CANDIDATES FOR OFFICERS 2017-2018
President: CAROL S. LANE - President, Cynergy, LLC
Ms. Lane is a consultant in the fields of aerospace and energy. Her primary focus is government relations activities including business development and Congressional strategies that support overall business goals and objectives. She is currently working with X-energy, LLC. From 2003-2014, she served as Vice President of Washington Operations and Vice President of Civil and Commercial Space for Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Corp.
Carol’s career includes progressive responsibility in many civil and national security market segments. This experience comprises service with the Federal government, Congress, as well as over 20 years in industry with Lockheed Martin and TRW (Northrop Grumman), both in the operating plants and the Washington office, prior to joining Ball. She was the staff director on the Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and served as staff on the Senate Budget Committee working space and energy issues. In 1988, President Reagan appointed Carol to serve as the Director of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, under the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
Carol is a graduate of George Washington University. She has served as past Chairman of Board for Women in Aerospace, past Vice President of Finance for AAS, and recently, Vice President of Development for ARCS (STEM education).
Executive Vice President: ALAN DELUNA– Principal Consultant, ATDL, Inc.
Mr. DeLuna brings forward experience with the aerospace industry, space agencies, and spaceports around the world. He is an accomplished, results-oriented spaceflight operations expert equally comfortable in business, corporate, or program development. Mr. DeLuna has real life experience developing, operating, and managing spaceflight systems in both the technical and business arenas. He joined the human spaceflight program when it was transitioning from Apollo to Shuttle. He was the senior contractor project engineer for launch sequence, launch commit, and emergency actions for the first shuttle launch. Since then his roles have included Director of Strategic Planning and Integration, Director of Systems Engineering and Integration, Director of Launch Integration, and Space Flight Operations Projects Director for international and commercial.
Mr. DeLuna has worked for Litton PRC, Rockwell, Lockheed, and United Space Alliance. He is currently the principal for consulting firm ATDL, Inc. with customers in the facilities development, space tourism, commercial spaceflight, NASA spaceflight, aerospace systems architecture, aerospace engineering, microgravity research, and international markets.
Mr. DeLuna has an AA in Paramedic Medicine, BS in Mechanical Engineering, and MS in Engineering Management. He has specialized training from the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University and Embry Riddle University. He is active in technical committees and young professional programs for the American Astronautical Society, the International Astronautical Federation, and the International Committee on Technical Interchange for Space Mission Operations and Ground Data Systems.
Vice President Technical: JIM MCADAMS – Lead Mission Design Engineer at KinetX, Inc.
Jim McAdams is a specialist in spacecraft trajectory optimization and maneuver design for NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex asteroid sample return mission. Jim has worked with KinetX Aerospace since his September 2016 retirement after nearly 23 years working at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from Purdue University in the mid-1980s, he worked eight years at SAIC near Chicago on planetary mission studies for NASA. Jim has served as AAS Vice President Technical since December 2014, where he also served on three awards committees. He completed multiple terms on the AAS Spaceflight Mechanics Technical Committee from the early 1990s to 2014, including conference leadership roles as Technical Chair – AAS for the 2002 Astrodynamics Specialists Conference in Monterey, CA and the 2012 Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting in Charleston, SC.
He worked on the NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) mission design team from conceptual studies in 1989 to the February 2001 landing on asteroid 433 Eros. Mr. McAdams has served as the Mission Design Lead Engineer for the MESSENGER Mercury orbiter mission from the start of conceptual studies in 1996 through the mission’s conclusion in 2015. He also contributed to Mission Design for Solar Probe Plus, which will utilize a high-energy launch in mid-2018 and 7 Venus flybys to come within 10 solar radii of the Sun. Mr. McAdams has received a number of awards, the most significant of which are the 2009 American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics Region I (Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S.) Engineer of the Year award and the 2012 International Academy of Astronautics Team Laurels award, which recognizes key participants of the world’s most successful and significant space mission for the current year. Mr. McAdams has over 70 professional papers and publications.
Vice President Programs: KATHY J. NADO – Special Assistant in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters
Ms. Nado rejoined NASA Headquarters in July 2009, where she leads the directorates’ strategic planning and performance management activities. Ms. Nado previously was the Director of Business Development for NASA and NOAA Programs at L-3 Communications, and the Account Manager for NASA at Computer Sciences Corporation.
Before entering private industry in June 2001, Ms. Nado was employed as a Special Assistant at NASA Headquarters in the Office of Space Flight, where she was responsible for managing all communications with Congress and the media regarding the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Advanced Technologies, and Space Communications programs. Ms. Nado began her NASA civil service career in 1995 at the Goddard Space Flight Center as Special Assistant in the Office of the Center Director, where she managed external outreach efforts across the multiple space and earth sciences missions that are managed or supported at GSFC. Her previous experience includes positions as a newspaper reporter, radio advertising executive, and as an operations analyst with the Space Shuttle Program at the Johnson Space Center.
