Speakers

Abhi Tripathi has been working in Human and Robotic Space flight for over 20 years. He is presently the Director of Mission Operations at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Lab (SSL).  The lab currently operates 3 NASA missions and has 4 more it is actively building and testing in preparation for launch.  This includes the twin spacecraft ESCAPADE mission to Mars.  Abhi is also an advisor to several exciting aerospace startups, both through his involvement at the Berkeley Skydeck Accelerator, and on his own.

Prior to his role at SSL, Abhi spent 10 years working at SpaceX, starting a month before the first launch of the F9.  He led certification (by NASA) of the Cargo and Crew Dragon programs at SpaceX.  These vehicles were certified faster than any visiting vehicles, before or since.  He served as the Dragon Mission Director from mission control on a dozen cargo re-supply missions to the International Space Station.  He also served as a Dragon Chief Engineer for Flight Reliability on the Crew Demo 1 and Demo 2 missions.  Before SpaceX, Abhi spent 10 years as an Aerospace Systems engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center.  There he worked on NASA’s long term planning and design work for Moon and Mars campaigns.

Abhi has degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan and University of Colorado.  He holds a Ph.D. in Geology/Micropaleontology from UCLA.

Dr Ane Aanesland is a Norwegian deep-tech entrepreneur with deep roots in scientific research. She is the co-founder and CEO of ThrustMe, an industrial space startup providing innovative propulsion solutions to maneuver satellites in space. In 2020, ThrustMe became the first company to successfully demonstrate an iodine-propelled electric propulsion system in space and now they deliver industrialized products to clients worldwide and are baseline on large EO satellite constellations.
Ane received the Innovation Medal of the Centre Nationale De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in 2019 and was appointed by the French Government as an ambassador for its France 2030 space strategy in 2022.

Dan Adams is Head of Business Development and Sales for KSAT Inc. at Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT). Prior to joining KSAT, Dan previously led business development for civil space programs at United Launch Alliance (ULA). A space enthusiast, Dan is energized by the mission and the positive impacts space enables in our everyday lives.

KSAT is a world-leading provider of ground station services for satellites, rocket launchers, and experimental spacecraft. With over 50 years of experience, KSAT’s network today spans over 180 antennas at over 20 ground station locations across the globe (including Pole to Pole coverage from Antarctica to the Arctic) and is constantly expanding. KSAT is proud to be the behind-the-scenes bridge back to earth, supporting the vast majority of space companies, agencies, and start-ups.

Dr. Victor Aguero, a co-Founder of Cambrian Works is now serving as CEO and CTO. Cambrian Works is a startup focused on developing the commercial potential in space through the establishment of key space infrastructure.  Cambrian Works is currently supported through a combination of Space Systems Command, Space Development Agency, and National Science foundation funding, as well as initial commercial sales of space networking products.

Until mid-2020, Dr. Aguero served as a Senior Principal Research Engineer at SRI International, where for nearly 23 years he worked as a space technology developer and architect. His primary areas of interest had been space systems and advanced technology related to small satellites, satellite constellations, and enabling novel space missions. Dr. Aguero founded the small satellite program at SRI supporting the DoD/IC community by focusing on technology innovations, developments, and mission concepts during the mid-2000s through 2020. While at SRI, Dr. Aguero’s work led to eight patents, over 15 publications in refereed journals, and participation in over 13 on-orbit missions. His most recent work focused on communications and networking architectures for LEO constellations and clusters, and applications of robotic space systems.  The Cambrian Works team is now applying associated developments to commercial space.

Prior to joining SRI, Dr. Aguero worked two Space Shuttle missions carrying out research and engineering for the NASA Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1, 1992), its re-flight (TSS-1R, 1996) and associated payloads. During his graduate student years, Dr. Aguero also helped found and lead the Stanford University Small Satellite Program through the late-1980s to early 1990s. Dr. Aguero holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Raghavan is a Principal in Deloitte’s Telecom, Media and Technology industry practice. He has more than 16 years of experience in telecom and satellite communication industries.

Raghavan one of the leaders in Deloitte commercial space practice across industries, and with a significant focus on Technology and Telecom sectors. He is an expert and thought leader with respect to full lifecycle operations and ecosystems, as a Service and emerging business models, mergers & acquisition, and end to end customer experience.

Raghavan specializes in Strategy Planning, Growth, Commercial Due-diligence, Cost Optimization, Business Case Modeling, Process Transformation, Business Process Design, Change Management and Technology strategy. Raghavan has a deep understanding of carrier economics, having advised U.S., European and Asian providers on their market entry and growth strategies, and led projects in cost reduction and re-engineering of telecommunications and satellite communication carriers.

Raghavan graduated in Information Science from Bangalore University and subsequently earned a Master of Science from University of Edinburgh, UK. and MBA from the Indian School of Business, India. He is also an avid traveler, sports enthusiast and lives in Austin, with his wife and two boys.

Bulent Altan is a Founding Partner of Alpine Space Ventures, Europe’s leading venture capital firm investing in early stage companies focusing on foundational solutions that fuel the space industry’s commercialization.

Bulent is a NewSpace veteran having spent his two decades in this industry in the most cutting-edge and disruptive space companies.

Bulent began his career as one of the first employees at the then newly-established SpaceX in 2004, having graduated from Stanford University and following completion of his studies at the Technical University of Munich.

At SpaceX, he was essential in growing the company’s avionics department from seven people to over 200 and was as Vice-President responsible for the avionics of the Falcon rockets as well as the Dragon capsule. In his latest role for the company Bulent was Vice-President of Satellite Mission Assurance for SpaceX’s Starlink satellite mega-constellation.

Bulent left SpaceX from 2014 to 2016 to co-found the start-up ecosystem and aerospace industry in Europe, during which period he held positions as a partner and mentor at the Munich industrial start-up accelerator TechFounders and take on the role of Head of Digital Transformation and Innovation at Airbus Defence and Space.

Following his second stint at SpaceX until the end of 2017, Bulent also helped disrupt the space communications landscape leading Mynaric, a free-space optical communications company, as their CEO.

Eric Anderson is President of And One Technologies and a startup investor, advisor and mentor in aerospace, IoT, mobility and medical systems. He has contributed to dozens of space products, missions, and programs. Eric currently supports technology and business aspects of several satellite and space activities. He emphasizes delivery of data and services via new technologies, channels, and business models including government access and use of emerging commercial space products and services.

As Chief Technologist for Space at Moog, he helped lead the company’s space business and collaborated with worldwide colleagues on business strategy, technology and innovation across multiple markets. Eric was part of the leadership team at the nationally-recognized small company CSA Engineering, serving several years as President.

He was on the technical staff at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, worked at Sikorsky Aircraft, served eight years as a city Planning Commissioner and is on the board of the Kenya-based education non-profit The Kilgoris Project. Eric earned BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT.

Dr. Jun Asakawa founded Pale Blue in 2020 to develop next-generation space mobility after working as an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. He has led the development of propulsion systems for Procyon Probe (world’s first deep space microsatellite), AQT-D Satellite (water propulsion system), EQUULEUS Satellite (water propulsion system) and other small satellite/spacecraft. With his expertise in propulsion systems, Dr. Asakawa has won MIT Tech Review “Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020,” IEPC “Best Paper Award,” and has been selected as Bloomberg New Economy Catalysts 2022.

Brian Aziz is the Executive Director of Direct-to-Device (D2D) at Iridium where he leads the business strategy, planning, and execution of Iridium’s D2D business. Prior to joining Iridium in 2023, Brian was the Vice President of Satcom Solutions at Thales for 8 years, where he led the sales distribution and business strategy for Thales’ satellite communications business unit.

The majority of Brian’s career has been focused on the satcom mobility market, focused on the commercial distribution strategy of both hardware, services, and value-added applications. Over the last 18 years Brian has been fortunate enough to work in several different facets of the industry.

Brian Barritt is CTO at Aalyria where he supports the software infrastructure for orchestrating networks across land, sea, air, and space that they spun out from Google. Prior to joining Aalyria, he established a new industry consortium for 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks and supported open source connectivity at Meta. Brian was a Senior Staff Software Engineer at Google where he worked for 7 years as the founding engineer of the Temporospatial SDN infrastructure that powered several terrestrial, high-attitude, and satellite networks.

Brian has more than 15 years of experience in advanced wireless networks. Prior to his tenure at Google he led engineering programs at Cisco and space communications programs at NASA.

Brian earned an MBA in Management of Technology & Innovation and holds BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Engineering.

Tom Barton is the co-founder and CEO of Antaris, an early-stage satellite software innovator backed by Lockheed Martin Ventures, Acequia, Possible Ventures and E2MC. Tom and team created Antaris in 2021 with a vision to revolutionize Software for Space—including leveraging open APIs and open source to dramatically reduce costs and time-to-orbit for satellites. The company is widely considered a New Space disruptor for the satellite ecosystem and has closed deals with some of the industry’s most recognized leaders.

Tom previously served as COO of satellite leader Planet Labs for three years and was a member of the leadership team responsible for putting the largest imaging satellite constellation in history into orbit. He was also CEO of Diamanti, Rackable Systems and Cygnus Solutions and has held senior leadership roles at Red Hat and Lightspeed Venture Partners. He holds both a B.S. and M.B.A. from Stanford University.

Dr. Bryan Benedict serves as Senior Director of Innovation & Spacecraft Programs at SES Space & Defense. During his career he has worked extensively within the commercial industry, DoD and US Civil Agencies to socialize the advantages of hosting payloads on commercial spacecraft. Additionally, Dr. Benedict has been a key advocate in the commercial industry for the use of space robotics for both recovery and life extension of geosynchronous satellites. Dr. Benedict has been awarded a number of patents throughout his career – the latest for delivery of microsatellites to orbit piggybacking on the nadir deck of geosynchronous communication satellites.

Curt is an attorney and senior executive with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations in high-growth industries—and over 10 years as CEO of Spaceflight, Inc.—at the forefront of the NewSpace revolution. He has extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial analysis, legal strategy, M&A, and space commercialization, with deep knowledge about the unique challenges of NewSpace growth and the roadmap to success in the that ecosystem. He has forged relationships with key commercial, civilian, and defense-related customers. Milestones include opening the Indian PSLV to U.S. commercial customers, the first dedicated rideshare Falcon 9 launch vehicle mission deploying a then-record 64 satellites, and launching the first non-governmental mission to the moon (SpaceIL), as well as developing, launching, and orbiting several flavors of Sherpa, the Spaceflight OTV.

Brad brings over 20 years of software development experience in the aerospace industry to the ATLAS Space Operations team. He has designed, developed, tested, and deployed satellite command and control, mission planning, and data management applications throughout his career. Brad has led ATLAS’ initiative to fully integrate our Freedom Software™ with both ViaSat RTE and AWS Ground. Hence, expanding our globally federated network to 50 antennas in 20 Countries. Additionally, as the architect and visionary behind Freedom Ground Software as a Service™, Brad is responsible for hundreds of thousands of satellite passes and terabytes of data collected. He holds an MS in Computer Science from Northern Illinois University.

Steve “Bucky” Butow is the Director of the Space Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). He joined the team in 2015 as an early plank owner when DIU was known as the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) and helped establish the organization’s operating locations in Silicon Valley, California; Boston, Massachusetts; and Austin, Texas.

In his reserve capacity, Butow is a Brigadier General serving as the Commander of the California Air National Guard where he leads 4,900 Airmen assigned to five wings and a headquarters staff. Prior to this assignment, he was a Special Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard.
Butow is a former Commander of the 129th Rescue Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, CA, where his responsibilities included organizing, training, equipping, and maintaining 970 combat-ready forces and $1 Billion dollars of special mission aircraft and equipment supporting the U.S. Air Force’s combat rescue and personnel recovery missions. He has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Joint Search and Rescue Center for U.S. Central Command in 2005, and as Chief of Personnel Recovery for U.S. Air Forces Central in 2007 supporting Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to joining DIU, Butow was the Vice Chief of the Joint Staff, California Military Department with responsibilities including cybersecurity, incident awareness and innovation. He has more than 3,500 flying hours in T-37, T-38, C-130, HC-130 and MC-130P aircraft.

As a researcher with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Butow worked on instrument concepts for Mars surface soil analysis at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. He later served as co-principal investigator for a series of airborne science missions for which he was recognized for outstanding achievement and contributions to the Space Science Division in 1999 and received an Ames Honor Award as a member of an Astrobiology Mission Project Team in 2000.

Butow graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A. in Physics & Astronomy and earned a M.S. in Management with specialization in Air and Space Strategic Studies from the University of Maryland. He has also completed executive courses at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and was a member of the National Leadership Preparedness Initiative (NPLI) Cohort 16. Butow is a lifetime member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi for academic achievement.

