SPACE FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- Founder, CEO and President of SunTiger, Inc
Alan J. Mittelman is the Founder, CEO and President of SunTiger, Inc., dba Eagle Eyes Optics. SunTiger® manufactures the Eagle Eyes® brand of sunglasses that are sold online, in leading catalogs and by distributors worldwide. A pioneering product in direct-response television commercials, Eagle Eyes High Performance Eyewear was developed from original NASA optic technology and is the only sunglass lens in the world certified for UVR and blue-light protection and has been honored with the prestigious Space Foundation Technology Hall of Fame Award. It was in the late 1980's that Mr. Mittelman acquired the intellectual property that became the foundation of SunTiger and led to extensive involvement in all aspects of direct response marketing. After refining the sun lens technology, utilizing SunTiger's U.S. and Japanese patents, Mr. Mittelman negotiated a manufacturing/distribution relationship with Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC), Japan. Within two years, his wholly-owned company in Japan became the world's largest manufacturer/distributor of polarized polycarbonate lenses to the sunglass industry.
Mr. Mittelman created the Eagle Eyes Optics brand of sunglasses, based on the NASA space technology originally developed for SunTiger, and has continued to enrich and market the brand, revolutionize the capabilities of eyewear protection, and keep up with current consumer demands for style and function.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Strategic Development
- VP of Strategic Development at Axiom
Amir R. Blachman is the VP of Strategic Development at Axiom Space. A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Blachman earned his B.A. in psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He is also a graduate of the school's Corporate Governance Program. Mr. Blachman is an instrument-rated pilot and serves on the Board of Advisors of Bye Aerospace, the leading electric aircraft company.
Mr. Blachman, who started his career as an air force instructor, gained 15 years' experience growing young companies and taking them through acquisition and IPO. He later switched to the investor side of the table, serving as Managing Director of Space Angels. There, he and his partners re-launched the company, growing its customer base to over 100 angel investors in ten countries and investing in companies such as Astrobotic, Atlas Space Operations, Planet Labs and Planetary Resources.
In 2016 Mr. Blachman joined Axiom Space, building the world's first commercial space station. He supports Axiom through formation of the company's financial strategy and establishing relationships with some of the world's most influential investors. He also works with the company's team of astronauts and station operators to support the growing customer base of countries, researchers and tourists. Mr. Blachman serves as an interface between the space and finance industries. He is frequently featured in publications such as Bloomberg, SpaceNews and the Financial Times and at international finance forums.
He supports organizations including the Space Foundation, Space Frontier Foundation and Space Nation. Mr. Blachman prioritizes the next generation of space leaders. He has been a guest speaker at UCLA and USC's schools of engineering and business and has guided multiple space startups in their fundraising and growth
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Advisor / Pico
Job Titles:
- Partner / Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Mr. Weimer provides transactional and regulatory advice to clients in the telecommunications industry, with particular emphasis on satellite, wireless, and media companies. He acts as corporate counsel to telecommunications companies in M&A and financing matters and also advises on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory issues presented by these transactions. Mr. Weimer represents FCC licensees on a wide range of issues at the FCC, including rulemaking, licensing, and enforcement matters. He also advises foreign and domestic clients on international telecommunications issues such as satellite landing rights, cross-border M&A transactions and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS). Mr. Weimer has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for Communications Law.
Mr. Weimer frequently speaks and writes on telecommunications-related matters at industry events. He is also actively involved in the Federal Communications Bar Association, where he has served as co-chair of the International Telecommunications Committee, the Transactional Practice Committee and the Wireless Committee. He is also a board member of the Washington Space Business Roundtable (WSBR) and a member of the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI).
