1

Biographies

Reappointments

General Lester Lyles, USAF, Retired (Chair)

To serve as a Special Government Employee

Professional Background: Retired from the United States Air 

Force after a distinguished 35-year career, most recently as 

Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air 

Force Base, Ohio. Prior to that he served as Air Force Vice Chief 

of Staff and Chief Technology Officer, and Director of the 

Ballistic Missile Defense Organization at the Department of 

Defense. Experience running large, high-technology 

organizations involved in aeronautical and astronautical research, 

development, and acquisition. 

Awards & Service: Chairman of the NASA Advisory Council, member of the Air Force Scientific 

Advisory Board, was elected to the National Academy of Engineers in 2011, former Chair of the 

Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Academy of Engineering, former 

member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in the White House, the Defense Science 

Board, and the State Department International Security Advisory Board. His awards include the 

Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service 

Medal and Legion of Merit. 

Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University. M.S. in Mechanical & 

Nuclear Engineering from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces.
2

Mr. Salvatore T. “Tory” Bruno 

President and CEO, United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Tory is the president and CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA). 

Under his leadership, ULA has transformed into a competitive 

powerhouse that is shaping the future of space launch by making 

it more affordable, accessible and introducing revolutionary new 

capabilities to meet the challenges of the future.

Over the past 35 years, Tory has developed and fielded dozens of 

critical defense and space launch systems that form the backbone 

of America’s national security and the nation’s efforts in space exploration. He has a deep history 

in missile defense, strategic deterrence, and space launch. Tory is also an expert in several rocketry 

and hypersonic technologies and holds multiple related patents.

Tory is a tireless advocate for the industry, sharing his passion for space technology and his vision 

of a self-sustaining human presence beyond Earth. Tory is also a strong communicator on space. 

His social media presence is legendary worldwide and is an inspiration to many.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Polytechnic State 

University, in San Luis Obispo, California, and has completed graduate courses and management 

programs at Harvard University, Santa Clara University, the Wye River Institute, San Jose State 

University and the Defense Acquisition University.

Tory is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Honorary Fellow, a former 

member of the Defense Innovation Board Space Advisory Committee and serves as a member of 

the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group. Tory is also a recipient of the Air Force 

Association John R. Alison Award, the 2021 American Astronautical Society Space Flight Award 

recipient, an awardee of the Von Braun Trophy, a holder of the von Karman Medal, and a member 

of the Space & Satellite Professionals International Hall of Fame.
3

Mr. Theodore “Ted” Colbert

CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Boeing develops and operates space systems across all sectors – civil, 

national security, and commercial. This includes the soon-to-launch 

Space Launch System that will launch astronauts to the Moon as the 

rocket for NASA’s Artemis mission, the Starliner which will transport 

astronauts to/from the International Space Station (ISS), and the X-37B 

spaceplane.

Professional Background: On March 28, 2022, Mr. Colbert was 

named the President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. 

Previously, Colbert was President and CEO of Boeing’s Global Services with responsibility for 

leading Boeing’s aerospace services development for commercial, government and aviation 

industry customers worldwide. Prior to that role, Colbert was CIO and Senior Vice President of 

Information Technology & Data Analytics. Prior to joining Boeing in 2009, Colbert was senior 

vice president of Enterprise Architecture at Citigroup. 

Service: 2022 Black Engineer of Year Award; 2021 Capital CIO of the Year ORBIE award; 2020 

& 2021 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine; First

recipient of Fisher Center prize for Excellence in Driving Transformation; 2017 Most Powerful 

Executives in Corporate America by Black Enterprise Magazine; 2017 Morehouse College Bennie 

Leadership Award for Excellence in Business; 2016 National Society of Black Engineers Golden 

Torch Legacy Award winner; 2015 Ebony Power 100 honoree.

Education: Dual Degree Engineering Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology and 

Morehouse College with degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering and Interdisciplinary 

Science.
4

Ms. Gwynne Shotwell

President and COO, SpaceX 

SpaceX is a leading global commercial space launch, space 

transportation, and telecommunications services company. 

SpaceX has successfully conducted more than 200 launches 

to space for NASA, DOD, and commercial companies, 

including 8 crewed missions to orbit for NASA and private 

individuals since 2020. SpaceX operates the Starlink highspeed, low-latency satellite broadband system providing 

global coverage to more than 1 million households across all 

7 continents with more than 3,500 satellites in orbit today and 

thousands more slated for launch in the near future. 

Professional Background: Ms. Shotwell joined SpaceX in 2002 as VP of Business Development

prior to becoming the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Before SpaceX, she spent 

more than 10 years at the Aerospace Corporation, holding positions in Space Systems Engineering, 

Technology and Project Management.