Alan Campbell is a Principal Space Products Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS). His focus is on empowering customers with innovative new Cloud-based scalable solutions for the Aerospace & Satellite segment. Alan specializes in Data Analytics / ML enabling key insights in Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, and IoT platforms.  AWS Aerospace & Satellite helps customers reimagine how they design, launch, operate, and maintain space systems, derive insights to make better decisions faster, and, accelerate innovation. Learn how you can use AWS for your next mission to unlock the future of space and improve lives on Earth.

Prior to joining AWS, Alan directed the Panasonic Avionics Satellite Engineering team, delivering premium QoE to Inflight passengers. He led a major Cloud & Data migration of 100+ applications resulting in cost savings and SLA improvements.

Alan’s experience ranges from a Fellowship award at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, to authoring a book on Embedded Systems at Texas Instruments. He holds multiple Cloud certifications, satellite credentials and patents.

Phil Carrai is President of the Space, Training and Cybersecurity division of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc, where he is responsible for all aspects of business operations, sales, mergers and acquisitions. Kratos Defense is an approximately $650 million public company focusing in Aerospace and Defense products and services.

Kratos Space, Training and Cybersecurity provides products for satellite signal processing, testing, communications, cybersecurity, in addition to training and simulation products and services. Phil led the acquisitions of DEI (2010), Integral Systems (2011), SecureInfo (2011), BSC (2014) and the integration that followed which transformed the group to be a major provider of specialized products and related services to global commercial and government customers. Previously, he was the CEO of Ai Metrix, a telecommunications software company focused in the defense and commercial markets, which was sold to Kratos Defense in 2006.
He is a former Managing Director for the Morino Group and Special Advisor to General Atlantic, Inc. During that period, he served as the Executive Chairman for US mobile media leader Ztango until its sale to Widerthan.com (now part of Real Networks), and an active board member for Internosis, a commercial and federal services provider, until its sale to EMC.

Phil also was the CEO of McCabe and Associates, a testing and analysis software company, growing revenues during his tenure, and remained with the company as Chairman until its sale to a private equity firm. Between 1989 and 1996, Phil held a number of executive positions at Legent, including Vice President and General Manager of its $200 million Resource Management business unit, where he managed or was directly involved in numerous product launches, channel and international expansions, new product development, and mergers and acquisitions, including the merger with Computer Associates. Phil began his career as a systems analyst/programmer for Alcoa.

Phil currently serves as a board member for Network Alliance and is the President of the Alumni Board for Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from IUP in 1983 majoring in Information Science and Accounting, where he is a University Distinguished Alumni and a member of the Eberly Business Hall of Distinction, and received his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University in 1989.

Paul brings over 40 years of aerospace & defense industry experience to the Avalanche Technology team. He has held leadership engineering, sales, business development and management roles at semiconductor foundries (SkyWater & Cypress) to aerospace-targeted component solutions at Actel, Achronix, and Avalanche to board level products at Cobham & Mercury Systems all the way to system level satellite payload development at Hughes, NGC, and Boeing. As General Manager within Avalanche Technology, known as the leader of next generation Perpendicular STT-MRAM technology, accepted as the frontrunner to replace traditional Flash and SRAM for unified memory architectures in space-based systems, Paul applies this deep subject matter expertise and customer-focused acumen to provide scalable platform storage & configuration solutions, overcoming decades old bottlenecks. He holds BS degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from UCSB and California State University Long Beach, respectively.

Tim Chrisman is the Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for the Future, an advocacy nonprofit focused on the intersection of space, finance and policy. Additionally, Tim leads Toffler Associates’ Defense Innovation practice and is the Space and Intelligence Partner at Distinctive Edge Partners. Tim is a former Army intelligence officer, a special advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and most recently, a CIA officer supporting the National Space Council. Tim is the author of the book Humanity in Space and is a prolific writer about the expanse of our civilization in space.

With over 25 years of experience in satellite communications and regulations at international level, Mr Ciccorossi has taken the following responsibilities:

– Acting Head of the Satellite Systems Coordination Division at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

– Chairman of the 22nd. International Space Radio Monitoring Meeting (ISRMM), September 2021.

– Counsellor of DG-Plenary at the CPM-2023 and WG-6C at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2012.

– Represented the ITU Radiocommunications Bureau at WRCs since 2003, as well as at several regional and international fora, including CITEL, ICAO, International Astronautical Congress, Eurocontrol, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Forum Europe, the Regulatory Expert Group of the ISRMM and ITU Study Groups.

– Advising ITU Member States and Sectors Members on technical regulatory matters of space services.

– Responsible for the analysis of GSO and NGSO satellite systems submitted to ITU and the treatment of cases of harmful interference.

Jorge has conceived the first (and unique) Intergovernmental Online Platform to Report RFI cases affecting Satellite System (SIRRS), assisting 193 ITU Member States in its resolution.

He holds the degree of engineer in electronics from the National University of Technology (UTN) in Buenos Aires, an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, and has studied satellite communications and spacecraft design at the University of Surrey in the UK.

Mike Collett is Founder and Managing Partner of Promus Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in deep-tech early-stage startups, with offices in Chicago, San Francisco and Luxembourg. Mike has been a venture capital investor for over 20 years. Mike has invested in over 100 startups, including Rocket Lab, AngelList, Whoop, Mapbox, ICEYE, Bellabeat, FLYR, Kensho, Cobalt Robotics, Swift Navigation, and others.

Prior to Promus Ventures, Mike was Founder and Managing Partner of Masters Capital Nanotechnology Fund, a venture capital firm. While working at Masters Capital, a hedge fund, Mike invested in software and hardware startups. Prior to venture capital, Mike was a Vice President in Merrill Lynch’s Mergers & Acquisitions group.

Mike holds a BA in Math and BA in English from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a MBA in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis.

Mike and his wife Paige have four children and live in Chicago.

Robert J. Conrad is the Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for Kepler Communications and is focused on building a high-performance team to expand Kepler’s satellite relay network within the US and global markets. Robert is a strategic leader and team builder who has been responsible for more than $1 billion in sales supporting ground and space systems for the U.S. Government and commercial space industry. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated commitment to responsible leadership, governance, and strategy, and the ability to engage a broad range of stakeholders and drive strategic initiatives.

Previously, Mr. Conrad was Vice President of Business Development at SpaceLink, an innovative company that opened the market for commercial space data relay networks. There he leveraged his US Government and broad professional network to position SpaceLink as a finalist for the NASA CSP Project; a commercial replacement program for the NASA Tracking Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and secured SpaceLink’s first US Government contract with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Before SpaceLink, he led as Chief Executive Officer at LJT & Associates, a small business aerospace government contractor that provided a range of services including system engineering, satellite and ground station operations, technology development, space launch operations, logistics, and general engineering support. Mr. Conrad began as Vice President of Business Development and General Manager and went on to become Chief Operating Officer and finally President and Chief Executive Officer. He drove strategy and managed P&L and business development. Under his leadership, the company grew to over $70M in annual revenue.

In recent years, he led a high-performance engineering team that developed a high data rate Ku-Band and Ka-Band satellite transceiver (LCT2) to relay launch telemetry to the ground through the geosynchronous NASA TDRSS satellite system.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Conrad worked at Allied Signal Technical Services where he served as Deputy Director of Space Services. He provided management and technical oversight on space services contracts which included the Consolidated Space Operations Contract at NASA Johnson Space Center, JPL Deep Space Network Contract, and the Commercial DataLynx Space Ground Station Network.

Mr. Conrad earned his Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University with a concentration in RF & Satellite Communications, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Capitol College. He holds a U.S. Patent on a wide band continuously tunable satellite QPSK transceiver.

After leading software research and development for over two decades, Jimi is the founder & CTO of Orbital Insight. Orbital Insight helps business and policy decision-makers understand economic and societal trends through geospatial analytics. His corporate focus is to develop artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision, creating a new source of market data for diverse industries.

Before a successful $1B Monsanto acquisition, Jimi was the SVP of Science and Engineering at the Climate Corporation. Prior to that, he was CTO and Software Architect at Moon Express whose goal was putting the first commercial robot on the moon. As the Engineering Director for Google Book Search, he was in charge of Google’s project to scan, index, and make searchable all the world’s books. As EVP of Engineering at Composite Software, he led product development around data visualization.

At Nasa Ames Research Center, Jimi led Autonomy and Robotics projects and authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications, resulting in five patents. Jimi earned his Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, and BA in Math and Computer Science from Rice University.

He has a long-term interest in photography which led him, most recently, to eastern Idaho to photograph the August total eclipse.

Meagan is an expert in finance and entrepreneurship, with a specific focus on the most exciting new business sector of our time, space commercialization. Meagan is also a start-up coach, a mentor, and frequent non-profit volunteer. She helps convert big ideas into practical business opportunities by working with companies that are involved in exciting endeavors that benefit mankind, such as the commercialization of space, development of green energy projects, and structuring of next generation financial services.

Maurizio Cutroni has been serving as the Chief Commercial Officer at AVIO S.p.A. since 2021, following his initial tenure as the Head of the Commercial Operations Department, which began in 2015. In his current capacity, he efficiently manages all commercial activities associated with the Development and Production of the Vega family Launch Vehicles. Additionally, he holds responsibility for the Profit & Loss of the Vega Launch System exploitation.

Maurizio previously served as Programs Director at Europropulsion from 2016 to 2019. Europropulsion is a joint venture of Avio SpA and ArianeGroup, where he joined in 2015 as Program Manager for the initial phase of the Development and Qualification of the P120C SRM, a component that equips the Vega C First Stage and serves as a Booster for Ariane 6.

From 2006 to 2015, he held the position of Head of Vega Program, leading activities up to the Vega Qualification Flight and its initial exploitation phase.

Previously, Maurizio also played a key role at Europropulsion from 2001 to 2006. During this period, he spearheaded the Program Management of the P80 SRM Development and Qualification, a technology demonstrator for large Solid Rocket Boosters and the First Stage of the Vega Launcher.

His career at Avio began in 1995, with an initial focus on the Avio Design Office for Solid Propulsion Rocket Motors.

Maurizio Cutroni holds a Master of Science (Laurea Magistrale) in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Rome “La Sapienza”.

Richard DalBello is currently the Director of the Office of Space Commerce. In this role he is responsible for managing the Department’s efforts to establish a space traffic control system to ensure safe space operations for commercial and international civil space ventures. In addition, Richard is responsible for the regulation of the US commercial remote sensing industry and for general advocacy, across the government, for commercial space industry interests.

Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Richard was Virgin Galactic’s Vice President of Global Engagement. In this role, Richard was responsible for international business development for the company’s unique fleet of carrier aircraft and space vehicles. Prior to joining Virgin, Richard served as Director, Space and Aeronautics, in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this role, he served as the principal advisor on space and aeronautics matters to the Science Advisor to the President. In this position, Richard played a key role in the development and implementation of the Administration’s domestic and international space policy and program priorities.

Prior to joining OSTP, Richard served as the Vice President of Government Affairs for Intelsat General. He served previously as president of the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, and for more than three years as the president of the Satellite Industry Association.

Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree in law from McGill University, and a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of San Francisco.

Timur Davis is an Investment Director at Munich Re Ventures (MRV) where he leads the ClimateTech and Future of Transportation sectors, and invests in companies solving some of the biggest challenges facing the world. These include strengthening climate resilience, improving sustainability, enabling the energy transition, and creating new paradigms for the movement of people, goods, and data across all domains of transportation.

Prior to Munich Re Ventures, Timur was a Principal at Canapi Ventures and Live Oak Ventures, where he led the Series A and sat on the board of Kwipped and also invested in Greenlight Financial Technologies, Payrailz, and Finxact. Earlier, Timur was a Senior Investment Manager at Samsung Ventures where he led investments in BigCommerce (NASDAQ: BIGC), Audioburst, ScyllaDB, WellDoc, and Wildcat Discovery Technologies, among others.

Before becoming a venture capitalist, Timur was a strategy consultant, first at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in New York, USA and then at the Samsung Global Strategy Group (GSG) in Seoul, South Korea. In both roles, Timur led consulting engagements focused on growth strategy in a variety of fields including banking, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and enterprise software.

Timur lives in San Francisco and holds a PhD from the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics at Columbia University and a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from Rutgers University.

Guy is passionate about the expansion of human activity into space and how it brings immense value to our long-term sustainability and prosperity. Guy was an award winning NASA engineer, GNC engineer at Firefly and systems engineer at the Space Flight Lab before starting Cognitive Space in 2018 to fuel the space industry through AI. In his capacity as CEO, he sets the overall strategic and business direction of the company to maximize the value and impact to humanity.

