I am an aerospace executive with two decades of experience in the entrepreneurial and non-profit sectors.

I've spent much of my career working in and with aerospace start-ups. I was employee #001 and the Vice President for Special Projects at Virgin Orbit, an early employee and a VP at Virgin Galactic, and Senior Director of Space Prizes at the XPRIZE Foundation. I've also served as a start-up mentor through the Techstars and SCALE accelerator programs.

I'm passionate about ensuring that talented people from all walks of life have the ability to participate in and contribute to the exploration of space. I am a Co-Founder of both the Brooke Owens Fellowship and the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, two award-winning mentorship and work experience programs focused on enabling more female, non-binary, and Black undergraduate to pursue successful aerospace careers. For many years, I served as a Trustee and the Chair of the Board of Advisors of SEDS-USA, the world's largest student space organization. I was also the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of SpaceAlumni.com, an early social network for space professionals.

I have a bachelors degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard and a masters degree in Space Studies from the International Space University. I'm also a graduate of the NASA Academy, NASA's premiere leadership training program for undergraduate and graduate students.

I have served on two US Federal Advisory Committees, one for the National Academies of Science and Engineering and one for the Federal Aviation Administration.

In addition to countless presentations I've given on behalf of my employers, I've given a TEDx talk explaining why humans explore space.

Perhaps most importantly of all, I'm a husband and father. I am inspired by and deeply in love with my wife, Diana Trujillo, and together we are raising two wonderful children.