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The defense technology sector just witnessed a significant leadership shift. By Light Professional IT Services, a McLean, Virginia-based provider of advanced cyber and warfighter training platforms, has officially announced the appointment of Diane Hockenberry as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This strategic hire is not just a personnel change — it signals a clear, forward-looking vision for a company that is rapidly expanding its footprint in national security, AI-enabled defense training, and cyber operations.
Hockenberry's appointment comes at a time when defense technology companies are under increasing pressure to not only build mission-ready solutions but also communicate their capabilities with precision, credibility, and clarity. With more than 25 years of experience spanning marketing, communications, and strategic positioning across technology, aerospace, and defense sectors, she arrives with the kind of seasoned background that By Light needs to amplify its next chapter.
When companies in the defense sector make C-suite moves, there's rarely an announcement that doesn't carry significant strategic weight. By Light's decision to bring Hockenberry on board is no different. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing enterprise marketing, brand strategy, and product commercialization across By Light's two primary operating divisions — its Cyber division and its Modeling, Simulation & Training (MS&T) division.
The scope of her responsibilities goes well beyond traditional marketing. She will play a central role in how By Light presents its portfolio of mission technologies to the broader defense and national security market. This includes advanced cyber mission environments, AI-enabled live and synthetic training systems, and warfighter readiness platforms that are increasingly shaping how the U.S. military prepares for modern conflict.
Speaking on her new role, Hockenberry expressed genuine enthusiasm for the mission-critical nature of her new employer's work:
"Our technologies are transforming how warfighters prepare, train, and operate — driving greater realism, resilience, and readiness across modern defense missions. I'm honored to join a team whose expertise and ingenuity are shaping the future of national security."
These aren't just words for a press release. They reflect a deep alignment between a marketing leader and a company whose work directly impacts how America's armed forces train and perform under real-world operational conditions.
What makes Hockenberry's background particularly compelling is its sheer range. Her career has taken her from public media to private equity-backed defense firms, giving her a unique perspective on how to communicate complex, high-stakes messages to vastly different audiences.
Most recently, she held the position of Senior Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing at Trident, formerly known as LightRidge Solutions — a private equity-backed defense technology portfolio company. In that role, she developed and executed integrated communication strategies for a multi-platform defense firm that serves customers across the federal government and military branches.
Before her time at Trident, Hockenberry led corporate communications at Iridium Communications, a company known globally for its satellite-based mobile voice and data communications network. Iridium's customer base includes defense agencies, first responders, maritime operations, and aviation — all sectors where precise, mission-critical communication is non-negotiable. Her experience there gave her sharp instincts around how to position technical capabilities for audiences that are deeply results-oriented.
Even earlier in her career, she spearheaded marketing and engagement at WAMU 88.5, Washington D.C.'s National Public Radio affiliate. While media might seem like a departure from defense, this role sharpened her ability to build brand affinity, engage community, and manage communications in ways that resonate on a human level — a skill increasingly valuable even in the defense technology space.
Together, these experiences form a foundation that blends commercial innovation, audience intelligence, and strategic storytelling — exactly what By Light needs as it scales.
By Light's CEO, Bob Donahue, was unambiguous about why this hire matters for the company's long-term strategy:
"By Light is accelerating growth through innovation — delivering next-generation cyber mission environments and AI-enabled training systems that redefine mission readiness. Diane's leadership and experience bridging commercial innovation with mission-driven solutions will help ensure our capabilities are represented with the same precision and impact with which they're built."
Donahue's statement is telling. It frames Hockenberry's role not as a support function but as a core driver of growth — one that bridges the technical depth of By Light's engineering teams with the clarity and urgency needed to win in a competitive defense marketplace.
The timing of Hockenberry's appointment isn't coincidental. By Light has been on an active expansion path, both through strategic acquisitions and major government contract awards — and the company now needs a marketing leader capable of coherently representing a broader, more complex product portfolio.
The Dignitas Technologies Acquisition is perhaps the most recent and telling example of this growth trajectory. In February 2026, By Light announced the acquisition of Dignitas Technologies, an Orlando, Florida-based firm with more than two decades of expertise in the system and software engineering, testing, and fielding of mission rehearsal applications. Dignitas has deep roots across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, including significant work tied to the F-35 program, Advanced Computer-Based Training Systems II, and Next Generation Constructive.