Mindel De La Torre leads all regulatory and international market entry matters for Omnispace’s seamless ‘one global network.’ In this role, she applies her expertise in licensing, spectrum policy and international telecommunications to obtain key regulatory approvals on behalf of the company.

Previously, Mindel was Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, where she led the agency’s efforts internationally – both on a bilateral and multilateral basis – including licensing of satellites. Prior to that, Mindel was President of Telecommunications Management Group, Inc., a leading global telecommunications policy consultancy. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions on delegations to ITU global conferences. She also held various posts at the Department of Commerce in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the General Counsel’s office.

Mindel received her juris doctorate from the University of Texas and holds her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. She is a member of the Texas bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association and speaks Portuguese, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Tim Deaver serves as the VP of Strategic Solutions and U.S. Government Business Development and Sales in the Mynaric Washington D.C. area office and is responsible for creating and marketing customer solutions for Mynaric’s industry leading Laser Communication Terminals. Tim leads a team focused on Customer Success, from requirements capture, to solutions development, and customer delivery. He works closely with the Mynaric Sales and Engineering teams across critical Government and Commercial markets.

Prior to joining Mynaric, Tim worked for Airbus U.S. Space and Defense for 3 years leading their US Government focused small satellite capture and engineering efforts.

Mr. Deaver also worked for SES and SES Government Solutions for over 10 years where he led the business and product development activities.  Mr. Deaver led the SES GS team which won the USAF Space and Missile System Center (SMC) Pathfinder 1 contract for the purchase of near-end of life transponders, SMC’s Pathfinder 3 contract for prelaunched capacity on an SES satellite, the NASA Global-scale Observation of Limb and Disk (GOLD) hosted payload launched on SES-14 (built by Airbus Defense and Space) in 2018 and the FAA’s Wide-Area Augmentation System (WAAS) payload launched on SES-15 in 2017. Mr. Deaver also served as the program manager and eventually the Program Executive for the Commercially Hosted Infra-Red Payload (CHIRP) program which was launched in September 2011 aboard the SES-2 spacecraft.

Prior to joining SES, Mr. Deaver served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force in various space operational, acquisition and policy positions.  Tim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nebraska, a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado and a Master’s Degree from Air University.

Mike Dickey is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova. Dickey is a career aerospace executive focusing on national security and U.S. space competitiveness for the 21st century. Mike’s experience includes both serving as an Air Force officer, as well as a civilian senior executive level during the stand-up of the United States Space Force. He also has extensive experience advancing space strategy and business development within the space industry.

Dickey’s military career spans a variety of roles and mission areas including space operational commands in the Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office, early development of the Navy’s Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System for the Missile Defense Agency, and flight test of the B-2 Spirit bomber. He was also detailed to NASA, supporting requirements for the International Space Station.

As a civilian, Dickey served as Chief Architect of Air Force Space Command and then the U.S. Space Force and was instrumental in standing up the Space Warfighting Analysis Center. His efforts helped lead advance strategic shift of the Air Force’s space enterprise to a more resilient and combat effective posture.

Dickey has a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado and a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and three professional military education courses. His honors include 27 military awards, the NASA Group Achievement Medal and the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal.

He participated in leadership programs from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and the Center for Creative Leadership, and is an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Preston Dunlap has over 20 years of executive leadership experience across technology, national security, and private investment. He is the founder of Arkenstone Ventures, serves on Boards and as Lead Independent Director of Pixxel Space Technologies, advises Fortune 100 and growth companies, private equity, venture capital, and institutions such as RAND, Stanford, and MIT and is a Senior External Advisor at Bain & Company.

He led the Defense Department’s Investment Committee strategy, analysis, and diligence for the Secretary of Defense to allocate and deploy $750B+ annually in industry sectors supporting national security, such as infrastructure, services, space, cybersecurity and software, AI, communications, transportation and logistics, ships, aircraft, vehicles, and weapons.

Mr. Dunlap started $250B+ of new programs with 4 Secretaries of Defense, including the newly unveiled B-21 bomber, Hypersonic Prompt Strike, classified space and intelligence, and Joint All-Domain Command and Control programs.

He led initiatives with the Vice President of the United States and Cabinet on the future of commercial, civil, and national security space, transformed federal Venture Capital investment, was the first Chief Technology Officer of the Space Force and Air Force with $75B of products, and served on the ground floor of successful software and infrastructure companies.

He holds a Master of Science in Operations Research and Management Science from George Mason University, a Bachelor’s degree in both Computer Science and Political Science from Duke University, and was a Harvard National Security Executive Fellow.

Mr. Dunlap is frequently cited as an authority in international media and as an expert witness for the United States Congress. His awards include the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, Secretary of the Air Force Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, and Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service.

Dr. Baris I. Erkmen has been active in the development of advanced optical communication and sensing systems for two decades. He is presently CTO at Aalyria Technologies, driving the development of lasercom technology to connect space and ground communication networks.

Before joining Aalyria, Baris was the CEO of Hedron Space (2022-2023), developing an optical data-relay network for Earth-observation satellites. His past responsibilities include Engineering Director of Project Taara at X, the moonshot factory (2017-2022), where he developed a high-performance wireless optical communication product to expand terrestrial broadband networks. Prior to that he was the Lead for Project Loon’s Free-Space Optical Communications effort (2013-2016), where he and his team developed optical communications technology for a stratospheric platform. Baris has also been the Principal Investigator for NASA’s OPALS laser communication demonstration (2009-2013), which successfully demonstrated an optical downlink from the International Space Station to Earth. In 2022, Baris was elected Fellow of Optica for contributions to the advancement of wireless optical communication systems in performance, technology maturity, large-scale manufacturability, and cost.

Baris’s interests encompass the application of both classical and quantum properties of light to enhance communication and sensing capabilities for terrestrial, airborne, and spaceborne systems.

Dr Marco Esposito is Managing Director at cosine Remote Sensing.

Marco completed his PhD in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Naples, specializing in airborne remote sensing for air quality and land management. Having worked on various aerospace projects in Italy, most recently as coordinator of the Environmental Research Aircraft Lab of the Italian National Research Council, Marco moved to the Netherlands.

Marco spent almost 4 years at ESA ESTEC as calibration engineer first, in the science department working on EUV to IR sensors calibration for future planetary missions, and then as performance engineer in the Earth Observation department working on Sentinel 5 Precursor spectrometer TROPOMI.

Marco has been involved in a variety of research and development activities at cosine, all focusing on the miniaturization of optical instruments for Earth Observation and miniaturized suites of instruments for planetary exploration. Marco has been leading the development of space products including space Lidars for vegetation and bathymetry, as well as intelligent spectral imagers for EO from small satellites. He has produced more than 40 scientific publications, either as first author or as a co-author.

Having gained experience as system and performance engineer, project manager, program manager and team leader at cosine, Marco became managing director of cosine Remote Sensing as well as of the Italian branch of cosine.

Marco led the commercialization of the hyperspectral product line at cosine, the first ever miniaturized class of imagers able to connect hyperspectral, thermal imaging and artificial intelligence techniques in one compact solution for the Earth observation market.

Marco is currently leading the scale-up of the remote sensing business at cosine as well as the setup of the space factory for the series production of smart remote sensing instruments for Earth Observation.

Ron Faith is a serial entrepreneur returning to the space industry after stints in cloud computing and mobile commerce. Most recently Ron was the CEO of Datacastle, a cloud based endpoint data protection company acquired by Carbonite last year. Prior to Datacastle, Ron worked at Apple Computer where he launched Apple’s first standalone Internet product in the mid-90s. Ron is a published author and patent owner. Ron graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering where he performed research for Boeing Aerospace and Defense Group in frequency selective surfaces. Ron attained his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College where he double-majored in Engineering Sciences and Philosophy.

Chris Faletra has more than 35 years of experience in the satellite communications industry. Born in Boston, MA, Chris’s satcom career began at GTE Telecom International Systems, Waltham, MA in 1986, starting as a Co-Op student from Northeastern University and moving up to Senior Project Engineer. Chris currently continues to expand the services available at COMSAT Teleports. The long time WTA Tier 4 certification of both the COMSAT Southbury and Santa Paula put them in a unique position to support Ground Segment Infrastructure for the GEO/MEO/LEO Services.

Tim has over 30 years of experience across the telecom and satellite industries, having worked for leading consulting firms in both the UK and US. In 2002, Tim founded his own consulting company, TMF Associates, based in Menlo Park, CA, which has supported numerous operators, suppliers and investors, on market and technical analysis, business planning, and due diligence assignments. He was President of MSUA from 2006 to 2015 and since 2016 has been an independent director of Marlink.

Feher’s professional career in the space industry spans more than 18 years, and includes business and technical leadership roles at Momentus, Maxar, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

As VP of Business Development at Momentus (NASDAQ: MNTS), Feher built up product development, sales and marketing from the early days when Momentus was a seed-stage startup and led revenue growth through Momentus’ IPO.

At Maxar, she co-founded a Strategic Ventures business unit to diversify offerings and bridge products and services to emerging markets.

Feher is a board member of SSPI, serving as the Co-Chair of the Elevating Women Committee. She remains an active advocate for diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and team building. Feher earned an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University.

Julián Fernández is the CEO and Co-Founder of FOSSA Systems, the Spanish company democratizing mass access to interoperable low-power IoT devices from space which has already launched 17 satellites into Space. Julián has experience in LoRa communications, IoT deployments and space infrastructure, having launched the first Spanish picosatellite FOSSASAT-1 in 2019 at the age of 16 and later founding FOSSA Systems as a company at 17. He was chosen as a Forbes 30 under 30 in 2022 and as one of the Top 105 NewSpace Executives. He has a background in telecommunications engineering, LPWAN technologies and currently manages a team of 25 people.

Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel is PLD Space Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers. Pablo brings extensive knowledge and experience in the aerospace market, specifically in the sector of Commercial Launch Services. Since September 2019, the former SpaceX employee has been working in the commercial and customer management of the Spanish company, representing PLD Space.
Before joining PLD Space, Pablo developed his professional career from California (United States) working as Mission Manager of Launching Services with SpaceX as well as providing aerospace consulting services.
Previously, Pablo had participated actively in several other rocket launch operations, such as Ariane 4, Ariane 5, Soyuz, Dnepr, Vega, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Pablo has participated in more than forty launch campaigns with different clients and launch bases such as Kourou (French Guiana), Yasny (Russia), Vandenberg (California) and Cape Canaveral (Florida).
Pablo has worked as a Launcher and Satellite Design Engineer at Airbus Defense and Space (CASA Espacio). Also, as Launch Mission Manager and Launcher Integration Engineer at Arianespace. Next, Pablo transition his career to the United States as a customer representative with Hisdesat (in Palo Alto), for the launching of the SPAINSAT and XTAR satellites with Ariane 5. After that, worked as Business Development Manager at INSA (ISDEFE), and also participated in the development and execution of the first mission of the Vega launcher with the European Space Agency. He was responsible for Business Development and Integration, putting into service the Earth observation satellite DEIMOS-2 with Elecnor-Deimos.
Currently, Pablo coordinates his activities between the United States and Europe where he directly addresses the needs of customers. “One of my main objectives is to keep up with the needs of our launch services to customers and validate the integration process. The preparation of the PLD Space’s first launch is one of my priorities as well as following market trends.”, expresses.

In addition, Pablo is registered with the U.S Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), to be able to interact with different types of customers and suppliers, both in the commercial field and in other more restrictive areas, such as defense whose activities may be subject to ITAR regulation.

Dennis founded LEOcloud to bring to market the first Space-hardened, scalable, multi-cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). LEOcloud Space Edge™ IaaS will enable the lowest latency and highest security for AI and analytics applications hosted in LEO, the lunar region and beyond. Multi-cloud services hosted in Space will drive competitive and operational advantage for commercial, government and military organizations.

He is a thought leader for Space-based cloud services, and believes the emerging Space economy will require terrestrial communications and cloud infrastructure to be extended into Space.

Prior to forming LEOcloud, Dennis was the Chief Commercial Officer for Cloud Constellation Corporation where he had global responsibilities for sales, marketing, channel management, and strategic alliances.

Dennis has over 35 years of experience in terrestrial, aerospace and Space-based technology, solutions and managed services. He has a track record of bringing emerging technologies to market working, with global partners and service providers to introduce next generation solutions into their communications and cloud service offerings.

He earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, and his MBA from Radford University.

Tina Ghataore joined Aerospacelab in August 2023 as Group Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, and CEO of Aerospacelab’s new North American branch. Prior to joining the fast-growing international startup specialized in designing, manufacturing and operating small satellites, Tina served as Chief Commercial Officer of Mynaric and President of Mynaric USA where she led the company’s efforts to position Mynaric as the preferred laser communication provider for aerospace application for both government and commercial markets.