Service: Served on the United States Export Import Bank's Advisory Committee, the Federal 

Aviation Administration’s Management Advisory Council, and the Board of Trustees at 

Northwestern University. Elected as a Fellow with the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics. 

Education: B.S. and M.S. (with honors) in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics 

from Northwestern University. She has authored dozens of papers on a variety of space related 

subjects.
5

Mr. James D. Taiclet 

President and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation

James (“Jim”) D. Taiclet is chairman, president and chief executive 

officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. He became chairman in 

March 2021 after joining the company as president and CEO in 

June 2020. Taiclet has been a director on the Lockheed Martin 

board since January 2018.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Taiclet was chairman, president

and chief executive officer of American Tower Corporation, one of 

the largest global real estate investment trusts (REITs) and a leading 

independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant 

communications real estate. Under his leadership, the company’s market capitalization grew from 

approximately $2 billion to more than $100 billion. Taiclet guided the company’s transformation 

from a primarily U.S. business to the only truly global player in its industry, with significant assets 

and operations in 19 countries around the world.

Before he led American Tower, Taiclet served as president of AlliedSignal (subsequently 

Honeywell Aerospace Services), a company that conducts worldwide aircraft engine and 

component overhaul and repair, parts sales and distribution, space operations, and technical 

services. Preceding his tenure at AlliedSignal, he served as vice president, Engine Services at Pratt 

& Whitney, where he was responsible for leading both military and commercial jet engine overhaul 

and repair.

Taiclet began his career as a U.S. Air Force officer and pilot, logging over 5,000 flying hours (most 

of which in a Lockheed C-141B StarLifter) as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and unit 

chief of Standardization and Evaluation. His rotational assignments included stints with the Joint 

Staff and Air Staff at the Pentagon. Taiclet served in the Gulf War during which, among other 

missions, he piloted one of the first transport aircraft to bring U.S. forces into Saudi Arabia for 

Operation Desert Shield.

As a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Taiclet earned bachelor’s degrees in 

engineering and international relations. He also holds a master’s degree from Princeton University, 

where he was awarded a fellowship at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Space Council’s Users Advisory 

Group (UAG), and the Business Council. In June 2022, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce appointed 

Taiclet private sector co-chair of the U.S.-India CEO Forum. He is an associate fellow of the 

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Taiclet serves on the board of 

directors of Catalyst and Mass General Brigham. He also serves on the board of trustees of 

Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
6

Ms. Mandy Vaughn

CEO & Founder of GXO, Inc

To serve as a Special Government Employee

Professional background: Mandy founded GXO, Inc. in 2021 to 

accelerate the pace of change across the space industry. The goal is 

supporting new commercial space ventures quickly navigate the 

startup environment to start delivering capabilities and missions that 

matter for commercial and government customers.

She was selected to serve on the National Space Council’s User 

Advisory Group when it was re-instituted in 2018, where she helps to streamline coordination and 

cooperation across the U.S.’ space enterprise.

Mandy is formerly President & CEO of VOX Space. Mandy originally joined Virgin Orbit, VOX 

Space’s parent company, in 2015. As Senior Director of Business Development and Mission 

Management, she supported business development on the LauncherOne program for both 

government and commercial customers and served as mission manager for customers including 

OneWeb and NASA, in addition to spearheading the creation and registration of VOX Space. 

Prior to joining Virgin Orbit, Mandy was with General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Space and 

Intelligence Systems Directorate, where she was responsible for the space control and space 

protection investment portfolios and analog-to-digital transitions for a variety of SIGINT payload 

families. She successfully initiated development programs for the next-generation space-based 

GPS receiver and managed the internal investment of GPS payload development efforts. 

Prior to joining General Dynamics, she was a developmental engineer and program manager in the 

Air Force and a Director with Kinsey Technical Services. She primarily supported programs in the 

Space Superiority Systems Directorate (SMC/SY) at Los Angeles AFB, CA and earlier the ICBM 

system program office at Hill AFB, UT. In the Space Superiority mission are, she was the ground 

segment lead and chief engineer on the Space-Based Space Surveillance program, and then 

supported a multiple of Space Situational Awareness and command and control programs 

supporting integration of requirements and demonstrations between the DoD and the intelligence 

community. She supported the NRO AS&T and DIA Directorate of Science and technology in a 

variety of collection campaigns that spanned various collection systems phenomena to demonstrate 

new systems and operational concepts for critical space operations. 

Mandy has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics, both 

from MIT.
7

Ms. Kathy Warden 

Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President, Northrop 

Grumman Corporation

Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on 

global security and human discovery. Their pioneering solutions 

equip their customers with capabilities they need to connect, 

advance, and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared 

purpose to solve their customers’ toughest problems, their 90,000 

employees define possible every day.

