Partners
Greg Riels
Greg Riels is the founding partner of Capital Park Partners and has served as a strategic advisor to presidential candidates, a U.S. senator, congressional chiefs of staff, and flag officers—along with a select clientele of U.S. and international companies, entities, and individuals.
Previously, Greg served as the Director of Government Relations for Advanced Tactical Systems, a U.S. subsidiary of a publicly listed, global defense and aerospace conglomerate with 4,000+ employees and nearly $1 billion in annual revenue. In this position, he led a U.S. team responsible for government and external relations, strategic communications, and international business development.
Greg held the position of Director, Government Affairs, for Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, a leading international law and government relations firm. In this position, Greg served clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses representing key global industries, including energy, technology, and defense.
Previously, Greg served as a senior aide and military advisor to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole during her tenure on the prestigious U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. In this role, Greg was responsible for coordinating legislative and oversight efforts among various constituencies, including U.S. senators and congressmen, U.S. military officers, and senior staff serving in the U.S. Congress, White House, Department of Defense, various U.S. government departments and agencies, and foreign government and military officials.
Before his business and public service careers, Greg served in the U.S. Navy as an F-14 “Tomcat” pilot and as a flight instructor, admiral's aide, and Navy Reserve officer, flying senior Navy Department officials worldwide in the C-37B (Gulfstream 550) aircraft. He also served as a Security Assistance Officer and the Reserve Support Coordinator on the staff of Commander Naval Forces Europe, Commander Naval Forces Africa, and Commander Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy. Greg retired from naval service as a commander in 2016.
Greg is a cum laude graduate (B.B.A.—Finance and Management) of Texas A&M University and earned a Master's in Public Leadership degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and was selected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Lyceum—one of the state’s premier leadership organizations.
An avid pilot, Greg has flown over 3,000 hours over 33 years. He holds an FAA Airline Transport Pilot license and maintains type ratings in the Gulfstream V and Gulfstream 550 aircraft.
Brian Downey
Brian Downey is the managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Capital Park Partners and brings decades of experience to the Capital Park team. His operational acumen, combined with his policy and Defense Department budget expertise, brings an incredibly capable skill set to client engagements.
In the final position of a 25-year career as a naval officer, Brian served at the Pentagon as the Senior Navy advisor for force development to the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. In this role, he developed and coordinated the yearly Defense Planning Guidance, the document that guides investment for the Defense Department’s $750B annual budget. He was frequently called upon to advise the Deputy Secretary of Defense and to represent DoD to the National Security Council.
Brian also advised the policy secretary on the program review and strategic portfolio review processes, shaping the budget and vision for the department. Additionally, he led Policy’s 2019, 2020, and 2021 Congressional budget rollouts; developed future Pacific force structure; commissioned studies on developing new Arctic seaports and regional security centers; and advised foreign ministries of defense on DoD best practices.
During his operational Naval Aviation service, Brian flew the F-14 Tomcat in combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan during three six-month warship deployments supporting Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Transitioning to the FA-18F Super Hornet, he lived abroad in Japan for six years, where he deployed for ten additional multi-month patrols. Serving as a fighter squadron department head and then Carrier Air Wing Five operations officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, George Washington, and Ronald Reagan aircraft carriers, he helped protect U.S. interests against foreign adversaries in the waters around the Korean peninsula and in the South China Sea.
Brian’s diverse education includes engineering, national security, strategy, business, and financial services disciplines. He earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and holds three master’s degrees: a strategy-focused Master’s in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, a defense-focused Executive Master’s of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a financial-services-focused Master’s of National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School. He is a DoD Joint-Qualified Officer and a U.S. Navy TOPGUN graduate.
Robert Wright
Robert (Rob) Wright is the managing partner of the Austin, Texas, office of Capital Park Partners and brings decades of experience to the Capital Park team. His operational and strategic experiences working within the Department of the Army and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) offer a unique, functional, and capable skill set to clients. He is a retired U.S. Army colonel with over 26 years of experience.
