Maria S. Franklin is a highly experienced defense and aerospace professional with over 20 years of combined military and civilian expertise in air traffic control, airspace operations, systems testing, and software development. She holds a Top Secret (T5) clearance and multiple advanced degrees, including dual Master of Science degrees in Aerospace & Human Factors and Aviation Business Administration. Maria has led complex technical programs supporting the U.S. Air Force and NATO, specializing in command and control systems, modeling and simulation, and live, synthetic, blended (LSB) training. Known for her leadership in managing multimillion-dollar defense portfolios, she consistently delivers strategic, mission-focused solutions that enhance operational readiness and innovation across domains.