TechCrunch was proud to host The Aerospace Corporation at Disrupt 2023 in San Francisco. Here’s an overview of their breakout session.
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. In this Disrupt 2023 Breakout session, we heard from some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce.
Speakers
Tess Hatch, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners
Tess invests in technology and people who believe as strongly as she does that frontier technology will develop solutions for societal problems. She is a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners fostering entrepreneurship of frontier technology, specifically the commercialization of space, drones, autonomous vehicles, and agriculture and food technology. Tess is passionate about space exploration and imagines a future where we all travel to space. She hopes to one day take a trip herself.
Rachel Morford, Principal Director, The Aerospace Corporation
Rachel Morford is a principal director at The Aerospace Corporation, where she has made significant contributions to both the aerospace industry and critical national security space programs over the last 15 years in a variety of roles, from launch systems to international partnerships to satellite production programs. Currently she manages a team responsible for looking across the space enterprise to ensure that warfighter needs are met, exploring how existing purpose-built and commercial systems can contribute to closure of kill chains and identifying critical technology needs. She previously led the Aerospace team supporting the integration of multiple space and ground programs supporting missile warning systems. In prior roles, Morford led the Aerospace team supporting the production, launch, and on-orbit testing communication satellites; provided technical leadership and supported strategic development of international agreements between the U.S. Air Force and other nations; and spent several years as a systems engineer working on national security launches. Morford has led the Aerospace Women’s Committee, served on the Aerospace Diversity Action Committee, and has been recognized with the Aerospace Commitment to Our People Diversity and Inclusion award. Morford is a past president and senior life member of the Society of Women Engineers. She is a senior life member of AIAA, serving on the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee. She is a member on the USC Viterbi Emerging Leaders Board and on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors. In 2021, she was recognized with the USC Alumni Association Young Alumni Merit Award.
Aine Nakai, ATLAS Deputy Director, Space System Command
Ms. Aine Nakai is the deputy director of Atlas Corps, Space Systems Command, providing critical mission support functions across all mission areas, including Command resourcing and talent management, contracting, financial management, innovation, and logistics. Prior to this role, Ms. Nakai was the director of Guardian Generation overseeing recruiting, hiring, outreach, and interservice transfers for the United States Space Force. Previously, she was the director of Talent Management for Space Systems Command, formerly the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. She established the Talent Management Organization to oversee the career development, training, recruitment, hiring, retention, and engagement for SMC and geographically separated units in Peterson AFB and Kirtland AFB. In her role, she was responsible for monitoring the career of nearly 5,000 military and civilian personnel in the contracting, finance, program management, engineering, cyber, security, human resources, and logistic career fields. Ms. Nakai entered the Air Force as a commissioned officer when she graduated from Officer Training School in 2000. She earned her contracting warrant and was stationed at Langley AFB, Air Combat Command prior to being stationed at Yokota AB, Japan, where she served as a flight commander for the 374th Contracting Squadron. Her final assignment as an Active Duty officer was at LA AFB, where she managed the EELV Launch Capability contract, procured the $3 billion Spacelift Range modernization, and deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ms. Nakai worked as an acquisition manager in the Space Superiority Systems Directorate at LA AFB, where she served as a business adviser on various classified programs with a portfolio of over $30 million. Prior to moving to Enterprise Talent Management, she served as the Contracting Directorate Division Chief for Resource Management and Force Development. In that role, she was responsible for recruiting, retention, personnel and career development of more than 250 contracting professionals.
Will Pomerantz, Executive Consultant, Space Workforce 2030
William Pomerantz is an aerospace executive with two decades of experience in the entrepreneurial and nonprofit sectors. He has served as vice president for Special Projects and Employee #001 at Virgin Orbit; as Vice President for Special Projects at Virgin Orbit; and as Senior Director of Space Prizes at the XPRIZE Foundation, among other roles. He is passionate about ensuring that talented people from all walks of life have the ability to participate in and contribute to the exploration of space. Pomerantz is 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, nonbinary, and Black undergraduates to pursue successful aerospace careers. For many years, he served as the Chair of the Board of Advisors of SEDS-USA, the world’s largest student space organization. Currently, Pomerantz is an executive consultant for the Space Workforce 2030 program, helping chart the future of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive effort to inspire, prepare, and employ the aerospace workforce of tomorrow. Pomerantz holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard and a master’s degree in Space Studies from the International Space University. He is also a graduate of the NASA Academy, NASA’s premiere leadership training program for undergraduate and graduate students. Pomerantz has served on two US Federal Advisory Committees: the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee and the National Academies of Science and Engineering’s Committee on Building a Better NASA Workforce.
