John Ryder is the Director of Operations for DeepSig Inc. DeepSig is a small Arlington, VA-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) company that is a pioneer in the field of Radio Frequency Machine Learning. John joined DeepSig in 2021, and prior to the operations role he managed business development for DeepSig’s defense and security business lines. John has a passion for AI-based solutions that can be traced back to his previous career as an intelligence professional in the US military.

Originally from Reading, a small working-class town in southeastern Pennsylvania, John enlisted in the US Navy right after high school and after basic training, became a Navy Intelligence Specialist. Originally trained as an imagery analyst, he would serve in two tactical imagery assignments and make deployments aboard the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71). Transitioning to all-source intelligence, John would also go on to commission and serve as an initial member of the “plank owner” crew of the USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN-75). After his shipboard time, in early September 2001, he was settling in as an instructor for what was supposed to be a few years of shore duty. Like so many of his military generation, 9/11 would change all of that.

In early 2002, John volunteered for something he never heard of called the Joint Special Operations Command and spent a year as an analyst and briefer supporting the Campaign Support Group. Promoted to Senior Chief, he had to leave JSOC, and was handpicked to be the senior enlisted advisor for the intelligence directorate at the US Navy Central Command/5 th Fleet in Bahrain. Eager to get back to special operations support, he was again assigned to JSOC as permanent party. John served as a Collections Manager and J2 Operations NCO, making deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After being promoted to Master Chief, John was screened and selected to serve as the senior enlisted advisor for the intelligence department at Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU). Finishing that assignment but wanting to stay in a role supporting the mission, John was commissioned to Chief Warrant Officer and assumed the Deputy N2 position for DEVGRU’s Tactical Development & Evaluation Squadron ONE. After 11 years, John stepped away from the operational assignments and transferred to Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, CA as the Intelligence Capabilities and Futures Officer. It is during this tour he discovered a keen interest in AI and the benefits that machine learning could bring to bear on US intelligence requirements. John retired from the Navy in January 2021 as a CWO4 with 30 years of service.

John lives in Arlington, VA and in his spare time enjoys hiking, backpacking, and kayak fishing.