Professional Background: Warden was elected chairman of the Northrop Grumman Board of 

Directors in 2019 and has served as CEO and president since January 1, 2019. She was elected to 

the company’s Board of Directors in 2018.

Prior to becoming CEO and president, Warden served as president and chief operating officer, 

responsible for the operational management of the company’s four sectors as well as its enterprise 

services organization. She also led the integration of Northrop Grumman’s Orbital ATK 

acquisition. Previously, she served as corporate vice president and president of Northrop 

Grumman’s Mission Systems and Information Systems sectors. 

Warden has extensive experience in operational leadership and business development in 

government and commercial markets. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman in 2008, Warden held 

leadership roles at General Dynamics and the Veridian Corporation, she was a principal in a 

venture internet firm, and she spent nearly a decade with the General Electric Company working 

in commercial industries.

Service: Warden currently serves on the Board of Directors of Merck & Co., Inc. and Catalyst. 

She serves as vice chair of the Greater Washington Partnership as well as the Aspen Cyber Security 

Group. Warden is an active member of both the Aerospace Industries Association and the Business 

Roundtable. She is also the recipient of the prestigious 2022 Deming Cup for Operational 

Excellence.

Education: Warden earned a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a master’s 

degree in business administration from George Washington University.
8

Appointments

Mr. Rajeev Badyal

Vice President of Technology and Head of Project Kuiper at 

Amazon 

Project Kuiper is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low 

Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed 

broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved 

communities around the world. 

Professional Background: Previously served as SpaceX’s VP of 

Satellites, in charge of its Starlink division. Prior to joining 

SpaceX, Mr. Badyal held senior engineering positions at Microsoft Corporation and Hewlett 

Packard. Has thirty years of experience, overseeing diverse and mission-critical aspects of 

technology and space businesses, including production, quality and safety, regulatory compliance, 

and business development.

Education: MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Oregon State University.

Mr. Charles F. Bolden

Former NASA Administrator

To serve as a Special Government Employee

Professional Background: NASA Administrator under 

President Obama. During his tenure, NASA initiated and 

developed the Commercial Cargo and Commercial Crew 

programs, beginning the current era of commercialization in 

space. He oversaw the agency’s transition from 30 years of Space 

Shuttle missions to a focus on full utilization of the International 

Space Station and established the Space Technology Mission 

Directorate to develop next-gen technologies for future space missions. Prior to this he served a 

34-year career with the Marine Corps as a Naval Aviator. In the Marine Corps, Bolden flew more 

than 100 combat missions while stationed in Thailand. He subsequently joined NASA’s Astronaut 

Office where his roles included Safety Officer, Chief of the Safety Division, and lead astronaut for 

vehicle test and checkout. He traveled to space four times aboard the Space Shuttle. His flights 

included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle 

mission, which featured a cosmonaut as a member of his crew. Bolden serves today as the CEO of 

the Charles F. Bolden Group, specializing in space/aerospace exploration, national security, 

leadership, education (STEM+AD) and health initiatives.

Education: B.S. in Electrical Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, M.S. in Systems 

Management from the University of Southern California
9

Lance Bush, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Challenger Center

Challenger Centeris a global nonprofit science, technology, 

engineering, and math (STEM) education organization created by 

the families of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger 51-L tragedy. 

With a goal to inspire more students, Dr. Bush has led the growth 

and expansion of the organization, which has reached 6 million 

students with its experiential education programs. Challenger 

Center uses spacethemed role-playing strategies to bring 

classroom lessons to life and cultivate critical 21st Century skills 

like teamwork, problem solving, and communication. Challenger Center engages every student in 

STEM, working to inspire the STEM workforce of the future. Under Dr. Bush’s leadership, 

Challenger Center was recognized with the National Science Board’s Public Service Award for 

promoting a public understanding of science and engineering.

Professional Background: Began career as NASA engineer in group that designed the next 

generation human space transportation including low earth orbit and lunar vehicles, managed the 

ISS Commercial Development program, and co-founded and served as the Chairman of the ISS 

Multilateral Commercialization Group comprised of the five partner space agencies (Canada, 

Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States) and 16 countries. Represented the United States as a 

delegate to the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Served as the Chief 

Strategic Officer at Paragon Space Development Corporation, a space vehicle design and build 

company, including work on the Lockheed Martin Orion and the SpaceX Dragon.

Service: Member of National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group, Founder and Board 

Member of Space Generation Advisory Council; Associate Fellow of American Institute of 

Aeronautics and Astronautics; Governing Member of International Space University; Advisory 

Board for Center for Integrated STEM Education; Advisory Council for Innovation Collaboration; 

Member of the Cosmos Club Previously, Chair of the Board and President of Sea Space 

Symposium, Board Member of International Space University, Chair of Education for World 

Space Congress, and VP of Education for American Astronautical Society.

