketing lens to how security technology reaches the organizations that need it.
Own your trust. Keep your peace of mind.
The new threat environment calls for a new Zero Trust model. We'd welcome the chance to show you how Faction puts you in control and secures your critical systems and assets rapidly with low cost and IT overhead.