Biographies

Wes Hallman
Senior Vice President, Strategy & Policy

Wes comes to NDIA after a 27-year career in the Air Force, last serving as the Chief Air Force Liaison to the House of Representatives advising the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on engagement with Congress and working directly with members of the House of Representatives and their offices on Air Force and national security matters. Prior to his work with Congress, he was the senior executive assistant to the Joint Staff Director of Strategic Plans and Policy. Wes served in several operational and staff positions including commanding a squadron and a fighter group. He also led a staff of over 2,000 as Chief of Staff for the Air Force’s forward headquarters in the Middle East, simultaneously managing and supporting Air Force units conducting air operations over Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2004, President Bush chose him as one of 12 Americans to be a White House Fellow, serving as the Secretary of Agriculture’s Special Assistant. Wes is a Command Pilot with 1,985 hours in the T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-15A/B/C/D, and F-22A, and has over 150 hours of combat time in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, PROVIDE COMFORT, and NORTHERN WATCH. A fourth-generation Californian, Wes was raised in Glendora and is an Outstanding Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He also earned a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Ohio State University and is a graduate of Air Command and Staff College, the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (Eisenhower School). Wes also completed the State Department’s National Security Executive Leadership Seminar and the Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar at the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Nick Jones
Director, Regulatory Policy

Nick Jones joined the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) as the Director of Regulatory Policy in 2020. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Lewis & Clark Law School. Prior to joining NDIA, Nick worked in various strategy roles within Insitu, part of Boeing Autonomous Systems, and Portland General Electric. Nick began his professional career as a Naval Intelligence Officer. His service included assignments with the Office of Naval Intelligence, Electronic Attack Squadron 128, and the Joint Interagency Task Force West. Nick is Chairman of the Returning Veterans Project a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides free healthcare services to post-9/11 veterans through a community of over 180 licensed healthcare providers in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Robbie Van Steenburg
Associate, Regulatory Policy

Robbie joined the National Defense Industrial Association as a Regulatory Policy Associate on July 20, 2020. Robbie is a Texas native and, prior to joining NDIA, he attended both the University of Texas at Austin and George Washington University. In 2018 Robbie graduated from The University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science and Arts in Astronomy, and in 2020 he graduated from George Washington with a Master of Arts in International Science and Technology Policy. During his time in Austin, Robbie interned in the Texas State Legislature. While studying at GW, he worked with a team of other students to complete a year-long research project on behalf of the Secure World Foundation.