Job Titles:
- Director / Toffler Associates
Job Titles:
- Executive Director and General Manager / Lockheed Martin
Mr. Moran oversees all facets of Lockheed Martin Ventures including strategy creation, pipeline development and management, transaction execution and investment tracking and reporting. He has a background in engineering and technology having spent the last 35 years in Silicon Valley working in senior executive roles at Applied Materials. Mr. Moran served as Head of Group Marketing for Applied Global Services & Growth Markets and Corporate Vice President at Applied Materials, Inc. He served as General Manager of Corporate Strategy and Corporate Business Development and Corporate Vice President for Applied Ventures, LLC. Previously, Mr. Moran served as the Head of Strategy and the Office of the Chief Economist at Applied Ventures since 2005 and also served as the Corporate Vice President and General Manager. He was responsible for the development and management of investments in early stage, privately held companies. Most recently, he served as a Vice President and Division General Manager at Applied Materials Mask Products Division. Prior to that, Mr. Moran was employed as a Vice President of Corporate Marketing from 1999 to 2005. Since joining Applied Materials in 1984, he has held positions in division management, product management and marketing. Mr. Moran also served as a General Manager at Metal Etch Division of the Etch Product Business Group where, he grew the single-wafer etch business to a revenue base of $600 million. Mr. Moran also held a variety of engineering and product management positions. Prior to joining the company, he served as a member of the technical staff at Hughes Aircraft Co. and Atari Computer Corporation. Mr. Moran serves as a Board Observer at EnPhase, Enki, Adesto and Semprius. He holds seven US Patents in the areas of machine automation, process control and process technology. Mr. Moran received an M.A. and a B.A. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- President
- President and Founder of Northern Sky Research
Mr. Baugh serves as the President and Founder of Northern Sky Research (NSR), which he created in 2000 to provide independent, actionable market research and consulting services to the satellite industry. Mr. Baugh directs all NSR multi-client research reports and single-client consulting projects, and manages a global team of analysts that stand at the forefront of satellite industry expertise.
Before forming NSR, Mr. Baugh served as Senior Analyst for Pioneer Consulting where he covered all aspects of the satellite market. Prior to Pioneer, Mr. Baugh was an International Trade Specialist and Economist for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. While at the Department of Commerce, Mr. Baugh was a recipient of the Charles F. Meissner Memorial Award for his work on trade negotiations in the International Trade Administration.
Mr. Baugh also has extensive legislative and analytical experience from his work for the Committee on International Relations and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, both in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Baugh holds a Bachelor's Degree from Westminster College and a Master's Degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University.
Job Titles:
- Head of Strategic Development
Job Titles:
- CEO & Co - Founder / LeoLabs, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Partner / Milbank
- Partner in the Washington, DC
As leader of the firm's Transportation and Space Group in Washington, D.C., Dara's practice involves representation of satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, banks, private equity firms and hedge funds in debt and equity offerings, project, structured and vendor financings, mergers & acquisitions, financial restructurings and in negotiating commercial contracts. He also advises on regulatory, sanctions, anti-corruption, national security and export control matters
Dara A. Panahy is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy and a member of the firm's Transportation and Space Group. He has been a partner since 2007 and joined Milbank in 1999. Mr. Panahy's practice focuses on representing clients involved in the aerospace and communications industries. His experience includes representing satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, banks, private equity firms and hedge funds in numerous financings involving public offerings, high yield debt, investment grade bonds, project and vendor financings, mergers & acquisitions, financial restructuring and reorganizations and in negotiating project contracts. He also counsels clients on domestic and international regulatory and trade matters, including licensing of satellite, wireless and wireline communications systems, economic sanctions, regulation of foreign direct investment, anti-bribery and corrupt practices, national security and export control laws and regulations and risk management.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder / Tri - D Dynamics, LLC
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chief Executive Officer of York Space Systems
Dirk Wallinger is the Chief Executive Officer of York Space Systems, a Denver based space segment solution provider and spacecraft manufacturer. Mr. Wallinger leads York's continued focus on delivering ultra-low cost access to Space, and enabling the harnessing of the Space Data Frontier, while developing and implementing York's strategic initiatives and partnerships. Mr. Wallinger has successfully executed across a wide range of commercial and Government customers including NASA, USAF, DoD, NRL, NGA, ORS, and DigitalGlobe. During employment with industry leaders including Orbital Sciences, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin he led Senior Management market assessments, evaluated new market entrance opportunities, set system pricing, and coordinated proposal strategy and messaging for company critical proposals. In addition to his business development activities, Mr. Wallinger's extensive experience includes roles as the Principal Lead System & Subsystem Engineer on multiple space vehicles, including GeoEye1, ORS-1, Fermi Gamma Ray Observatory, NFIRE, and numerous classified programs. Mr. Wallinger holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Arizona, Summa Cum Laude.
Job Titles:
- NASA Landing Team Member and Interim White House Liaison
- Writer
Dr. Greg Autry served on the NASA Agency Review (Landing) Team and as Interim White House Liaison at NASA as Part of the Presidential Appointments (Beachhead) team. He is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
Greg Autry is an educator, writer and technology entrepreneur. He researches and publishes on space commerce, entrepreneurship, technology innovation and trade policy. He is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship with the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, where he teaches entrepreneurship and technology commercialization course.
Dr. Autry holds a BA in history from Cal Poly Pomona as well as an MBA and a PhD (public policy and econ) from the Merage School of Business at UC Irvine.
