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Management Team

Dr. Paul Runkle (Partner/CEO)

Since co-founding Signal Innovations Group in 2004, Dr. Runkle has served as President of SIG and is a technical program manager for SIG’s efforts in algorithm design for decision systems and signal analysis for sensors and imaging, including applications in wide area persistent surveillance (WAPS), airborne and ground-based video and radar processing. Previously Dr. Runkle worked as a research associate at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) where he developed algorithms to detect tactical targets in synthetic aperture radar imagery. As a research associate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University, he developed statistical signal processing algorithms for multi-aspect target detection and classification using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) for multiple sensor platforms including sonar and radar. Dr. Runkle served as a Principal Systems Engineer at XtremeSpectrum, Inc. where he designed high-rate Ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communication architectures based on sensors and systems originally designed for FOPEN radar. At MCNC Research and Development Institute, he served as a Technical Team Leader to develop novel signal processing methods and architectures for high-rate mobile communications. Dr. Runkle received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and has authored over 35 refereed journal and conference publications in the fields of signal and image processing and communications.

Professor Lawrence Carin (Partner)

Professor Carin is the William H. Younger Professor of Engineering at Duke University. He has been the Principal Investigator on numerous large DoD projects, including an ARO MURI dedicated to mine detection (1996-2001) and a DARPA/ARO MURI (2001-2006) dedicated to adaptive multi-model sensing. His principal areas of research involve adaptive physics-based signal processing. Under basic ONR funding, he led development of a new hidden Markov model (HMM) for characterization of multi-aspect scattering from general targets, with demonstrations performed for ONR using measured MCM and ASW data. At the Signal Innovations Group (SIG) Prof. Carin is the PI on several research projects, including SAR-based detection of concealed targets, airborne mine detection, as well as development of techniques for detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Prof. Carin is the author or co-author of over 120 papers published in peer-review journals. In 2003 he was an Invited Guest Editor for a Special Issue of the IEEE Trans. on Geoscience and Remote Sensing dedicated to mine detection, and in 2004 he was the Invited Guest Editor of a Special Issue of Radio Science dedicated to subsurface sensing. In 2000 he was awarded the DoD Cleanup Project of the Year, and in 2002 he served as a member of a White House Advisory Panel on the future of mine research. Professor Carin was elected a Fellow of the IEEE in 2001.

Levi Kennedy (Partner)

Since joining SIG in 2004, Mr. Kennedy has been a technical leader applying state of the art signal processing and statistical decision theory in the design of systems that exploit sensor data. He has been a major contributor to many of SIG’s scientific breakthroughs and is becoming recognized as an industry leader in sensor analytics. Mr. Kennedy is responsible for the SIG development teams that deliver solutions in landmine detection, unexploded ordnance discrimination, and multiple ISR applications. Prior to joining SIG, Mr. Kennedy worked as a research engineer at MCNC-RDI where he developed signal processing and communications technology for Department of Defense applications. Mr. Kennedy came to MCNC-RDI with a strong background in RF systems engineering having previously worked at Raytheon Missile Systems where he designed antennas and RF systems for missiles and related applications. Mr. Kennedy holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Brigham Young University.

Jonathan Woodworth (Partner)

Since joining SIG in 2005, Mr. Woodworth has led technical efforts for the design of algorithms and software for sensor data exploitation with particular expertise in EO/IR video and Radar HRR/SAR sensors. Mr. Woodworth has led the transition of relevant SIG technologies from the lab to real-time, prototype systems in the field. He helps lead SIG’s business development efforts, including new technology development and development of new customer relationships. Prior to joining SIG, Mr. Woodworth served as a radar systems engineer at Northrop Grumman Corporation where he was responsible for the development and analysis of advanced signal processing modes and algorithms for next generation surveillance radar systems, from analytical derivation through experimental verification. Previously, he worked as a research engineer at MCNC Research & Development where he developed novel signal processing algorithms to enable high data rate wireless communications in highly mobile environments. Mr. Woodworth holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Samantha Venters (Partner/CFO)

Since joining SIG in 2005, Ms. Venters has managed all activities related to company finances, contracts, intellectual property protection, and general corporate administration. Prior to SIG, Ms. Venters served as MCNC Research & Development Institute’s Lead Contracts Specialist. While at MCNC she held roles in technology transfer, contracts administration, and finance for the Research & Development Institute, the North Carolina Research and Education Network and the North Carolina Supercomputing Center. Ms. Venters is a member of the National Contracts Management Association and has a Master’s Certificate in Government Contracting from George Washington University. Her formal education consists of a double B.A. in Economics and Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a Master of Public Administration degree from North Carolina State University; and an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.