Leadership and Board

Art delaCruz serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Team Rubicon. In this capacity, he is responsible for all facets of the veteran-led humanitarian organization that helps global communities before, during, and after crises and disasters. Prior to becoming CEO, he was the Chief Operating Officer responsible for programs and operations, volunteers, technology, marketing and communications, and developing and executing the organization’s strategy.

A retired Naval Officer, delaCruz served as Director of Strategic Planning at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems prior to Team Rubicon. He served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years with notable tours including serving as an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and as the Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron TWO.

During his career, he made six deployments as an F-14 and F/A-18 Naval Flight Officer. In 2010, he was one of 12 senior Department of Defense officers selected as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow. In this capacity, he was trained by and served with McKinsey & Co. In his final military assignment, delaCruz served as the Deputy of Strategic Policy, and as Systems Innovation Lead at the U.S. Special Operations Command.

delaCruz earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from the US Naval Academy and a master’s degree in operations management from the University of Arkansas.

Dane Barata serves as Team Rubicon’s Chief Financial Officer. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the business world, he oversees our organization’s fiscal planning, reporting, analysis, and strategy with a determined, nothing-gets-past-me eye.

Throughout a 25-year career that includes everything from scrappy startups to multinational corporations, Dane has seen success at every stage. His drive to see Team Rubicon reach that upper echelon—along with a knack for numbers—has powered our astronomical growth over the past few years.

It’s fitting that Dane identifies best with the Team Rubicon principle of “Get Shit Done.” Since day one, his focus on acting quickly, effectively, and intelligently has allowed us to maximize the power of every dollar and, as a result, the impact we’ve made on communities around the world.

As our Chief Development Officer, Nicole Capossela leads the teams that get the message out and bring the money in. She thrives off the inspiration that bounces between her team of brand, communications, and revenue-generation specialists. 

With $750 million raised as an advertising executive, Nicole has worked wonders for a breadth of industries from aerospace, defense, and health care to nonprofits and amusement parks. From the cross-section of advertising and fundraising, Nicole leverages her expertise to generate a powerful, driving force for good.

By the same token, she sees the potential for impact in every individual—veteran or civilian, executive leadership or newly initiated Greyshirt. She knows they can step up and Step Into the Arena; that is, if the arena is designed as a safe environment where risk-taking is the norm, accountability is ingrained, and greatness is achievable.

Jeff Byard, our Vice President of Operations, personifies the heart and grit of our organization. He holds a distinguished service record in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1990-1994, bringing a wealth of experience to disaster response and mitigation.

Prior to serving with Team Rubicon, Jeff was appointed to the Office of Response and Recovery for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He managed 185 Presidential Major Disasters and Emergency Declarations with FEMA, including for the devastating 2017 hurricane season, totaling $39 billion in Disaster Relief Fund expenditures.

Jeff now spearheads Team Rubicon’s disaster response efforts. His relentless pursuit of organizational optimization and strategic partnerships ensures the maximum impact of our operations.

Jeff is clear and unrelenting in his purpose: others before self, every time. That hard-nosed tenacity uplifts both his team and those in the midst of disaster. With Jeff at the helm, we stand strong in our mission to deliver aid and empower communities when it seriously counts.

Tim Norman leads as Vice President of People Operations at Team Rubicon. His invaluable input—from volunteer strategy to full-time talent acquisition—allows him to relentlessly support the team that makes up Team Rubicon.

He enriches the role with two decades of unique insights from powerhouses like DreamWorks Animation, NBCUniversal, and Niantic, Inc. Outside the studios, Tim served on the Human Resources Advisory Council for LA Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “10,000 Strong” Veterans Hiring Initiative and sat on the Board of Directors for SHARE!, an LA nonprofit that creates solutions for individuals facing homelessness or addiction. Tim is also a U.S. Army veteran who served as part of the F Company, 51st Infantry LRSU during Desert Storm.

His dedication to service is evident in both his contributions to human resource initiatives and his active role across nonprofits.  He is currently a board member of his local American Legion branch, was an early Board Director for Veterans in Film and Television, and previously served as a partner and adviser to the national Got Your 6 PSA campaign. No matter the challenge, Tim’s actions clearly illustrate his personal understanding of Built to Serve: that the most fulfilling way he could spend his professional time is in service of others.

Kristal Shipp, our Vice President of Brand and Communications, is instrumental in shaping and sharing Team Rubicon’s mission. Whether she’s developing new marketing initiatives, implementing our digital strategy, or improving our in-person engagement, Kristal ensures the TR brand shows up consistently across continents.

Her experience as a creative force with an inclination for operational excellence shines through in everything she does, but it’s especially apparent when she’s talking about Team Rubicon. Kristal’s ability to find new and exciting ways to articulate our impact to diverse audiences is invaluable to our operation.

In her eyes, our “Built to Serve” motto is an invitation to put others first, both within our organization and beyond it. By creating a framework in which others can flourish, Kristal doesn’t just communicate our overall mission—she embodies it.

Sheng-te Yang serves as our Vice President of Data and Technology, responsible for steering Team Rubicon’s strategic vision for tech, and then deploying the appropriate tools and people to make it happen.

His knack for revolutionizing workflows runs deep, and spans from eCommerce to DreamWorks Animation at the highest level. Now, Sheng-te channels his 30 years of tech experience and constant drive for improvement into magnifying Team Rubicon’s capabilities through quantifiable metrics, streamlined processes, and operational efficiency.

For Sheng-te, “Mission First, Greyshirts Always” rings especially true. It serves as a reminder that even though we are a technology-driven nonprofit, our primary focus is always our mission, and we are all Greyshirts—on the ground or from behind the screen.