Bert Hernandez is a highly decorated retired senior manager with 31 years of service in the United States Federal Government, he has received over two dozen national and international commendations for exceptional service and program successes.

His extensive experience includes best practices to leverage foreign partner capabilities, a proven record of exemplary coordination with U.S. and host nation military and law enforcement agencies around the globe as well as service worldwide in the areas of non-proliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and counternarcotics.

Bert Hernandez is a highly decorated retired senior manager with 31 years of service in the United States Federal Government, he has received over two dozen national and international commendations for exceptional service and program successes.

His extensive experience includes best practices to leverage foreign partner capabilities, a proven record of exemplary coordination with U.S. and host nation military and law enforcement agencies around the globe as well as service worldwide in the areas of non-proliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and counternarcotics.

Officially joining Project DYNAMO’s Advisory Board in 2024, Félix Rodriguez is a former Central Intelligence Agency Paramilitary Operations Officer with over 60 years of experience in the fields of intelligence gathering, analysis, discrete operations, among others.

Having successfully served the country across 4 separate presidential administrations—earning nine individual Silver Star Awards, as well as CIA’s Intelligence Star Award—Mr. Felix applies his extensive knowledge and wide-ranging skill sets to help inform and facilitate Project DYNAMO’s rescue operations around the world.

Ambassador Ron Johnson’s broad range of experience spans over four decades of government service in positions of increasing responsibility, with leadership and substantive engagement on a wide range of issues including: diplomacy, national security, intelligence, counterterrorism, insurgency, threat mitigation, conflict resolution, and human rights. This includes his service as Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador from 2019 to 2021, more than twenty years as a Senior Operations and Paramilitary Officer with the CIA and over twenty years in the U.S. Army. He retired in 1998 as a Special Forces (Green Beret) Colonel.

Mark Mancuso has over 40 years of experience as a law enforcement and security professional. He is an expert in complex, highly regulated, police and security environments. In his previous roles he has been responsible for building and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders, working in complex, regulated environments worldwide. Mark was a Captain in the Houston, Texas Police Department where he was responsible for oversight of police operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Upon his retirement in 2002, Mark was appointed to the position of Director of Public Safety and Technology for the Houston Airport System in the aftermath of 9/11. As a member of the Joint Terrorism Taskforce (JTTF), Mark was the primary government liaison to the FBI, Customs and Immigrations, the Transportation Security Administration and others. In addition to these roles, Mark was also assigned to coordinate with members of the foreign Consulates in Houston as well as the Consulate Generals on a variety of projects. Mark earned a BS degree in Criminal Justice with concentrations in Administration and Technology at Roger Williams University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA and the US Secret Service Dignitary Protection Program in Washington DC.

Sara Carter is an award-winning investigative journalist, war correspondent, and active contributor to the Fox News Channel. Her extensive works to inform the public have been featured across the media sphere, including Circa News, Los Angeles News Group, The Washington Times and The Washington Examiner.

Over the past two decades, Carter has garnered widespread acclaim for her in-depth and consequential reporting on critical matters related to national security, terrorism, and immigration—including front line coverage of foreign conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Her impactful work along the U.S.- Mexico border has featured investigative pieces uncovering narcotics trafficking routes in Mexico, involving Mexican federal officials. Among multiple recognitions in the field of journalism, Carter is also a recipient of the SPJ Award and the National Headliner Award.

Carter’s journalistic efforts grant her with an expansive network of trusted and high-level sources across many of Project Dynamo’s focus areas. She is often sought as a speaker at conferences, panels, and seminars to share insights on matters of security and journalism. She is the host of the Sara Carter Show podcast, and also writes for SaraACarter.com.

Mario “MAD” Duarte is President and CEO of Project DYNAMO.

Mr. Duarte is an internationally recognized intelligence officer with more than 20 years of experience in intelligence, national security, consulting, and strategic initiatives worldwide. He is a thought leader and change agent for some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian issues. His experience includes service in the US Army and US Army Reserves, private sector work in the technology industry, Risk and Security Manager for the Houston Airport Authority, as well as an Intelligence and Security Consultant for a U.S. Defense contractor.

Mr. Duarte earned his MBA from Rice University, postgraduate degree from Ortega Gasset Institute-Spain, postgraduate studies in intelligence and national security in Taiwan, and Israel, and completed his PhD studies in National Security at San Carlos University Guatemala. He is a dual national with US and Guatemalan citizenship.

