Administrative Judge Biographies
John J. Thrasher, Chairman
Judge Thrasher was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) in February 2011 and appointed Chairman, effective December 2016.
Judge Thrasher has more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of federal government contract law. He served on active duty as an Air Force Judge Advocate from 1982 until 1995 in a variety of acquisition assignments and practice areas, including: all aspects of major weapon systems contract administration, HQ Air Force Contract Management Division (Air Force predecessor to Defense Contract Management Agency); all aspects of services, supplies, construction contracting, and major cost-plus-award-fee base maintenance contracts, Chief of Contract Law, HQ U.S. Air Forces Europe; contract trial attorney representing the Air Force before the ASBCA; and, Program Counsel for the F-22 and Advanced Cruise Missile Program, as well as, division supervisor responsible for providing the entire spectrum of acquisition law support to multi-billion dollar Air Force programs such as the B-1, B-2, F-15, and several classified programs administered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio.
Judge Thrasher left active duty in 1995 to take a civilian contract trial attorney position on the Air Force Trial Team at WPAFB representing the Air Force before the ASBCA. He thereafter progressed through several acquisition law positions and in 2003 was selected to attend the Defense Acquisition University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces (now the Eisenhower School) at the National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
In June 2004, Judge Thrasher was selected to enter the Senior Executive Service (SES) as the Principal Deputy to the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Staff Judge Advocate, responsible for providing legal services to the headquarters staff and oversight of the command’s 330 attorneys and 200 paralegals in support of the command’s $40 billion acquisition mission. A year later he was appointed as the Director of the AFMC Law Office, WPAFB, the largest major acquisition law office in the Air Force, providing legal counsel to the Air Force’s most complex and high-value programs, approximately $11 billion in annual contract actions and management of the AFMC Procurement Integrity Program, the largest in the Air Force with a procurement fraud case load valued at approximately $500 million. He also managed an Air Force-wide portfolio including: intellectual property, patent prosecution and technology transfer; and from 2005 through 2007, all Air Force contract dispute litigation before the ASBCA. In 2010, Judge Thrasher was awarded the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award for his leadership of the Law Office.
Judge Thrasher earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama, a Juris Doctor degree and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Memphis, a Master of Laws (L.LM) in Government Procurement Law from George Washington University and a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) (Now the Eisenhower School) National Defense University.
He is also a graduate of the Department of Defense Senior Acquisition Course, the Air Force Senior Leadership Development Course, the Department of Defense Senior Leadership Course, as well as, the Department of Defense Executive Management Program at the University of North Carolina.
Judge Thrasher accepted a reserve commission in the Air Force Judge Advocate Corps upon leaving active duty in 1995 and retired after 30 years of service in July 2012 in the grade of Colonel.
Owen C. Wilson, Vice Chairman
Judge Wilson was born in Richmond, Virginia. He received a B.S. in Political Science in 1987 from James Madison University and a J.D. from the College of William and Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1991. He served as a Law Clerk at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals from 1991 to 1993. Upon leaving the Board, he joined the Office of the General Counsel for the Navy and reported to the Military Sealift Command as an Assistant Counsel (1993 – 1998) and later appointed Associate Counsel (1998 – 2006) for the Special Missions and Prepositioning programs. He transferred to the Naval Sea Systems Command where he provided advice on major weapons systems procurements (electronic warfare and naval gun programs) and the Deactivated Ship Donation program. He received the Navy’s Procurement Excellence Award in 2005 and the Navy’s Superior Service Award in 2006. Judge Wilson is admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania. On September 17, 2007, he was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. Appointed Vice Chairman, effective August 6, 2017.
J. Reid Prouty, Vice Chairman
Judge Prouty was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (Geophysics) in 1988. In 1991, he received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center. He then clerked for the Honorable Stephen Eilperin in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In 1993, Judge Prouty was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force JAG Corps, where his career was focused primarily on matters involving the prosecution of courts martial. In 2000, he left the Air Force and joined the Department of Justice as a Trial Attorney in the National Courts Section of the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division. He was later promoted to Senior Trial Counsel. In these positions, he litigated a variety of contract matters at the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and other regional circuit courts of appeals. Judge Prouty was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in September 2015. Appointed Vice Chairman, effective August 6, 2017.