Ms. Nado has been active in several organizations within the aerospace industry, including President of the Goddard Contractor’s Association, (2008) and Vice President of Programs for the Maryland Space Business Roundtable, (2007-2008). Ms. Nado has served on the Board of Directors of the American Astronautical Association (AAS) since 2005, and has also held the AAS positions of Vice President for Membership and Vice President for Programs.
Vice President Publications: DAVID B. SPENCER – Professor of Aerospace Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Spencer’s research areas include: spacecraft dynamics and controls, trajectory optimization, space systems engineering, and theoretical and applied astrodynamics.
From 1985 to 1990, he was a Member of the Technical Staff in the Astrodynamics Department at The Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles. He worked for the Air Force Research Laboratory (and its predecessor, the Air Force Phillips Laboratory), Kirtland AFB, New Mexico from 1991 to 1999 in various positions in the Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/VS) including program manager, deputy branch, and branch technical advisor. He joined the faculty at Penn State in August, 1999. He is a Fellow of AAS, an Associate Fellow of AIAA, an Associate Editor for the AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets and is a member of the AIAA Astrodynamics Technical Committee and the International Astronautical Federation’s Astrodynamics committee and Space Education and Outreach committee. He has also previously served as a member of the AAS Space Flight Mechanics Technical Committee, is a member of the AAS Awards Committee, and has been the general co-chair (once) and technical co-chair (twice) for AAS co-sponsored conferences. He currently is Vice President, Publications for AAS.
Dr. Spencer received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University, an MBA from Penn State and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Vice President Strategic Communications and Outreach: MADURITA SENGUPTA – Program Manager at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Madi Sengupta is responsible for managing AIAA's bid to host the 2019 International Astronautical Congress in Washington, D.C. A former Space Station Robotics Instructor at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Madi was responsible for training Space Shuttle and Space Station crews for their robotics operations onboard the Space Station and was lead Space Station Robotics Instructor for the STS-132, STS-135, and Expedition 22 mission. In 2011, at the end of the Space Shuttle Program, Madi left NASA to pursue a graduate degree in Public Policy, focusing on understanding the drivers of domestic and foreign policy and the interdependencies between the technical and policy worlds, in order to apply this understanding to influence US space policy. To this end, she worked with her home state of Texas to complete an assessment of the economic growth potential of commercial spaceflight in the state. After graduation, Madi worked as a policy analyst for the City of Houston, before finally making the move inside the Beltway to the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and, more recently, AIAA.
Madi holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.
Vice President Membership: TRACY LAMM – Chief Operating Officer at Space Center Houston & Manned Space Flight Foundation
Tracy oversees the day-to-day operations at Space Center Houston, the nonprofit science and space learning center. He has nearly 30 years of aerospace experience with NASA, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Rocketdyne and state economic development organizations.
Lamm earned a Master of Science degree in contracting from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. He received Bachelor of Science degrees in business administration with majors in management, marketing, and procurement from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Lamm is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and graduate of the Lockheed Martin Corporate Strategy and Business Development Leadership Academy, as well as numerous other leadership programs.
Mr. Lamm has received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for increasing public awareness and understanding of NASA missions and scientific research.
Vice President Education: GALE J. ALLEN – Deputy Chief Scientist at NASA Headquarters
Dr. Allen advises the NASA Administrator in matters of scientific research and provides oversight in the areas of life and microgravity science. In addition she represents NASA science to national and international communities and is a science advocate to NASA stakeholders. Dr. Allen began her NASA career at the Kennedy Space Center as Chief of the Materials and Chemistry Branch where she led the effort in developing ozone depleting alternatives for precision cleaning of flight and ground hardware. At NASA HQ Gale managed the Bioastronautics (human research and life support) Research Program, served as deputy for the Human Systems Research and Technology Program, and Director, Strategic Integration and Management for Exploration Systems before moving to her current position. She was also a member of the instrument development and science team that developed the Radiation Assessment Detector on the Mars Curiosity rover.
She has received a NASA Space Act Award for her research in ozone depleting alternatives, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, and two Exceptional Performance Awards. In addition to these honors, she is a member of Women in Aerospace, a member of the Board Directors of the American Astronautical Society, an elected member of the Brenau University Board of Trustees, and is the President for the Zonta Club of Fairfax County, an international organization focusing on empowering women through service and advocacy.
She holds a B.S. in Chemistry and M.S. in Chemistry from Old Dominion University, an MBA in Management from Brenau University, and a Doctorate in Business Administration with an emphasis in high technology partnership development from Nova Southeastern University.
Vice President Finance: RONALD J. BIRK – Program Manager, Applied Sciences Space Operations and Environmental Solutions at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
As Program Manager for Applied Sciences, Mr. Birk is responsible for developing and implementing strategy and solutions to extend benefits of science-based mission systems to serve demanding societal needs for environmental intelligence. Ron is a member of the Environmental Information Services Working Group (EISWG) of the NOAA Science Advisory Board and Chair of the Special Events Working Group for the American Astronautics Society.