In 2022, Tina’s contribution to the aerospace industry was recognized by both the public and industry peers alike when she was voted Via Satellite’s “Satellite Executive of the Year”, accepting her award in front of a select audience at the industry’s leading annual conference ‘Satellite 2022’.

Before to take on her leading role at Mynaric, she was the Executive Vice President of Inflight Connectivity Solutions at Yahsat, a leading UAE Satellite Operator, where she was responsible for the overall strategy and execution of enabling the organization to launch into the Mobility Satcom Services business. In 2007, she founded The EKKAM Group, a strategic management consulting firm focused on serving clients in the aerospace/aviation and telecom industries. Key clients included Airbus, Panasonic and Thales. Tina held multiple leadership roles at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, where she was instrumental in efforts to launch the Panasonics Global Communications Services business, currently serving over 80+ airlines globally. She was also charged to establish the strategy and grow the software, applications and media business, serving the In-Flight Entertainment and Communications industry.

Tina began her career at The Boeing Company’s Satellite Systems business unit. She was integral to the building and launch of Connexion by Boeing (CBB) business, the first-of-its-kind true broadband communications services for commercial airlines. As part of the business development organization, she participated in the early pursuits of the Teledesic (LEO) and Ellipso (MEO) satellite programs. She was also a key member of the due diligence team efforts, resulting in the acquisition of Hughes Space and Communications. Tina received her Bachelor of Honors Degree in Aerospace Engineering from Kingston University in the U.K. She is also a graduate of the International Space University.

As Vice President of Strategy at Omnispace, George Giagtzoglou is responsible for developing corporate strategy, market and competitive intelligence, and supporting strategic partner development initiatives for the company that is redefining mobile communications.

Previously, George was the President of Alazo Consulting. In this role he delivered expert satellite industry insights to support strategic investments and acquisitions. The company serves companies seeking to invest in satellite communications, satellite operators, satellite industry vendors, banks, bondholders with satellite industry debt, private equity firms, and satellite bandwidth customers seeking to restructure their business.

George was also previously the head of Corporate Development at ABS Global with responsibilities including corporate development, corporate & regional strategy, business planning, market intelligence, satellite business case development, and financing.

Prior to ABS he was with Intelsat for 11 years as the head of Corporate Strategy & Planning and also led Corporate Development, Global Marketing, Product Strategy & Development, and Business Development. Mr. Giagtzoglou was instrumental in various company sale processes in 2005 and 2008, and the acquisition of PanAmSat in 2006. He played a key role in developing and commercializing the company’s capabilities, primarily in the area of broadband services.

Prior to joining Intelsat in 2000, Mr. Giagtzoglou’s career in the space and telecommunications industry included engagement leadership positions in the telecommunications practice of A.T. Kearney Management Consultants, and senior engineering and business management positions at Telstra (Australia).

Daniel Gizinski is the Chief Strategy Officer at Comtech. In his current role, Daniel is focused on creating comprehensive strategies and developing innovative technologies that will help ensure the U.S. Department of Defense and coalition forces maintain a strategic advantage across today’s information dominant battlespace. Daniel collaborates with teams across the enterprise to develop cutting-edge, integrated solutions that address the most challenging mission needs of today while anticipating capabilities that will be needed in the future.
During his tenure with Comtech, Daniel has held multiple senior management and leadership positions including serving as the President of Comtech Satellite Network Technologies, Inc. and holding a position as Vice President of Product and Strategy for Comtech Systems, Inc. Prior to joining Comtech in 2019, Daniel held program management and leadership positions at General Electric, Sierra Nevada Corporation and L3Harris Technologies.
Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Duke University.

Katherine is the Chief Executive Officer for River Advisers (formerly ManSat) which specializes in international spectrum regulation and market access. Before joining River Advisers, Katherine worked with U.S. defense contractors to bring commercial satellite and terrestrial communication technologies to austere environments in support of military, civil, and commercial initiatives.
Katherine serves as Chairwoman of Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), mentors through the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator and Space Generation Advisory Council, and supports the ITU’s Girls in ICT initiative.
A graduate of the International Space University’s Executive Program, Katherine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia.

Jacqueline founded Magnestar in December 2021, for satellite operators, regulators, and military groups, to predict signal interference, expedite coordination agreements, and enable a secondary market for spectrum; increasing communications resiliency in contested and congested environments.

Jacqueline won the SATELLITE 2023 startup award, graduated from the 2023 Creative Destruction Lab Space Stream and is a Canadian Delegate to the International Telecommunications Union under the United Nations.

She is a graduate of the International Space University, and was previously the Director of Data Strategy and Product Development at OMERS, the $124B pension fund, and was the lead Canadian Solutions Engineer for TIBCO Software.

Lori Gordon, MPA, PMP is a Systems Director in the Corporate Chief Engineer’s Office at The Aerospace Corporation, leading national security, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection and resilience enterprise integration initiatives for the space enterprise. With almost two decades of experience in the Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) and private sector communities, she has advised a range of federal agencies in initiatives to accelerate technology innovation in complex systems while mitigating national security and civil space enterprise risk. Ms. Gordon is a Partner with Aerospace’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy (CSPS) and a Fellow at the National Security Institute (NSI), and has served on several curriculum advisory boards in cybersecurity and information technology, law and government, and resilient design. Ms. Gordon holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Ralph Grundler is Director of BD at Aitech Systems the leading supplier of rad-hard and rugged embedded electronic systems. An experienced professional, Ralph has a long history in the development and marketing of semiconductors, IP, SoCs, FPGAs, computers and embedded systems. Before joining Aitech Systems, he worked at Flex Logix, the leading supplier of rad-hard eFPGA technology and Synopsys, where he did marketing for interface IP subsystems working with Space ASIC developers and IP prototyping hardware as well as business development for the Japanese market. He has done many video and live presentations on a wide variety of technical subjects. He has 30 years of computer and semiconductor industry experience.

Tarun Gupta is Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Skylo Technologies, the world’s most ubiquitous non-terrestrial network (NTN). His role is to deliver an elegant end-to-end IoT solution that gives customers the ability to transform their business. Skylo is the only solution that can cost-effectively provide 100% coverage across the globe – from space – allowing customers to connect to any part of their business anywhere, at any time, all the time.

At Skylo, Tarun sets the vision for product development, innovation, and design. He manages the product management, product marketing, business development, marketing efforts and other strategic initiatives across the organization.

Prior to joining Skylo, Tarun worked for Google in various roles. Notably, he was the Head of Strategy and Operations for the Google Assistant, and helped bring the Gigabit Fiber to thousands of residences across the US. Tarun has 20+ years of experience in engineering and development of telecommunications networks. He advises several companies regarding market fit, product enhancements, and overall strategic direction.

Tarun earned his BSEE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia and his MS degree in Management as a Fellow from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Andrew Haslehurst is the Chief Technology Officer at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) with over 20 years’ experience on satellite programmes from low earth orbit to geostationary and beyond.

He received his first class honours in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hertfordshire then entered the graduate programme at Airbus Defence and Space working on the Beagle 2 Mars programme before joining SSTL to develop their mechanisms capabilities.

Throughout his time at SSTL Andrew has worked in a variety of technical leadership roles across engineering from power, propulsion to optical / RF payloads and beyond.  Working with the teams on project delivery and developing new products this has seen Andrew leading the next steps in the development for the innovative Carbonite mission series developing the technologies for the large deployable SAR for CarbSAR and the innovative MWIR payload for Darkcarb.

Aaron Hawkins is the Director for Viasat’s Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) business area and the strategic partnership manager. In those roles, Aaron is charged with enabling the network’s global expansion, building alliances, and developing innovative win-win solutions to enhance RTE customer success. He has overseen the expansion of RTE from two sites in 2019, to a global network of S/X/Ka-band antenna systems supporting missions from EO-imagery and SAR to orbital debris removal and Optical ISL demonstrations for commercial and government satellite operators.

Aaron has 20 years of experience in defense and aerospace earned through careers in the government and private industry. He started his professional career as a national security representative in the executive branch of the United States government. For over a decade, he served in various domestic and overseas assignments focused on confronting transnational crime through engagement with allied partners, often times incorporating geospatial solutions. Following his service, Aaron joined Viasat as a Director of International Business Development for Earth Observation antenna systems, provided training and consulting within the U.S. government, and since 2019 has led revenue generation, strategic alliance, and network growth in the RTE ground service business area.

Dr. Lucy Hoag is the Founder and CEO of Violet Labs, an early stage startup building single-source-of-truth software for complex hardware engineering teams. The Violet platform is the first SaaS integration platform that is purpose-built for hardware. Like Zapier, but for rockets and robots.

Prior to founding Violet, Lucy spent time as a Systems Engineer and Technical Program Manager at DARPA (SETA for TTO), Google, Waymo, Lyft and Amazon, helping bring satellite, self-driving car and drone projects to life.

Jeff Huggins is an aerospace and defense sector expert, growth leader and President of the U.S. arm of Cailabs, a global company and leading player in laser communications.

After leaving behind a distinguished career as a Naval Intelligence Officer, during which he focused on national overhead and intelligence systems, Jeff moved into the private sector, where he held senior roles at several major companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries North America and Raytheon. He led the expansion of an established $24 million company, driving it to more than $40 million in value between 2016 and 2020, and served as the CEO and Chairman of the Board of the U.S. classified aerospace wing of Safran. Safran, a major French aviation company, is the second-largest aircraft equipment manufacturer in the world.

Jeff, who also worked as a presidential appointee in the State Department, holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from the Darden School of business at the University of Virginia with additional graduate studies at the Naval War College and the Naval Postgraduate School.

He is considered an expert in combining the creative applications of tech, people and solutions to grow companies. At Cailabs, he is driving growth in the U.S. to meet rising demand from the defense and commercial sectors.

George John ensures regulations do not disrupt innovation and investment for established and emerging technologies particularly in the aerospace, telecommunications, sports, medical, and mobility industries.

Technologies empowering satellite connectivity, smartphone downloads, the monitoring of ball trajectory and speed or athlete biometrics at sporting events, real-time telehealth applications, and drone deliveries encounter U.S. and international regulation.

Operators of these and similar platforms regularly rely on George to navigate related legal, policy, and technical challenges. He advises clients on radiofrequency (RF) spectrum use, orbital debris mitigation, and remote sensing licensing while engaging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, national administrations outside the United States, and international standards bodies, including the International Telecommunication Union. Those interactions have helped him shape and streamline regulations on RF spectrum, the safety and sustainability of space, and Earth imagery; negotiate RF spectrum rights at international fora; and complete associated due diligence for venture-capital and private-equity investments.

Before joining Hogan Lovells, George served as in-house regulatory and transactional counsel for a pioneering nanosatellite company, where he secured satellite, earth station, and remote sensing licenses and negotiated satellite launch and insurance agreements. Other previous stops include the FCC’s International Bureau Satellite Division, where he tackled satellite and earth station licensing and rulemakings, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Chief Counsel, where he undertook commercial space launch, reentry, launch site operation, and other aviation regulation projects.

Outside of work, George actively mentors young lawyers and others interested in space, telecommunications, and technology.

Ian Jones is the founder, CEO and significant shareholder of Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd. He is a satellite communications engineer and entrepreneur with over 35 years’ experience in the industry with a background in digital satellite communications systems, RF design, earth station development and operations.

He graduated from Leeds University in 1985 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He developed new Digital Signal Processing satellite modems at BT Research Labs and Communication Systems Research Ltd (CSRL), leading the design of the Inmarsat Aero communication system. When CSRL was acquired by Ferranti International, Ian was promoted to Head of Satellite Engineering and subsequently Head of Business Development within the Ferranti Computer Systems Division.

In 1994 he co-founded Orbit Research Ltd where he was Managing Director and 50% shareholder. Ian was responsible for a number of innovations and new product designs for satellite communication systems including remote control monitoring systems for satellite earth stations.

In 2008 he founded Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd and built a successful, profitable business leasing the antennas at Goonhilly from BT and bringing them back into service. In January 2014, Ian led the team completing the successful acquisition of Goonhilly.

Ian’s vision for a sustainable, profitable and diverse business at Goonhilly is rapidly taking shape with a growing client base covering all aspects of commercial satellite communications, deep space communication and space domain awareness. In November 2023, Goonhilly completed its acquisition of Comsat adding Southbury and Santa Paula teleports to its portfolio.

Lewis is a VP at Generation Space, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seraphim Space Manager which manages a $300M AUM fund entirely focused on space. Lewis holds a first-class Aerospace degree from the University of Southampton and was previously a Thermal Analyst working on jet engines at Rolls-Royce. At Generation Space, Lewis has supported more than 20 transactions into space businesses, responsible for over $150m of deployed capital.