Job Titles:
- Ames Center Chief Technologist
- Center Chief Technologist / NASA Ames Research
Dr. Harry Partridge is the Ames Center Chief Technologist (CCT), and as such identifies, defines, develops and integrates new and emerging technologies for application to Agency and national goals through the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). Harry reports to Center management and serves as the principal advisor to the Center leadership on matters concerning Center-wide technology development and leverage. His duties include representation on the Agency-wide Center Chief Technologist's Council and management of the Center Innovation Fund, and he also serves as Center point-of-contact to the Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT).
In addition to his role as the CCT, Harry continues to serve as the Senior Technology Officer for the STP within OCT. In this role he serves as the chief technologist for the 10 programs within STP, and is a member of the OCT senior leadership team.
Previously, Harry was the Deputy Director of the Game Changing Technology Division at NASA Headquarters. While at Ames, he was the Deputy Director of the Entry Systems and Technology Division and was responsible for managing the entire range of entry system technology developments from foundational research on thermal protection materials development, to thermal protection system design, development, testing and evaluation for flight systems such as Mars Science Laboratory and Orion. In addition, he served as the Branch Chief of the Nanotechnology Branch at Ames and the program manager for the Bio-nano project within the Computing, Information and Communications Technology program. Harry received his PhD from Indiana University in Chemical Physics and has published approximately 190 papers in computational chemistry.
Dr. Sean Caffey cofounded Context AI to accelerate preventative healthcare and save costs for patients with a specific aim for physical health fingerprinting. Filling in the white space between health and disease, Context AI (winner of the 2017 NASA iTech) is a data science company that develops novel, wearable sensors for machine learning to make healthcare data easier for patients and doctors to adjust or escalate treatment. As a founder / CEO of multiple startup companies, he raised more than $80M in strategic and venture findings in Series A, B and C rounds including two successful exits. Dr. Caffey received his MD from USC Keck School of Medicine and MBA from USC Marshall School of Business and holds more than 25 pending and issued patents.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Managing Director / Silicon Valley Space Center
- Co - Founder and Managing Director of the Silicon Valley Space Center
Dr. Sean Casey is Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Silicon Valley Space Center, a business accelerator for NewSpace entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. He is a member of the Suborbital Applications Researchers Group of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and has over two decades of experience as an airborne astronomer. Dr. Casey's work has been recognized as an example of NASA's goal for "more efficient and cost effective methodologies to instrument design and construction…". He served as a Senior Scientist with the NASA/DLR SOFIA program as management and technical lead for SOFIA's science instrument development program, lead for science instrument integration and commissioning, and science liaison for the review of system level requirements for SOFIA's final operating capability. He is an author and co-author on several dozen of science publications and has a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Chicago and dual MBAs from the Berkeley Haas and Columbia Schools of Business.
Dylan Taylor is a leading angel investor, thought leader, futurist, and founding partner of Space Angels, a global network of commercial aerospace investors and entrepreneurs. As an early-stage investor in more than 40 emerging ventures, including Planet, OmniEarth, Accion, York, Kepler, and Vector Space, Dylan has played a key role in the growth of the private space industry.
Dylan's technical background, global business experience and unbridled passion for space make him a unique figure in the world of NewSpace investing. He regularly speaks and writes about the future of the space economy and is sought after by the media for his expertise in the financial aspects of space investing as well as industry dynamics. Underlying Dylan's passion for space, however, is his fundamental belief in its power to unify humanity. Space exploration, from his point of view, can bring people together by highlighting the arbitrary nature of boundaries we create--geographic, ideological, and otherwise. In 2016, Dylan founded Space for Humanity, a global non-profit that strives to both democratize space as well as to demonstrate the power of space to raise human awareness to help solve the world's most intractable problems.
Dylan is a leading advocate of space manufacturing and the utilization of in-space resources to further space exploration and settlement. In 2017 he became the first private citizen to manufacturer an item in space when the gravity meter he co-designed and commissioned was 3D printed on the International Space Station. The item currently resides at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
For his influence as a global leader and his commitment to having a positive impact on the world, Dylan has been honored with a number of personal and professional accolades in recent years. The World Economic Forum recognized Dylan as a Young Global Leader in 2011 and he was named a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute in 2014. Taylor is also a Delphi Fellow for Big Think, a digital knowledge forum that brings together top thinkers from around the world to collaborate and share ideas. Dylan is also Co-Founding Patron of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
Taylor earned an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the Booth School of Business at University of Chicago and holds a BS in Engineering from the honors college at the University of Arizona where he graduated Tau Beta Pi and was President of the Engineering College. In 2013 he attended the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century program at Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Founder
Ed Rosenthal is Founder and Chairman of the Board of Florikan ESA
With the research assistance of NASA Kennedy Space Center and Florida's Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program, Ed is the inventor of Florikan Controlled Release (CRF) Fertilizer, as well as of Staged Nutrient Release (SNR) fertilizer. Both Ed Rosenthal as individual and the SNR fertilizer technology are being inducted into the 2017 Space Technology Hall of Fame by Space Foundation. Florikan SNR and Florikan CRF partner with the Space Foundation through the Space Certification program for Technology product.