Education: B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Ph.D. in Technology Policy and Management from 

the Pennsylvania State University, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion 

University, and Space Studies Program (SSP) from International Space University
10

Bridget Chatman

Chair, Women in Aerospace (WIA)

Women in Aerospace (WIA) is a charitable organization dedicated 

to expanding women’s opportunities for leadership and increasing 

their visibility in the aerospace community. WIA connects women in 

aerospace professions, raise their visibility within the sector, promote 

their advancement, and attract other women to its ranks. WIA has over 

2,000 individual members, representing 250 companies and 80 

corporate members.

Professional Background: In 2022, Ms. Chatman became the first African American Chair of the 

Board of Directors for Women in Aerospace. Chatman has 28+ years of experience in corporate 

strategy, transformation, business development and capture leading Fortune 500 company’s 

aerospace initiatives supporting NASA and FAA missions. Ms. Chatman currently serves as the 

Vice President, Business Development Transformation for SAIC. SAIC is a premier Fortune 

500® technology integrator driving our nation's digital transformation. Other roles at SAIC 

included Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging where Chatman developed 

and accelerated programs, policies and processes to advance DE&IB initiatives. Chatman is a 

founding member and former Chair of the Washington Exec Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

Council, and developed several initiatives and mentoring programs for women in aerospace and 

STEM careers.

Service: Ms. Chatman is a Silver Star member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and a recent 

2022 honoree of Washington Business Journal Top 25 Diversity In Business Award. Chatman 

volunteers in many organizations supporting women and underrepresented communities around 

the Washington DC metro area.

Education: Chatman has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and statistics from the University of 

Illinois at Chicago, an Executive Certificate in Economics from the University of Oxford and a 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Human Resource Policy certificate from Cornell.
11

Nancy Colleton

President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is a diverse set 

of professional educators, communicators, and scientists devoted to 

leveraging earth observation resources to better understand our home 

planet and communicate the impacts of climate change to the world. 

Professional Background: Nancy leads numerous initiatives that 

promote better understanding of the changing planet. Her recent work 

focuses on studying innovative private sector applications of USG 

Earth observation data, which provide governments, businesses, and 

consumers new critical decision-making capabilities in areas such as climate, natural disasters, 

health, air quality, water quality, and GHG monitoring. She has been quoted and published in The 

Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, Physics Today and numerous other 

publications. In addition, Nancy has a long history of working in the conservation area to help 

amplify the importance of space-based observations as well as citizen engagement to promote the 

understanding and protection of nature.

Service: Nancy serves on the Fairfax Water Board of Directors, is an advisor to We Don’t Have 

Time, and recently finished two extended terms as an active member of the International Union 

for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) US Board. She’s chaired the IUCN’s Commission on 

Education and Communication where—along with World Commission on Protected Areas chair—

led the 2016 launch of the #NatureForAll global campaign that now includes more than 570 

organizations in 80 countries. Ms. Colleton was a key organizer behind the 2003 Earth 

Observations Summit, which led to the establishment of the Group on Earth Observations, 

facilitated the Alliance for Earth Observations, and co-chaired the Environmental Information 

Services Working Group of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

Science Advisory Board (2009—2016).

Education: Ms. Colleton holds a BA degree in Communications from Hood College.
12

Eric Fanning

President & CEO, Aerospace Industries Association

The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is an American 

trade association representing over 300 manufacturers and 

suppliers of civil, military, and business aircraft, helicopters, space 

systems, aircraft engines, missiles, material, and related 

components, equipment, services, and information technology in 

the United States.

Professional Background: Eric Fanning is President and Chief 

Executive Officer of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the leading advocacy 

organization for the aerospace and defense industry with nearly 350 companies in its membership 

– ranging from multinational prime contractors to family-owned businesses.

Fanning joined AIA after serving as the 22nd Secretary of the Army where he provided leadership 

and oversight of our nation’s largest military service. He previously served as Chief of Staff to the 

Secretary of Defense, Acting Secretary of the Air Force and Under Secretary of the Air Force, and 

Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy/Deputy Chief Management Officer. He is the only person to 

have held senior appointments in all three military departments and the Office of the Secretary of 

Defense.

Service: During his more than 25 years of distinguished government service, Fanning worked on 

the staff of the House Armed Services Committee, was Senior Vice President of Strategic 

Development for Business Executives for National Security, was Deputy Director of the 

Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, and 

was associate director of political affairs at the White House. His awards include the Department 

of Defense’s Medal for Distinguished Public Service (twice awarded), the Department of the 

Army’s Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service, the Department of the Navy’s 

Distinguished Public Service Award (twice awarded) and the Department of the Air Force’s 

Distinguished Public Service Award and Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service.

