People Category: Monday Sessions

Michael Nicolls

Michael Nicolls is LeoLabs’ Chief Technical Officer and cofounder. He leads the development of LeoLabs’ next-generation radar systems, tracking technologies, and data analytics platform. Mike is passionate about developing solutions to enable commercial activities in space in a responsible and sustainable fashion, and co-founded LeoLabs to realize that vision. Mike has been involved in the space industry for over 15 years.

Prior to LeoLabs, he worked at SRI International’s Center for Geospace Studies as a Research Scientist and Program Manager leading the development of remote sensing technologies for studies of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. He directed research programs using advanced radars for understanding the space environment, and contributed to innovative scientific missions such as the Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX), one of the first successful scientific cubesats; sounding rockets for space weather research; and satellite technologies for mapping the Earth’s magnetic field using compact linear accelerators.

Mike’s interest in space was forged through the study of the space environment. He has performed research at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the world’s premier single-dish radio telescope, studied the Aurora Borealis, and participated in research campaigns at observatories around the world. He has co-authored over 100 publications relating to Space Weather and remote sensing. Mike received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.

Clare Martin

Dr. Martin joined Astroscale U.S. in August 2019 as SVP of Operations and Programs. She brings many years of space technology management, operations, and engineering expertise to the Astroscale team.

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 joined 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.

Walt Everetts

Walt Everetts is Vice President, Space Operations and Engineering for Iridium, where he is responsible for overseeing and monitoring the Iridium space-based network operations, the teleport network of antennas around the world and the development & deployment of upgrades to support future system enhancements. His responsibilities encompass all aspects of constellation management, as well as space engineering supporting software enhancements to fully serve the end user communications needs and expected availability.

Mr. Everetts started his career working in the aerospace industry with specific responsibilities in commercial communication satellite integration, testing, and launching. In 1996, he joined the satellite communications division at Motorola as the manufacturing manager responsible for the delivery and deployment of the Iridium program spacecraft constellation. After completion of the original Iridium satellites, Mr. Everetts took on a new program management position at Motorola, where he was assigned to projects in more than 40 countries and a multitude of different product lines in the telecommunication industry. In February 2008, Mr. Everetts rejoined Iridium as the Space Systems Operations Director. In 2013, he was promoted to his current role of VP, Space Operations and Engineering.

Mr. Everetts holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University.

Marla E. Pérez-Davis

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Dr. Marla E. Pérez-Davis serves as the director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. In this position, she is responsible for planning, organizing and directing the activities required in accomplishing the missions assigned to the center. The Glenn staff consists of more than 3,200 civil service and support contractor employees and has an annual budget of more than $900 million. Prior to becoming the director, Dr. Pérez-Davis served as Glenn’s deputy director.

From 2014 to June 2016, she was deputy director of the Research and Engineering Directorate. In this position, Pérez-Davis was responsible for leading, planning, coordinating and managing all phases of Glenn’s research and engineering activities to accomplish NASA missions.

Other key leadership positions Pérez-Davis held at Glenn include director of the Aeronautics Research Office from 2010 to 2014, where she served as the focal point for aeronautics research and provided project management, leadership and oversight in support of the Agency’s aeronautics research mission. Prior to that, she served as chief of the Project Liaison and Integration Office from 2007 to 2010, where her leadership resulted in streamlined business processes, improved contract management practices and improved timeliness response to safety assurance activities. She also served as the chief of the Electrochemistry Branch, where her leadership resulted in strengthening the energy storage and power competencies as well as the establishment of new partnerships in support of NASA missions.

Pérez-Davis is the recipient of numerous NASA awards including the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and the prestigious Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executives. She was also the recipient of the 2015 Crain’s Women of Note; the Top 25 Elite Business Women, Hispanic Business Magazine; Women of Color Career Achievement; Distinguished Alumni Award, Alumni Association of University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez; Women in Aerospace Award for Aerospace Awareness; Women of Color Technology Award for Career Achievement; and the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Santiago Rodriguez Diversity Award. She is also a certified NASA Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Pérez-Davis, a native of Puerto Rico, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico; a Master of Science degree from the University of Toledo and a doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve University in Chemical Engineering. In 2006, she completed NASA’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program and the Office of Personnel Management Program.