Previously, Rob served as the Senior Regular Army Advisor to the Texas State Adjutant General. He advised the leadership of the Texas National Guard on all aspects, from manning, training, and equipping an organization consisting of over 19,000 personnel. His efforts consistently facilitated a trained, manned, and equipped organization ready for worldwide missions.
Rob served directly to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, leading the Senior Leader Division charged with managing the assignment, utilization, and education of over 3,500 executive-level active-duty Army leaders. He interacted with numerous executive leaders at the Department of the Army, institutes of higher learning, and numerous “think tanks,” ensuring the executive-level leaders were exposed and educated, and ensuring the success of our nation's defense. Rob served as the operations officer for the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey in Istanbul. He coordinated the efforts and operations for over 30 separate strategic country partners. His direct report staff consisted of over 13 separate nationalities. Additionally, Rob was selected by the Chief of Staff of the Army to establish the Army’s “Soldier for Life” program. He led the effort for the Central United States to facilitate the transition of soldiers into the private sector. He directly coordinated and collaborated with numerous small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, trade schools, major universities, and non-profit organizations.
Rob served two combat tours in Iraq: one as a battalion operations officer and the second as a battalion commander. He was responsible for the security of two separate Iraqi provinces. He directly coordinated the security, training, and deployment of over 35,000 Iraqi Security Forces. During this deployment, he also led two Provincial Reconstruction Teams—one manned by the U.S. Department of State and the second an international team, the only one in Iraq.
Rob has a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, and a Master of Arts in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University’s National War College. Rob also served as a fellow for Seminar XXI, a fellowship through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning a certificate in National Security Strategy. Rob is a DOD Joint Certified Officer and a graduate of the NATO Senior Officer Policy Course.
Advisors
Jennifer Short, Lt Gen, USAF, Retired
Jennifer Short is a transformational leader known for her ability to unite diverse groups through shared goals, strategic alliances, and dynamic stakeholder engagement. With a strong background in aerospace, legislation, and safety, she excels in optimizing processes and enhancing productivity. Jennifer has a proven track record of inspiring high-performing teams, effectively engaging stakeholders, and bridging communication across all audiences.
Throughout her career, Jennifer has demonstrated exceptional leadership in high-pressure environments. She retired from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant general, having last served as the senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense.
Jennifer's roles have included spearheading strategic communication and collaboration between the Department of Defense, the Air Force, the Space Force, and Congress, influencing legislative and budgetary decisions. She has also led the preparation of policy and planning for political-military affairs within the USINDOPACOM Area of Responsibility, advising on military, political, economic, and strategic policies. Her leadership at the Pacific Air Forces ensured the provision of ready air and space power to promote U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region during peacetime, crises, and war.
As commander of the 23rd Wing, Jennifer managed over 71 aircraft and directed combat search and rescue operations across multiple locations. Her ability to take care of her people, streamline processes, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, and drive operational readiness has been a hallmark of her leadership. Additionally, her strategic advisory roles have secured critical funding and support for military operations, demonstrating her capacity to influence high-stakes legislative and operational outcomes.
Jennifer's career is marked by her commitment to fostering an inclusive, results-oriented culture and driving innovation across complex environments. Her confident and commanding leadership continues to advance strategic objectives and empower teams to achieve excellence.
Jennifer graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Arizona State University. She graduated from the National War College with an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies. She has an MBA from Touro University International and completed the International Women’s Forum Leadership Fellowship at INSEAD and Harvard University Business School.
George Mayer
George Mayer is a strategic advisor to Capital Park Partners. George brings extensive national security experience, strong business acumen, and management expertise. He is an entrepreneur and innovator with broad leadership experience within startups, rapid growth circumstances, and turnaround challenges across multiple industries. George is a retired rear admiral with 32 years of active-duty service in the U.S. Navy. After leaving the Navy, he became senior aviation executive, managing an aviation company with 72 employees and twelve highly modified business jets, which provided electronic warfare training and test and evaluation services for the Department of Defense and Industry. He also managed an FAA-certified Part 145 Repair Station.
In his distinguished naval career, Rear Admiral Mayer led at every level across the organization.