For By Light, the acquisition isn't just about adding headcount or revenue. It strategically expands the company's capabilities in three critical areas: cyber training, virtual cyber effects, and live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training in multi-echelon simulations across the Department of Defense. Donahue described the deal as one that enhances By Light's "synthetic training ecosystem" — a term that underscores the company's ambition to build a unified, architecture-centric platform for next-generation defense training.
This integration of Dignitas' capabilities into By Light's existing portfolio creates a more robust, end-to-end offering for U.S. military customers looking for scalable, interoperable training solutions.
One of the most compelling aspects of By Light's current focus area is how deeply it is integrating artificial intelligence into defense training and cyber operations. This is not a peripheral interest — AI sits at the core of what By Light is building for the future.
The company operates at the convergence of two of the most critical imperatives facing modern defense organizations: cyber readiness and warfighter preparedness. As threats evolve in sophistication and speed, the demand for training systems that are realistic, adaptive, and data-driven has never been higher. By Light's AI-enabled platforms address this directly, offering synthetic and live training environments that mirror real-world operational conditions more accurately than any traditional training method could.
This approach aligns with the broader trajectory of defense AI adoption. Across the Department of Defense, there is growing recognition that predictive AI and AI-enabled simulation can meaningfully improve mission outcomes — from anticipating equipment failures to simulating adversarial behavior in cyber environments. By Light is positioning itself as the company that can deliver on that promise at scale.
For Hockenberry, this means her marketing mandate goes beyond brand awareness. She will need to communicate a technically sophisticated, fast-evolving value proposition to a defense audience that demands evidence, precision, and trust before making major procurement decisions. Her background in bridging commercial innovation with mission requirements makes her exactly the right person for this challenge.
By Light's recent contract history speaks volumes about the confidence the U.S. government has placed in its capabilities. In April 2023, the company secured a landmark $500 million Army contract to develop the Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer (RVCT) — a program designed to provide aviation and ground units with highly realistic, adaptable collective training environments. The RVCT represents one of the Army's most significant investments in next-generation virtual training infrastructure, and By Light's selection reflects the company's credibility as a trusted defense technology partner.
More recently, in November 2025, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) issued an intent to award By Light a sole-source Full Content Inspection managed service contract. A sole-source designation is a significant vote of confidence — it indicates that the government views By Light's capabilities in this area as uniquely suited to the requirement, with no comparable alternative available in the marketplace.
Together, these milestones paint the picture of a company that has earned its position in the defense technology ecosystem through consistent performance and genuine technological differentiation. The appointment of Hockenberry ensures that this track record is communicated effectively to the market, and that the company's growth momentum is matched by an equally strong narrative strategy.
As a Sagewind Capital portfolio company, By Light also benefits from the backing of a private equity firm that specializes in supporting growth-oriented defense and government services businesses — providing the resources and strategic guidance needed to scale responsibly in a complex regulatory and procurement environment.
Hockenberry's appointment to the CMO role at By Light reflects a broader trend in the defense industry: the growing recognition that marketing leadership is a strategic function, not just a communications support role. As defense technology companies compete for a share of a complex, relationship-driven federal marketplace, the ability to clearly articulate differentiated value — especially in emerging areas like AI and synthetic training — has become a genuine competitive advantage.
What's particularly notable about Hockenberry's profile is her ability to operate across organizational boundaries. Having led marketing at companies ranging from satellite communications to public radio to PE-backed defense platforms, she understands how to tailor messages for technical customers, executive stakeholders, government program offices, and the broader public — all without losing the core thread of what makes a company's mission distinctive and credible.
For By Light, this is especially important as the company grows its portfolio through acquisitions like Dignitas, and continues to pursue large-scale contracts that require consistent, well-positioned branding. A fragmented portfolio without a coherent marketing voice is a vulnerability; Hockenberry's mandate will be to transform that portfolio into a unified, compelling market presence.
As the defense technology landscape continues to evolve — shaped by AI, cyber threats, and the increasing complexity of joint and multi-domain operations — companies like By Light are increasingly influential in shaping how the U.S. military trains, prepares, and operates. The decisions made at the marketing leadership level will play a meaningful role in determining which companies earn the trust, visibility, and ultimately the contracts that drive that future.
By Light's bet on Diane Hockenberry is a confident one — and if her track record is any indicator, it's a bet that's likely to pay off.