Robert Hanley

Robert J. Hanley is the deputy manager for the Operations Integration Office and acting deputy manager for the Utilization Office for NASA’s Gateway Program. Robert helps to lead the integration of flight operations, and utilization and science integration in support of the Gateway which will be assembled in cis-lunar space to support NASA’s forward mission to land humans on the moon and provide a stepping stone to Mars. He is located at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Robert began his career at the Johnson Space Center in 1987 in support of the Space Shuttle program as an engineer in the Vehicle Integration Test Office. He supported the International Space Station (ISS) Program starting in 1996 with assembly and checkout of Space Station elements for astronaut flight crew operations. He provided lead roles with the first element of the Space Station’s Unity module as well as the US Laboratory, and robotic elements provided by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Beginning in 2005, Robert served as the ISS chief engineer for the Astronaut Office providing leadership for engineering support of the ISS, visiting vehicles to the ISS, crew procedures and payloads. He was also a certified ISS Capsule Communicator (Capcom) for the conduct of integrated simulations and real-time mission operations in NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston.

In 2013, Robert served as the first non-astronaut Technical Deputy to the Chief of the Astronaut Office. He assisted with office oversight including ISS integration, CapCom office, information technology, administrative staff, astronaut appearances and contractor management.

In 2018, Robert conducted a detail at NASA headquarters in the Office of the Administrator as the Council Executive for agency program management councils. He provided strategic support to senior NASA leadership, and program and project executives to conduct decisional council and acquisition meetings and managed monthly performance reporting for mission directorates and mission support offices.

Born in Victoria, Texas, Robert earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

Robert is married and lives in League City, Texas just south of the Johnson Space Center.

Peter McGrath

Peter McGrath is Global Sales & Marketing director for the Space Exploration business in Space and Launch, part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. He is responsible for leading a business development team in shaping, extending, and capturing business in support of human space exploration missions.

Prior to assuming his current role in July 2010, McGrath was program manager for the U.S. Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) program and led the capture and program startup of the fixed-price production contract for BCTM. He returned to this position in October 2009 after originally functioning as the program manager for the initial LRIP proposal efforts in 2007/2008 and serving under the Production organization supporting the Non Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C) Special Interest Program proposal and core development program restructure activities.

Before working on the BCTM program, McGrath was senior manager of Business Development for the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programs. His responsibilities encompassed supporting the program manager and the U.S. Air Force in restructuring the program, implementing program best practices, supporting user community and Capitol Hill briefings, and creating solutions to expand the capabilities of the existing program to support mission area requirements.

McGrath’s background covers more than 29 years in related Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial businesses. Previous assignments included senior manager of Business Development Marketing Operations for Air Force Space Systems, senior manager of Business Development Marketing Operations for Launch and Satellite Systems, customer engineer for Boeing Launch Services (Delta and Sea Launch Programs), liaison engineer for Delta IV Upper Stage, and project engineer in the Phantom Works Composite Structures Research and Development group. McGrath started his career as a structural analyst on the International Space Station program, working in increasing levels of responsibility from program start-up through early production and system qualification testing.

McGrath holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California and two master’s degrees: one in aerospace structures/composites from California State University, Long Beach, and one in business administration with an emphasis in finance from the University of Southern California.

Kent Rominger

Kent Rominger is the vice president and capture lead for the OmegA launch system, which Northrop Grumman is currently developing for the U.S. Air Force National Security Space Launch program as well as commercial customers.

Prior to his current role, Kent served as the vice president of Strategic Programs with responsibility for the Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile Program, the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent pursuit and Minuteman III Sustainment (FISAC PSSC) for Northrop Grumman. He also served as vice president of Strategy and Business Development for Northrop Grumman Propulsion Systems and as vice president of Propulsion Systems’ Test and Research Operations. He joined Northrop Grumman in October 2006 as vice president, Advanced Programs, following distinguished careers with NASA and the U.S. Navy.

