Full Bio
I am responsible for the oversight of all endeavors that couple technology and human analysis, including the FirstLight® Intelligence Platform. I take a hands-on development approach to the FirstLight technology roadmap and implementation of new features – both client-facing as well as foundational technology. I believe that a personal approach to addressing client needs leads to a more responsive, and ultimately higher-value, technology solution. When I’m not knee deep in code, I play the drums for a local Milwaukee band. If you’re in the area, come check us out!
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Having lived for decades in both Canada and the US as well as shorter periods in Australia and New Zealand, I am a researcher, author/editor (15 books, 200+ scholarly articles) and internationally recognized expert on analytics and intelligence. In my years of teaching at the University level in multiple countries and consulting in private practice, I’ve had the privilege of advising a “who’s who” of executives and organizations. I love learning and helping others learn about leading practices in the intelligence field. I am most proud of developing and mentoring scores of former students into becoming highly successful intelligence professionals.
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I love solving gnarly problems – breaking them down, tussling with teammates and clients, and unearthing unexpected connections, emergent patterns and leverage points. At Aurora WDC, my work sits in the space where technology and custom research come together to support actionable, data-informed insights. That means you might find me refining research scopes, building more incisive data collection systems, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative findings, telling stories through data visualizations, or mentoring staff members. I’m a compassionate listener and an intensely curious person. Part of that comes from my passion for partner dancing – if you don’t listen closely, you step on your partner’s feet! Off the dance floor, my research interests include health & wellness, life sciences, and technology.
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I am a technologist who leverages an extremely adaptable mindset and a jack of all trades skill set to explore and employ best practices and productivity gains. I focus on making work life easier for internal and external clients. Issue avoidance is key with development and execution of security protocols along with testing, troubleshooting, maintaining and debugging Aurora’s FirstLight Intelligence Platform. My years of practice and observation translate well to training and mentoring colleagues and clients alike. During my off time in recent years, I am often a DIY builder, fixer and maintainer, sometimes to my own detriment! I also used to dabble in seeing how long I could maintain a spinning wheelchair wheelie.
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I am fiercely protective of Aurora WDC staff, clients, partners, and brand. I always have been and always will be. In my time at the company beginning in 2003, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. However, I’m driven by how our capabilities translate to the greater good of the professional and personal communities we serve. I am grateful for my graduate degree at UW Madison and undergrad experience at UW Eau Claire, as well as my financial understanding gained through the CFA program – all of which helped prepare me for my leadership role. However, it’s the nearly two decades of practical client and program experience that has made me the intelligence professional I am today. My wife and I have four beautiful children who represent the living legacy of what truly inspires me.
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My background on both the “client” side and the “agency” side gives me a deep understanding of client needs and challenges – and how I can best support them using FirstLight’s Intelligence Platform. That means you’ll find me working with everyone to find the best answer: intelligence gatherers, analysts, technology platform developers, and client stakeholders. When I’m not working, I volunteer my time coaching youth basketball and lacrosse teams. I’m also a Canadian. That’s great, eh!?
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As a software engineer at Aurora WDC, I strive to build software that helps to bring the best intelligence to your organization. I started coding at a young age – I’ve always loved being able to use math/logic in a creative way, and I’m glad that my position here brings new challenges every day that require me to think outside of the box. In my free time I do a lot of exploring in Milwaukee and enjoying the beautiful lakefront. When I feel like staying in, I like to draw pastel art of places I’ve traveled to.
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I specialize in systems and program design with a decade of combined experience in intelligence analysis, program management, healthcare administration, marketing, and sales. Driven by a passion for finding innovative solutions to complex intelligence needs, I manage analyst teams at Aurora WDC and provide advisory services to support clients’ ever-evolving information needs across various industries. I am particularly intrigued by healthcare trends and social factors that are continuing to make industry-agnostic impacts on the world of business. Outside of work, when I’m not juggling tasks as the care manager of an aging parent, I might be found perusing antique stores for unique items, enjoying the local beach, diving into a new art project, or trying to keep my plants alive.
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I am responsible for designing, implementing and operating OpenRECON Stakeholder Reconnaissance Communities project. As a Platform Architect, I work on enhancing our infrastructure and workflow with continuous optimization. I recently took lead becoming the Project Manager for ReconG2®, helping bring the product to market. I also Manage the Software Engineering team, overseeing their work on all products including OpenRECON®, FirstLight®, ReconG2® and others.
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I manage research projects from beginning to end: designing feasible scopes, ensuring timely execution and delivering actionable intelligence. My clients cross almost all verticals, but I have special expertise in retail, CPG and life sciences. I have extensive experience in reputation intelligence, which is using traditional intelligence best practices and tools to assess and mitigate reputation risk. I am an expert at identifying and monitoring early warning indicators for intelligence programs, and applying risk management principles to prepare, prevent and respond to critical issues. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, fishing, meditating, and camping. I am based in Minneapolis, but can often be found wandering around outside in Northern Minnesota.