Michael N. O’Connell, Vice Chairman
Judge O’Connell was born in Medford, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. in History from Boston College in 1988, a J.D. from New England School of Law in 1993, and an LL.M. in Real Property Development from the University of Miami School of Law in 2001. He was in private practice from 1994 – 2003 at City, Hayes, Meagher & Dissette, P.C. in Boston, Mass. and Siegfried, Rivera, Lerner, De La Torre & Sobel, P.A., in Coral Gables, Fla. He served as a trial attorney and senior trial counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, 2003 – 2014. He was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in June 2014 and was designated Vice Chairman January 28, 2024.
Laura J. Arnett
Born in Ohio, Laura Jones Arnett earned her B.A. in English Literature and French from Ohio University (1994) and her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law (1998). She began her legal career serving on active duty in the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate at Fort Stewart, Georgia. She prosecuted complex courts-martial, deployed to the National Training Center and Bosnia-Herzegovina (SFOR 8), and served as a part-time military magistrate. From 2002 to 2008, she taught undergraduate courses in constitutional law, criminal law, administrative law, and judicial process at Georgia Southern University. In 2008, she joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, where she focused her practice on contract claims, appeals, and procurement fraud. In 2016, she was promoted to Trial Attorney, responsible for all contract administration issues, claims, and appeals arising in the Savannah District. During her time with the U.S. Army Corps, she personally handled more than thirty appeals before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals including numerous multi-million-dollar construction cases and supported the Department of Justice with procurement fraud investigations. Judge Arnett was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in the fall of 2022.
Stephanie Cates-Harman
Judge Cates-Harman was born in Sanford, Maine. She received a B.A. degree in Political Science from the University of Bridgeport, 1978; J.D. from Stetson University, College of Law, 1981. Judge Cates-Harman served as a Trial Attorney (1988-1989), Senior Trial Attorney (1989 -1991), and Assistant Director, Government Contracts (1991-2018) for the Department of the Navy, Office of the General Counsel, Naval Litigation Office. During her many years as a Senior Trial Attorney at the Naval Litigation Office, Judge Cates-Harman handled a broad spectrum of government contracting issues and controversies and successfully tried numerous multi-million dollar cases before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and the Court of Federal Claims. In her capacity as an Assistant Director, Judge Cates-Harman supervised junior and senior level attorneys on government contracts cases before the ASBCA. She was also responsible for all bankruptcy matters involving the Navy, including significant environmental bankruptcy claims, in Bankruptcy Courts throughout the country. During her long tenure with Navy OGC, she hired, mentored and trained numerous young lawyers in an effort to help shape a generation of excellent lawyers. She served as Special Counsel in the Office of Counsel to the President, completing her assignment in March 1994. She is admitted to practice in United States Court of Claims and its successors, and some United States District Courts. She is a member of the Florida Bar (1982) and Maryland Bar (1988 - inactive). She received the Department of Navy Superior Civilian Service Award, the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, and the 2017 William R. Molzahn Leadership Award. She was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in June, 2018.
David F. D'Alessandris
Judge D'Alessandris was born in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He received a B.A. from Western Reserve College, Case Western Reserve University (1987); an M.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park (1991) and a J.D. with High Honors from the George Mason University School of Law (1998). He was employed as an economist by the National Association of Home Builders (1990-1994) and the National Association of Realtors (1994-1998). After graduating law school, he served as a Law Clerk to Senior Judges Robert J. Yock (1998-99) and James F. Merow (1999 - 2000) of the United States Court of Federal Claims. He was subsequently employed as a Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section where he practiced before the Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Court of International Trade. He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in April 2016.
