Mr. Elmer L. Roman joined the Senior Executive Service in August 2020 to serve as Director of Mission Integration in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)).  The role of Mission Integration is to develop mission-based inputs for the requirements process, improve Joint Force capability integration and experimentation, and inform development and maturation of joint warfighting concepts and operational plans.  Previously, Mr. Roman served as Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Public Safety of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. He was also the Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico.  

Mr. Roman’s experience includes serving as Director of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) Program within OUSD(R&E), for which he directed the planning and transition of new capabilities to the Joint Forces and National Security Agencies.  He served as Oversight Executive for International Cooperation and Asymmetric Warfare programs, implementing Department of Defense efforts in security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster management, fighting transnational organized crime, and capacity building for allied countries.  From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Roman served in a diplomatic assignment as Regional Director of the Office of Naval Research Global at the United States Embassy in Santiago, Chile.  

Mr. Roman is a Captain (O-6) in the U.S. Navy Reserve for which he serves as Commanding Officer of the Office of Naval Research S&T 113 Unit.  He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1991 to 1997.  He made his transition to the Navy Reserve as an Engineering Duty Officer leading heavy lift salvage support missions worldwide including heavy lift operations of destroyers USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) after collisions in 2017.  Mr. Roman served in  Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009.

Mr. Roman’s awards include U.S. Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medals (two awards), U.S. Navy Meritorious Service Medals (two awards), and the Chilean Armed Forces Military Star for his work during response to a category 8.8 earthquake in 2010.  He is a recipient of the U.S. Navy League’s Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress, the General Carl A. Spaatz Award, the 2009 STEM Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Conference Luminary Award, a Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, and a NASA Technical Achievement Commendation. 

Mr. Roman holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus and a master of science in systems engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  He graduated from the USMC Recruit Depot in Parris Island, the USMC Officer Candidates School, the U.S. Navy Senior Engineering Duty Officer School, and the Federal Executive Institute of the Office of Personnel Management.