Manuel Casas

Manuel is from Los Angeles, CA. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for 6 years as an Aircraft Engine Mechanic, he worked on helicopters MH-60 Sierra, and Turboprop Aircrafts E-2 Hawkeye (Airborne Early Warning), with two deployments onboard the aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) in support Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (Post 9/11 War). While in the Navy Manuel spent his spare time as a personal trainer for the back then “Bally Total Fitness” gym, now known as “L.A. Fitness” where Manuel developed physical fitness strategies to help clients in the local community to stay healthy. 

After completing his 6-year tour in the Navy (2006), Manuel attended California State University, Los Angeles (CALSTATE LA), and while in undergraduate studies he participated for one year in the Air Force ROTC program taking leadership and aviation science courses. He also was part of the work-study program at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where he performed office assistant duties for a Veteran Counseling Center in Los Angeles, CA. where Manuel assisted local veterans filing their VA claims. Manuel believed that helping veterans in the local community adjusting back to civilian life was part of his social responsibility. 

Right after graduating with his B.S. in Business Management with a minor in Economics from CALSTATE LA (2009) and while pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at University of La Verne (ULV), Manuel worked for the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage & Hour Division where he provided professional office management support to investigators in charge of exploitation of labor cases. Manuel assisted investigators in enforcing federal labor laws, establishing fair labor practices in organizations, and helping victims of unfair labor practices in the local communities to file their claims with the U.S. Department of Labor. 

After graduating with his MBA from ULV (2010), Manuel was hired by the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Office Investigations – Narcotics Task Force under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where Manuel provided intelligence & investigative support to Criminal Investigators (Special Agents) that compose the narcotics task force between ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Los Angeles Police Department (LADP). In addition, Manuel participated in ICE solely led cases such as financial and money laundering, counterfeit and contraband goods, human trafficking and smuggling, immigration benefit fraud, and child exploitation. Manuel’s contribution to ICE help in the arrest of numerous criminals in Los Angeles metropolitan area.

In 2011, Manuel was hired by the U.S. Department of Defense - Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Headquartered in Washington, DC. At NAVSEA, Manuel completed the 2-year intern developmental program performing rotational assignments through different technology defense acquisition programs including at the Special Warfare SEAL Delivery Vehicle Program, the DDG 1000 Program, the Cooperative Engagemetn Capability Program, and at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon. After completion of the intern program Manuel was assigned as a Product Support Manager for the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, a technology program where Manuel led, planned, coordinated, executed, and oversee the life-cycle product support activities. In 2017, he transitioned as a Project Manger for Advanced Rotating Radars. The Defense Acquisition University states that acquisition of defense technologies is a complex blend of science, management, and engineering disciplines within the context of the nation’s law and regulations to produce military capability and technology solutions (DAU, 2017). As former end-user and maintainer of a major weapon system (technology) while in active duty in the Navy, Manuel believes that is critical and the greatest responsibility of a Program Manager is to deliver the right technology capability to the warfighter and end-users.

Further, Manuel obtained a Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Sustainability Management from Harvard University (2018) Division of Continuing Education, and while in graduate school at Harvard, Manuel was hired by Harvard University as a research assistant to a Harvard Professor and who is a Researcher Fellow in the Circular Economy (CE) Center of the University of Cambridge's Judge Business School, the distinctive Dr. Mark Esposito. Manuel assisted Dr. Esposito in his research project "CE in the Defense Sector". Manuel independent research at Harvard focused in “The application of the CE to the Acquisition of an Aircraft Carrier for the U.S. Navy: Design Defense Products for Recovery and Resource Efficiency”. 

In 2018, Manuel was hired by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) as a “Research & Development (R&D) Program Manager (PM)” where Manuel infuses innovation and technology solutions into DLA’s 24 Distribution Centers. Manuel founded the Smart-Warehouse program for DLA that encompass industry 4.0 technologies such as Sensor IoT, cybersecurity, modeling and simulation, augemented reality, predictive analytics with Artificial Intelligence and blockchain, 5G network, and different types of robotics capabilitis. Manuel coordinates closely with cybersecurity managers to ensure secure smart-warehouses are develop for DLA in order to protect DLA’s data from adversaries. DLA is the nation’s combat logistics support agency for the U.S Department of Defense (DOD), DLA provides supply chain and logistics services to the DOD in order to support National Security. Manuel has over 10 years of experience in the acquisition of technologies for the DOD. Manuel represents DLA at the Defense Joint Artificial Defense Center which provides critical expertise to help the Department harness the game-changing power of AI. 

In 2019, Manuel served as technology research advisor at the Arizona State University, Research Enterprise Innovation Challenge Program. Manuel advised 5 graduate students with respect to the research of the blockchain as a technology solution to optimize logistics and supply chain operations.

In 2020, Manuel was accepted to the Executive Master of Science in Technology Management with focus in Cybersecurity at Columbia University, School of Profesional Studies. Manuel research capstone is “Develop Secure Smart-Warehouses for DLA: An Intelligent Systems-of-Systems”. Manuel has performed research on “The Application of Artificial Intelligence to optimize Distribution Operations”.

Manuel enjoys working out, water sports, and ski. He has a passion for Mid-Century Modern Architecture and Design. He is also a member of the Harvard Club of Washington-DC, Harvard Extension Environmental Club, Harvard Alumni Veteran Organization Washington, DC, and the Harvard Alumni Association.