Laura Eyester
Judge Eyester was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in 2021. Judge Eyester holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, a J.D. from the University of Baltimore Law School, and an LL.M from the Georgetown University Law Center. She began her legal career as an attorney with the Department of the Navy where she worked on government contracting matters, including claims. Judge Eyester subsequently worked as an associate for a boutique law firm specializing in government contract law. Judge Eyester left the firm to serve as a senior attorney, and later the Deputy Associate General Counsel for Procurement Law, with the Small Business Administration (SBA). While at SBA, she served as a legal advisor to agency officials with respect to SBA’s government contracting programs and SBA’s internal contracting procedures. She also served on the FAR Acquisition Environmental and Labor Law Team. After her tenure with the SBA, Judge Eyester joined the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a senior attorney adjudicating bid protests brought by parties challenging the federal procurement process. Judge Eyester later became an Assistant General Counsel at GAO responsible for managing a team of senior bid protest attorneys. During her time at GAO, Judge Eyester also served as a member of GAO’s Contract Appeals Board.
Terrence S. Hartman
Born in York, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1957. Received B.S. degree with honors from Syracuse University in 1979 and J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1982. Served as law clerk to the Honorable H. Robert Mayer, Judge, United States Claims Court, from 1982 to 1984. Employed as a Trial Attorney and Assistant Director, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, respectively from October 1984 to March 1990 and March 1990 to February 1993. Admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia. Appointed Administrative Judge, Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, on February 7, 1993.
Daniel S. Herzfeld
Born in Alexandria, Virginia. Received a B.A. in History and Government & Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1994. Received a J.D. cum laude from the George Mason University School of Law in 1999. Clerked for the Honorable Diane Gilbert Sypolt, Judge, United States Court of Federal Claims (1999-2000). Practiced as an Associate, Senior Associate, and Counsel in the Government Contracts & Disputes practice group of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (earlier Shaw Pittman Potts & Trowbridge) (2000-2014). Served as Trial Attorney, National Courts Section, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice (2014-2021). Appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in January 2021.
Timothy P. McIlmail
Born, Providence, RI, 1965. B.S.F.S, Georgetown University, 1987. Peace Corps, Dominican Republic, 1989-91. J.D., George Washington University, 1994. Department of Justice 1994-2014: Board of Immigration Appeals, Staff Attorney, 1994-97; Civil Division: Office of Immigration Litigation, Trial Attorney, 1997-2000; Commercial Litigation Branch, Trial Attorney, 2000-2010; Senior Trial Counsel, 2010-14. Adjunct Professor, George Washington University Law School, 2000-2019. Appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals on June 30, 2014.
Thomas P. McLish
Judge McLish was appointed in November 2022. From 1995-2022, he litigated government contracts and other complex civil cases as an associate and partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington D.C. He was a Trial Attorney at the United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section from 1990-1995, prior to which he worked as an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York, NY. In 1988-1990, he was a law clerk to the Hon. Robert P. Patterson, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School (1988), where he served on the Columbia Law Review. He has a bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College (1986). He was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado.
Christopher M. McNulty
Born in Washington, D.C. Received B.S. degree from Syracuse University, 1977, J.D. from John Marshall School of Law, 1981. In private practice, specializing in construction contract dispute resolution, both government and private projects, with King & King, Washington, D.C., as an associate and partner from 1982 – 1992, partner with Winstead, Sechrest & Minick, 1992 – 1994 and again with King & King as a partner from 1994 - 2008. While in private practice represented clients both domestically and abroad, focusing on heavy civil construction, industrial process plant projects and commercial buildings. Participated in International Chamber of Commerce and American Arbitration Association arbitrations as well as having been admitted to practice in many United States District Courts, the United States Court of Claims and its successors, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Senior Trial Attorney with the United States Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Commercial Law and Litigation Directorate, 2009 – 2017, ASBCA Branch Chief, 2011-2014 and Supervisory Trial Attorney, 2010 - 2014. Appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in June 2017.
Mark A. Melnick
Born in Charlottesville, Virginia. Received B.S. in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1985. Received J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988. Entered the Department of Justice Honors Program in 1988 as a Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division. Appointed Senior Trial Counsel in 1996. Appointed Assistant Director in 1998. Appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in February, 2011.
Heidi L. Osterhout
Heidi Osterhout was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in July 2017. She served in the United States Air Force and the Department of Justice prior to her appointment.