As well, Ed's Student, Teacher and Community Educational Outreach program is a Certified Space Education program. This outreach program educates students around the country and the world about NASA Veggie program. After several years of rigorous research, Florikan CRF was selected by Space Plant Biology program (NASA KSC) as the controlled release fertilizer product to grow vegetables on the International Space Station for our astronauts. Using Florikan Controlled Release Fertilizers, NASA KSC Space Plant Biology has grown three crops of Outredeous red romaine lettuce and one crop of Tokyo Bekana cabbage on the ISS. Next step for Space Plant Biology with Florikan CRF is included in production grow boxes on APH (Advanced Plant Habitat) and eventually for the "journey to Mars".
Ed and his wife Betty founded Florikan ESA in 1982. Today their sons Eric and Jonathan are second generation owners of the company. As a further introduction, we cannot separate Ed Rosenthal and Florikan achievements. Florikan is 35 year old Controlled Release Fertilizer manufacturing company with a legacy of business success and awards for ethics. Florikan has received 13 major awards for ethical business practice, product innovation, job creation and environmental leadership; one of the few companies in the country with such a vast array of recognition over 35 years. In 2017, Florikan was inducted into the Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame®
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Civil Systems Group
- Senior Vice President, Civil and Commercial Systems / the Aerospace Corporation
Edward Swallow is senior vice president of Civil Systems Group (CSG). CSG operates in the national security interests of the U.S. and its allies to broaden the company's business and technology base. CSG combines deep technical expertise with industry-leading innovation to help the U.S. government, allied governments, and commercial customers solve some of the world's most complex systems engineering and integration challenges in high-consequence environments. CSG is also building an innovation pipeline that accelerates the commercial transfer of intellectual property for civil and commercial customers. Swallow is responsible for contracts valued at over $100 million annually. Key customers include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and a wide number of other civil, commercial, and international organizations, including allied space agencies and ministries of defense. In addition to his responsibilities in CSG, Swallow is corporate director of government relations. Prior to joining Aerospace, Swallow was vice president, Business Development for the Federal and Defense Technologies Division, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. He was responsible for developing win strategies for the division's captures and for all activities associated with the identification, qualification, shaping, and pursuit of new business opportunities with both current and prospective customers.
Job Titles:
- CFO
- Ripple As Chief Financial Officer
With a focus on business growth strategies and a passion for space exploration and launch systems, Elliot joined Ripple as Chief Financial Officer responsible for the financial operations of the firm. He founded a global investment bank acquired in 2016 and was previously a hedge fund manager where he received numerous investment awards, including Acquisition International "Recognized Leader: Quantitative Investment Modeling" and "Best Global Tactical Asset Allocation Fund." Elliot holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Quantitative Investment Modeling from University of North Carolina Wilmington, United States, where he was appointed to the UNCW Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Advisory Board.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Department of Mechanical
Hadi Ghasemi is Bill D. Cook Assistant Professor in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Houston and director of Nanotherm research group. He is the recipient of AFOSR young investigator award, top three innovator award of NASA iTech, NSERC fellowship and Russel Reynolds award in Thermodynamics. He was selected as one of the finalists for World Technology Award in energy category in 2014. His current research focuses on nanotechnology, heat transfer and surface physics.
Job Titles:
- Partner, Space & Robotics
Hide Aoki is a partner in charge of Space & Robotics at Global Brain (GB), a VC firm based in Tokyo. He oversees the investment activities for space, robotics and new technology sectors all over the world. He is also a co-founder and director of SPACETIDE Foundation, Japan's first industry-wide platform for accelerating NewSpace activities. Hide is also a member of the Japanese government's committee on National Space Policy.
He joined GB from Dream Incubator (DI) where he was an evangelist for the space business, developed strategies and consulted for the clients. Prior to DI, he developed "Kounotori" (HTV), Japan's first automated cargo spacecraft, as an aerospace engineer at Mitsubishi Electric and won a number of awards.
He holds a MS in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University and a MBA from Keio Business School.
