Francisco Leija

Francisco J. Leija is an advisor and entrepreneur. His expertise is in corporate governance,
pre-IPO technology companies, national security, post-conflict management, nation-
building, and U.S. Army operations. He has been an advisor to the governments of Republic
of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ghana, and South Korea.
His expertise in technology companies ranges from quantum computing, cybersecurity,
artificial intelligence, autonomous robotics, and machine learning technologies. He often
works with Latin American (LATAM) companies and is a fluent Spanish speaker.
Leija also has extensive experience with higher education. He has served on the Army
Education Advisory Committee, as an SGE to the Command General & Staff College. While
on active duty, he worked on redistributing the U.S. Army research portfolio across U.S.
universities and was a pivotal leader in the establishment of the George H.W. Bush Combat
Development Center at Texas A&M in 2019. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of
Norwich University in Northfield, VT and of Manhattanville University in Purchase, NY.
Leija retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel after 27 years of continuous active-duty
service. He began his military career as an enlisted man and commissioned 4 years after
his initial enlistment. Throughout his military career, Leija managed intelligence operations,
field artillery operations, was an assistant professor at United States Military Academy
(USMA), a School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) Planner, a co-founder of Army
Futures Command, and managed a HQDA G8 $17B portfolio to procure all rockets,
missiles, and cannons for DoD. He was a White House Fellow in 2014-15, with special duty
to the Secretary of Homeland Security on immigration and border security affairs. He led
the Joint Staff portfolio for table-top simulation exercises to South Korea, Australia,
Thailand, and Hawaii in support of PACOM CJCS J7 exercises. He also served as an advisor
to the National Guard in eight states, planning title 32 and title 10 operations. Leija has
significant Program Objective Memorandum experience in the development of the Defense
Planning Guidance and the Future Year’s Defense Program. His awards include the Ranger
tab, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star. He has combat service experience in both
Afghanistan and Iraq. He is a graduate of Kansas State University (B.A.), Norwich University
(M.A.), the School of Advanced Military Studies (M.M.A.S.), and the Marine Corps University
(AWS).
He is a life member of the Forbes Business Council and the Latino Corporate Directors
Association. His wife Ashika is a senior attorney with Debevoise & Plimpton, and they are
based out of NYC.