Education: Fanning holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dartmouth College. 
13

Professor Dan Hastings

Head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

endeavors to create an aerospace field that is a diverse and 

inclusive community, pushing the boundaries of the possible to 

ensure lasting positive impact on our society, economy, and 

environment. Some of the department’s core capabilities include 

the design of aerospace vehicles and real-time aerospace

Professional Background: Dr. Hastings is the Cecil and Ida Green education professor and 

department head of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He 

served as MIT’s dean of undergraduate education from 2006 to 2013. Hastings earned a bachelor’s

degree in mathematics from the University of Oxford, England and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. 

in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Dr. Hastings’ research has spanned five areas: laser material interactions, fusion plasma physics, 

spacecraft plasma environment interactions, space plasma thrusters, and space systems analysis 

and design. He has published more than 120 papers, has written a book on spacecraft-environment 

interactions, and has chapters in several other books. He is a fellow of three professional societies: 

the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA); the International Astronautical 

Federation (IAF); and the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). He is a 

member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Hastings’ citation from the NAE reads, 

“For contributions in spacecraft and space system environment interactions, space system 

architecture, and leadership in aerospace research and education.”

Additional national awards include the Air Force Exceptional Service Award (2008), the QEM 

Giant in Science Award (2005), the NRO Distinguished Civilian Award (2003), the AIAA Losey 

Award (2002), the National Guard Bureau Eagle Award (1999), and the Air Force Distinguished 

Civilian Award (1999 and 1997).
14

Dawne Hickton

Chair and CEO, Cumberland Additive, Inc.

To Serve as a Special Government Employee

Professional Background: Dawne is the Chair and CEO of 

Cumberland Additive, Inc., an innovative specialty metals 

additive manufacturing company specializing in new 

technologies for printing hard metals for aerospace, space and 

defense.

She is also former Jacobs Corporate Executive Vice President & 

President of Critical Mission Solutions focused on providing support to NASA and other aerospace 

entities. Prior to joining Jacobs, Dawne served as the CEO of Pittsburgh-based RTI International 

Metals working with the metal industry and unions to provide titanium to the government and 

private companies. 

Service: During her time as CEO at RTI International Metals, Inc., she was twice recognized by 

STEMconnector, a consortium of businesses that connects thought leaders on issues related to 

science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She was named one of the top 100 CEO's in 

STEM and, separately, she was named one of the top 100 Women in STEM. She is the founder of 

the international organization, Women in Titanium which provides mentoring and scholarships to 

young women in the material sciences. Dawne is a Trustee for the University of Pittsburgh and is 

a past Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

Education: Dawne earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh and is a 

graduate of the University of Rochester. She is married with six children and resides in Pittsburgh, 

PA.
15

David A. Kaufman, Ph.D.

President, Ball Aerospace

Ball Aerospace is a U.S. manufacturer of spacecraft components 

and instruments for commercial, civil, and national security space 

missions. Ball Aerospace designed and manufactured the optical 

subsystem, which includes the18 gold-plated hexagonal primary 

mirror assemblies, for the James Webb Telescope. 

Professional Background: Dave Kaufman is a Ball Corporation 

Senior Vice President and the President of Ball Aerospace. 

Previously, Dr. Kaufman served as Chief Operating Officer of Ball Aerospace. Prior to that, he 

was Vice President and General Manager of Ball’s National Defense strategic business unit, where 

he transformed the business from a subsystem and demonstration hardware provider into a fullservice mission systems partner on programs of national importance.

During his 3-decade industry career, Kaufman has served in leadership positions for a variety of 

space system programs including DARPA’s Orbital Express NEXTSat/CSC and the USAF Space 

Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle. He began his aerospace career as a thermal engineer at 

Hughes Space & Communications Co. in El Segundo, CA, and was awarded two patents for his 

research and development work.

Kaufman is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and 

actively engages with the broader aerospace and defense community.

He received a B.S. in mathematics from Willamette University, a B.S. in mechanical engineering 

from Stanford University, and a M.S. and Ph. D in mechanical engineering from the California 

Institute of Technology.
16

Patrick Lin, Ph.D.

Director of the Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group, Cal Poly

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, 

the Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group is a non-partisan organization 

focused on the risk, ethical, and social impact of emerging sciences and 

technologies.

Professional Background: Patrick Lin, Ph.D., is the director of the 

Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group, based at California Polytechnic 

State University, San Luis Obispo, where he’s a philosophy professor. 

His research focus is on technology ethics, broadly construed to include 

law and policy, especially the ethics of frontier development (esp. outer space and the Arctic), robotics (esp. 

military systems and autonomous driving), artificial intelligence, cyberwarfare, human enhancements, 

nanotechnology, military technologies (incl. nonlethal weapons), and other emerging technologies. 

