IHMC Unveils New Leadership Team to Build on Legacy of Innovation

After more than 34 years under the leadership of founder Dr. Ken Ford, the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition will see a new senior leadership team take the reins.

Ford will step into an emeritus role as of January 2025.

Under Ford’s leadership, IHMC was built from a small office inside the University of West Florida into an independent research entity with an international reputation for excellence and innovation. The Institute focuses on a broad range of topics related to amplifying and extending human capabilities through three primary research focus areas: artificial intelligence and human cognition, robotics and exoskeletons, and healthspan, resilience and performance.

Dr. Morley Stone steps into the role of Chief Executive Officer, having previously served as Chief Strategic Partnership Officer.

“When Morley joined IHMC, I said I believed he would have a game-changing impact,” Ford says. “I have full confidence that the leadership team we have assembled — led by Morley — is poised to do just that and I am certain he will lead IHMC into a promising future for many decades to come.”

Dr. William Dalton, chairman of IHMC’s Board of Directors, said the board is grateful for Ford’s contributions.

“IHMC has gained a profound reputation for the contributions it has made over the years, and that reputation is embedded in the scientific endeavors performed by Ken and his colleagues,” Dalton said. “I believe I can speak for all the Board members in thanking Ken and all he has done for society in building IHMC, and Morley for leading us in our future endeavors.”

Also stepping into a new role is Julie Sheppard, who served as IHMC Chief Legal Counsel and Executive Vice President. Sheppard assumes the Of Counsel role for IHMC, where she will continue to support the Institute in special projects.

Sheppard has been at IHMC since its inception as an independent research institute of the State University System of Florida. Formerly she served as the General Counsel at the University of West Florida and Associate General Counsel at the University of North Florida.

“The team at IHMC is second to none and it has been my privilege to be part of the growth we have experienced while maintaining the culture of collaboration and family that makes this a special place,” Sheppard says. “The Of Counsel role allows me to continue supporting IHMC and its mission in the community while reserving some time for my family and myself in this next chapter.”

Stone said he was humble and grateful for the opportunity to lead IHMC.

“As IHMC has evolved, the growth trajectory that Ken laid out has been thoughtful and purposeful,” Stone says. “All three of our core competencies — AI and computational sciences, robotics and exoskeletons, and healthspan, resilience, and performance — are robust and vital, and are contributing to one another. We’ve built a virtuous circle here of collaboration and innovation. The commitment to that will not change on my watch, and I am looking forward to what the next chapters of our story will bring.”

Prior to joining IHMC, Stone served as the Senior Vice President for Research at The Ohio State University. He also served as the Chief Technology Officer for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and was the first Chief Scientist of the Human Performance Wing of AFRL. From 2003 to 2006, he was a program manager in the Defense Sciences Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests are broad, spanning areas such as the interface of materials science, biotechnology, human performance, and autonomous systems. He is a Fellow of both AFRL and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

The new senior leadership team will be rounded out by Cassie Guilliams, who will serve as Chief Operating Officer.

In this role, Guilliams will oversee administrative functions including but not limited to human resources, benefits, immigration, insurance, board functions, affirmative action plans, and other administrative functions.

Guilliams comes to IHMC from Houston, Texas, where she served as General Counsel, Director of Human Resources & Asset-Management for Star Furniture Company. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Houston-Downtown and her law degree from South Texas College of Law.

After spending much of her professional life in the private sector, Guilliams was drawn to the opportunity to join IHMC’s culture.

“(In the private sector) I always knew what my impact was for the team I worked with, but what IHMC does can truly make the world better,” she said. “What more of an opportunity could you ask for professionally and personally.”

Stephanie Tillery Rothfeder will assume the role of General Counsel for IHMC. She has served for six years as Associate General Counsel at the Institute, working directly with Sheppard.

Tillery Rothfeder spent most of her legal career practicing contract and municipal law, serving as an attorney for the City of Pensacola to the various City departments and enterprises. This experience in government and contracts transitioned well for IHMC’s legal needs.

In addition to acting on legal issues, Tillery Rothfeder led the submission that earned IHMC a Hire Vets Medallion Award from the U.S. Department of Labor. Helping to earn recognition for IHMC’s role as a workplace that prioritizes the recruitment and hiring of veterans is just one way that Tillery Rothfeder works to ensure that IHMC’s organizational values are reflected to the community.

“It is an honor to step into the role of General Counsel. It is also an honor to have worked with Julie and gained from her mentorship over the years,” she says. “IHMC clearly excels in the scientific and technical work, yet IHMC has also created a valued footprint in the community. I am excited to be part of taking that impact into the future.”

Board member Mort O’Sullivan called Ford “the heart, soul and founder of IHMC.  Julie became his alter-ego. Together, they shepherded the growth of IHMC to what it is today. This transition will add to their legacy through the quality of the leadership team they assembled to lead IHMC forward. Morley is well prepared and we all expect great things to continue at IHMC.”

IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System and is affiliated with several Florida universities. Created at the University of West Florida, IHMC’s main campus in historic downtown Pensacola opened in 1999. A branch campus in Ocala, Fla., opened in 2010. The Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance research complex opened in Pensacola in 2024.