Ari leads company operations at Starfish Space, overseeing functions including finance, people operations, and marketing, among others. During his time at Starfish, Ari has helped coordinate the company’s Series A fundraise, built the company’s hiring and organizational infrastructure, and spearheaded marketing for the Otter Pup mission.

Prior to Starfish, Ari was a member of the National Football League’s business development team, negotiating partnerships with some of the world’s largest digital platforms, and contributing to the league’s content strategy for OTT streaming platforms. Before joining the NFL, Ari was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, helping large legacy companies build new digital business units.

A corporate partner and satellite practice co-head, Steve Kaufman uses industry knowledge and versatility to negotiate and close many types of deals globally.

For 18 of his 30 years at the firm, Steve served as outside general counsel for satellite clients, leading strategic joint ventures, “bet-the-company” contracts, financings, and M&A.

What Steve does best: understanding complex business issues and translating them into legal documents. If a client can describe something, Steve can draft it. Working from complicated to simple, he has many times reduced a lengthy contract into a few pages of bullet points, showing the client what it needs and how to obtain it. He has even written a business and financing model for parties in the form of an agreement. Many clients comment that the business guidance from Steve is as valuable as the legal advice.

Steve relies on his familiarity with issues common to satellite and communications companies to give him an edge in negotiations. This experience produces extra benefits when Steve deals with specialized satellite contract terms, targeted warranties, creative covenants, use of insurance to close gaps, license and spectrum issues, and even finance and accounting matters. According to Chambers Steve Kaufman is “a real authority and somebody who will always know the answer.”

In advising clients, Steve emphasizes practicality, striving to achieve the client’s business objectives for the transaction, whether economic, risk reduction, regulatory/compliance, or transaction speed. This carries over into deal management as well as negotiations, where he willingly takes the lead. Steve and satellite practice co-head Randy Segal are regulars at the satellite conferences, making connections among clients and even adverse parties. He is listed in Chambers, Super Lawyers, and Legal 500.

Aerospace and defense technology industries executive Tim Kienberger brings two decades of innovative leadership and experience to his role as the CEO of LeoStella.

Over the course of his career, Tim successfully delivered business growth, innovative products, and advanced technologies for emerging markets. He has continuously driven impactful results for customers and constituents in the advancement of space systems as a strategic leader with expertise in operations management, program execution and new methods that include Model-Based Engineering to improve product performance and delivery.

Prior to joining LeoStella, Tim built strong executive-level programs at industry-leading companies including L3 Harris and Boeing. He has extensive experience advancing enterprises beyond legacy organizational boundaries by leading teams through fast-paced development, production, launch and operations of small spacecraft constellations. Additionally, he formulated market strategies for complex, proprietary products, crafted robust processes in operations management and program execution, and fostered robust business expansion. Tim has developed a unique sense and skillset for how to pioneer success and meet customer needs effectively and efficiently.

Tim earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Physics from Pacific Lutheran University, a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Washington and an Executive MBA/International Masters in Management from Purdue Krannert School of Management and TIAS/Nimbas Business School in the Netherlands.

Dr. David Korsmeyer is the acting deputy center director at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

Most recently, Dr. Korsmeyer was the associate center director at NASA Ames for nearly two years and was responsible for the overall scope and direction of the center’s operations and facilities. He also managed the NASA Research Park – co-located at Moffett Field – which hosts academic, industry, and other government organizations. He is one of four senior center leaders guiding and managing NASA’s virtual institutes based at Ames, competitive internal research and development projects, and external research collaborations.

Korsmeyer previously has served as the associate center director for Research and Technology where he led the Center’s overall efforts in research, sciecne, and engineering developments that support NASA’s missions in aeronautics, science, exploration, and technology. Key achievements during this time included the successful initiation NASA’s next lunar rover, the VIPER or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover. For six years prior to that role he was the director of engineering and led a broad range of spacecraft projects, proposals, and engineering support of technology, wind tunnels, and science experiments. Notably, he led the center’s expansion into small satellites and nanosats, including: NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, or LADEE; numerous space biology instrumentation missions on the International Space Station, and the launch of 30 cubesats. For over nine years Korsmeyer served as chief of Ames’ Intelligent Systems Division, NASA’s premier research and development organization for artificial intelligence, robotics, and adaptive software supporting aeronautics and space missions, like the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. At Ames since 1991, Korsmeyer has been instrumental in the formation and management of many projects and NASA-wide technology programs in his early career. After receiving his Senior Executive Service certification in 2006, he supported key government initiatives including the 2009 Presidential Review of Human Spaceflight, and the 2020 Artemis Program Status Assessment. Korsmeyer regularly supports agency-level technology and engineering teams for NASA’s Aeronautics, Space and Technology, Human Exploration, and Science Mission Directorates at Headquarters.  Korsmeyer received a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award in 2011, and a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award in 2021.

Korsmeyer earned his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania, and both his master’s and doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin. He is a Sloan Fellow with a master’s degree in Management from the Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and is active in the International Astronautical Federation, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

Chris Kunstadter is Global Head of Space at AXA XL and manages the company’s space insurance team. He is actively involved in all aspects of AXA XL’s space activity, including technical, financial, and actuarial analysis, coverage design, claims handling, industry outreach, and business development.

Chris is a recognized leader in space risk management issues. For over three decades, he has worked closely with global satellite operators and manufacturers, launch providers, industry groups, and others to develop cutting-edge solutions that enable investment and innovation in space. Chris has collaborated with policymakers and space agencies around the world to enhance space safety and promote responsible space activity.

Chris received a BA degree in Literature and an MS degree in Engineering from the University of California. He holds a Commercial Pilot license with Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings and is a Certified Flight Instructor. Chris is an avid musician and serves on the boards of several music-oriented not-for-profit organizations.

Žilvinas Kvedaravičius is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kongsberg NanoAvionics. Previously holding the position of Chief Sales Officer, he has been a pivotal figure in the company’s growth over the past seven years. Žilvinas brings an in-depth understanding of the company’s technology and has fostered strong global stakeholder relationships. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Management from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.

Andy has 44 years with NGC/TRW and a total of 46 years working in advanced space programs specializing in, advanced manufacturing, spacecraft design, micro-electronics, nuclear products, space logistics, and astrophysics projects. As a NG Fellow 2, he supports NGC’s key space customers including NASA, AFRL, NRO, DARPA, Army/SMDC, Space RCO, USMC, and the Navy. He is considered one of the prominent advanced manufacturing (AM) experts in the country and has produced over fifty papers in AM, in-space manufacturing, lunar and planetary sciences, hypersonics, and miniaturization of spacecraft components. He brings his innovative approach to problems and has won several Corporate awards for innovation.
Andy is an appointed Research Professor at the University of New Mexico and is on the faculty in the Electrical and Computing Engineering Department, supporting satellite and space research. He is on the Technical Advisory Boards for Virginia Tech, U of Michigan, Cornell, and U of New Mexico. Andy Kwas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978 with two degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and received a Masters degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri Science and Technology in Astrophysics.

Mr. Letarte is a Principal at AE Industrial and is primarily focused on originating, executing and monitoring portfolio investments. Mr. Letarte has helped lead AE Industrial’s recent space investments in York Space Systems, Redwire, Firefly Aerospace, and Sierra Space. Additional active investments at AE Industrial include Belcan, BigBear.ai and Kellstrom Aerospace. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of AE Industrial portfolio companies York Space Systems and Belcan. Prior to joining AE Industrial in 2018, Mr. Letarte was an investment banker at Moelis & Company, where he focused on M&A, restructuring and strategic corporate advisory across a broad spectrum of industries including aerospace and defense. Prior to joining Moelis, Mr. Letarte was in J.P. Morgan’s Leveraged Finance Group, where he provided debt capital solutions and acquisition financing.

Whitney Lohmeyer is currently serving a one year detail as the Chief Technologist of the FCC’s Space Bureau. She is on leave from her role as faculty at Olin College of Engineering and as a Research Affiliate at MIT. Whitney is passionate about higher education and enabling affordable Internet to empower individuals, and connect schools and healthcare centers. She has advised more than thirty companies on wireless system design and spectrum strategy. Whitney was the first engineer hired at OneWeb, where she worked with Qualcomm, actively contributed to policy reform at the FCC and ITU, and served on the U.S. Delegation to the 2015 World Radio Conference. Whitney received her Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT in 2015, and her M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT in 2013, and her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from NC State University in 2011.

Dr. Jon Luminati is the Senior Vice President and Deputy for the Labs Sector at BlueHalo. In this role he works to align diverse technology roadmaps and program execution plans with corporate strategy and customer needs across a workforce of more than 500 people. He is also leading the stand-up of BlueHalo’s Centers of Excellence business unit, bringing a unified approach to program management, engineering, and manufacturing across the sector’s program and product development efforts. These efforts span multiple capability areas including space, counter-UAS, autonomous systems, cyber, and AI/ML.

Dr. Luminati was previously the Director of Technical Program Management in BlueHalo’s Advanced RF Systems Division focused on developing and delivering ground-based phased array systems supporting satellite command and control and other mission areas.

Prior to joining BlueHalo, Jon served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force with a career spanning engineering, program management, and operations in space, intelligence, and missile defense. In his final active-duty assignment, he led the Integrated Experiments and Evaluations Division in the Space Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). In this role, he led the conceptualization, acquisition, and operations of a $1B+ portfolio of AFRL’s on-orbit satellite experiments including numerous small satellite programs.

He holds a PhD in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology where he studied synthetic aperture radar waveform design and processing. He also holds master’s degrees from Cornell University, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Eisenhower School.

Mr. Lusczakoski is a Vice President at AE Industrial and is primarily focused on financial modeling, due diligence, executing new investments, and monitoring portfolio investments. Mr. Lusczakoski brings over seven years of aerospace industry experience to AE Industrial. Prior to joining AE Industrial in 2018, Mr. Lusczakoski was a Lead Engineer in the Program Development group at Williams International, where he led multiple integration programs for UAVs, military trainer aircraft and business jets.

Jeffrey Mackay, as NovaWurks’ CEO, leads with a strategic vision, integrating his multidisciplinary knowledge to cultivate innovation and drive growth. He has a unique combination of manufacturing, engineering and legal experience. Starting his career as a Prototype Machinist in Silicon Valley, to Technician and Engineer at General Dynamics, then transitioning to Attorney. Experienced in securities, M&A and finance.
Jeff accepted the CEO role in 2023 and continues to expand the NovaWurks team and increase our manufacturing capability to satisfy the growing diversity of customer requirements utilizing our disruptive technology.

Jennifer A. Manner is the Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at EchoStar Corporation where she is responsible for domestic and international policy, including spectrum management. Ms. Manner has held senior positions at the FCC including as Deputy Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, as well as Senior Counsel to FCC Commissioner Abernathy. Ms. Manner has held senior positions at satellite and other communications companies.

Ms. Manner serves including in leadership roles at several Federal Advisory Committees, including the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee and the FCC’s Technological Advisory Committee. Ms. Manner also holds leadership roles at several trade associations including the Satellite Industry Association, GSOA and USITUA. Ms. Manner has also chaired several groups at the ITU-R, including at WRC-23.
Ms. Manner has published numerous articles and books, including most recently Spectrum Wars: The Rise of 5G and Beyond. Ms. Manner is also an award winning filmmaker, most recently, When Wire Was King: The Transformation of Telecommunications.

Dr. Martin joined Astroscale U.S. in August 2019 as Executive Vice President. She brings many years of experience in space technology management, operations, and engineering to support the foundation and growth of Astroscale U.S.
Dr. Martin previously held the position of the Director, Orbital Solutions at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS). She was responsible for the management and technical performance of the engineering staff and delivery of projects, including planning and managing technical and programmatic solutions to ensure quality, business, and financial objectives were met.
Prior to joining GA-EMS, Dr. Martin was the Chief Operating Officer at Surrey Satellite Technology US, where she led the Surrey project management and engineering teams. As a member of the Surrey Satellite US Executive Team, Dr. Martin managed the bidding, negotiation, and execution of projects, and was responsible for ensuring the company’s cost-effective methods were appropriately applied to the execution of programs.
Dr. Martin transferred to Surrey Satellite US from Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. in the United Kingdom, where she held several positions including the Head of Telecommunications and Navigation business unit, encompassing the Galileo payload programme. Prior to Surrey, Dr. Martin was a Project Manager and Scientist at QinetiQ.
Dr. Martin earned a Master of Science in astrophysics and a Doctorate in mathematics and computational sciences from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She loves to explore and adventure the mountains in Colorado.