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I am passionate about the ability of technology to empower management systems to help people make better, faster decisions. I enjoy the problem solving process and learning how to apply those insights in a variety of different industries. One of the most interesting ways to do that is through the use of competitive simulations and different ways to present information to key stakeholders. I consider myself a Competitive Intelligence professional with a degree in Political Science and a Certificate in International Relations from the University of Florida. When I’m not at work, you’ll find me cheering on sports and e-sports from UF, Detroit, and TSM. Go Gators!
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My mission at Aurora WDC is to break down silos inside organizations to foster tighter collaboration through custom technology solutions. That mission looks different for every organization, and I love the chance to help clients discover what that system will look like and how it will evolve over time. For me, that means focusing on leading cross-functional efforts inside large organizations, finding ways that everyone can benefit from better and faster insights. Personally, I enjoy the process of getting to know the real people behind the “company names” and finding ways to help them achieve their goals.
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Graham Goodwiler is a Program Manager and Special Projects Lead at Aurora WDC, with expertise in both FirstLight software and services, as well as secondary research and reporting. He has a Master’s degree in Applied Intelligence and has employed his knowledge, skills and abilities through a myriad of industries and companies large and small. He is also involved in intelligence training and upskilling through efforts ranging from workshops, demos, publications, and conference presentations.
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I founded Aurora WDC in 1995 in the corner of my mother’s beauty salon. I believe it’s important to know where you came from, so that you know where you want to go. Speaking of that clarity, I stepped aside as CEO in late 2009 to hand the day-to-day operation of the company to my brother Derek so that I could focus on the development of competing hypothetical solutions to seemingly intractable intelligence problems. My passion is bringing the “open reconnaissance” approach to organizations, business, and governments to help them solve the most pressing challenges of our time.
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My passion and expertise lies in conducting in-depth secondary research and developing high-impact deliverables that help clients understand the core of the issue, answer critical questions, and make better decisions. I’m a naturally curious person who enjoys tackling complex problems in a variety of fields, industries, and sectors with a balance of rigorous logic and design thinking. In my professional endeavors, I draw on my identity as a former student-athlete, incorporating lessons of grit, teamwork, discipline, and empathy. My academic achievements include an MBA with a Concentration in Healthcare Administration from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL and a BA in Intelligence Studies from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA.
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I consider it a privilege to represent a team of technology and research professionals serving as liaisons and account managers for clients utilizing our proprietary intelligence software. I’m passionate about mentoring and seeking out the best professional opportunities for my capable and intuitive team members. Over several years, I’ve demonstrated my commitment to clients with both quality research and technology consulting by leveraging my market research and technical knowledge. I’m an information technology professional with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) focused in English Language and Literature from The College of St. Scholastica.
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I take an active role in developing, enhancing, and implementing the software tools and designs that comprise Aurora’s FirstLight Intelligence Platform. The process of building feature ideas into real, robust tools that enable clients to interact with their data in enlightening and intuitive ways is what gets me excited! My own motivation to understand how things work drives me to put myself in the client’s shoes when approaching a new project and dig deep with my questions at every stage. Outside of pursuing my technology interests, I enjoy participating in a variety of musical ensembles and exploring new hiking paths across the Midwest.
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As a software engineer at Aurora, I specialize in turning ideas into realities. My primary focus is on bridging the gap between humans and software, both for my colleagues and clients. By leveraging the latest and greatest tech, I am committed to developing scalable and maintainable systems that optimize efficiency and meet the unique needs of our clients. I take pride in my ability to collaborate effectively with team members to overcome complex challenges. When I’m not programming, you can find me channeling my creative energy into various projects around the house or playing guitar. As a proud resident of St. Louis, Missouri, I enjoy spending time at the city’s crown jewel, Forest Park – arguably the best park in the United States!
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I joined Aurora WDC in early 2005 and have more than 20 years of experience in HUMINT, OSINT, investigations, and counterintelligence, conducting research in over 60 countries. I focus on managing the field intelligence collection efforts of our research teams with strong moral principles to ensure the legal and ethical collection/delivery of insights. I also oversee our field intelligence collection efforts and manage a global network of collection assets, analysts/SMEs, and intelligence partners. My academic achievements include a B.S. in Marketing from American University in Washington, D.C., MBA coursework at Monmouth University in Long Branch, NJ, and the Georgia Private Investigator program at Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, GA. I’m an artist by nature – outside of work, I am a working musician, songwriter, and producer, and I also dabble in sci-fi art.