Prior to his formal appointment as President and CEO of Project DYNAMO, he was a long-time contributor to the organization’s efforts, including as an active participant in on-the-ground rescue operations.

As both Co-Founder and Corporate Secretary, Stanley A. Bunner, Jr. not only ensures top organizational efficiency for Project DYNAMO, but he plays an integral role in managing its life-saving rescue operations—often on the ground alongside volunteers.

Mr. Bunner became a Navy Reserve Officer in 1994 and was recently promoted to Captain. He brings his extensive experience as a military interrogator and human intelligence collector to his work with Project Dynamo driving the organization’s focus on intelligence, strategic remediation, and dynamic rescue operations—saving vulnerable people from the world’s most dangerous conditions – from conflict zones to natural disasters.

Mr. Brunner is also a Naples lawyer practicing in the area of civil litigation. He received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School, Magna Cum Laude, in 2000. Mr. Bunner was admitted to practice law in Florida in 2000. Prior to opening the Law Office of Stanley A. Bunner, Jr., PLLC, he was a litigation partner at the law firm of Goede, Adamczyk, DeBoest & Cross, PLLC. He is a member of the Collier County Bar Association and has been admitted to practice in the United States District Court in the Southern District, Middle District and Northern District of Florida.

Mr. Dinesman is not someone new within the Project Dynamo team. Mr. Dinesman, with a small group of likeminded professionals, began evacuating people out of Afghanistan on 15 August 2021. He worked with many unnamed groups, planning, facilitating, assembling packets of people for extraction, including the people who began Project Dynamo. All tolled, Mr. Dinesman helped, directly and indirectly, evacuate between 1200 and 1300 people. As situations arose throughout the globe, Mr. Dinesman continued to plan and facilitate the evacuations of Americans and other people anywhere they needed help, including continued support to Project Dynamo as recently as during the Haiti rescues.

Mr. Dinesman served 26 years in the U.S. Army and twelve years after that as a contractor. During his military career, he served in a variety of enlisted and officer assignments, as well as other jobs, in Special Forces, Infantry, and Intelligence fields, including tactical, operational, and strategic positions in 28 countries. Mr. Dinesman’s service includes prior enlisted time in the U.S. Army Special Forces as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant (18E) and a Special Forces Medical Sergeant (18D). As an officer, Mr. Dinesman served in the Infantry, and after being injured and unable to complete the 18A Course, he transitioned into Military Intelligence as an All Source Intelligence Officer, serving in leadership and staff roles at every level, from the Platoon to the Army Service Component Command.

Mr. Dinesman’s military experiences include combat operations; conventional, unconventional, and asymmetric warfare activities; insurgency and counterinsurgency; training; embedding and advising partner nations; security and stability operations; counter-drug activities; direct action; and peacekeeping operations, including various Joint Task Force-6 missions within the USA; the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia; Intrinsic Action Task Force-98; the Multinational Force & Observers; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation Enduring Freedom; Military Advisor Team Leader in Colombia; and Security Cooperation missions in Mexico.

After his military service, Mr. Dinesman worked as a contractor on classified Airborne ISR programs in Afghanistan; developed training and curriculum for partner nations in the Arabian Peninsula; and successfully owns and operates a security company providing ultra-low profile protection to people of ultra-high net worth throughout Latin America.

Mr. Dinesman holds a Master’s Degree in The Art of War from the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Mr. Dinesman’s military education includes: CGSC – Intermediate Level Education; Intelligence Officers Transition Course; Special Operations Functional Language Course – Modern Standard Arabic; Infantry Officers Advanced Course; Bradley Leaders Course; Infantry Officers Basic Course; Special Forces Functional Language Course – Arabic; Special Forces Medical Sergeants Course (18D); Special Operations Medical Sergeants Course (300-F1); and Special Forces Communications Sergeants Course (18E).

Mr. Dinesman’s awards include: Soldier’s Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Joint Commendation Medal; the Army Commendation Medal with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster; the Army Achievement Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters; the National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 Campaign Star; the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 1 Campaign Star; the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal; the Global War on Terror Service Medal; the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with 2 Device; the Army Service Ribbon; the Army Overseas Ribbon 3rd Award; the Army Reserve Component Overseas Award; and the Multinational Force and Observers Medal 2nd Award.