FI: Analytical Staff

Aaron Heffron

President, Insights and Research

Aaron Heffron

President, Insights and Research

Aaron Heffron has nearly 30 years of experience in research and analysis in various industries and sectors, including the federal government, trade associations, technology, television and radio, and telecommunications. As President for Research and Forecasting for the GovExec Media Group, Aaron brings together various research and information sources across the organization including Forecast International, Military Periscope, Market Connections and the Government Business Council to help clients get the information they need to make good business decisions.

Prior to its acquisition by GovExec, Aaron was President of Market Connections, a market research company providing qualitative and quantitative research services and strategy advice to the government contracting community. He is a regular speaker on topics of federal, state and local government business trends as well as marketing and communication strategies and prides himself in working collaboratively to develop product, marketing and program plans based on sound information.

Prior to joining Market Connections, Aaron worked with The NPD Group, Inc. bringing NPD’s syndicated consumer data to federal, state and local government agencies. He founded some of the first public/private partnerships with the U.S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of Labor Statistics to improve economic indicators and data gathering practices. Prior to NPD, he was Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Research for Harris Interactive where he facilitated a multi-continent strategic planning process for the US Department of State, ran product trials for the Open Mobile Video Coalition and facilitated focus groups with first Americans in Alaska and South Dakota.

Aaron’s professional history is rooted in both the public sector and the technology and telecommunications industries, including past positions with the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), a trade association that represented the interests of America’s 357 public television stations and Independent Sector (IS), a coalition of 700 national nonprofit organizations, foundations and corporate giving programs.

He has his masters degree in public policy (MPP) from Georgetown University and a BA in leadership studies and economics from the University of Richmond in Virginia.

Jennifer Robinson

Vice President, Analysis and Operations

Derek Bisaccio

Director and Lead Analyst, Global Defense Markets

Jon Hemler

Director and Lead Analyst, Military Aerospace and Weapons System

Grant Holve

Director and Lead Analyst, Commercial Aerospace

David Hutchins

Director, Defense Technologies & Naval Systems

Richard J. Pettibone

Senior Manager Information Services & Government & Industry Analyst

Andrew Dardine

Lead Analyst, Military Electronics

Shaun McDougall

Lead Analyst, U.S. Defense Markets

Carter Palmer

Lead Analyst, Space Systems and Industrial & Marine Gas Turbines

Douglas Royce

Senior Aerospace Analyst

Thomas Dolzall

Senior Aerospace & Defense Analyst

Vincent Carchidi

Industry Analyst

Thomas Freebairn

Industry Analyst

Anna Miskelley

Defense Industry Analyst

Jorge Morejon

Industry Analyst

Lauren Estrada

Industry Analyst

Jennifer Robinson
Vice President, Analysis and Operations
Jennifer Robinson serves as Vice President of Analysis and Operations at Forecast International. With over 35 years of expertise in the research and publishing industry, Jennifer oversees the company’s comprehensive end-to-end processes, unifying analysis, operations, and production under a single strategic vision. By bridging the gap between raw market intelligence and final product delivery, Jennifer ensures that Forecast International provides unparalleled accuracy and timeliness. Her leadership encompasses the full operational lifecycle, including content veracity, vendor procurement, and digital dissemination. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in launching new product lines, expanding international reach, and fostering a corporate culture rooted in excellence and inclusion.

Derek Bisaccio
Director and Lead Analyst, Global Defense Markets
Education: BA, International Relations, Roger Williams University. Master of Science in Global Studies and International Relations, Northeastern University. Derek Bisaccio has had a lifelong interest in politics and all things military. Currently, Derek is the editor of Forecast International's International Military Markets – Middle East & Africa and International Military Markets – Eurasia Market Intelligence products. He was previously a research assistant, with a particular focus on Forecast International's Military Vehicles Forecast. Derek is an avid blogger and regularly contributes to Forecast International's Defense and Security Monitor. During his college years, Derek was a district intern for a U.S. senator and a U.S. representative. His concentration at Roger Williams was on international relations, with a focus on political structures in the Middle East and Europe.

Jon Hemler
Director and Lead Analyst, Military Aerospace and Weapons System
Education: MA, Government, Johns Hopkins University; BS, Political Science, U.S. Naval Academy A former naval officer and Seahawk helicopter pilot, Jon currently leads the Military Aerospace and Weapons Systems group at Forecast International. He specializes in current and emerging military fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. With over a decade of experience in military aviation, operations, and education, he forecasts a diverse range of defense and naval systems. Influenced by his time as a former Presidential Management Fellow and International Trade Specialist at the Department of Commerce, Jon gained insights into government operations and global markets. Before joining Forecast International, he served as an NROTC instructor and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, teaching undergraduate courses in naval history, navigation, defense organization, and naval operations and warfare.

Richard J. Pettibone
Senior Manager Information Services & Government & Industry Analyst
Education: BA, English and History, Western Connecticut State University. A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.

