Creative Technologies Inc. (CTI) quickly earned a reputation for ground-breaking and award-winning defense-related products. CTI draws its leadership from the U.S. Army’s virtual reality research center, prior military service and industry.

CTI conceives, designs and delivers novel, immersive, cognitive simulation solutions for Government and Industry.

CTI’s simulation capabilities include application development and systems integration, along with staffing and support. CTI provides solutions at the location–based institutional, desktop, transportable and mobile levels.

The company’s creative visualization capabilities in marketing and communications take complex systems, their features and operations, and make them intuitive and accessible to a wide range of audiences.

CTI is a small, woman-owned business founded in 2006. With headquarters in the heart of Hollywood, California, CTI leverages the talents and technology of the entertainment industry.

JAMES KORRIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO

James Korris, President and CEO of Creative Technologies Inc. (CTI), is a pioneer of the current trend in game-based simulation for military training. He is widely known for his service as Creative Director of the US Army’s virtual reality institute (Institute for Creative Technologies), from its establishment in 1999 until October 2006.

This experience, coupled with Korris’ vision, led to the founding of CTI, where the CTI team has produced award-winning simulation products including a truck-mounted, motion-platform demonstrator for the Army’s Future Combat Systems program and trainers for Close Air Support, and Call for Fire, along with desktop cognitive applications for bilateral negotiations, Squad, Platoon and Company leadership, and threat indicator identification. Korris recently led a CTI effort to develop a next-generation Close Air Support/Call for Fire training capability, along with mobile platform applications. Current efforts include groundbreaking games for training in the Intelligence Community.

Prior to founding CTI, Korris led the development of Full Spectrum Warrior, the first military application developed for the Xbox, along with desktop applications for Full Spectrum Command and Leader. His team captured the DoD 2006 Modeling and Simulation award for training with Every Soldier: A Sensor Simulation. His work was also recognized by USJFCOM for the Joint Fires & Effects Trainer System as the highest-rated Closer Air Support simulation trainer in the world.

In 2007, Korris was honored with an appointment by the Secretary of the Navy to serve as a member of the Naval Research Advisory Committee, the senior scientific advisory group to the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Chief of Naval Research. He served for four years (2007-2011).

Korris came to the defense realm following a career in the entertainment industry, working as a creative executive at Universal Television and producing at Ron Howard’s Imagine Films. A member of the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of Canada, Korris has written for both motion pictures and television.

Korris holds a BA from Yale and an MBA with distinction at the Harvard Business School.

STEPHANIE GRANATO, COO AND GENERAL COUNSEL

Stephanie Granato is a co-founder of Creative Technologies Inc. She is the Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and majority shareholder of CTI.

Granato has served as Program Manager on numerous CTI projects including a re-conceptualization of BAE’s reconfigurable Vehicle Crew Trainer, Boeing’s Immersive Integrated Training Environment Demonstration and an organizational analysis of BRAC impact for the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill.

A graduate of Yale Law School, Granato practiced law with Simpson, Thatcher & Bartlett in New York and regional and international firms in Los Angeles before joining CTI. Prior to law school, Granato served as an analyst for Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin in Los Angeles where she designed financial models and valued securities of private companies.

Granato earned her master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She is admitted to the bar in California, New York, Washington, D.C. and Connecticut.

TODD PAULSEN, SENIOR ANALYST AND DIRECTOR OF TRAINING

Todd Paulsen serves as a Senior Analyst and Director of Training at CTI. In these roles he draws on more than 15 years of experience as a military instructor. His extensive military expertise includes intelligence, combat infantry, CAS, C2, fire support, and air defense, and his exemplary subject matter expertise provides sound analysis.

Paulson was a member of the original JFETS design and development team, while continuing to shape requirements driving the emerging CFFT research agenda. He has experience using most Fires-related simulations for training Joint Forward Observers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, including the Call-For-Fire Trainer, the Deployable Virtual Training Environment, Forward Observer PC Simulator, VBS Fires, OneSAF, JSAF, General Simulator and JFETS.

Paulsen has participated in various research efforts for industry and government, including the evaluation of emerging technologies, assorted intelligence investigations, training support trend analysis, and AI assessment. Paulsen’s perspective and academic grounding is guided by his combat experience.

Paulsen earned his BA in Biochemistry from Occidental College and an MS of Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

MICHAEL SIRACUSE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Michael Siracuse serves as CTI’s Creative Director. Prior to joining CTI, Siracuse enjoyed a successful career in Naval Aviation that included tours as a Tactical Air Traffic Control Officer and evaluator, FAA Rated Air Traffic Controller and Navy Pilot/Mission Commander. During his time with the Navy, Siracuse spent three years supporting experimentation at United States Joint Forces Command. Siracuse also spent two years providing direct support to DARPA counter terrorism efforts with a focus on assured transition of technology.

Since 2003, Siracuse has provided polished analysis in support of DoD organizations responsible for Modeling & Simulation appropriation, concept development, JCIDS programmatic, Operational Test and Evaluation, C2 doctrine and operational readiness. His last direct government support was as Deputy Operational Manager for the Future Immersive Training Environment Joint Capability Technology Demonstration. Siracuse is a unique combination of tactical operator, transition specialist and strategic analyst.

Siracuse holds a BS in Aeronautics, State University of New York, Albany, and an MS in Management/Air Carrier Operations, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

TRAVIS FALSTAD, DIRECTOR – APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

Travis Falstad serves as CTI’s Director – Application Development. Recent projects include directing the development of mobile platform training aid applications for the Fires Center of Excellence. These mobile applications were designed to develop students’ cognitive decision-making skills, along with collaborative visualization capabilities.

Falstad held leadership roles in the gaming and entertainment industry for more than 15 years prior to joining CTI. His work includes director of application development for two mobile application startups. He served as Marketing Lead for Social Gaming at Electronic Arts where he developed games for mobile and social platforms. Professionally, his focus has been on creating deep user engagement online and in the mobile space, while managing budgets and attendant metrics.

Falstad holds a BS in Journalism from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Loyola Marymount University.

ROB SEARS, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

An industry veteran, Sears has broad experience in both traditional games and entertainment software, having held positions at Milton Bradley, Coleco, Hasbro, Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega of America and MicroProse. Starting in product testing, Sears moved into marketing early in his career. Transitioning to product development at Electronic Arts, his focus shifted to application production management. After leaving EA, Sears went independent, developing a number of award-winning productions.

Returning to the executive ranks at MicroProse, he built a outsource development organization, ultimately engineering a turn-around of Hasbro Interactive’s Computer Toys group. Following Hasbro’s acquisition, Sears started a production management company for game development of traditional and digital entertainment, producing a range of projects for the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies and Mattel.

Rob has a Bachelors degree from Gettysburg College and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.