Lisa Costa

About Lisa Costa

I am driven by a passion for igniting insights, breaking barriers, and forging transformative pathways at the intersection of culture, technology, and mission value creation. With a proven track record of operationalizing innovation on a global scale, I am the leader others turn to when bold strategies and science and technology investments are needed to unlock opportunity and drive sustainable growth.As a global C-suite executive and Corporate Board Director, I bring 30+ years of expertise in shaping and executing large-scale initiatives in AI, space, autonomy, and cyber operations. As a government senior executive service (SES) member, I have led US Space Force and US Special Operations Command, as well as industry, through complex cultural challenges, overseeing multi billion dollar budgets, investment strategies, work and workforce shaping, and digital/cultural transformation to deliver measurable impact.Recognized for my ability to blend strategic vision with operational execution, I thrive in environments requiring decisive leadership, international risk management, cross-organizational partnerships, and a relentless focus on delivering value for stakeholders while navigating evolving global landscapes.

Experience

1. Vc Partner

   Squadra Ventures

   Aug 2024 — Present · Washington, DC, US

Education

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Artificial Intelligence

• Tampa College

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration and Management, General

• MIT AI Accelerator

  Artificial Intelligence

• Union Institute & University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Computer Science

• Rollins College

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Mathematics

• Rollins College

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Science

Skills

• Counter Violent Extremism
• Corporate Governance
• Nation State Instability
• Intelligence Analysis
• Counterproliferation
• Business Development
• Electronic Warfare
• Operations Research
• Research and Development
• Program Management
• Air Force
• Board Relations
• Homeland Security
• C4isr
• Target Identification
• Strategic Planning
• Immersive Environments
• Special Operations
• Large Scale System Integration
• Data Mining
• Leadership
• Digital Image Processing
• Weapons Handling
• Remote Sensing
• Military
• Video Forensics
• Influence Operations
• Government Contracting
• Special Collections
• Data Science
• Intelligence
• Risk Management
• Computational Social Sciences
• Human Geography
• Social Media
• Dod
• National Security
• Big Data
• Integration
• Weapons of Mass Destruction