Alistair McLean is a Principal Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS) covering the global satellite industry. He helps customers design and build innovative, scalable and secure solutions using cloud technology to fulfill their mission objectives. Alistair specializes in machine learning, networking and software development and has worked with and led teams across the world in a variety of industries.

Prior to joining AWS 8 years ago, he was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley working between London and New York and leading development teams building their global derivatives confirmation and reporting systems.

Alistair has an M.Res in Bioinformatics from the University of Glasgow and holds both UK and US citizenship. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Jason B. Mello is the CEO and Co-Founder of The KMC Group, LLC. Jason provides executive-level strategic consulting to the Defense, Intelligence, and Space sectors for both commercial and government customers. With a focus on corporate strategy and business execution, Jason works with companies by providing strategic solutions, government engagements, proposal support, and advisory services to C-suite leaders focused on driving revenue and growth. Jason is a sought-after speaker, community leader, and mentor to support STEM in schools.

Previously, Jason served as the President of Firefly Space Transport Services (STS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Firefly Aerospace Inc., leading Firefly’s Government Relations, Capture & Proposal Team and its Federal and Commercial Business Unit focused on commercial, civil, and military requirements for space transportation. During his time at Firefly, Jason’s leadership and key government relationships led to the company’s divestiture of its foreign ownership. Leading revenue, he secured multiple commercial launch agreements along with developing a multi-year billion-dollar pipeline key to future growth. Specifically, Jason captured the company’s 1st U.S. Space Force contract to fly the United States Space Force’s VICTUS NOX responsive space mission along with securing major contracts with Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, etc. Jason’s strategic acquisition expertise was key to Firefly’s Northrop Grumman partnership to build a future medium launch vehicle.

Before joining Firefly, Jason served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), where he held the role of Chief Research and Technology Officer. In this capacity, he oversaw an annual portfolio of over $500 million and 62 senior scientists and engineers responsible for researching and developing future technologies crucial to the Air Force and Space Force.

Prior to his time at AFOSR, Jason was the Director of the National Intelligence Portfolio, where he led the oversight team for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment overseeing a $9 billion annual portfolio of intelligence community programs. He has a proven history of leading various classified and unclassified satellite and intelligence programs. He led the first Launch Acquisition Division at the National Reconnaissance Office, where he spearheaded the use of small launch vehicles for National Security while executing a $1B annual budget. Jason served at the White House for three years as a White House Military Social Aide. In his 23 years in the Air Force, Jason led in multiple acquisition and operations positions vital to the National Security of the United States.

Jason holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from George Washington University, a Master of Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Jason values family and community. He is happily married with three children and actively contributes to his community as a volunteer for youth baseball and his church. He also serves as the President of the Ashburn Village Community Association, a thriving community with over 5,300 homes and more than 20,000 residents.

Erwin is the Head of Region for the Americas for Swedish Space Corporation and the President & CEO for SSC Space US which is the US entity. He has been working in the satellite industry for over 28 years. The first nine years of his career as an engineer and then transitioned to the commercial side of the satellite industry. He has worked for the top satellite operators in the world and innovative successful start-ups. Before joining SSC, he worked for ABS as Vice President of Sales for the Americas, and prior to that he was the Regional Vice President of Sales for O3b Networks. He also held Regional Vice President of Sales positions with Intelsat, Director of Sales for SES, and Managing Director for Orblynx, an internet start-up. He has an MS in Telecommunications Management and a BS in Electrical engineering and is based in the Washington DC area.

William (Bill) Milroy currently serves as Chairman and CTO of ThinKom Solutions, Inc., located in Hawthorne, CA and focused on the design, development, and manufacture of innovative antenna access solutions for the Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Communication markets.

Prior to co-founding ThinKom, Mr. Milroy held the position of Senior Engineering Fellow within the Electromagnetic Systems Department of Raytheon’s Electronic Systems (ES) Segment. During his tenure at Raytheon (Hughes Aircraft), Mr. Milroy managed and led the RF antenna design, development, and manufacture of a wide range of antenna array implementations and products for radar and communication applications in both the commercial and military marketplaces including 1-D and 2-D Electronically-Scanned Arrays (ESA’s).

Mr. Milroy is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, earning BSEE, MSEE, and Engineer (Ph.D. course, field, and examination requirements) degrees. He is the author or co-author of nine journal and symposia papers in the fields of Network Analysis, Circuits, Antennas, and Microwaves. He is the inventor or co-inventor of over fifty awarded and pending patents in the fields of Electromagnetic Scattering, Materials, Microwave Devices, and Antennas. Mr. Milroy is a past Chairman of the Los Angeles Chapter of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (APS.)

Dr. Anton Monk – VP and CTO of Wireless Initiatives, Viasat

Dr. Monk is VP and CTO of Wireless Initiatives at Viasat, a global provider of satellite services. At Viasat he focuses on new technology and business initiatives, such as satellite direct-to-device and 5G NTN for both commercial and government applications. Before that he was VP of business development at XCOM Labs, which develops advanced 5G solutions. Previously, he was VP of Strategic Alliances and Standards at Cohere Technologies, which developed a groundbreaking wireless modulation technique known as OTFS. He was a co-founder, VP and CTO of Entropic Communications, a publicly traded semiconductor company that invented the MoCA home networking solution. Prior to Entropic he developed communications ICs at Conexant and ComStream and was a researcher at JPL. He sits on various industry, advisory and academic boards, including the UCSD Jacobs School Dean’s Council of Advisors. Dr. Monk earned a M.S. from Caltech and B.S. and Ph.D. from UC San Diego, all in Electrical Engineering.

Matthew Morris is the ICEYE US Director for Defense and Civil. He has a long tenure working in the intelligence field, is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and served in civilian roles at the NATO Special Operations Headquarters, Joint Special Operations Command, and U.S. Space Command.

Carie Mullins is the Director of Analytics for BryceTech with over 25 years’ experience analyzing and forecasting space markets, advanced technologies, and systems for NASA, the military, and commercial space industry. She has analyzed industry trends and systems to create customized forecast models projecting demand for launch, satellite, and hyper/supersonic point-to-point travel. Carie has also analyzed commercial markets for on-orbit servicing and manufacturing, advanced communications and navigation, LEO platforms, and lunar rovers. She has studied and analyzed technologies for in-space propulsion, autonomous systems and robotics, advanced technologies for life support systems, in-situ resource utilization, and advanced manufacturing. She is a technology forecasting expert, having led a retrospective analysis of technology forecasting to determine the most accurate forecasting methods and timeframes. Carie received her B.S. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Ahsun Murad is the President and CEO of Optimal Satcom, which he co-founded as a spin-off from Lockheed Martin and Comsat in 2002. Over the last 18 years since its founding, Optimal Satcom has grown to support a large segment of the satellite industry with products and customized solutions that help its customers run their business – over 15 satellite operators, 20 of the largest satellite service providers, and major US Government DoD and civilian agencies use Optimal Satcom products and systems today. As a world expert in satellite communications technology, Mr. Murad advises satellite companies and governmental agencies on satellite system design, application of emerging technologies, and formulating policy decisions.

Mr. Murad has worked for over 25 years in various positions across the satellite communications industry. Immediately before founding Optimal Satcom, he held management positions at Lockheed Martin and COMSAT Laboratories. In these positions, he headed the development of products for transmission planning and satellite capacity management and was the lead system architect for a number of commercial SATCOM and MILSATCOM projects. Before joining COMSAT Laboratories, Mr. Murad worked at the NASA Center for Satellite and Hybrid Communications Networks where he was involved in research and development related to hybrid satellite-terrestrial mobile communications systems, and complex multi-satellite systems. Mr. Murad graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electrical Engineering. He holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Armand Musey is President and Founder of Summit Ridge Group. He has over 15 years of equity research, investment banking, and consulting experience. Armand has completed dozens of financial valuation, strategic analysis, business development, corporate governance, and business plan creation assignments in the communications industry and has experience working on numerous financing and M&A transactions. His projects include leading Summit Ridge Group’s support of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust division’s review of the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint merger. Armand’s involvement with a wide breadth of companies has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of a range of media and telecom issues and the complex web of relationships underlying the sector’s competitive dynamics and associated regulatory issues. His legal background allows him to understand the heavily regulated telecom sector. During litigation support assignments, Armand’s legal background also allows him to quickly digest legal documents and identify industry issues likely to be most relevant to the legal team he supports. Prior to founding Summit Ridge Group, Armand led the satellite industry research teams for Banc of America Securities, and later Solomon Smith Barney where he also covered the wireless tower industry. He earned numerous honors as a research analyst including being named to the Institutional Investor “All American” team three times (2000-2002) and the Wall Street Journal “All-Star” team. He was ranked as the top satellite industry analyst by Greenwich Associates. He was previously president of a boutique investment bank specializing in the satellite, media, and telecom industries.

Keiko Nasu is Sales Director Asia at Isar Aerospace USA Inc. and is responsible for building and executing sales strategies and targets across the US and Asia.

She joined the Space Industry in 2017 while at Mitsui & Co., where she helped facilitate the acquisition of the satellite rideshare service company, Spaceflight Inc. Initially she was working as Business Development Director of International Sales, before moving to the role of Director of Customer Engagement mid-2023.

Keiko is originally from Japan, where she started her career leading global projects with JETRO, a Japanese government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. After moving to the United States in 2010, she has held business development, sales, and marketing roles at several US venture companies.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan, and studied Marketing Management at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Dr. Andrew Nuttall is the Chief Technology Officer and co-Founder of Skylo Technologies, the world’s most ubiquitous non-terrestrial network (NTN). Skylo provides 100% coverage across the globe from space, allowing its customers to connect to any part of their business anywhere, at any time, all the time. Skylo connects smartphones, wearables, machines, sensors, and devices to digitize and transform lives and industries, and ensure that you never lose coverage.

At Skylo, Dr. Nuttall is responsible for the organization’s technological needs as well as its research and development (R&D).  He leads the development, implementation, management, and evaluation of Skylo’s technology solutions. Dr. Nuttall and his co-founders conceived of Skylo while at Stanford Graduate Business School, where he was co-leading research in the Space Systems Development Lab exploring how to connect billions of devices in a ubiquitous, cost-effective way.

Dr. Nuttall earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University and his PhD in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Stanford University.

Francis has over 20 years of experience in the Telecoms and Technology sectors and is a founding member of Rivada Networks. Francis currently serves as Chief Operating Officer, having served in several strategic and operational roles since the company’s inception.  Francis also serves as the Rivada company Secretary and is on the Executive Leadership Team of Rivada Space Networks.  Prior to joining Rivada, Francis worked in the strategic consulting sector, most notably for Accenture and McKinsey & Co.

As leader of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group in Washington, DC, Dara Panahy’s practice involves representation of satellite and space infrastructure operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications, earth observation and data services companies, banks, private equity firms, hedge funds and other investors 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.

Mr. Panahy’s practice focuses on representing clients involved in the aerospace, communications and data service industries. He advises on 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 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.

His recent representations include:
• numerous commercial satellite and launch services procurements for clients in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia
• procurement and financing of next-generation, multi-billion dollar regional and global fixed and mobile satellite systems
• various satellite, aerospace and communications company mergers & acquisitions, strategic venture transactions and restructurings in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia
• bank and capital markets financings, and private placements, involving global, regional and national communications, broadcast, broadband, remote sensing and asset tracking companies and service providers

Mr. Panahy is a regular speaker at space and communications conferences, a visiting lecturer at the International Space University and has published articles and delivered numerous presentations on finance, commercial and regulatory aspects of the aerospace and communications industries. He has been recognized as a leading lawyer in Telecom, Broadcast and Satellite Financing in Chambers USA and The Legal 500. Mr. Panahy speaks fluent Spanish and Farsi.

Devon Papandrew leads new business efforts at Stoke Space, a startup building 100% reusable medium-lift rockets designed to fly daily. In addition to commercial and government business development, Devon is responsible for helping shape strategy, as well as delivering competitive intelligence and market insights. Previously VP of Business Operations at Spaceflight Inc., Devon developed a series of innovative tools that connected business development, mission management and the engineering teams in a manner that enabled Spaceflight to build, sell, and execute complicated rideshare missions. He holds a BS in Physics and Economics from Georgetown University where he played four years of Division I football.

Akshay Patel has 15 years of experience in the aerospace and satellite industry across finance, business development and engineering.  He is currently a managing director at PJT Partners where he leads to firms advisory practice in Space Technology. Prior to joining PJT,  Akshay was Vice President of Corporate Development at OneWeb. Akshay also spent 5 years in investment banking at Morgan Stanley where Akshay focused on advising companies across the satellite industry value chain including the advising on sale of Skybox Imaging to Google, the merger of DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, and the IPO of Intelsat. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Akshay was an aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin where he designed and built telecommunication and remote sensing satellites.

Mr. Pellicore is a Partner at Bain & Company where he is a leader in the Aerospace & Defense and Private Equity practices.

In between stints at Bain, he spent four years as an executive at Ursa Major Technologies, a Space start-up building additively manufactured liquid and solid rocket engines for orbital space flight, hypersonics, and tactical missile systems. He helped grow Ursa Major from 20 to 200 team members and navigate multiple rounds of private fundraising.

He returned to Bain to help open the Denver, Colorado office and spends his time helping A&D companies on strategy, program improvement, innovation and R&D effectiveness, and partnership structures with new entrants. He also leads commercial and operational due diligence efforts on A&D companies for venture capital, growth equity, and private equity capital allocators.

Greg Pelton is the Chief Technology Officer at Iridium Communications Inc., the only satellite communications company that offers truly global voice and data coverage. In this role, he drives innovation and oversees the technical aspects of Iridium’s products and services, while managing the day-to-day activities of the company’s systems teams. This includes technical roadmaps and strategy, system architecture and design, programs to develop new services, and network performance and analysis.

Pelton joined Iridium from a venture-backed AI company focused on augmented intelligence for the enterprise, where he served as Chief Development Officer. Prior to that he was Vice President of Collaboration and Devices at Avaya, where he managed a $400M portfolio of voice and video endpoints, soft clients, and collaboration services. Pelton also served as CTO and Vice President for Infrastructure Engineering at Polycom and led Cisco’s corporate Technology Center where he incubated new technology growth areas for Cisco including satellite networking.

Corey is Partner in Moss Adams’ Aerospace & Defense industry group and leads the firm’s Space practice. Corey is a licensed CPA and has practiced public accounting since 2009. He specializes in assurance and business advisory services and supports a wide range of companies ranging from start-ups to publicly traded companies within the Commercial Aerospace, Defense, and Space industries. Corey leverages his knowledge and expertise in the industry to provide client centric services and insights to help companies achieve their business objectives and strategic goals.

Moss Adams is an accounting and advisory firm that provides space and satellite companies with a full range of services including assurance and tax, transaction advisory services, tax credit and incentives, government contracting auditing and consulting, IT compliance, technical accounting assistance, and more! Moss Adams has over 4,000 professionals, operates out of 30 locations in the U.S., and serves more than 400 Commercial Aerospace, Defense, and Space clients across all service lines.

Maxime leads Euroconsult’s Space industry consulting practice and manages from end to end consulting assignments related to upstream activities in the satellite value chain such as access to space, manufacturing and in-orbit operations. He joined Euroconsult in 2012.

Maxime created Euroconsult’s Space Logistics Markets reports and he is in charge of Satellites to be Built & Launched in the Next Ten Years, one Euroconsult’s flagship research reports since 2019. He also led the growth of Prospects for the Small Satellite market, a trusted market analysis on the segment.

Maxime is a recognized expert and is regularly invited as a panelist or speaker in various professional events. He is also regularly interviewed by national newspaper or TV to comment the evolution of the industry.

Chris is the president of Quilty Space, an independent research and consulting firm that provides strategy, competitive benchmarking, financial analysis, and investment diligence on all aspects of the Satellite & Space industry.

Prior to establishing Quilty Spacein 2016, Chris served as a sell-side research analyst with Raymond James for 20 years, publishing hundreds of company-specific, macro, sector, and thematic research reports on the industrial, defense, space, wireless, and communications industries. Chris is widely-acknowledged as the leading Wall Street analyst on the Satellite & Space sector and has participated in 30 capital markets transactions over the past five years valued at over $2.5 billion

Chris received a BS degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1989 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1994.

Ramesh Ramaswamy leads the International Division at EchoStar, including the Hughes Network Systems international services and system sales, global subsidiaries, mobile satellite system sales, and EchoStar Mobile Limited operations in Europe. Prior to his current position, Mr. Ramaswamy served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Hughes international division, providing satellite broadband equipment and services for network operators, enterprises and consumers outside the United States both directly and through subsidiaries in Europe, India and Brazil.

Mr. Ramaswamy started his career at Hughes as a software engineer and has held increasingly senior positions in engineering, operations, marketing and sales.

Mr. Ramaswamy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Madras in India and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas, Arlington.

Alexander Reissner started his career in the space business with RUAG Space, working in Thermal Hardware and later in Mechanical Engineering on projects like Sentinel or Bepi Colombo. He then joined the Austrian Institute of Technology and became the Team Leader for Electric Propulsion Systems. In 2013, he became the head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering shortly after it was moved to FOTEC. After growing this department from 5 to 17 scientists and engineers, he realized the potential of the FEEP technology in the SmallSat market and founded ENPULSION.

His education took him from a Dipl.Ing. (MSc) in Physics at the Technical University of Vienna to the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in South Korea where he started a PhD program in Aerospace Engineering. He then followed his supervisor to the Technical University of Dresden where he finished his PhD Program. Alexander Reissner was also appointed to be the General Chair of the International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC) in 2019, which took place in Vienna.

Since 2019 TESAT Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for Sales & Marketing, Product Management, Strategy and Communications for the complete product portfolio including RF- and Laser products.
2002-2019 several management positions in operational Sales & Marketing at Airbus (former EADS) in the defence and space business, as well as the international Sales, Marketing and Strategy organization at the Paris HQ.
1993-2002 several Key Account Manager and Sales Management Position in the terrestrial telecommunication business.
Master Degree in electrical engineering from the German Air Force University and Executive MBA from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management.

Steve Richeson joined Mission Microwave in 2017 and is responsible for the company’s global sales and marketing. He has over 30 years of Satellite and Radio Frequency (RF) experience in engineering and executive roles across the wireless and satellite communications industry including positions at Harris Corporation, EchoStar, Scientific-Atlanta, GTE Spacenet International, Radiation Systems SATCOM Technologies, and Schlumberger. As a Schlumberger Field Engineer Steve launched the LOGNET service in the Gulf of Mexico with a portable VSAT terminal on a semi-submersible drilling platform – in 1986. This was the first commercial mobile VSAT system. Steve is a Senior Member of the IEEE and a Registered Professional Engineer. He earned his engineering degree at Georgia Tech and an MBA at Georgia State University.

Christopher Richins is Founder and CEO of RBC Signals, a provider of global satellite communication “infrastructure as a service.” Richins began his career as an RF Communications Engineer at Boeing Sea Launch, where he supported multiple launch campaigns from the ship-based equatorial launch site. After business school, he completed an internship with SpaceX before joining Bain & Company as a management consultant. Post Bain, Richins held management roles at Arkyd Astronautics (Planetary Resources), Space Angels Network, Expedia, and Applause. Richins earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Fellow, a master’s degree in Astronautics from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Brigham Young University.

Noel Rimalovski is a Managing Director at GH Partners, an independent New York-based investment banking firm. Mr. Rimalovski leads the firm’s representation of mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, debt financings, and strategic advisory services to domestic and international clients. At GH, Mr. Rimalovski specializes in the telecom, media, technology, space and defense sectors.

Prior to joining GH, Mr. Rimalovski was with Macquarie Capital, Wasserstein Perella, and Lazard Frères.

Mr. Rimalovski graduated from Tufts College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Mr. Rogers is responsible for Rocket Lab’s global launch portfolios across commercial and government customers. With a career spanning space and launch segments, Mr. Rogers brings a transformative perspective to U.S. Government and Allies’ developmental and operational systems.

Before joining Rocket Lab, Mr. Rogers was Advanced Systems Manager at Ball Aerospace, leading technology development programs for Defense and Intelligence customers across spacecraft and remote sensing payloads. Mr. Rogers’ aerospace career includes leadership roles in launch vehicle design, manufacturing, and launch support of the Atlas V, Delta IV, and Vulcan-Centaur launch vehicles with United Launch Alliance, and systems engineering of the Ares launch vehicles at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Mr. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado, a Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Denver, and a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University.

Alexis Sáinz is the global co-leader of the Hogan Lovells Space and Satellite practice and a member of the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources & Projects group. She regularly represents export credit and multilateral development agencies, satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, financial institutions, project sponsors, private equity firms, hedge funds, and other industry participants on structured, project and vendor financings, in negotiating commercial and corporate transactions, and with commercially strategic regulatory matters. She also provides industry advice in connection with debt and equity offerings, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions, and financial restructurings.

Alexis works with investors and lenders to understand the underlying issues impacting space projects and companies, at the intersection of commercial, regulatory and financing aspects of a transaction. She works with project parties to focus on key deal points and to identify appropriate industry-based risk mitigants and efficient allocation of risk in order to build consensus and drive closure. She works with companies to build a project and financing strategy from the ground up, anticipating financing issues early in the development of a new project or the growth of a company.

Alexis co-chairs the American Bar Association’s Committee on Space Law. She co-authored the chapter on “Commercial Satellite Programs” in the Routledge Handbook of Space Law. Prior to beginning her legal career in 2007, Alexis spent over 10 years working in internet-based industries, including e-commerce and media. She previously served as a consultant for the World Bank, National Geographic, and domestic non-profit organizations in connection with internet-based technology, and she was an early member of KPMG Peat Marwick’s financial service’s e-commerce consulting practice, where she focused on emerging technologies.

Alvaro Sanchez is Integrasys CEO, Marquess of Antella (Noble Title 1649), Alvaro is Software and Industrial engineer by European University and a master’s degree in business by ESIC Business School. On 2022 he was considered one of the “20 under 35” young space and satellite professionals by the SSPI.
Alvaro during the last 10 years has worked at Integrasys as Management, Sales Executive roles where he was very successful growing the sales, revenue, profit, and responsibilities within the company; and previous to that he was working at CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research as an RF Engineer, measuring timing in a Nanosecond Synchronization for measuring the Neutrino Speed. Adding to his professional repertoire, in 2021 Alvaro collaborated with IE University to achieve his lifelong goal of helping others. He was professor of “Introduction to Business Management” at the Artificial Intelligence Degree. Recently he is focused on the company expansion, with the latest opening, INTEGRASYS Ukraine.

Experienced CEO with a large professional background in the Telecommunications Industry, Jaume Sanpera is a classic in technological entrepreneurship in Spain.

Founder of various companies mainly telecommunications, creating a business group that was listed on the stock market and with a wide international presence, such as Eurona, (1st telecom satellite operator in Europe that was listed in 2010), Ambientum , (leading the enviromental sector in Spain), Cidec a praxis technology, TechnoTrends, Festuc etc.

Jaume is backed by almost 30 years of experience in Telecommunications and recognised  achievements in this sector.

Its consolidation as an entrepreneur and CEO expert in the Telecommunications Industry makes him a very present figure in the media, forums and other information and broadcasting platforms.

Emmanuel is the Chief Growth Officer at EnduroSat. As such he helps shaping the future of the company by addressing specific challenges of scaling up. Emmanuel is also managing the French entity of EnduroSat in Toulouse.

Before that, Emmanuel spent most of his career in Airbus, occupying various positions in design and engineering, spacecraft flight operations, program management, business development and sales, working with commercial partners and government administrations alike. Emmanuel has worked on 4 continents, being based in France, Egypt, India, and the Bay Area in the United States.

Emmanuel is passionate about developing new space businesses. He has been focusing on business innovation and project management, and led some major sales and business development campaigns that ended up diversifying radically the product portfolios of his companies.

Mr. Schmidt is a Managing Director at KippsDeSanto & Co. and co-heads the Aerospace / Defense Group.

Prior to joining KippsDeSanto & Co., Mr. Schmidt was a Senior Vice President in Houlihan Lokey’s Washington, DC office and a member of its Aerospace·Defense·Government Services industry investment banking group, where he focused on sellside and buyside M&A advisory engagements, sourcing growth capital, and conducting strategic alternatives assessments. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey’s ADG practice, Mr. Schmidt was a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, serving in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States in various combat arms assignments. He also served in the Pentagon on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, working on classified intelligence assessments and transformation efforts, and he served on the U.S. Army Staff, working on equipment modernization and weapons testing.

Mr. Schmidt earned a B.S. in engineering (aeronautical) from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an M.S. in operations research from the Naval Post Graduate School, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is registered with FINRA as a General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 63).

Thomas Scott Jensen is the Director, Strategic Alliances of Gatehouse Satcom, a visionary company at the forefront of revolutionizing the global satcom industry through cutting-edge satcom software solutions.

With a passion for pushing the boundaries of technology, Thomas leads a dedicated team that is committed to delivering innovative, specialized software solutions that drive connectivity, efficiency, and reliability in satellite communications.

Thomas and the Gatehouse Satcom team are shaping the future of 5G NTN connectivity, enabling businesses and individuals to connect seamlessly, regardless of their location.