Judge Osterhout began her career as a contracting officer in the United States Air Force from June 1995 until August 2000. She attended law school while active duty and became an Air Force Judge Advocate in 2003 until she retired in 2014. Judge Osterhout held a variety of positions while in the Air Force, including a variety of acquisition law assignments. She served in the Commercial Law and Litigation Division of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency where she litigated several cases in front of the ASBCA and the Government Accountability Office and also acted as program counsel on multi-million dollar acquisitions. In her last active duty assignment, she was the Chief of Acquisition Litigation at the Headquarters Air Force, Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate where part of her duties were to oversee the Extended Debriefing Program and Alternative Dispute Resolution activities. During her career, she deployed to Bosnia as a contracting officer and twice to Iraq as an acquisition attorney, one of which supported Foreign Military Sales.
After retiring from the Air Force, from June 2014 to July 2017, Judge Osterhout was a Trial Attorney at the United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section where she practiced before the Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Court of International Trade.
Judge Osterhout is admitted to practice in North Carolina. She is a graduate of Penn State University (B.S. in Business Logistics, 1995); Oklahoma City University (M.B.A., 1997); The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (J.D., 2003); and George Washington University (L.LM, 2010).
Reba Page
Born in Paducah Kentucky. Received B.A. (1971) and M.S. (1983) degrees in Biology and J.D. (1976) from University of Louisville, and Masters (2011) and Ph.D. (2017) in Judicial Studies from University of Nevada, Reno. Admitted to Kentucky, Florida, and District of Columbia Bars, and a member of the American Bar Association. Appointed Administrative Judge, Corps of Engineers Board of Contract Appeals on July 1, 1994; appointed Chairman of the Engineer Board on January 30, 1999. Member of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals on July 12, 2000 by merger of the ASBCA and Engineer Board. Division Counsel for the Corps of Engineers Ohio River Division (1988-1994) and Division Trial Attorney (1986-88). Served as Assistant District Counsel, Louisville District (1984-1986). Twice received Department of Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Superior Civilian Service Award, Commanders Award, and the E. Manning Seltzer Award. Prior to entering federal service, was Deputy Commissioner, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection and in corporate practice. Lectures and publishes on government contracts and dispute resolution.
Brian S. Smith
Appointed in 2021, Judge Smith is from the Washington D.C. area where he has spent most of his career in government contracts litigation. He has a degree in Sociology from Virginia Tech (1985) and a J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School (1988). Beginning in 1988, he worked as a litigation associate at Piper & Marbury (now DLA Piper) in Baltimore; trial attorney from 1992-2007 at the U.S. Dept. of Justice (Nat’l Courts); Division Counsel and eDiscovery coordinator from 2007-2016 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Honolulu Hawaii; and Senior Trial Counsel from 2016-2021 at the Navy Litigation Office in D.C.
David B. Stinson
Judge Stinson was born in San Diego, California, and raised in Maryland. He received a B.A. degree in Government and Politics, with a minor in American history, from the University of Maryland in 1982 and a J.D. from the American University, Washington College of Law, in 1985. Judge Stinson started his legal career through the Attorney General’s Honors Program as a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch. In 1989 he left Government service and engaged in the private practice of law, first as an associate with Saul, Ewing, Remick & Saul, and later with Pompan, Ruffner & Werfel. In 1994, Judge Stinson rejoined the Department of Justice as a member of the A-12 Litigation Trial Team. While at the Department of Justice, he litigated Government contract disputes before the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In 2006 Judge Stinson left the practice of law to raise his three children. He coached youth baseball and served as general manager of a collegiate summer wooden bat baseball team. In 2016 he joined the Department of the Navy, Office of the General Counsel, Naval Litigation Office, as a Senior Trial Attorney, where he litigated appeals before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. Judge Stinson was appointed to the Board in August 2019.
James R. Sweet
Judge Sweet was raised in Massachusetts. He received a B.S.F.S. degree from Georgetown University, and a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School. After graduating from law school, Judge Sweet clerked for the Honorable Judge Nina Gershon, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and the Honorable Judge Jane Roth, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Then, he served as an Associate and Senior Associate at Goodwin Procter, LLP, a Special Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and a Trial Attorney at the United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, National Courts Section. Judge Sweet was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in December 2016.
