Governance
Committee Composition
| Members | Audit Committee | Compensation Committee | Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | Risk Committee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuping Huang | ||||
| Robert Fagenson | ||||
| Mike Turmelle | ||||
| Carl Weimer | ||||
| Javad Shabani | ||||
| Eric Schwartz |
Leadership
Yuping Huang, Ph.D.
CEO and Chairman
Dr. Yuping Huang serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. He also founded and directed the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering and Viola W. and serves as the Elbert C. Brinning Endowed Professor of Physics at Stevens Institute of Technology.
Dr. Huang brings more than 20 years of leadership in quantum physics, optics, and nanophotonics research, technology development, and commercialization. He earned his Ph.D. in quantum AMO physics in 2009 and previously served as a research faculty member and principal investigator at Northwestern University before joining Stevens in 2014. Throughout his career, he has led an extensive portfolio of quantum research initiatives supported by approximately $40 million in funding from organizations including DARPA, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, NASA, and private industry partners.
Prior to joining QCi, Dr. Huang founded QPhoton, where he focused on advancing the commercialization of quantum technologies and developing practical solutions for applications in big data, cybersecurity, remote sensing, and healthcare.
Robert Fagenson
Vice Chairman (Independent)
Mr. Fagenson is Vice Chairman of QCi's Board and the Chairman of the Board for National Holdings Corp. Group Companies. From 1970 to 2007, he helped build Fagenson & Co, Inc., a large specialist firm at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). While acting as the managing partner, he was appointed as a Governor on the Trading Floor in 1987, then elected to the Board of Directors and to the vice chairman position of the NYSE Board. After selling the firm, Fagenson ran a NYSE investment firm until 2012, when the assets merged into the National Securities Corp and he became executive chairman of its parent, National Holdings. He earned a B.S. from Syracuse University in 1970. Fagenson is the vice president of the New York Service for the Handicapped and the treasurer of the Board of the New York City Police Museum. He is also a member of the boards of the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Foundation, the National Organization of Investment Professionals and the Conservation Committee of MOMA.
Michael Turmelle
Director (independent)
Mr. Turmelle has served on numerous board of directors including the Board of Directors of Implant Sciences Corp., an explosive and narcotic trace detection company, where he served as Chairman of the Board from 2015 to 2017. Since January 2018, Mr. Turmelle has served as the Managing Director of Hayward Tyler, which he joined in February 2015. Hayward Tyler designs, manufactures and services performance-critical electric motors and pumps to meet the most demanding of applications for the global energy industry, as both an original equipment manufacturer supplier and trusted partner. Mr. Turmelle was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of SatCon. Mr. Turmelle was also on the Board of Directors of Beacon Power, a SatCon spin-off company dealing in flywheel energy storage. Previously, Mr. Turmelle ran his own consulting company working with start-ups and turn-arounds in the areas of renewable energy, medical and other advanced technologies. Mr. Turmelle has a BA in Economics from Amherst College and is a graduate of General Electric’s Financial Management Program. Mr. Turmelle brings to our Board years of public company executive experience as well as extensive experience in finance and operations and in the field of electrical technology.
Carl Weimer
Director (Independent)
Dr. Weimer combines over 25 years of experience in the aerospace industry. Previously, he had been involved in two companies in the aerospace industry holding positions including Team Leader, Principal Investigator and Chief Technologist. From 1994 through 2000, Dr. Weimer was a Team Leader for Ophir Corporation, an aerospace optics company. From 2000 to 2018, he was a Team Leader for Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., a spacecraft company. From 2018 to present, Dr. Weimer has been the Chief Technologist for the Ball Civil Business Unit. In addition, from 2008 to present, Dr. Weimer has been the Principal Investigator for the NASA Earth Science Technology Office. Dr. Weimer received a Bachelor of Science degree from Harvey Mudd College (1984) and a Master of Science (1987) and a PhD (1992) from Colorado State University all in experimental Physics. Carl received the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal in 2008 for advancing lidars for satellite remote sensing.
Javad Shabani
Director (Independent)
Dr. Shabani has over 13 years of experience in advanced physics and quantum information physics. Dr. Shabani has been an associate professor in the New York University Physics Department, and director of the NYU Center for Quantum Information Physics since 2022. From 2017 to 2022 he was an Assistant Professor in the NYU, Physics Department. From 2015 to 2017 Dr. Shabani was assistant professor in the City College of New York Physics Department. From 2014 to 2015 he was a project Scientist in the California Nanosystems Institute at the University of California Santa Barbara. From 2011 to 2014 he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Harvard University Physics Department (2011-2012) and the California Nanosystems Institute at the University of California Santa Barbara (2012 to 2014) . He was awarded the IBM Q Scholar Award in 2021, and the US Air Force Young Investigator Program Award and the US Army Young Investigator Award in 2016. Dr. Shabani holds four patents in quantum physics applications and has published over 85 papers. Dr. Shabani received Bachelor of Science degrees in physics and electrical engineering from Sharif University of Technology (2004) a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2005), a Master of Arts in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University (2007) and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University (2011).
Eric Schwartz
Director (Independent)
Mr. Eric M. Schwartz, Director – Mr. Schwartz has 20 years of experience in corporate finance, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy and general corporate management. Since 2016 he has served as Managing Director of Castle Harlan, the New York private equity firm, which he first joined in 2007. Previously, Mr. Schwartz was an investment banking professional at Citigroup Global Markets, during which time he advised clients on mergers and acquisitions across a broad range of industries. Mr. Schwartz is currently a board member of Sunless, a manufacturer of equipment and related products for the skincare industry, and Titan Production Equipment, an engineering and equipment fabricator for the traditional and clean energy industries. He previously served as a board member of several other Castle Harlan portfolio companies, including Baker & Taylor, Caribbean Restaurants, Pretium Packaging and Shelf Drilling (OSL: SHLF). Mr. Schwartz graduated Cum Laude from Duke University with a B.S.E. in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, and he holds an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he received the distinction of Arjay Miller Scholar.
