SpaceVision 2024
Oct 3rd – 5th
Denver, CO
2024 Speakers M-Z
Molly MacEachen is a sustainability consultant with special interests in space sustainability, DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility), ESG (environmental, social, governance) measurement & reporting, and professional development. Previous professional highlights include supporting ESG reporting efforts with the UN Global Compact, establishing & coordinating the Advisory Board and Advisory Working Groups for the Space & Sustainability Initiative at CU Boulder, speaking at a plenary session at the 2021 International Astronautical Congress (IAC), participating as a delegate in the 2021 Space Generation Congress in Dubai, being selected as a 2021 Future Space Leaders Foundation (FSLF) Grant Recipient, and continuing to engage with FSLF as an alumni and volunteer. Most recently, Molly spent multiple years at a big 4 consulting firm supporting clients in their sustainability reporting efforts while engaging locally and nationally in DEIA and space-related initiatives.
In 2016, Dr. Maddigan joined the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at CU Boulder as an Assistant Professor of Astrophysics and a JILA Fellow. Before this, I was a NASA Einstein & Theoretical Astrophysics Center Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley. I received my Masters and PhD (2012) in Astronomy at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, and my undergraduate degree in Physics & Astronomy at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Ryan McLinko is CTO and Co-Founder of Astranis, which is building small, low-cost, Geostationary, telecommunications satellites to bring the rest of the world online. Astranis was started in 2015, launched a demo satellite in 2018, launched its first commercial spacecraft earlier in 2013, and will be launching four more spacecraft at the end of this year, which will provide service to the Philippines and North America mobility applications . He is also a member of the Board of Trustees and Board of Advisors for SEDS-USA.
With over a decade of experience as a strategic business leader, Genevieve McNally drives impactful change by merging expertise in Lean Six Sigma operations with a deep passion for marketing and cultural anthropology. She specializes in delivering strategic solutions that consistently create value for both clients and communities.
Armed with an MBA in SocioCultural Brand Management and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification, Genevieve possesses the analytical and leadership skills to innovate and execute cultural and operational strategies that deliver results. Her proven track record spans diverse industries, including John Madden Company, AEG Entertainment, BBIG Designs, and the Gomez Howard Group, where sh has driven success through rebranding, business model innovation, program development, enrollment growth, and portfolio management.
Jimmy Negus is a solar physics research scientist at CU Boulder/NOAA working with data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. Negus recently completed his Ph.D. in astrophysics at CU Boulder, and he has authored two books: Mysteries of Space: Black Holes Explained and Mysteries of Space: Supernovas Explained. Negus is also strongly involved in astronomy outreach—he led the campaign to bring a new scale model solar system to CU Boulder’s campus, which helps visitors better understand the size and vastness of space.
William Pomerantz is an experienced aerospace executive and board member with a successful track record in the entrepreneurial and philanthropic sectors. He is dedicated to broadening the aerospace community to new customers, new investors, new founders, new missions, and new employees.
Dr. Monty Greer
John Reed is United Launch Alliance’s Chief Rocket Scientist. In this role he manages the Technical Fellows program at ULA and is focused on a wide variety of initiatives from launch vehicle reuse to upper stage enhancements and trajectory planning, from defining our next generation capabilities to creating a culture of innovation and protecting Intellectual Property. He is also involved in several industry wide initiatives helping shape emerging markets. John is a long-time member of the AAS and an Associate Fellow of AIAA, actively engaged on a couple AIAA task force teams, the ASCEND event and AAS GN&C Conference.
Cari Reinert is a young space professional working to open new lines of accessibility to entrepreneurship and innovation in space. She is interested in the global space economy, space applications for terrestrial problems, and climate action advocacy.
Cari supports the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and its Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program by overseeing, organizing, storing, and analyzing programmatic and technical data and data products. She coordinates careful sharing of data to a wide variety of external government, commercial, and scientific stakeholders.
Erin Richardson is a PhD student in Bioastronautics at the University of Colorado Boulder researching human performance in extreme environments such as outer space. She completed her undergrad in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto with a major in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Robotics and Mechatronics and her Master’s in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at CU Boulder with a Certificate in Data Science. Excited by all things space, Erin has worked on space robotics and human-autonomy teaming, studied the effects of microgravity on the human body on a parabolic flight, completed her Private Pilot License, and learned to scuba dive. She is passionate about empowering youth to pursue STEM pathways and enjoys volunteering with the Canadian Association for Girls in Science and Let’s Talk Science.
With over 15 years of experience in strategy, partnerships, engineering, astronaut training, and space technology testing, I am a seasoned space professional known for building high-impact global teams and securing over $5.5 million in grants. My expertise spans Human Factors, Bioengineering, and Operational and Organizational Management, complemented by extensive STEM outreach.
Ron Rosano flew into space on Virgin Galactic’s Mission 04 on 6 October 2023. He has a passion of astronomy-related outreach with schools and the public since 1995, meeting with over 16,000 students and 230+ schools from nearly two dozen countries. Ron is also the creator and editor of The Suborbital Flight Journal https://www.suborbitalflightjournal.com
Gabriella Schauss is currently studying Aerospace Engineering at CU Boulder’s Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering and Sciences with a focus in bioastronautics and space suit design.
Dr. Monty Greer
Audrey Scott is a UChicago graduate student and interdisciplinarian aiming to bridge science questions with technological solutions. She brings nearly 15 years of diverse work and volunteer experience, earning her first paycheck at the age of 7, and know the value of how being a dedicated employee, team member, and leader contributes to organizational and project success.
Fun fact: Audrey is a professional actor – a card-carrying member of SAG/AFTRA since 2011. Critically acclaimed by the Washington Post, Variety, LA Times, IndieWire, and RogerEbert.com.