He currently holds other appointments at: Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society; Czech 

Academy of Sciences’ Karel Čapek Center for Values in Science and Technology; Center for a New 

American Security’s Task Force on AI and National Security; World Economic Forum; Foundation for 

Responsible Robotics; and the 100-Year Study on AI. 

Previous affiliations include: Stanford’s School of Engineering; US Naval Academy’s VADM Stockdale 

Center for Ethical Leadership; Dartmouth College’s Department of Philosophy; Australia’s Centre for 

Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE); University of Notre Dame’s Emerging Technologies of 

National Security and Intelligence (ETNSI) initiative; University of Iceland’s Center for Arctic Policy 

Studies; New America Foundation’s Cybersecurity Initiative; and the United Nations Institute for 

Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

Dr. Lin has published extensively in technology ethics, from scholarly articles to popular media essays in 

The Atlantic, Wired, Slate, Forbes, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and other respected publications. 

His books include Robot Ethics (MIT Press, 2012), Robot Ethics 2.0 (Oxford University Press, 2017), What 

Is Nanotechnology and Why Does It Matter? (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), and others. His funded reports 

include: “Ethics of Hacking Back” (National Science Foundation, 2016), “Enhanced Warfighters: Ethics, 

Risk, and Policy” (Greenwall Foundation, 2013), “Ethics of Human Enhancement: 25 Questions and 

Answers” (National Science Foundation, 2009), “Autonomous Military Robotics: Risk, Ethics, and 

Design” (Office of Naval Research, 2008), and others. He has published in leading academic journals such 

as: Ethics & International Affairs, Artificial Intelligence, Journal of Military Ethics, Astropolitics, and 

others. 

Dr. Lin has worked with or delivered briefings and invited talks to government, military, industry, and 

academic organizations, including United Nations, US Department of Defense, CIA, DARPA, US National 

Institutes of Health, US National Academies of Sciences, Cal-EPA, Google, Apple, Sony, IBM, Tesla, 

Nissan, Bosch, Daimler Benz, Stanford, Harvard, UCLA, US Naval Academy, US Air Force Academy, US 

Army War College, and many others. 

Lin earned his B.A. from UC Berkeley and Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara, with a background in biosciences.
17

Ron Lopez

President and Managing Director, Astroscale

Astroscale Holdings Inc. is a private orbital debris removal 

company developing satellite end-of-life and active debris 

removal services to mitigate the growing and hazardous buildup 

of debris in space. Astroscale's on-orbit services will allow 

satellites to be safely refueled, repaired, reused, and moved into 

new orbits.

Professional Background: Ron joined Astroscale in April 2019. 

He started his career as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Air Force, serving as the focal 

point for Space Situational Awareness capability development at Air Force Space Command’s 

Space Control Division. He then joined Boeing and worked on various programs as a Systems 

Engineering Manager within Boeing Research & Technology and Phantom Works and led 

business development activities for the Network & Space Systems division throughout Asia.

Service: Over half of Ron’s career has been spent working and living in Japan, and he is an active 

member of The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation’s U.S.-Japan Space Forum.

Education: Ron earned a Bachelor of Science from The United States Air Force Academy in 

1993.
18

Roosevelt “Ted” Mercer Jr.

Major General (MG), United States Air Force (Ret.), Virginia 

Space CEO & Executive Director

The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, commonly 

known as Virginia Space, is a part of the Commonwealth of 

Virginia focused on bringing commercial spaceflight to Virginia 

and providing education in aerospace technologies across the 

Commonwealth. They operate the space launch site in Virginia 

whose launches include NASA cargo to the International Space 

Station.

Professional Background: Prior to joining Virginia Space, MG Mercer was the director of the 

NextGen Office of Collaboration and Messaging at the Federal Aviation Administration. MG 

Mercer served in the US Air Force for more than 32 years. 

Service: MG Mercer is the Vice Chairman of the board, National Strategic Research Institute for 

the University of Nebraska; Chairman of the Military Advisory Board of Directors for Bellevue 

University; member of the Board of Trustees for the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, 

NY; and a member of the National Association of Governing Boards.

Education: MG Mercer received a BA in urban planning from the University of Puget Sound; MS 

in counseling from the University of Oklahoma; post-graduate Executive Programs at Syracuse 

University, National Defense University, and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of 

Government; and a concentrated Executive Financial Development Program at the Wharton 

School of Business.
19

Dr. Marla Pérez-Davis

Former Director of NASA John H. Glenn Research Center

To serve as a Special Government Employee

Professional Background: Dr. Pérez-Davis served as the director 

of the NASA John Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Prior to becoming the director, Dr. Pérez-Davis served as Glenn’s 

deputy director of the Research and Engineering Directorate. She 

has held several key leadership positions within NASA dating 

back to 2007 to include the chief of the electrochemistry branch.

