Army Lt. Col. (ret) Philip Root, PhD, was named director of the Strategic Technology Office (STO) in February 2022. He previously served as the Defense Sciences Office’s (DSO’s) deputy director and acting director from June 2019 until moving to STO. He previously served as program manager within the DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) where he…

Jamie Porter, Ph.D. is the Director of the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) and the Assistant Group Supervisor in the Space Environmental Effects Group at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Porter has led radiation teams for the Dragonfly mission, Europa Clipper, and many instruments, including the Europa Imaging System and Plasma Instrument for Magnetic…

Nujoud Merancy is the deputy associate administrator for the Strategy & Architecture Office (SAO) in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) for NASA Headquarters. Based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Merancy serves as the agency expert in exploration architectures, guiding technical aspects of agency decisions about exploration element–level performance and functionality, which…

Brooke is a Partner in McKinsey’s Aerospace & Defense practice and leads McKinsey’s Space practice. She supports 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.In addition to her client engagements, Brooke has co-led McKinsey’s space knowledge…

Alicia Carey is a Formulation Manager in the Space Exploration Sector at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

Melanie Stricklan is the inaugural Executive Director of Space Workforce 2030 (SW2030), a pioneering alliance that unites the world’s top space companies with the shared goal of inspiring, preparing, and employing a more dynamic and vibrant space workforce to drive humanity into the next era. As a recognized leader in both government and commercial space…