As Commander of the Naval Safety Center, he coordinated the efforts of 200 personnel responsible for all safety policy formulation, data collection, analysis, and program development for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. He managed a $20M budget, impacting over 500,000 personnel.
As Chief of Naval Air Training, George led an organization of over 4000 personnel and 400 training aircraft with an annual operating budget of $450M. He was responsible for all aspects of budgeting, operations, training, logistics, and life-cycle management. He provided oversight for all training programs in Naval Aviation to prepare students for combat missions in helicopters, propeller aircraft, or fighter jets. As commander of the Navy Region South, he managed six naval bases in Texas and Louisiana, providing airport and seaport services.
As commander of Carrier Strike Group Operation, George led a group of eight ships and 65 aircraft through a one-year maintenance and training cycle in preparation for overseas deployment. He managed 5000 personnel, $13B in assets, and an operating budget of $452M.
As Deputy Director for Operations at U.S. Central Command, George was responsible for operational coordination and support of personnel deployed to an area of operations spanning 22 countries from Eastern Europe to the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. He oversaw the efforts of the 85-member operations staff in developing and executing operational plans. In addition, he skillfully led the Crisis Action Team following an attack on the USS Cole, coordinating with all forces involved in the recovery and salvage efforts. He organized the Operations Directorate staff following the events on September 11, 2001, and capably integrated the efforts of augmentees, reservists, and coalition partners.
George flew the A-7E and F/A-18 as a Navy pilot with over 5,000 flight hours and 1,000 carrier landings. His education includes a bachelor's degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. He completed Executive Training at the University of North Carolina and at Babson College.
Daniel Blackmon
Daniel Blackmon serves with Capital Park Partners as an advisor. A retired U.S. Army colonel with over 28 years of service, he brings a wide-ranging background that spans front-line combat operations and strategic-level transformation across the Army. His experience includes serving within the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), where he played a key role in setting long-term goals for the Army’s Transformation Initiative. He is a subject-matter expert in doctrine, organization, leader development, and training and possesses a deep understanding of the Army’s strategic vision for the future.
Previously, Daniel served as executive officer to the commanding general of TRADOC, acting as the principal advisor and personal chief of staff to the four-star commander overseeing more than 45,000 personnel across 10 installations and the training and education of every soldier across all Army components. Over the past two years, he has had a front-row seat to the Army’s transformation efforts, giving him a uniquely informed perspective that will benefit Capital Park Partners and its clients.
Daniel also served as Chief of Staff at the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he managed staff and resources supporting the training, education, and modernization of the Fires enterprise. As a brigade commander, he led the transformation of over 36,000 civilians into soldiers and is known as a hands-on leader and natural coach.
Earlier in his career, he was chief of the Global Integration Division in the Joint Staff’s J5 Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy. In this role, he led the development of the Joint Strategic Campaign Plan, translating national military guidance into campaign and contingency plans. He was also responsible for preparing the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for engagements within the national security enterprise, including the National Security Council and the President.
A three-time combat veteran, Daniel has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategy from the U.S. Naval War College, and a Master of Science in National Security and Strategic Studies from the National War College. He was also a Senior Fellow in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar XXI on National Security and Foreign Policy. Furthermore, he currently serves on the Advisory Board of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Daniel is also a founding partner of the FORGE Preparatory Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying and mentoring high-performing high school students with the potential to become commissioned leaders of character in the U.S. Armed Services and to commit to a lifetime of citizenship and service to the nation.
Ken Hockycko
Ken Hockycko is an advisor with Capital Park Partners, offering clients a multi-dimensional perspective on the Department of Defense, Congressional, and industry ecosystems. From the skies above the Middle East to the corridors of the Pentagon, and from Capitol Hill to the private sector, Ken’s executive-level experience brings a wide spectrum of national security expertise to Capital Park’s engagements.
He completed a 24-year career as the Navy’s Director of Strategy, Concepts, and Analytics, working directly for the Chief of Naval Operations. Ken led the drafting and implementation of the inaugural Force Design 2045 Vision and conducted the annual CNO Futures Game, two efforts that address the force mix of our future Navy fleet.