Arthur M. Taylor
Judge Taylor received a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas in 1983, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Washington in 1987 and a LL.M. in Government Procurement Law from George Washington University in 2010. He began his legal career as an active duty Air Force Judge Advocate serving from 1987 to 1992 with duty assignments at McChord AFB, Washington and a joint assignment with the Defense Logistics Agency in El Segundo, California. In 1992, Judge Taylor joined the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Contract Management Command, which subsequently became the Defense Contract Management Agency. While with DCMA, Judge Taylor litigated numerous Government contract appeals and supported the Department of Justice in cases before the Federal courts while serving as a trial attorney, senior trial attorney, team chief and Deputy Director. From 2018 to 2022, he served as the Director of DCMA’s Contract Disputes Resolution Center overseeing all the agency’s contract litigation. Judge Taylor was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in November 2022.
Elizabeth Witwer
Judge Witwer holds a B.S. in Biology and French from Wheaton College and a J.D. from the University of Arizona. She began her legal career as an active duty Army Judge Advocate. Her assignments include the Army’s Contract and Fiscal Law Division where she litigated contract disputes before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, and the Multi-National Division-Baghdad with whom she spent 15 months deployed as the division’s contract and fiscal law attorney. Judge Witwer subsequently served as a Trial Attorney in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice where she represented the United States in a wide variety of commercial matters before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Court of Federal Claims. After her tenure with the Department of Justice, Judge Witwer joined the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a Senior Attorney adjudicating bid protests brought by parties challenging the federal procurement process. During her time at GAO, Judge Witwer also served as member of GAO’s Contract Appeals Board, which considers contract appeals arising under legislative branch contracts. Judge Witwer speaks regularly on topics related to procurement and contract-based litigation and has taught numerous courses on these subjects, to include serving as an Adjunct Professor at the Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Judge Witwer was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in August 2019.
Kenneth D. Woodrow
Judge Woodrow was born in White Sands Missile Range, NM. He received a B.A. degree in Political and Social Thought from the University of Virginia in 1988 and a J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law in 1991. He is admitted to practice in Ohio and the District of Columbia. From 1991 until 2003, Judge Woodrow was engaged in the private practice of law, focusing on environmental litigation, including as a partner at Baker Hostetler, Washington, D.C., and as counsel at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Washington, D.C. In 2003, Judge Woodrow left private practice and joined the United States Department of Justice as a Trial Attorney in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division. He later was promoted to Senior Trial Counsel. At the Department of Justice, he litigated a variety of contract matters at the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Court of International Trade. Judge Woodrow was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in April 2016.
Lis B. Young
Judge Young earned a Juris Doctor degree summa cum laude from the Catholic University of Asuncion, Paraguay, graduating first in her class. She is also a graduate of the George Washington University, with Master's Degrees in Comparative Law (MCL) and in Government Procurement Law (LLM). She began her career with the Federal Government in 1991 as Law Clerk Fellow to the Chief Judge and Chairman of the General Services Board of Contract Appeals in Washington, D.C. In 1992 she was promoted to Attorney Examiner. She joined the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel in 1994, working on diverse acquisition specialties, including information systems procurement and the Submarine Integrated Radio Room Program at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command; construction contracts at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command; and scientific research contracts and grants at the Office of Naval Research. In December 2001, Judge Young accepted a position as Counsel to the Naval Regional Contracting Center Singapore providing advice on husbanding contracts, sustainment contracts and other acquisitions in support of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. She was later counsel to the Commander, Naval Installations Command Singapore, working on base operating contracts, environmental and housing issues, and relations with host nations in the area of responsibility. In 2006, she became Counsel to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Far East, also located in Singapore, where she advised on law of naval operations, admiralty and international law. In 2010, Judge Young established the first MSC legal office in the Middle East, where she worked on admiralty, sovereign immunity, host nation relations and other matters related to the MSC mission in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility. She was awarded the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award twice for her service overseas. In 2014, Judge Young returned to Washington D.C. as Associate Counsel, Navy Acquisition Integrity Office, working on suspension and debarment actions to protect the Government from non-responsible parties. She is admitted to the Bar in California, District of Columbia, and the Supreme Court of Paraguay. Judge Young was appointed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals on May 13, 2018.