Nate Ecelbarger is a husband, father of six beautiful children, a U.S. Marine, visionary entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader with over 17 years of dedicated military service and a passion for building purpose-driven organizations. Currently serving as the President of the United States National Drone Association (USNDA), Nate leads national and international efforts to responsibly advance drone and counter-drone technologies. Under his leadership, USNDA serves as a bridge between industry, academia, government, and global partners to shape the future of national defense and innovation.

Nate’s military career spans critical operational and leadership roles within the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, U.S. Marine Forces Europe & Africa, and 4th ANGLICO, among others. He has specialized in areas ranging from combat marksmanship and counterterrorism to advanced force design and tech integration.

Outside of his military service, Nate is the Co-Founder and former CEO of Freedom Learning Group, a trailblazing education firm that provided thousands of employment opportunities for U.S. military spouses. Bootstrapped from the ground up, the company scaled to $5M in annual revenue and became a model of social enterprise, with a female-majority leadership and operations team.

As a Senior Advisor at New Markets Venture Partners, Nate brings strategic insight into investing in education-to-workforce solutions that uplift underrepresented communities. He is also deeply engaged in civic causes, serving on the advisory boards and founding committees of organizations like the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity and 4Roots, where he supports efforts in education and sustainable food systems.

With additional experience as a criminal justice educator and law enforcement investigator, Nate’s multifaceted career reflects a lifelong commitment to service, justice, innovation, and empowerment.