Steven Fraile recently retired after 30 years of combined military and federal service, including 23 years at the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC Lant). As a trusted acquisition expert, he managed more than$900M in Navy and Marine Corps programs. He is the founder of Magic Lane LLC, a consulting firm that helps innovative companies and academia successfully enter and thrive within the U.S. defense industry—particularly within the Department of the Navy’s Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA) ecosystem. His expertise lies in connecting cutting-edge technologies with key decision-makers and crafting winning strategies that align with strategic objectives, exceed expectations, and deliver measurable mission impact.

Most recently, Steve led a portfolio of 20technology transition teams within NIWC Lant’s Science and Technology Department. Before that, he served as S&T Advisor to the Technical Director of Program Executive Office Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions (PEOMLB), where he identified emerging technology trends to accelerate capability planning and transition. He also served as Operations Officer for the NavalX Agility Cell under the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (RDA), overseeing daily operations, process improvement, strategic planning, cost estimating, and cross-organizational collaboration.

For the majority of his civilian career, Steve was an Integrated Product Team (IPT) Leader for U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence acquisition systems, supporting Marine Corps Systems Command and the USMC Intelligence Community. His IPT advanced innovation governance, built workforce capacity, addressed unique USMC IC needs, and drove successful capability transitions.

Before joining NIWC Lant in 2002, Steve spent four years as a defense contractor for the USMC IC, five years as a Marine Corps Reservist, and eight years on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps.