James Parker, Co-Founding Partner, helps lead the firm’s strategic investments in U.S. National Defense and Space contractors. With over 25 years of experience in finance and investing, James has spearheaded initiatives in fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, portfolio management, and direct lending across various industries. Under his and Chris’ leadership, Leonid Capital Partners has deployed hundreds of millions of dollars across multiple funds and SPVs. Before co-founding Leonid Capital Partners, James held leadership roles at public and private companies, managing restructuring, corporate finance, acquisitions and investments including a successful public listing as CFO.
Earlier in his career, James spent more than 10 years as an engineer and program manager in the Aerospace and Defense industry, working primarily on programs requiring TS/SCI clearance for both the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. James holds an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and a Bachelor’s in Astrophysics from Rice University.
Sam is a Vice President at Leonid Capital Partners. Prior to joining Leonid, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, specializing in direct action operations and mission support. He later served as the Director of Research & Development for the Navy’s Autonomous Vessel Program. Before his naval service, Sam worked as an Associate at BlackRock. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bates College, where he was a varsity, All-Conference rower.
Our Board of Directors and Advisory Board members include an exceptional group of individuals, from highly decorated military leaders to accomplished private-sector executives. Each member brings unmatched expertise across defense, innovation, and enterprise growth. Their leadership ensures Leonid remains at the forefront of national security investing and enterprise advancement.
Former Undersecretary of the Navy
Green Beret/ CEO of Special Operations Association of America
We donate 50% of our profits to organizations that support military families and veterans. Beyond our daily mission, we are committed to supporting organizations that matter most to us, our partners, and their community.
Warrior Canine Connection trains service dogs to help veterans and military families heal from the invisible wounds of war.
This charity provides specially designed pajamas for children with terminal and chronic illnesses to offer them comfort and dignity during their hospital stays, inspired by a mother’s experience caring for her severely disabled son, Bret, who faced numerous health challenges before passing away.
Elyssa’s Mission focuses on suicide prevention by providing education and resources to schools and communities to identify and support at-risk individuals.
The Emily Barbero Memorial Veterans Scholarship supports full-time Xavier University veterans or military-affiliated students in the Honors Data Science or Philosophy, Politics, and the Public programs.
First research institute dedicated to multidisciplinary study of learning and memory mechanisms in the brain.