Job Titles:
- Deputy General Counsel / Lockheed Martin
- Member of the Texas Bar Association
Chuck has been a lawyer for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company since 1999. Before joining LMSSC, he was General Counsel for two Lockheed Martin companies in Houston, Texas, involved in the space and environmental remediation businesses. He began his career with Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia, in 1981, as an attorney for Lockheed Martin's Aeronautical Systems Company.
During his career he has advised clients on a wide range of legal topics, including space law, international transactions, commercial contracts, litigation, environmental, employment and intellectual property law.
Chuck graduated from Emory University with a BA degree, and received a JD degree from Cumberland School of Law. Before joining Lockheed Martin, he was an attorney for the United States Army Missile Command in Huntsville, Alabama, specializing in contract litigation.
Chuck is a member of the Texas Bar Association, and has been licensed to practice law in Georgia, Alabama and California. He is a member of the American Bar Association's Section on Public Contract Law, and the Forum for Air and Space Law.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director for Starburst Aerospace Accelerator
Jeanette Quinlan is Managing Director for Starburst Aerospace Accelerator operations in the USA, splitting her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Prior to joining Starburst in 2016 she spent over 10 years as an engineer in the satellite industry. Most recently Jeanette worked for nearly two years at OneWeb, where she was a part of the satellite engineering team from its time as a new startup through the early stages of the Joint Venture.
Prior to OneWeb, Jeanette was a Thermal Engineer at Space Systems Loral (SSL), working on the world's top geosynchronous communications satellites. Her career began at ITT (now Harris) in Rochester, NY, working on optical systems for government contracts. Jeanette has a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Board
- Second Generation Owners
John is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of HawkEye 360, a developer of a space-based radio frequency (RF) mapping and analytics system. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Allied Minds where he led the formation of and the investment into HawkEye 360, along with other Allied Minds companies such as BridgeSat, Federated Wireless, Optio Labs, Percipient Networks and Whitewood. John's investment activities and management expertise center on the intersection of profit-maximizing private capital and the unique requirements and R&D capabilities of the U.S. government's federal research labs.
A former Airborne Ranger-qualified U.S. Army infantry officer with duty stations at the 82d Airborne Division & UNCSB-JSA of the Korean DMZ, John holds a BS from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a MPA and MBA from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer / Caelus Partners, LLC
Jose Ocasio-Christian is an energetic, innovative, agile, spiritually guided, and resilient leader focused on strategy development and industry disruption with a global reach in any sector. Currently CEO for Caelus Partners, LLC leading an organization focused on Space companies and Space investors by providing a unique investment and consulting models that are lucrative for both entrepreneurs and investors in every round from seed rounds to mezzanine and exits. Previous to this, he has led multiple complex and diverse organizations to achieve success in volatile, uncertain, challenging and ambiguous situations around the world in the classified and open source environments for the military. Provided vision and direction to strategic and operational teams to work across different cultures and understand fragmented stakeholder motivations to arrive at optimal solutions. Achieved excellence in high stake, existential situations for companies and individuals in governed and ungoverned areas, where human survival and financial profits were required.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director / New York Space Alliance
Mr. Fargnoli is one of the co-founders of the New York Space Alliance (NYSA), a Public Benefit Corporation focused on bringing the immense and diverse resources of New York City and State to the New Space Economy. NYSA offers programs in tactical entrepreneurship such as an accelerator, a bootcamp in conjunction with Founder's Institute and a Hacking for Space Program in development as well as an online Innovation Exchange community connecting the many different space impacting industries with the New Space Economy. He is also the CEO and founder of the RITRE Corporation which helps entrepreneurs blaze new markets operating at the seed and early phases with companies that have the potential to reinvent entire industries and create positive impact in improving social and economic conditions around the world and empowering local populations to take charge of their own development. Mr. Fargnoli is currently also serving as Technical Adviser and CTO for THEIA, a new global constellation and has also served as the Senior Vice President for Products within HySpecIQ.
His previous career background includes Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems group working on both National Electro-Optical as well as SAR system and Kodak/ITT/Exelis/Harris with focus on National and Commercial systems. He also served as a Technical Fellow within the NRO. Joseph holds an MS in Optics from the University of Rochester, an MS in Telecommunications and Computers from the George Washington University a BS in Mathematics and MS degree in Electrical Engineering from The State University of New York
Job Titles:
- Chairman & CEO of Aerus Holdings LLC
- Chairman & Chief Executive Officer / Aerus Holdings LLC
Joseph P. Urso is the Chairman & CEO of Aerus Holdings LLC. Aerus Holdings LLC has invested capital and expertise in a variety of companies where it has complete or significant operating control. A primary investment of Aerus Holdings is Aerus LLC, which was known as Electrolux from 1924-2003. Aerus has been a leader in floorcare and home health products for over 85 years and has served more than 50 million homes in North America.
