Leadership – Applied Energetics

Our Leaders

Experience | Passion | Integrity

Our Executives

Christopher Donaghey

President & CEO

Christopher Donaghey was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Applied
Energetics in November 2024. He is an experienced executive with a proven track record in
delivering profitable growth, including extensive experience within the defense industry. He
joined Applied Energetics in August 2022, serving as the company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer where he led all aspects of Applied Energetics financial strategy, performance, reporting and long-range business planning, as well as investor relations, treasury, controller, and audit operations. Prior to Applied Energetics, Donaghey served as senior vice president and head of corporate development for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a defense and government agency technology integrator. Donaghey is also a Cofounder and Executive Chairman of the Silicon Valley Defense Group, a non-profit organization whose mission is to connect the people, capital, and ideas that will ensure allied democracies retain a durable techno-security advantage. Prior to joining SAIC, Donaghey was vice president of Corporate Strategy and Development for KeyW Corporation, a national security solutions provider for the Intelligence, Cyber and Counterterrorism Communities. Donaghey was also a senior research analyst for SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets where he provided investment advice and insight to institutional investors covering public defense technology, government IT services, and commercial aerospace industries. Donaghey earned his bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Texas Tech University and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Stephen McCahon

Co-Founder & Chief Scientist

Dr. Stephen McCahon has been a scientific researcher, technology developer, and entrepreneur for over 30 years. He has co-authored more than 50 scientific publications and has more than 30 patents issued, patents pending, or invention disclosures in preparation for patent submission. He was a Member of the Research Staff in the Optical Physics Department at the Hughes Research Laboratory in Malibu, California from 1986 to 1996 performing basic research in the area of optical physics and non-linear optical materials. In 1996, Dr. McCahon moved to Raytheon (Hughes) Missile Systems Co, in Tucson, AZ during which time as was significantly responsible for the successful creation and development of the Directed Energy Weapons Product Line and served as its Chief Scientist. He left Raytheon in 2002 to co-found Applied Energetics Inc. in Tucson, AZ to develop Directed Energy Weapons for the DoD including very high energy and average power USP laser sources and Laser Guided Energy Technologies. In April 2010 Dr. McCahon left Applied Energetics to form Applied Optical Sciences where he developed technologies related to the application of optical physics to a broad range of areas, including photonics and USP laser development. Dr. McCahon is a graduate the University of Southern California (BSEE, MSEE) holds a Ph.D., Photonics, Inter-disciplinary Physics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Iowa. Since February 2016, he has served as a consultant to the Applied Energetics Board of Directors. In 2019 Applied Energetics purchased his company Applied Optical Sciences and integrated it into Applied Energetics where Dr. McCahon currently serves as its Chief Scientist.