Ryan Lewis

Ryan Lewis

Chief Architect SIGNT Directorate

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

Mr. Lewis currently serves as the SIGINT Directorate Chief Architect for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). In this position, he is directly responsible for leading the definition, evaluation, and integration of the next generation space-based signals intelligence systems to meet national and warfighter needs. He works with SIGINT users, operators, and industry to define and deliver life-cycle solutions to complex problems.

Mr. Lewis is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and commissioned as an officer in the Navy in 2001. He served as a Naval Surface Warfare Officer and Engineering Duty Officer for over 8 years and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In his last tour in active Naval Service, Mr. Lewis served as a project officer and systems engineer within the National Reconnaissance Office's Directorate of Advanced Systems and Technology. Following this tour, Mr. Lewis joined the NRO as a civilian employee where he has served in the Communication Acquisition and Operations (COMM) Directorate, Space Systems Group (SSG) as a vehicle engineering manager and deputy program manager; the SIGINT Directorate, Low Earth Orbit Systems Program Office (LSPO) as the Chief Systems Engineer and Mission Engineering and Integration Director; the Office of Security and Counter-Intelligence (OS&CI) as the Insider Threat Program Manager; and in the SIGINT Directorate Office of the Chief Engineer.

In addition to his civilian career, Mr. Lewis served as an officer in the Navy Reserves where he attained the rank of Commander. During his reserve career, Mr. Lewis served three tours in support of the NRO and one tour in support of the National Security Agency and Commander 10th Fleet.

Mr. Lewis's awards and honors include the NRO Director's Circle Award, the NRO Senior Civilian of the Year, the COMM Directorate Senior Civilian of the Year, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and numerous unit citations. He is a DAWIA Level III Certified Engineer and Level II Certified Program Manager in addition to being a member of the Acquisition Corps.

Mr. Lewis earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master's of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Mr. Lewis currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia. He and his wife have one son and two daughters.

Event Participation