Dr Michal Shimoni is an awarded scientific expert in the field of hyperspectral. She has extensive experience implementing spectral imaging in a variety of applications, including defense and security, environment, precision agriculture, water quality, natural and anthropogenic hazards, and urban landuse mapping. Through her extensive knowledge of machine learning, multi-sensor imaging, 3D and physical modelling, and sensor integration into airborne and spaceborne platforms, she has become an expert in several research and development programs of the European Commission, NATO, and the European Defence Agency.
Michal is currently employed as the Director of Analytics and Applications for Kuva Space, where she coordinates the development of products and services.

Nina has more than 15 years’ experience in the satellite industry holding different roles in the company and is currently heading the Communications Team at KSAT.

Due to her in-depth knowledge of the industry as well as the end-user segments, she often represents the company at leading satellite and space industry events around the world as well as engaging with governments and stakeholders of all types.  Moreover, because she has worked extensively on both the Ground Station and Earth Observation sides of the business, she has important insights into both.

Nina is former Chairman of NOSCA Clean Oceans, an innovation cluster dedicated to promoting oil spill control technology globally for preparedness and response, as well as transferring technology and knowledge to battle unwanted effects from algae and ocean plastic.

KSAT provides environmental protection- and vessel detection services globally and has pioneered the industry with pushing the timelines for Near Real-Time (NRT) delivery of actionable information- leveraging their global ground network, especially the unique Svalbard station. For many years her focus was on developing markets for KSAT´s Maritime Monitoring services based on SAR data (Synthetic Aperture Radar).

Nina played a key role in taking services to market and worked with several of the large international oil companies (IOC´s), authorities, coastguards and other stakeholders leading the sales efforts in Latin America, South America and the Middle East markets.

Her portfolio also included the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), an Agency providing technical assistance and support to the European Commission and Member States on maritime safety, pollution by ships and European maritime security.

Robert W. Sproles, Ph.D. is CTO at Exolaunch, focusing on Exolaunch’s market-defining products and services at scale. With over 350 satellites launched across a global variety of launch vehicles, Exolaunch has the separation systems, mission management experience, and deep industry relationships to serve even the most complex of launch service needs.

With over two decades of experience, Dr. Sproles is a people-centric technical leader with a passion for developing new technical capabilities and leading teams to deliver. Sproles spent nearly a decade at Spire Global, where he installed a global ground station network, managed early satellite builds and test facility development and led the satellite design team. He ended his tenure serving as VP of Constellation Planning and Operations, overseeing satellite operations, launch, ground stations, and satellite communications to enable tomorrow’s constellation needs. At the time of his departure, he had overseen the launch of more than 150 satellites on over 30 missions; installation, maintenance, and operations of over 30 ground stations around the globe; and operation of the world’s largest constellation of multipurpose Earth Observation satellites.

Prior to Spire, Sproles spent a decade in large-scale emergency response, where he developed a UAV program to aid in assessing chemical disasters and pioneered remote field data collection using mobile devices. He holds a Ph.D. in applied physics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a specialization in rocket engine health and performance.

Hanna is passionate about building exceptionally performing teams and businesses which will propel us into a multi-planetary economy. She combines her her technical Earth observation background, 25+ years of international business experience and her training in the neuroscience of attention to unlock new opportunities for the space economy.

Hanna is currently focused on enabling AI-driven satellite constellation operations at scale, while growing Cognitive Space from Seed to IPO by building a world-class operations team.

With business experience that spans the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Hanna has worked with
stealth startups, multinational conglomerates, public and private companies, and civilian and military
government agencies across the globe. Her roles have spanned operations, channel management, sales
and business development roles in high resolution satellite imaging, satellite access and ground segment
hardware sales, space launch services and launch vehicle component manufacturing.
Hanna’s prior appointments include multinational operations and senior business development roles at
Mynaric, the late Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch, RUAG Space USA, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic / Virgin
Orbit, Maxar, GeoEye and Space Imaging.

Hanna’s professional development includes studies at the International Space University and Stanford
University Graduate School of Business. She holds a Master of Science degree in Oceanography with a
specialization in Remote Sensing & Satellite Oceanography.

Brooke is a Partner in McKinsey’s Aerospace & Defense practice and leads McKinsey’s global Space practice. She supporting a range of clients – established companies, disruptors, and investors – on space and defense engagements. Her focus is on growth strategy, innovation, and transactions related work, including topics such as go-to-market strategies, market sizing, strategic portfolio reviews, ecosystem market scans, equity story development, and market diligences.

In addition to her client engagements, Brooke has co-led McKinsey’s space knowledge partnerships, including collaborations with the Aerospace Industries Association and the World Economic Forum. She has also spoken at industry events and in the media on space industry dynamics, in addition to serving as a mentor to early-stage space companies via the Creative Destruction Lab incubator program.

Her published work covers topics such as space investment funding trends, satellite constellation performance analysis, the role of space in global priorities, and industry R&D funding analysis.

Brooke’s background prior to McKinsey is in finance and economics, and included work with a boutique financial and economic analysis firm, where she worked closely with leading economists on complex analysis of financial markets. She is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, as well as Bucknell University.

As President of The Satellite Industry Association (SIA), Tom is the trade association’s lead advocate for regulatory and policy issues of critical importance to SIA’s membership, including spectrum and licensing issues, defense and public safety matters, and export control and international trade issues. He also manages the day-to-day operations of SIA, including member communications, staff leadership and organization of SIA sponsored events. Tom became the president of SIA in December of 2014.

Prior to joining SIA, Tom was with Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), a leading developer of spectrum intelligence technologies, where he served as CEO. For more than a decade, he served as the President of the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA).

Tom holds a BS, summa cum laude, in Public Administration from the University of North Dakota. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center where he served as Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.

Experienced innovation and engineering executive across multiple industries including wireless networking (cellular and WiFi), consumer electronics, silicon platforms, and large-scale cloud client computing. Currently CTO of Carnegie Technologies. Other roles included SVP Software Engineering at Comcast NBC Universal, VP of Engineering at Cable Vision Systems, VP Silicon Platform at Motorola PCS, CTO of Dell’s Client Solutions Group, and CTO Broadband at Texas Instruments. He was a founder and CTO of two successful startups: Wi-Fi innovation leader Aironet Wireless (acquired by Cisco) and 4G wireless innovator Raze Technologies. He started his career at the National Security Agency.

Drew Svor is a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Telecom Team. He frequently represents space and satellite companies, network operators, and other innovative, new technology companies in matters before the FCC and other key regulators. Drew focuses on providing strategic advice to operators and investors navigating complex regulatory issues—with a particular focus on approvals for complex cross-border transactions and authorizations for novel use cases in proceedings involving spectrum access, space safety, and national security. Drew also advises companies situated at the crossroads of technology and foreign investment, frequently representing telecommunications and technology companies before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the “Team Telecom” Executive Branch agencies.

Drew has been recognized for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the Communications Law category. Drew serves as a member of Law360’s Telecommunications Editorial Advisory Board and is also a board member of the Washington Space Business Roundtable. Drew also frequently speaks and writes on telecommunications and satellite-related matters at industry events, including at events hosted by the Federal Communications Bar Association and the ABA Space Symposium.

Al Tadros is the Chief Technology Officer of Redwire. In this role, he is focused on making strategic investments that support Redwire’s customers, advancing technology development and commercialization, and maintaining a nimble and collaborative technical culture. With nearly three decades of experience as an aerospace executive, Al is a thought leader in in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing with a proven track record in maturing satellite and space systems programs for exploration, national security, and commercial innovation.

Previously, Al was Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President of Space Infrastructure at Redwire. In this role, he oversaw the company’s long-term growth strategy and business development activities, and was responsible for advancing development, increasing adoption, and building momentum for Redwire’s mission-enabling capabilities within the civil, defense, and commercial space sectors.

Prior to Redwire, he served as Vice President of Space Infrastructure and Civil Space at Maxar Technologies, where he led significant innovation in next-generation spacecraft design and space infrastructure, integrating robotics and in-space satellite manufacturing, servicing, and assembly capabilities. Over the course of his career at Maxar, Al contributed to 13 missions and launch campaigns, many of which deployed cutting-edge communications and remote sensing systems. Al has worked with both commercial enterprises and government agencies to develop space systems for communications, satellite servicing, remote sensing, and exploration.

An authority in in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing, Al holds patents in the field of attitude control systems and was responsible for early telerobotics research for the International Space Station.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jacinta Tobin is Chief Revenue officer of Leolabs, a company dedicated to providing security, safety and sustainability in lower earth orbit.

Jacinta Tobin has over 20 years experience  in defense, security, space and AI technology companies globally. She has worked directly with US Federal, Interpol and allied governments on counter terror, counter espionage and counter disinformation programs. She has also led security, AI and technology infrastructure sales to the federal and enterprise sectors.

Jacinta was named as one of the top 50 most influential women in technology in the US and one of the top 50 Irish people in technology by Silicon Valley Global magazine

Prior to LeoLabs, Jacinta was previously leader of the Cloudmark Division at Proofpoint and Chief Growth Office at Resilience AI.

Jacinta is board ambassador of the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group, a global organization that promotes cooperation between the allies and the world’s largest service providers, social networks and mobile operators to fight disinformation and messaging abuse.

Bert Vermeire has been the Voyager Space Technology Systems and formerly Space Micro Chief Technology Officer for the past 13 years, where he has guided the development of computing and communications products. These have flown on numerous NASA, DOD and commercial missions. Prior to joining Space Micro, he was a research professor at the Electrical Engineering Department of Arizona State University. Bert holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Electrical Engineering from KU Leuven.

Dr. Marco Villa serves as Chief Revenue Officer for Terran Orbital Corporation, an industry-leading small-satellite products and services provider. Dr. Villa’s established expertise plays an integral role in managing daily operations, strategic efforts and the acquisition and execution of satellite opportunities for civil, defense, and commercial organizations worldwide. Prior to his position at Terran Orbital, Dr. Villa served as the Director of Mission Operations at SpaceX, where he managed Dragon spacecraft missions. Dr. Villa also advises on corporate strategy and business execution in high technology industries. With a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s in engineering management, Dr. Marco Villa continues to make his mark in the aerospace industry domestically and internationally.

Brian Weimer is a corporate partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office and Leader of the firm’s Telecom Team. Brian is recognized by Chambers and is consistently selected for inclusion each year in Best Lawyers in America in the Communications Law category.

Brian 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.

Brian 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).

Brian 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 member of the Washington Space Business Roundtable (WSBR).

Chris Winslett is the General Manager of Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), part of the Space, Imaging and Microelectronics (SIM) leadership under the Advanced Products & Solutions Strategic Business Unit of Raytheon, an RTX business.

With close to 25 years of industry experience, Chris joins BCT from Lockheed Martin where he most recently was the Program Director for SDA Transport Layer Programs. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Programs for OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus. In this position, he was responsible not only for completing the design and development of the OneWeb constellation, but also for standing up a factory that was able to produce 10 satellites a week and for developing a strategy to leverage that production to build a wider customer base.  Before joining OneWeb, Chris worked with Boeing for 17 years, holding a variety of positions across the company including leading the Platform and Payload Products for the Satellite Vehicles Business Unit.

Chris earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dr. Xiaoming Yin is a Senior Investment Manager at Lockheed Martin Ventures. Her primary investment focus at Lockheed is in Space Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Next Generation Computing, Quantum Technologies, Data Analytics, and Advanced Materials.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin Ventures, Xiaoming was a Fintech Associate at Pivotus Ventures. At Pivotus, she developed the investment thesis and worked on product development for a next-generation digital bank. Before joining Pivotus, Xiaoming worked five years as a Quantitative Researcher in Citigroup Option Market Making trading division.

Xiaoming received M.S and Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University, where her work was published and presented in several international journals, as well as conferences. Xiaoming also received B.A in Economics and B.S in Electrical Engineering from Rice University.

Kate Zimmerman currently is leading HawkEye 360’s software engineering teams, managing how HawkEye 360 builds its geolocation processing pipelines and applies deep learning to maximize value from HawkEye 360’s large-scale geospatial datasets. HawkEye 360’s satellites deliver precise mapping of radio frequency (RF) emissions and provide the unique ability to identify and geolocate sources of RF from space. HawkEye 360 is leveraging a cloud-native architecture to manage complex analytic pipelines that leverage multiple machine learning models and other algorithms to provide deeper insights to our RF data.

Before joining HawkEye 360, Zimmerman worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS) leading a team of data scientists, and prior to entering industry was an active-duty officer for the United States Air Force, where she worked on RF satellites and ground systems at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). She is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, with degrees in Computer Engineering and Electrical and Electronics Engineering.