Yuping Huang, Ph.D.
CEO and Chairman
Dr. Yuping Huang serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. He also founded and directed the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering and Viola W. and serves as the Elbert C. Brinning Endowed Professor of Physics at Stevens Institute of Technology.
Dr. Huang brings more than 20 years of leadership in quantum physics, optics, and nanophotonics research, technology development, and commercialization. He earned his Ph.D. in quantum AMO physics in 2009 and previously served as a research faculty member and principal investigator at Northwestern University before joining Stevens in 2014. Throughout his career, he has led an extensive portfolio of quantum research initiatives supported by approximately $40 million in funding from organizations including DARPA, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, NASA, and private industry partners.
Prior to joining QCi, Dr. Huang founded QPhoton, where he focused on advancing the commercialization of quantum technologies and developing practical solutions for applications in big data, cybersecurity, remote sensing, and healthcare.
Chris Roberts
CFO
Mr. Christopher Roberts serves as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel, bringing nearly four decades of leadership experience spanning corporate finance, legal affairs, government contracting, and technology-focused businesses.
Before joining QCi, Mr. Roberts held executive leadership roles across a range of public and private companies in the aerospace, defense, software, and information technology sectors. His background combines financial, operational, and legal expertise, with extensive experience supporting the growth and strategic development of technology-driven organizations. Earlier in his career, he worked at Raytheon and later practiced law at major New York City law firms before transitioning into senior financial leadership roles.
Mr. Roberts earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds both a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.B.A. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also co-author of Antitrust for Business and has published articles on antitrust law, patent law, space policy, information technology, and corporate finance.
Yong Meng Sua, Ph.D.
CTO
Dr. Yong Meng Sua serves as Chief Technology Officer, where he leads the company's technical strategy and development at the frontier of quantum computing and integrated photonics. His work is driven by a single conviction: that quantum technology must move from the lab into the real world, and achieving that requires both rigorous science and bold engineering decisions.
A quantum physicist by training, Dr. Sua's research spans quantum information processing, quantum computing, integrated photonics, and remote sensing. He brings to QCi not only deep scientific expertise but a proven track record of translating fundamental research into practical, commercializable technologies. Prior to joining QCi, he served as Chief Scientific Officer at QPhoton, where he helped shape the company's scientific vision and drive its quantum technology commercialization initiatives. He also holds an appointment as Research Assistant Professor of Physics at Stevens Institute of Technology.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Sua has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and co-authored multiple U.S. and international patents, several of which have been licensed for commercial use.
Milan Begliarbekov Ph.D.
COO
Dr. Milan Begliarbekov serves as Chief Operating Officer, where he leads the development and manufacturing of advanced quantum materials, devices, and technologies, including thin-film niobate and transition metal ferroelectrics for next-generation sensing and photonic computing applications.
He brings more than 17 years of experience in nanofabrication, materials science, and scientific leadership. Prior to joining QCi, Dr. Begliarbekov served as a Research Assistant Professor and Director of the Nanofabrication Facility at the City University of New York, where he oversaw the design, commissioning, and day-to-day operations of a leading regional nanofabrication center supporting both academic researchers and industry partners, from early-stage startups to established companies.
In addition to his technical and operational leadership, Dr. Begliarbekov is deeply engaged in STEM education and outreach, with a focus on expanding access for underrepresented communities. Throughout his career, he has taught a range of STEM courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, particularly within community college settings, and has contributed to the development of academic curricula in engineering and physics.
Pouya Dianat, Ph.D.
CRO
Dr. Pouya Dianat serves as Chief Revenue Officer and brings more than 18 years of experience in advanced photonic and quantum technologies across the sensing, imaging, LiDAR, and photonic integrated circuit industries. His background combines technical leadership, business development, and commercialization expertise across both emerging growth companies and established industry organizations.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Dianat served as Director of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and Foundry Services, where he led the commercial expansion of the company’s thin-film lithium niobate technology platform and foundry offerings. Throughout his career, he has focused on advancing next-generation photonic technologies from research and development into scalable commercial applications.
From 2018 to 2021, Dr. Dianat served as Chief Technology Officer at Nanograss Solar LLC., where he led the commercialization of high-speed photodetector technologies. He later served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Drexel University while also working as a scientist at Princeton Infrared Technologies, contributing to the development of advanced infrared imaging systems. From 2022 to 2023, he was Senior Photonics Engineer at Optogration, a Luminar company, where he led commercial strategy, business development, and scale-up efforts for photonic detector chips used in automotive LiDAR applications.
Most recently, Dr. Dianat served as Market Expert and Director of PIC and Quantum Technologies at OPTICA, supporting industry advancement and commercialization initiatives across the global optics and photonics ecosystem. His expertise spans photonic integrated circuits, quantum technologies, infrared imaging, advanced sensing systems, and optical communications.
Dr. Dianat earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology. He also completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University.
Carly Saxton
Vice President, Human Resources
Carly Saxton serves as Vice President of Human Resources at Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi), where she leads strategic HR initiatives, talent management, and organizational development to support the company’s growth and innovation. With over 18 years of experience in corporate, government, and nonprofit settings, Carly has a proven track record in building high-performing teams, refining performance management processes, and fostering inclusive, collaborative workplace cultures. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Georgetown University.