Mr. Urso has led Aerus Holdings to success using the Four Corners of Every Successful Business™ model, which he created. He planned the entry of Aerus Holdings into network marketing for over ten years. He believes in the explosive power of this industry to change lives in a positive way and dedicates his full-time efforts to company business.
Mr. Urso is very involved in the Direct Selling Association and serves on its Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- CenturyLink Representative
- Director, National Security / Emergency Preparedness / CenturyLink
In this role, Ms. Condello is the CenturyLink Representative embedded within Department of Homeland Security National Coordinating Center (NCC), and former Chair of the NCC/Communications ISAC. She is also the designated conduit between the White House and CenturyLink CEO for national continuity of operations activities. Ms. Condello represents CenturyLink in all planning activities associated with the DHS National Infrastructure Protection Planning (NIPP) process; and supports CEO's role as Member of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.
Ms. Condello is an operations-focused leader within CenturyLink and the Communications Sector, with extensive, executive-level experience in managing and directing broad corporate and industry initiatives in the areas of strategic planning, policy development, government relations, network deployment/operations, and business marketing functions. Ms. Condello has more than 20 years experience in industry level initiatives associated with national security, network reliability, and emergency preparedness programs, planning and policy initiatives. She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.B.A. from Loyola College, and served as a Principal Associate (Research Professor) with George Mason University's Critical Infrastructure Protection Program. Ms. Condello started her career in the public safety radio business, was one of the first commercial wireless pioneers, and gathered more than 20 years commercial wireless experience prior to joining CenturyLink. In 2001 Ms. Condello was named by Wireless Week as one of the 25 Influential Women in Wireless for her work associated with wireless priority service.
Job Titles:
- Program Executive, Office of the Chief Technologist / NASA
Kira Blackwell brings with her a wealth of experience in business management that began almost three decades ago with the management of a $3 million store at the age of 18. It is her entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity that has enabled Blackwell to build a diverse set of skills and strategically assist businesses for success across aerospace, biotechnology, and technology management. She has strong business acumen as a results-driven decisive leader and is experienced in establishing and managing diverse strategic partnerships with not-for-profit organizations, small start-up companies and fortune 500 corporations. In her role within the Office of the Chief Technologist, Blackwell is the Innovation Liaison supporting the NASA Deputy Administrators' Innovation Framework, the agency's innovation strategy. Prior to joining our team, Blackwell managed her own consulting business working with several start-up companies, providing business solutions, leadership and business connections as businesses began to navigate through the business start-up process. She also contracted with Jacobs at the NASA White Sands Test Facility, developing quantitative Federal and State level support across New Mexico, identifying new business opportunities and initiating the discussions for a collaborative partnership with New Mexico State University. Blackwell graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston.
Job Titles:
- Head of Commercial Programs and Business Development / the Aerospace Corporation
With more than 20 years' experience in business development/ marketing for both government and commercial space programs, Lisa is a space enthusiast. She has enabled countless space-based missions ranging from architecture mission designs, technology implementations for new applications, and innovative business arrangements. She joined The Aerospace Corporation in 2016 with a mission to enable more space projects in the industry by leveraging the Aerospace Corporation's unique experience and expertise. Fluent in both Chinese and Japanese in language as well as business culture. Prior to joining Aerospace, Lisa leveraged her multi-lingual advantage as the Director of Commercial Satellite Systems Business Development for Asia Pacific region at Boeing Space and Network Systems, and also worked as a system engineer at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. She has an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an M.S. in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Irvine, and a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.
Mr. Starks has worked under a NASA Space Act Agreement since 2001 developing and Marketing Technologies either developed or co-developed with NASA. He holds multiple patents including four of which he is co-inventor with NASA scientist.
On March 11, 2008 STS-123 launched with a experiment based on a Starks patent. Another of his patents (A steam applied antimicrobial) a Space Foundation Certified Technology has been exclusively licensed by STERIS medical for North America. Multiple companies have been formed around his patents.