In a previous role, Mr. Birk served as Director, Business Development for Civil & Military Space Systems for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Ron worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as the Director of the Applied Sciences program in the Science Mission Directorate where he co-chaired the U.S. Group on Earth Observations and chaired the Measurement and Monitoring Systems Working Group in the U.S. Climate Change Technology Program.
Ron has over 30 years of experience in the development and management of remote sensing and environmental information system solutions for decision support integrating related Earth science and technologies for practical applications to benefit society. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society and American Astronautics Society.
He received his B.S. in Physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1982.
Vice President International: J.R. EDWARDS – Manager of Global Space Exploration Outreach and Advocacy in Lockheed Martin’s Government Affairs office
J.R. began his career at the Indiana University School of Business and the I.U. Center on Philanthropy. He then helped launch the Philanthropic Advisors Services group at the Council on Foundations, a nonprofit membership association of 1800+ grant making foundations and corporations committed to promoting responsible and effective philanthropy. Since joining Lockheed Martin Corporation, J.R. completed assignments in Corporate Government Financial Management, Space Operations, and Energy and Security Solutions before transferring to Space Systems Company in 2006.
In his current role, J.R. is responsible for Lockheed Martin’s Global Space Exploration Outreach & Advocacy.
A lifetime member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), he is an AIAA Associate Fellow and a Corresponding Member with the International Academy of Astronautics. He is very active with the International Astronautical Federation, and previously served on the AAS Board of Directors. J.R. received his bachelor degree from Indiana University, where he attended as a Senator Richard G. Lugar Scholar, Herman B. Wells Scholar, and Ronald E. McNair Scholar.
Vice President Public Policy: JEFF BINGHAM – Former Senior Advisor on Space and Aeronautics, Republican Staff, U.S. Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Mr. Bingham is currently the sole proprietor of Focused Solutions and Strategies, LLC, a Virginia-based consulting firm. From 1974-1990, Mr. Bingham served as Chief of Staff for Senator Jake Garn (R-UT), and throughout that service was heavily involved in the Senator's space-related activity, as Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate VA-HUD-IA Subcommittee on Appropriations, which had responsibility for NASA appropriations. From September of 1990 to April 1991, Mr. Bingham was a NASA consultant and participant in the Synthesis Group, chaired by former astronaut General Tom Stafford, charged with developing alternative architectures for missions to the Moon and Mars under the Space Exploration Initiative. From May 1991 to July 1994, Mr. Bingham was a Senior Policy Analyst for Science Applications International Corporation, and supported the Johnson Space Center New Initiatives Office in strategic planning and exploration policy activities. In 1994, at the request of NASA, Mr. Bingham became the Legislative Coordinator for the International Space Station Program, serving in that role until September 1996. From April 1996 to April 1999, he managed the Space Station Information Center (aka "War Room"), relocating to NASA Headquarters in September 1996 to undertake that activity full-time. In May 1999, Mr. Bingham began a NASA History Office project to draft a book-length manuscript on space station policy history, a project that is still in progress, as time permits. In December 2000, Mr. Bingham supported the Bush-Cheney NASA Transition Team, and in January 2001 was appointed by the White House Personnel Office as Special Assistant to NASA Chief of Staff Courtney A. Stadd. From May 2001 to May 2002, Mr. Bingham served as Acting Associate Administrator, then as Associate Administrator for Legislative Affairs, at NASA Headquarters. In May 2002, he was appointed Senior Advisor/Special Assistant to the NASA Administrator for Policy and History. Mr. Bingham left NASA in April, 2004, and spent a year writing, speaking and consulting. In April, 2005, Mr. Bingham accepted the appointment as Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Science and Space of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) which had authorization and oversight jurisdiction for NASA and the National Science Foundation.
With the reorganization of the 110th Congress, Mr. Bingham became the senior Republican staff member/Staff Director of the reconstituted Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences, which no longer had jurisdiction for National Science Foundation authorizations. Change again in the 111th Congress Subcommittee alignments returned National Science Foundation to the newly-reconstituted Subcommittee on Science and Space, and Mr. Bingham assumed the role of Senior Advisor on Space and Aeronautics, Republican Staff, of the full Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, with additional lead responsibility for space programs in the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee. With the retirement of Senator Hutchison at the end of the last Congress, Mr. Bingham was asked by the new Republican Commerce Committee leadership to continue supporting the space portfolio, but decided it was time to leave the hill and end his thirty-plus years of government service and pursue personal and professional activities outside the constraints of Senate staff obligations. During his tenure at the Committee, Mr. Bingham performed the lead staff role for Republicans in developing and ensuring enactment of the 2005, 2008 and 2010 NASA Authorization Acts, which helped establish the current program and policy framework for NASA, as embodied in statute. His formal departure from the U.S. Senate and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation was August 31, 2013.