Rominger was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1992. A veteran of five space shuttle flights, including two as the mission commander, he has logged over 1,600 hours and traveled almost 27 million miles in space. He culminated his NASA career as the chief of the Astronaut Office.

Rominger was commissioned as a naval officer in 1979. During his 26-year career, he served as an F-14 Tomcat pilot with fighter squadrons VF-2 and VF-211 and as a Navy test pilot. While with VF-211, he completed a deployment to the Arabian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. Rominger is a graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) and the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland. He has logged more than 7,000 flying hours in 35 different types of aircraft and has completed 685 carrier landings.

A native of Del Norte, Colorado, Rominger received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

Phil Burkholder

Phil Burkholder is currently the President, Defense Programs for Rolls-Royce where he is accountable for Rolls-Royce Defense programs globally. He is also on the LibertyWorks board and is accountable to assure the business is properly positioned for the future.

Prior to this role he was President, Defense Aerospace, North America where he was accountable for the Rolls-Royce North America Defense Aerospace business.

From 2010 to 2015 he was Executive Vice President, Engineering and Technology for the Defense Sector of Rolls-Royce plc. Rolls-Royce is a global provider of defense engine products and services with 18,000 engines in service for 160 customers in over 100 countries. These engines power aircraft in all key market areas: transport, combat, reconnaissance, training, and helicopter.

From 2005 to 2010, Phil was the Chief Operating Officer of Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., also known as LibertyWorks®, where the focus is advanced and innovative technology enabling solutions for the customer.

Mr. Burkholder joined Rolls-Royce in 1986 and moved through a series of assignments over the past 30 years: Vice President of Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Chief Engineer of JSF F-35B Rolls-Royce STOVL, Engineering Director of Propulsion Systems for Rolls-Royce Corp., Engineering Director for Rolls-Royce Defense North America, Chief Design Engineer for the AE 3007, and Design Engineer for turbine components.

He has contributed to the propulsion system solutions for aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey, C-130J, Cessna Citation X, Embraer RJ-145, RQ-4 Global Hawk, SAAB-2000, the F-35 Lightning II, T-45 Goshawk, A400M Atlas, Harrier, Bell 407, and others. He has five patented inventions.

Mr. Burkholder graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. In 2006, he completed The Executive Program from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

He is a chartered engineer and a Royal Aeronautical Society Fellow. He currently serves on the board for the Indiana Innovation Institute, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, and the RR-Purdue UTP Executive Governance Board. He served on the Virginia Tech Advisory Board for the College of Engineering 2008-2012. He is active in his community and serves on the board of his local church.

Kelvin Coleman

Kelvin Coleman

Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation

Kelvin Coleman serves as the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. In this role, he provides executive leadership and oversight of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) to ensure achievement of AST’s principle mission objectives of public safety, and advancement of U.S. commercial space transportation.

Kelvin has more than 20 years of experience in AST, having served previously as Deputy Associate Administrator, Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, Chief of Staff, Senior Technical Advisor for Operations Integration, Program Lead for Space and Air Traffic Integration, and Special Assistant to the Associate Administrator. Prior to joining AST, he worked for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as both a systems engineer, and as a guidance, navigation, and control engineer for several weapon system acquisition programs.

Kelvin is a graduate of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Executive Training Program and holds a B.S. in Electronics and Computer Engineering from George Mason University, and an M.B.A. from Marymount University.

Kelvin is also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Christopher Allison

Christopher Allison is the Regulatory Affairs Lead for Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems. In support of SNC’s Dream Chaser® orbital vehicle program, he has served as the Federal Agencies Integration Lead and Landing Site Coordinator. In recent years, Mr. Allison has represented SNC to the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of State, and Federal launch Ranges coordinating compliance with government requirements and regulations in support of planned Dream Chaser launches and landings. Recently Mr. Allison was asked to represent SNC on 3 Aviation Rulemaking Committees discussing topics of commercial space regulations and integration into the National Airspace System. He is also Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Regulatory Committee and advises SNC representation on COMSTAC. In support of the Advanced Development team at SNC, Mr. Allison leads the SNC Landing Site Designation and supports coordination of secondary payloads on NASA CRS2 missions as well as dedicated payloads on future Dream Chaser free flying missions.