Andrew Dardine
Lead Analyst, Military Electronics
Education: BA Communications, Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Andrew Dardine is lead analyst for Forecast International's Defense Electronic Systems group. He is the primary author of Forecast International's Electronic Warfare Forecast and co-author of Electro-Optical Systems Forecast and C5I Forecast. Andrew is also a regular contributor to FI's Defense & Security Monitor blog, offering insights into developing technologies such as directed-energy and next-generation jamming systems. His analysis of such vital market areas as EO/IR systems and electronic countermeasures technology has been cited in Defense News, Aerospace Daily, and Bloomberg Businessweek, among other news media. He has also written about the electronic defense market for Aviation Week and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Shaun McDougall
Lead Analyst, U.S. Defense Markets
Education: BA Political Science, University of Notre Dame. Shaun's deep-rooted interest in military equipment continues in his role as a senior defense analyst with a focus on the United States. He played an integral role in the development of Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, an interactive online product that tracks Pentagon acquisition programs throughout the congressional budget process. As editor of International Military Markets – North America, Shaun has cultivated a deep understanding of the vast defense markets in the United States and Canada. He is a regular contributor to Forecast International's Defense & Security Monitor blog and has co-authored white papers on global defense spending and various military programs. Shaun began his tenure at Forecast International as a research assistant, where he was responsible for updating and creating new reports in the Space Systems Forecast, Airborne Retrofit & Modernization Forecast, and Rotorcraft Forecast products. For several years, he was also responsible for the Africa component of the International Military Markets – Middle East & Africa product.

Carter Palmer
Lead Analyst, Space Systems and Industrial & Marine Gas Turbines
Education: BA, History, The Citadel; MA, History of Warfare, King's College London. Carter Palmer has long held a keen interest in military matters, aviation, and the expanding role of space. As a Senior Analyst for Forecast International, he is responsible for authoring and maintaining the Space Systems Forecast – Launch Vehicles & Manned Platforms and the Space Systems Forecast – Satellites & Spacecraft products. His work focuses on analyzing developments in the global space sector, covering everything from satellite programs to advancements in launch capabilities and crewed platforms. In addition to his space portfolio, Carter is the author of the Industrial & Marine Turbine Forecast , where he specializes in gas turbine programs for electrical power generation, mechanical drive, and marine propulsion applications. Following his graduation from The Citadel, Carter was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study Bavarian history in Munich, Germany. In his travels, Carter was also an English teacher and taught in both Munich and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Carter has taught both private students and employees of companies such as MAN, Volvo and Munich RE. Carter went on to earn his MA at King's College London and interned at the Royal United Services Institute in the NSR (National Security and Resilience) department. In his capacity as Senior Analyst at FI, Carter has attended trade shows and conferences in both the United States and Europe. Carter speaks English and German and has a high level of competence in Norwegian and other Scandinavian languages.

Douglas Royce
Senior Aerospace Analyst
Education: BS, Journalism, Syracuse University; JD, Law, Fordham University; MA, Geography, Ohio State University. A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Douglas Royce is currently co-editor of four of Forecast International's Market Intelligence Services: Civil Aircraft Forecast, Military Aircraft Forecast, Rotorcraft Forecast, and Aviation Gas Turbine Forecast. As such, he plays a key role in many important projects that involve market sizing and forecasting for various segments of the world aerospace industry, as well as demand for related systems. He is also a major contributor to Forecast International's twice-weekly E-Market Alert email newsletters. Previous to his present assignments, Doug served as the primary analyst responsible for a major modernization and updating of the company's extensive Worldwide Military Aircraft Inventories database, which is considered by many industry participants to be the best source of its kind available today. Broadly educated, Doug is exceptionally well informed on international geopolitical and economic affairs and, prior to his present assignment, leveraged this knowledge as editor of International Military Markets, North America, as well as co-editor of U.S. Defense Budget Forecast.

Thomas Dolzall
Senior Aerospace & Defense Analyst
Education: BA, University of New Hampshire; Concentrations in Modern European History, Russian Language, and International Affairs. MA in International Affairs, American University. Hailing from a multidisciplinary background, Thomas serves as the lead analyst for Forecast International’s Airborne Retrofit & Modernization and International Military Markets – Latin America & Caribbean products. Earlier in his career at Forecast, Thomas developed an extensive knowledge base by contributing to a diverse array of FI market intelligence products, including Military Vehicles Forecast, Civil Aircraft Forecast, Military Aircraft Forecast, and Rotorcraft Forecast. Prior to joining the Forecast team, Thomas studied at Saint Petersburg State University in the Russian Federation and earned a graduate degree in International Studies at American University, where he researched bureaucratic professionalism in the governments of Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Thomas Freebairn
Industry Analyst
Education: MLitt, Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asian Security Studies, University of St. Andrews; BA, Modern History & International Relations, University of St. Andrews Tom is a dedicated defense analyst with a background in security and International Relations. He earned both his bachelor's and master’s degrees from the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland, specializing in Middle Eastern politics and counterterrorism. Tom began his career as an editor and analyst for Military Periscope, focusing on naval vessels, before transitioning to his current role as an FI Industry Analyst. His expertise includes warships, undersea warfare, and the global naval industry. A regular contributor to the Defense & Security Monitor, Tom also manages FI’s In Our Sights weekly newsletter. His professional interests include geopolitical and maritime security, energy, and developments in the naval-industrial complex.

Anna Miskelley
Defense Industry Analyst
Education: MA, U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security, American University; BA, International Affairs, American University. Anna Miskelley has cultivated a deep interest in global security, emerging technologies, and military systems throughout her academic and professional career. She is currently a Defense Industry Analyst with Forecast International. Before joining Forecast International, Anna was a research fellow at the Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technology, where she researched the impact of artificial intelligence on U.S. nuclear command and control systems. Proficient in Mandarin Chinese, Anna has published research on topics including strategic stability, internal Chinese politics, and artificial intelligence.