Santiago Rico Vaca

About Santiago Rico Vaca

Santiago \'Rico\' Vaca is the founder and senior principal at S Vaca & Associates, a firm specializing in the defense & national security sphere. A proven government relations executive, national security expert, and retired military officer, Rico advises clients on federal challenges associated with national security programs, from both operational and commercial perspectives. He retains a diverse skill set to include detailed knowledge of Department of Defense programs, budgets, and policies across the Services, with emphasis on procurement, research and development, operations & maintenance, and their associated funding processes. In addition, Rico maintains a comprehensive knowledge and expertise of the federal budget and appropriations cycle gained through over a decade of successful advocacy on Capitol Hill. He sustains long term, high-level relationships with Legislative and Executive branch officials to include Senators, members of Congress, key congressional defense committee staff, and General and staff officers within the United States Air Force. Prior to the founding of S Vaca & Associates, Rico was a Senior Policy Advisor at the global law firm of Holland & Knight. There he focused his practice on federal appropriations, DoD budgets, aerospace & defense related business development initiatives, and client concerns related to national security. Rico is a former Air Force fighter pilot with more than 3,200 hours in the F-15C, F-16 and T-38. He maintains an active security clearance.

Experience

1. Sr Vice President, Federal Business Development

   Pfp Cybersecurity

   Jul 2019 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   PFP provides cloud-based, dynamic power behavior analytics which enable Integrity-Assessment-as-a-Service. We utilize machine learning, signal processing and data analytics to detect intrusion as well as counterfeit parts for government, supply chain, critical infrastructure and IoT.

Education

• United States Air Force Academy

  BS, Engineering & International Affairs

  1984 — 1989

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  MA, Aeronautical Science

  1998 — 2000