Service: Dr. Pérez-Davis is the recipient of numerous awards including the NASA Outstanding 

Leadership Medal, and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executives. She was also the 

recipient of the Great Minds in STEM 2021, Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards 

Corporation Engineer of the Year Award; 2015 Crain’s Women of Note; the Top 25 Elite Business 

Women, Hispanic Business Magazine; Women of Color Technology Award for Career 

Achievement; and the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Santiago Rodriguez Diversity 

Award. 

Education: Pérez-Davis, a native of Puerto Rico, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University 

of Puerto Rico; a Master of Science degree from the University of Toledo and a doctoral degree 

from Case Western Reserve University in Chemical Engineering. 
20

Dr. Sian Proctor

Geoscientist and Astronaut

Maricopa Community College District

The Maricopa County Community College District is a community 

college district in Arizona with its headquarters in Tempe. It is one of 

the largest, serving more than 220,000 students each year in Maricopa 

County, Arizona

Professional Background: Dr. Sian Proctor is a geoscientist and 

astronaut. Since 1999, she has been a full-time professor teaching 

geology, sustainability, and planetary science at South Mountain 

Community College (SMCC) in Phoenix, Arizona. She has served as the 

Faculty Developer at SMCC and the Open Educations Resource Coordinator for the Maricopa 

Community Colleges.

She is a continuing NASA Solar System Ambassador and has served on the Explore Mars Board 

of Directors, JustSpace Alliance Advisory Board, Students for the Exploration and Development 

of Space (SEDS) Advisory Board, and the National Science Teaching Association’s Aerospace 

Advisory Board. In 2019, she was the science communication outreach officer on the ship JOIDES 

Resolution with Expedition 383 and spent 2-months at sea with researchers investigating climate 

change. She was a 2017 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Teacher at 

Sea, a 2016 Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador (ACEAP), and a 2014 PolarTREC Teacher 

investigating climate change in Barrow, Alaska. She is a Major in the Civil Air Patrol and serves 

as a member of the Arizona Wing Aerospace Education Office.

Dr. Proctor has a B.S. in Environmental Science, an M.S. in Geology, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum 

and Instruction: Science Education. She did her 2019-20 sabbatical at Arizona State University’s 

Center for Education Through Exploration creating virtual field trips. She did her 2012-13 

sabbatical at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Emergency Management 

Institute developing their science of disasters curriculum.

She believes that when we solve for space, we also solve issues on Earth. She was the mission 

pilot for SpaceX Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital mission. She is the first African American 

woman to pilot a spacecraft and the first African American commercial astronaut. She is also one 

of The Explorer’s Club 50: Fifty People Changing the World.
21

Robbie Schingler

Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Planet

Planet currently operates over 200 imagery satellites in space 

today providing daily coverage over the entire land mass of the 

world. Planet holds contracts with the intelligence community to 

allow their imagery to be used for national security purposes. 

NASA also signed a contract with Planet allowing all U.S. 

Federal Civilian scientific researchers and National Science 

Foundation funded researchers to have access to their archive of 

Earth observation data to support climate and other research. 

Professional Background: Robbie Schingler is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) 

of Planet Labs PBC. Robbie has committed his life to preserving the sustainability of Earth and 

the security of human life across the globe. With a vision of using space to help life on Earth, 

Robbie has helped grow Planet into a mission driven company serving over 30,000 users and 700

customers in more than 40 countries. As CSO of Planet, Robbie was integral to establishing Planet 

as a publicly traded Public Benefit Corporation in December 2021 ($PL). He leads the company’s 

long-term strategic trajectory, including mergers and technology partnerships, spearheading 

Planet’s acquisitions of VanderSat in 2021, Boundless in 2019, and BlackBridge in 2015. Robbie 

also manages the Space Systems Division, supporting the development of space technologies and 

mission operations. Previously, he was Managing Director of Planet Europe from 2016-2017 and 

currently serves on the Board of both Planet PBC and Planet Federal.

Prior to Planet, Robbie spent 9 years at NASA, where he helped build the Small Spacecraft Office 

at NASA Ames and acted as Chief of Staff for the Office of the Chief Technologies at NASA 

Headquarters. While there, he co-founded the NASA CoLab and Open NASA initiatives,

cultivating transparency, open innovation, and public participation within NASA. Robbie received 

an MBA from Georgetown University, focusing on social entrepreneurship and international 

business. He also spent a year at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France receiving 

an MS in Space Studies, concentrating on spacecraft cooperation for education and science, and 

he received his BS in Engineering Physics from Santa Clara University.
22

Dr. Jeremy Williams

Head of the Climate Corporation and Digital Farming, Bayer Crop 

Science

Climate Corporation uses satellite imagery and precision 

navigation through GPS to provide farmers and agriculture 

companies digital tools and data science to help farmers and 

companies sustainably increase productivity. 