He honed his strategic messaging skills as the speechwriter to the Secretary of the Navy and built significant legislative chops as a fellow to a Senate Armed Services Committee member. Highlights of his international security bona fides include postings as the chief of staff to the Joint Staff’s Ukraine-Russia Crisis Management Team and battle director at the U.S. Central Command Combined Air Operations Center in Al Udeid, Qatar.
A decorated Navy fighter pilot flying the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Super Hornet, Ken commanded a Strike Fighter Squadron countering Iran and Russia, led over 80 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), and received accolades as the Navy’s “Attack Aviator of the Year” award.
He was designated an Emerging Leader on Weapons of Mass Destruction at the National Defense University, served fellowships at the Georgetown Government Affairs Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and completed Shift’s Defense Ventures program.
Ken holds a B.S. in Economics from the United States Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from Dartmouth College with exchange studies in international relations and public administration from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Lucy Lilley
Lucy Lilley is the founder of Metis International and a strategic advisor for Capital Park Partners. She brings over 17 years of national security experience across counter-terrorism, defense policy, and strategic planning, earned through service in the United Kingdom’s Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Ministry of Defence.
From 2019 to 2024, Ms. Lilley served as the Strategy Exchange Officer to the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, where she played a key role in drafting and implementing the U.S. National Defense Strategy. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, she was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense’s Exceptional Public Service Medal.
Previously, in 2017, she deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, advising on the policy considerations for the use of kinetic force in counter-ISIS operations. Her performance earned her the United Kingdom’s Operational Service Medal.
Ms. Lilley’s career is defined by deep cross-government and international collaboration at the highest levels of strategic decision-making. Through Metis International and her work with Capital Park Partners, she offers clients a rare blend of global defense policy insight, operational experience, and strategic foresight honed at the intersection of the UK and U.S. national security communities.
John Nylin
John Nylin serves as a strategic advisor in the Tokyo office of Capital Park Partners and brings a rare combination of strategic leadership, deep bilateral expertise, and Japanese language and cultural fluency to client engagements. John’s blend of public-sector diplomacy experience, Japanese domestic political acumen, and a government and industry network built over decades in the region enhances Capital Park’s guidance to clients on trans-Pacific government relations, stakeholder assessment and balancing, and Indo-Pacific policy engagement.
John is a distinguished former U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer with nearly 24 years of experience in diplomacy, public policy, and international advocacy, with a particular focus on Japan. He most recently served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he was the Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, overseeing high-level bilateral engagement and strategic coordination across the U.S.–Japan Alliance.
John’s earlier leadership roles include service as political economic counselor in Prague and as deputy executive secretary at the National Security Council. He has also held numerous operational and policy positions involving political-military coordination, trade policy, and consular affairs in Europe and Asia. John holds a master's degree in Pacific International Affairs from the University of California, San Diego, and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Davis.
Clay Parham
Clay Parham serves as a research analyst and advisor for Capital Park Partners. In addition to his work with Capital Park Partners, he is currently serving as a First Lieutenant in the Texas Army National Guard. Clay is a Ph.D. Candidate at Baylor University, where he studies wargaming, contemporary military doctrine, and military innovation.
Clay has taught a variety of classes at Baylor University, including survey courses on international relations, comparative politics, and political games. His dissertation is on analytic wargaming, in which he argues that wargaming should be widely adopted as a new methodological approach for political science research.
Previously, Clay has served as a summer associate with the RAND Corporation, with the Texas Military Department’s energy innovation office, and as a legislative aide in the office of Texas State Senator Kirk Watson. Clay has presented research at national and regional conferences on a diverse range of topics including counterinsurgency doctrine, public opinion of wartime casualties, and technological innovation on the battlefield.
Before beginning his Ph.D., Clay received a Master of International Affairs from the Bush School at Texas A&M, where he studied Defense Intelligence and Grand Strategy. He earned his military commission from Texas A&M and served on the Corps of Cadets’ Corps Staff. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Baylor University. He is a recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Award in Dresden, Germany.
Clay is proficient in German.
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