Advisory Council

Don Alway

Donald W. Alway is a seasoned security and crisis‑management executive with more than 25 years of combined federal law enforcement and corporate security leadership. His career spans senior roles at the FBI – including Assistant Director positions over Weapons of Mass Destruction, Training, and major field offices – where he led national‑security, cyber, criminal, and critical‑infrastructure initiatives impacting millions domestically and abroad. He has been repeatedly recognized for excellence, including the FBI Director’s Award and the Presidential Rank Award for Career Meritorious Service.

Transitioning into the private sector, Alway has served as Vice President of Corporate Security for Charter Communications and now as Corporate Vice President and Head of Crisis Management at New York Life. In these roles, he has built and led multidisciplinary teams, advanced enterprise‑wide risk and crisis‑readiness programs, integrated cyber and physical security intelligence, and developed executive protection and travel‑security programs for C‑suite leaders. 

Petar Besalev

With over fifteen years of experience in cybersecurity and compliance services, I am a leader in the field of cloud security and privacy. As the EVP of Cybersecurity and Compliance Services at A-LIGN, I oversee the delivery of high-quality assurance, testing, and advisory services to clients across various industries and regions. I leverage my credentials as a CISA, CISM, CIPP/E, CIPT, QSA, ISO LA and others, as well as my background in Big Four accounting and consulting, to provide innovative and customized solutions that meet the evolving needs and expectations of the market. I am passionate about helping organizations achieve their security and compliance goals, while enhancing their trust and reputation among their stakeholders. I also enjoy mentoring and developing the talent of my team, and fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and diversity at A-LIGN.

Elma Levy

Elma Levy graduated from Harvard Business School’s Executive Education: Women on Boards program in 2018, earned Leadership Coaching credentials from Mason University, and trained at Harvard’s School of Continuing Education and the Life Coach Institute of Orange County.

Levy and her husband cofounded Dovel Technologies—a leading technology firm that delivers advanced IT, data analytics, and software solutions for federal agencies. Through her work, Elma has helped government organizations enhance operations, security, and mission success, with a focus on health IT, digital transformation, and systems engineering.

She also cofounded the Eldov Group, investing in early medical and IT start-ups, and serves as Chair of the governance committee and immediate past Board Chair for Montgomery Hospice.

Levy is founder of Coach to Strength, supporting leaders of scaling start-ups. She has mentored aspiring entrepreneurs through SCORE and George Washington University, and serves on Highlight Technologies’ corporate board.

Levy is also an Advisory Board Member for the College of Public Health at Mason.