Lauren Smith is the Operations Manager for Northrop Grumman’s Ground Enterprise Systems Operating Unit. Across this portfolio of programs, she plays a key role in all aspects of program execution and strategic planning. In addition to this core role, Lauren leads the COVID-19 Case Response team for the Integrated National Systems Business Unit and was recently Chair of the company’s first-ever Systems and Software Engineering Symposium. Preceding her current role, Lauren was a Program Manager in Resiliency and Rapid Prototyping working strategic space captures. She was also the Mechanical Test Engineering Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) program and was previously a member of the JWST Integration & Test (I&T) Senior Staff as the I&T lead for Nonexplosive Actuators (NEAs) and Deployments.

Giorgio Saccoccia, current President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) since April 2019, has over thirty years of experience in the aerospace sector, mainly gained in the international arena. Graduated with honors in Aeronautical Engineering with specialization in space at the University of Pisa on March 1988, he completed his studies with a Master in…

James L. Reuter was named NASA’s associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in June 2019, a position in which he served in an acting capacity since February 2017. In this role, he provides executive leadership and management of the technology programs within STMD, with an annual investment value of…

U.S. Army General James H. Dickinson is the Commander, U.S. Space Command, the 11th and newest unified combatant command.  He assumed command on Aug. 20, 2020, after serving as the first Deputy Commander of U.S. Space Command.

General James H. Dickinson assumed duties as the Commander, U.S. Space Command, on 20 August 2020, after most recently serving as the first Deputy Commander of U.S. Space Command, the 11th and most recently established unified combatant command.

Thomas E. Ayres is the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Air Force. In this role, he also serves as Air Force’s Chief Ethics Official and Chief Legal Officer, providing oversight, guidance and direction for legal advice provided by more than 2,600 Air Force military and civilian lawyers worldwide. Prior to his appointment…

Amanda Rutenberg is the General Counsel- Space for Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc.  In this role, she is primarily responsible for supporting the program teams and management within the Space Business Unit on a full range of government and commercial contracting matters, including: FAR compliance, drafting and negotiating terms and conditions, strategic partnering arrangements, and dispute resolution. …