Kei is a Japanese American entrepreneur and innovation leader, currently serving as the Chief Business Officer at ISC Inc., Japan’s pioneering company in commercial space travel and microgravity services. He is also the CEO of its U.S. subsidiary, Sirius Technologies. Throughout his career, Kei has led world first, region first, industry first projects including developing Japan’s national database for evacuation shelters, producing the world’s first AI classical concert, and launching an award-winning smart speaker. His past roles include Managing Director at R/GA, Lab Leader at IBM Japan’s Digital Makers Lab, and Global Innovation Director at Dentsu.
Michael Staab is an experienced systems engineer for robotic and human-rated spacecraft missions, specializing in fault management (system health monitoring), system autonomy, avionics, mission analysis and design, and mission operations. He has direct experience in requirements generation, analysis, and management, functional/activity analysis and decomposition, interface definition and management, flight software, fault management and system autonomy, and Verification & Validation test planning and execution. Michael has extensive mission operations experience, including real-time operations support, spacecraft command & control, sequence development, anomaly response and resolution, and testbed operations. He supported numerous NASA missions, including Cassini, MER Opportunity Rover, Mars Perseverance Rover, NISAR, and HALO.
Eric Stallmer is the Executive Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy for Voyager Space Holdings Inc. Eric leads Voyager’s Washington D.C. office and is responsible for representing the interests of Voyager to key government institutions including Congress, the White House and several federal agencies that impact the success of the Voyager enterprise.
Dr. Jacquelyn Stanton is an Equity Practitioner providing consultation services specifically regarding Radical Healing for Families in Communities of Color. Jacquie is completing a doctorate in Organizational Psychology focusing on Organizational Development and Leadership from the University of Arizona Global Campus. This leads to her current endeavor in providing consulting initiatives in equity, diversity, and inclusion in both government, local government, housing and economic equity. She serves on the Colorado Access Region V Program Improvement Advisory
Dr. Monty Greer
Lee Steinke is the Chief Operating Officer of CisLunar Industries, former Interim COO of Orbit Fab, and an executive advisor to the aerospace, defense, and energy industries. As a partner to the United States Space Force and New Space Nexus, Lee led the 2022 Space Futures Workshop with Industry to explore commercial views on the future of space and document the implications of those views for national security. Prior to being in the aerospace industry, Lee was engaged in the energy industry working with several companies including WPX Energy and Texaco. In these roles, Lee was a key decision-maker for capital budgets reaching $760 million a year. She has led and managed multidisciplinary teams that added over a billion dollars in value through scaling of companies; turnaround of failing industrial processes; contributions to the success of major acquisitions and divestitures; and operational and technical improvements determined from science, engineering, and data analytics.
Sonia Stovall is the founder of No Offense, LLC, which facilitates workshops for organizations including the Colorado Space Business Roundtable’s J.E.D.I. Initiative. which combine laughter, critical thinking and kindness to the challenging conversations about organizational culture in the workplace. She combines entertaining, hands-on activities with education in each workshop.
Mel Stricklan is the Executive Director of Space Workforce for Tomorrow (SWFT), a pioneering alliance that unites the world’s top space companies with the shared goal of inspiring, preparing, and employing a more dynamic and vibrant space workforce to drive humanity into the next era. She also serves as Executive in Residence at Space Foundation, where she acts as a strategic advisor. Prior to her role at SWFT and Space Foundation, she served 21 years in the Air Force and was the Co-Founder and former CEO of Slingshot Aerospace. She currently serves on the National Space Council’s User Advisory Group and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee.
Rick Sturdevant
Space Force
Dr. Rick W. Sturdevant joined the U.S. Air Force History & Museums Program in 1984 and became deputy director of history for Air Force Space Command in 1999, United States Space Force in 2019, Space Operations Command in 2020, and director of history for Space Training and Readiness Command in 2021.He serves on the editorial board of Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly and is editor emeritus of the International Academy of Astronautics history series. Rick’s professional honors include the Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service Award (1995–1999), the American Astronautical Society (AAS) President’s Recognition Award (2005), election as an AAS Fellow (2007), Department of the Air Force Civilian Achievement Award, and AAS President’s Award (2023).
Greg Vialle is the founder of Lunexus Space, a Colorado startup seeking to energize the circular economy in space. Greg is a veteran, father, inventor, and multiple proposal awardee for his innovations including NASA Orbital Alchemy Challenge and a NSF Small Business Innovation Research grant. He is also somewhat notorious for instigating the “Recycle the ISS” movement at change.org/RecycleISS.
David Villahermosa is a senior industrial engineering student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez with a passion for space exploration. He founded UPRM’s first semi-autonomous rover team and has contributed to NASA RASC-AL winning projects. As a Zed Factor Fellow and an active member of SEDS-UPRM, David strives to make space accessible to all by bringing new opportunities and experiences to his community.
Alice Wade is currently an Aerospace Manufacturing Engineer at Jackson Bond Enterprises, Founder of the Sally Ride Fellowship, and Treasurer of 603 Equality. She was the former Vice Chair of SEDS-USA, Research Assistant at UNH’s Earth Ocean Space Center, Starship Avionics Intern at SpaceX Hawthorne, and President of UNH SEDS.
Christina Walker (she/her) has served as the Senior Director of Policy at Healthier Colorado since August 2022, where she directs the policy portfolio of the organization. Before that, Christina coordinated the public policy efforts of Clayton Early Learning as the Director of Policy & Advocacy, and worked for the Center for Law and Social Policy, Pew Charitable Trusts, and DC Public Schools. Christina graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Baldwin-Wallace College and has a Master of Public Administration concentrating in social policy from Cornell University. Christina serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Thriving Families, a Denver-based nonprofit serving pregnant people and new families.