Leadership

Leaders that can and do improve the world

It all starts at the top. RCS leadership is steeped in experience and continues to advance the organization with integrity, respect, empathy and self-awareness.

Kathryn Kopren

President
Director of Cognitive Systems Engineering

Kathryn Kopren’s leadership builds on more than 20 years of experience designing decision-support systems for the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and other mission-focused organizations. Since joining RCS in 2010, she has helped shape solutions for domains spanning intelligence analysis, mission management, cyber knowledge capture, and system sustainment.

After serving in a series of technical and leadership roles, including Director of Cognitive Systems Engineering, Katie became President of RCS in 2026. She leads the company’s strategy, growth, and technical direction while continuing RCS's tradition of delivering powerful systems that help customers succeed in high-stakes environments.

Based in Pittsburgh, Katie appreciates well-brewed coffee, live music in small venues, and the rare, good pun—though she is willing to entertain the occasional bad one as well.

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • M.S. coursework, Human Factors

  • B.S., General Engineering, concentration in Industrial Design

William Elm

President of RCS William Elm

Founder
Chief Decision Officer
CSE Fellow

Bill Elm's career began as a Cognitive Systems Engineer designing Advanced Control Rooms for commercial nuclear power plants, including an alarm management system that still defines the state of the art. He is one of the longest practicing Cognitive Systems Engineers, combining over 40 years of applied CSE experience in domains ranging from process control to national intelligence. Currently he is focused on Advanced Decision Support using Big Data Analytics to team effectively with corresponding advances in decision-making tradecraft.

Mr. Elm's military career includes an ROTC Commission in 1977 from Carnegie-Mellon University as a Distinguished Military Graduate, with further military education including Airborne, Ranger, Military Intelligence Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, CAS3, and Command and General Staff College. He has held leadership positions up to MI Battalion Command, Brigade S3, as well as Intelligence Staff Officer Positions at various levels up to Joint Command, receiving numerous decorations and awards including the Meritorious Service Medal. His military career spanned 27 years of active and reserve service, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, Military Intelligence in 2004. Mr. Elm now applies his background in ISR asset management, All Source and SIGINT Analysis, and Intelligence Operations to the design of advanced decision support systems for national and commercial customers.

Education

Carnegie Mellon University

  • BS Electrical Engineering, Distinguished Military Graduate

  • MS in Electrical Engineering

  • PhD coursework in Artificial Intelligence, as Westinghouse B. G. Lamme scholar

U.S. Army

  • Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth

  • Ranger School, Airborne School, and Intelligence Officer courses

U.S. Army Career

  • Assignments spanning Intelligence Staff Officer, Joint Command, MI Battalion Command, Brigade Operations Officer

  • Retired as Lieutenant Colonel, Military Intelligence, U.S. Army Reserve

  • Meritorious Service Medal

Designations

  • Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) Fellow

  • Holds several patents and published articles