New Voices Join NCS Board for 2026

The National Center for Simulation (NCS) announced the results of its 2025 board of directors election.

Col. (U.S. Air Force, retired) Robert Epstein, senior solution architect at Leidos, and Capt. (U.S. Navy, retired) Tim James, CEO of MES, Inc., have been newly elected to the NCS board for the 2026–2029 term. Tim Hill, president of Design Interactive, Inc.; Amy Motko, president and CEO of Carley Corporation; and Bret Ulander, senior advisor to BlueDrop Training and Simulation, have been re-elected for another three-year term.

Epstein served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a colonel in 2021. At Leidos, his expertise supports the enhancement of multi-domain operations and the modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T) portfolios that serve the Air Force and Space Force.

James brings over 30 years of proven leadership in technology integration, program management, and organizational transformation across the Navy and defense sector. Following his military service, James continues to advance the MS&T community in his new role as the CEO for MES. His expertise spans systems engineering, data-driven decision making, and large-scale program execution, making him a trusted advisor on technology strategy and enterprise transformation. He previously served as a member of the NCS Advisory Board.

“It is my distinct pleasure to welcome our two new board members, Robert Epstein and Tim James,” said George Cheros, president and CEO of NCS. “Your experience, vision, and dedication will be invaluable as we continue to support and grow the MS&T industry in Central Florida, nationally and internationally. I'm also happy to congratulate our three returning board members who will continue to make a tremendous impact on our industry.”

Cheros added, “These and all of our outstanding board members are leaders in our community, and I am proud that they have chosen to contribute their time and resources to an industry that impacts our national defense as well as all industry sectors.”