Job Titles:
- Director of Research and Analysis
Micah Walter-Range is the Director of Research and Analysis for the Space Foundation, where he has worked since 2006. He oversees development of all Space Foundation research products, and has authored papers on topics such as export controls and the role of space technology in aviation. Walter-Range is an expert on the global space economy and has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, NPR, Space News, ABC News, Bloomberg, Entrepreneur, The Economist, and many other media outlets. He graduated from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, with a B.A. degree in astronomy and political science, and he earned an M.A. in international science and technology policy, with a concentration in space policy, from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Vice President of Washington Operations and Business Development for Space Systems Loral
- Vice President of Washington Operations and Business Development for SSL
Mike Gold is Vice President of Washington Operations and Business Development for SSL, America's most prolific commercial satellite manufacturer and a global leader in space systems and robotics. At SSL, Mr. Gold is responsible for interactions with Congress and Executive Branch agencies as well as business development for emerging space technologies. In 2008, Mr. Gold was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to serve on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee ("COMSTAC"), and was appointed to serve as Chair of the organization in 2012. The COMSTAC is a federal advisory committee comprised of leading commercial space industry executives that provides advice to the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Additionally, Mr. Gold was appointed by the National Research Council to serve on the Space Technology Industry-Government-University roundtable which supports NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Mr. Gold is an attorney and has written three law review articles describing the intersection between the commercial space industry and export controls. Mr. Gold has had two editorials entered into the Congressional Record, and has testified before the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives as a subject matter expert in commercial space policy, law, and innovation
Mr. Gold is Vice President of Washington Operations and Business Development for Space Systems Loral (SSL). Mr. Gold is supporting a variety of innovative programs at SSL including satellite servicing, persistent platform, and leveraging repurposed rocket upper stages as habitats. Mr. Gold is the Chair of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee ("COMSTAC"), the federal advisory committee to the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Mr. Gold also serves as Chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation's Export Control Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member / Sherman & Howard
Job Titles:
- Agency Director / Texas a & M Transportation Institute
- Agency Director of the Texas a & M Transportation Institute
Mr. Gregory D. Winfree was appointed Agency Director of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) on December 15, 2016. TTI is a state agency and the largest and most comprehensive higher education-affiliated transportation research center in the United States. The Institute was formed by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in 1950 to conduct research for the Texas Highway Department-now the Texas Department of Transportation. Today, TTI research projects total about $61 million annually for about 200 sponsors at all levels of government and the private sector. The technologies and strategies developed at the Institute have saved the state and nation thousands of lives and billions of dollars.
Winfree joined the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology in March 2010 as Chief Counsel and was later sworn in as the Assistant Secretary in January 2014. During his tenure, Winfree also served as Deputy Administrator and Administrator of a predecessor agency, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).
As Assistant Secretary, he was the senior executive responsible for a $450 million budget and oversaw more than 1,000 scientific, data analysis and administrative staff members who support USDOT's multi-modal transportation initiatives. The program offices under his purview included: the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center; the Research, Development and Technology Coordination Office; the Bureau of Transportation Statistics; the Positioning, Navigation, Timing and Spectrum Management Office; the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office; and the Transportation Safety Institute.
Prior to his USDOT appointments, Mr. Winfree served as Corporate Counsel for several Fortune 500 corporations for 17 years that operated in a number of technical industries, including:
Natural resources and metals (Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold, Phoenix, AZ);
Pharmaceuticals (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Collegeville, PA); and
Chemicals and polymers (Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury CT).
Prior to his corporate legal work, Mr. Winfree was a Trial Attorney in the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. He started his legal career as an Associate at a prominent Washington, D.C.-based law firm, Venable, LLP.
Mr. Winfree is also an innovator with design and utility patents to his credit and thus has a special affinity for TTI's diverse transportation research portfolio and commitment to innovation. Much of his career aligns with organizations with a strong focus in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines, and Mr. Winfree has spoken extensively on the importance of STEM education to the future transportation workforce.
Job Titles:
- NASA Landing Team Member and Interim White House Liaison
Job Titles:
- Vice President / Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation
Peter C. W. Kim, MD, CM, PhD, is Vice President of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. Dr. Kim also serves as Associate Surgeon-in-Chief of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care at Children's National Health System. An internationally known pediatric surgeon and scientist, Dr. Kim will implement the institute's vision of innovative, multidisciplinary research, and development in pediatric surgery.
In addition to overseeing the institute, Dr. Kim's research focuses on the development of intelligent surgical tools, including image guidance and robotics; smarter simulation technologies; and the potential of imaging technologies such as high frequency/intensity-focused ultrasound (HIFU) as non-invasive alternatives to conventional surgery. He is the lead for FDA funded National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI). He collaborates closely with the Sheikh Zayed Institute's bioengineering team to further explore the possibilities in preventive/regenerative medicine, with an eye on developing personalized medicine for children.