Professional Background: Jeremy Williams serves as Head of 

Climate LLC, Digital Farming Solutions and Commercial 

Ecosystems for the Crop Science division of Bayer, where he leads a diverse team that develops 

digital tools to help unlock the next wave of Ag innovations. Based in Creve Coeur (St. Louis, 

Mo.), Jeremy is also a member of the Crop Science Executive Leadership team. 

Previously, Jeremy served as a member of the Research & Development Leadership Team as SVP, 

Head of Plant Biotechnology for the Crop Science division of Bayer. In that role, he led a global 

team to enable a robust plant biotechnology pipeline developing highly effective solutions to 

strengthen a plant’s resistance to insects, diseases, and other environmental stresses.

Service: Jeremy has 20 years of diverse biotechnology and agrochemical R&D experience. He 

came to Bayer Crop Science in 2018, having served in several R&D leadership roles at Monsanto 

including as head of chemistry R&D. He began his career as one of the founding scientists at 

Divergence Inc, a St. Louis-based startup, where he held a variety of scientific research and 

leadership roles, including Vice President of Discovery Research, prior to the company’s 

acquisition by Monsanto in 2011. He is a co-inventor of several patents held by Divergence and 

its collaborators and was named a Senior Monsanto Fellow in 2016. Jeremy is passionate about 

Inclusion and Diversity, and previously served as the President of the African Americans in 

Monsanto business resource network and as a sponsor for the WiSE Guys ally network. He is 

currently a member of the GROW Cabinet. Prior to Climate Corporation, Jeremy served as a 

member of the Research & Development Leadership Team as senior vice president and head of 

Plant Biotechnology for the Crop Science division of Bayer. Jeremy has 20 years of diverse 

biotechnology and agrochemical R&D experience. He came to Bayer in 2018, having previously 

served in several R&D leadership roles at Monsanto including as head of chemistry R&D. He 

began his career as one of the founding scientists at Divergence Inc, a St. Louis-based startup, 

where he held a variety of scientific research roles. 

Education: Jeremy graduated from Washington University with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics 

and from Swarthmore College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and French. He lives in St. 

Louis, Missouri with his wife Rachel Presti and their children Deryck (17) and Isabelle (14). His 

hobbies include science fiction & fantasy, wine and taekwondo. He and his family love to travel 

for vacation. 
23

Katrina Harden Williams

Middle School Teacher, Ames, Iowa

Ames Middle School: The school enrolls 33% economically 

disadvantaged students. The school's minority student enrollment 

is 33%. The student population is made up of 50% female students 

and 50% male students.

Professional Background: Mrs. Katrina Harden Williams has 

been an educator over the past 28 years in higher education and 

public-school education. For the past three years she has served as 

a middle school teacher in Ames, Iowa. She was also an Academic Advisor at Iowa State 

University and a former Director of the Mathematics Laboratory at Spelman College. Katrina is 

currently working toward a doctoral degree with her sights on continuing to make larger 

contributions to math education, as a professor.

Service: Katrina is the inaugural AIAA-American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2022 

Trailblazing STEM Educator Award winner, a 2021-2022 Iowa's Fierce and Fearless STEM 

Teacher Recipient and a Code.org Computer Science (CS) Discoveries Iowa educator. Katrina was 

also an invited speaker for several Iowa State University initiatives: the PWISE-Program for 

Women in Science Engineering Go Further STEM Conference & ASTEM and Educational 

Professional for the Science Bound CyCLIMB-Challenge, Learn, Inspire, Master and Believe, 

SHPS-MAES-Society of Hispanic Professionals-Mexican Americans Engineering and Science 

Youth Keynote Speaker events. She is a parent and educational advocate with many organizations: 

Jewels Academy in Des Moines, Iowa, AIPCA-Ames International Partner Cities Association, the 

Iowa Healthiest State Initiative: Make It OK Back The Black steering committee member, the 

SCCAN-Story County College Access Network and ITAG- Iowa Talented and Gifted and gladly 

serves as a certified group facilitator with SENG-Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (online and in-person). Katrina is also a MCPC-Morehouse College Parent Council servant leader for 

Region 6: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 

Wisconsin.

Education: Katrina received her Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of 

Arkansas at Little Rock in Little Rock, Arkansas and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics 

from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Katrina is a proud member of EDGEEnhancing Diversity in Graduate Education. She holds certifications to teach mathematics on the 

secondary level in multiple states, is a certified gifted educator and certified SPED-Special 

Education educator and driver’s education instructor.