Dr. Kim joined Children's National from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, a national and international leading institution in pediatric research and care. There, he served as a general neonatal and thoracic surgeon, founding lead for the Centre for Image-Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI), and senior associate scientist in the hospital's research institute. His clinical specialties are complex surgical airway reconstructions, advanced minimally invasive surgery, and vascular reconstructive surgery for hepatobiliary diseases in children. Dr. Kim received his medical training, including the distinction of Master of Surgery, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He completed his surgical residency training at the University of Toronto as well as his fellowship in pediatric surgery at the University's Hospital for Sick Children.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner, Munich / SpaceTec Capital
Rainer has nearly 20 years' experience in consulting and finance. He has consulted private and institutional clients in aerospace, automotive, transportation and telecoms - on strategy, market analysis, organisational and finance matters. As accredited coach for leading seed funds he works with several start-ups and SME. At Booz Allen Hamilton, he led the Space Services and Telematics Practice and managed European Business Operations as Finance Director. Rainer obtained an MBA from INSEAD and a dual-degree from ESB Reutlingen/London in European Business. He is a member of the European Commission's Galileo Advisory Board (MEAG), shaping the future of satellite navigation in Europe. Rainer is an avid skier and enjoys playing squash.
Ryan's career has spanned executive management, product development, and venture capital. Prior to cofounding Cape Analytics, Ryan was an investor at Khosla Ventures, a leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm where he invested in and incubated several technology companies applying computer vision and artificial intelligence in industries ranging from shipping logistics, to agriculture, to healthcare. Ryan holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, as well as an engineering degree from Santa Clara University. Ryan has a very supportive wife and two young children, and in his rare spare time he enjoys spending time hiking with his family and riding/repairing old motorcycles.
Shahin empowers entrepreneurs aiming to accelerate humanity towards a fantastic future through feats of engineering. His recent investments at Lux Capital include Nervana, the deep learning company recently acquired by Intel; Planet Labs, which is launching the world's largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites; Plethora, which is rolling out a fleet of robotic machine shops; Flex Logix, making chips that can reprogram themselves; Relativity Space, launching 3D-printed rockets; Mythic, bringing powerful deep learning to edge devices, and Zoox, what comes after the automobile.
Job Titles:
- Head of International Affairs
- Vice President - Strategic & International Affairs
As head of international affairs, Steve Eisenhart is principally responsible for the Space Foundation's global strategy and relationships with international space agencies and organizations, foreign embassies and U.S. organizations involved with global space programs. He is directly responsible for the program development and integration of key Space Foundation activities including the annual Space Symposium. He also supervises the Space Foundation's government affairs activities in the Washington, D.C., office including relationships with government agencies, other space advocacy organizations and associations and corporate interests. Since joining the Space Foundation in 1996, Eisenhart has had a broad range of responsibilities, serving as senior vice president of strategic communications, director of communications and public affairs and communications manager. Eisenhart was a military public affairs official and is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Sunil Nagaraj is a venture capital investor focused on seed-stage startups in the areas of smart hardware and machine intelligence applications. Previously, Sunil spent 6 years as a VC with Bessemer Venture Partners where he was part of investments in Auth0, Defense.Net (acquired by F5 Networks), Rocket Lab, Spire, Tile, Twitch (acquired by Amazon), and Zapier. He was previously founder/CEO of VC-backed online dating startup Triangulate. He has also worked at Bain & Company, Cisco, and Microsoft.
Sunil holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is current Co-Chair of the NextGen Partners (the largest VC networking organization in the Bay Area) as well as the NextGen Board of the Computer History Museum. He also serves on the board of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (the largest general astronomy education society in the world), the Harvard Business School California Research Center, and the Volunteer Council of the SETI Institute.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Business Development and Strategy
Dr. Segura's career has spanned the spectrum of the science, defense and telecommunications sectors of the space industry. Prior to joining Accion, Dr. Segura provided consulting in sales, marketing, and corporate development for various companies around the industry. Previously, Dr. Segura was director of marketing and sales for Space Systems Loral (SSL) a full-service provider of communications satellites and space systems. In that role, she was responsible for the development and execution of marketing and sales strategies of the company's satellite systems in Asia and the Americas, assisting customers in performing mission engineering trades and payload suitability studies for their satellite telecommunications businesses.
Before joining SSL, Dr. Segura spent seven years with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems as a campaign manager and staff scientist for Civil Systems Business Development. During her tenure there, she led remote sensing algorithm development and engineering concept design and capture studies for spacecraft missions targeted for Mars, Jupiter, asteroids, comets, the Earth, and the Moon. Early in her career, Dr. Segura held various space science positions within NASA and Academia, publishing several research papers on the climatology of Mars.
Dr. Segura earned a bachelor's degree in astrophysics from Columbia University, and Master's and Doctorate degrees in astrophysical, planetary, and atmospheric sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Job Titles:
- Venture Partner / Dittler Industriebeteiligungen GmbH