The Board of Directors of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration (Coalition) is pleased to announce that Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar has accepted a permanent position as President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, effective June 1. Dittmar had previously served as Executive Director from October of 2015 through May of 2017 and focused on restructuring the organization while increasing membership from 5 to almost 70 member companies. She also guided the organization to formal incorporation as a not-for-profit entity in December of 2016. In her new role, Dr. Dittmar will work with Coalition’s Board of Directors to set vision, formulate strategy, oversee outreach to policymakers and the public, and manage day-to-day matters for the organization as it moves from restructuring to sustained operations.
“I am honored to lead the Coalition and deeply appreciate the confidence expressed by the Board in our direction,” Dittmar said in response to the announcement. “The Coalition is a dynamic and rapidly-growing member organization evolving to meet the challenges and opportunities of a changing business and policy environment. I am proud to represent American business – the cream of the crop of the nation’s industrial and manufacturing base – in support of NASA’s leadership in the human exploration, scientific inquiry, and development of space.”
Prior to joining the Coalition, Dr. Dittmar managed her own consulting firm as President and CEO. Before that, she worked for The Boeing Company where she managed R&D then the Flight Operations Group for the International Space Station (ISS) Program. Later she became Chief Scientist and Senior Manager for Boeing’s commercial payloads effort and for its work on global Earth observation. After leaving Boeing to found Dittmar Associates in 2004, she provided support for a variety of strategic initiatives in the space sector, offering counsel to senior executives in both business and government.
A serial entrepreneur, Dittmar founded two technology companies in addition to her consulting firm. Most recently she has provided strategic guidance for the ISS National Laboratory, and served as a member of the Committee on Human Spaceflight for the National Research Council. Her awards include NASA’s Silver Snoopy and The Boeing Company Chief Technology Officer’s Award for Technical Excellence. She also holds Meritorious Invention Awards from Boeing for her work in networked engineering and operations environments. She is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Astronautical Society.
“We are very happy that Dr. Dittmar has agreed to join the Coalition in a permanent capacity as President and CEO,” said Charles Precourt, speaking for the Board of Directors. “Mary Lynne’s leadership over the past 18 months has been transformative, raising the bar for industry groups in space and positioning the Coalition as a strong advocate for NASA’s programs and the thousands of skilled individuals across the country who support them. We are pleased that she has agreed to continue with us in her new role, and look forward to a bright future for the Coalition and its member companies under her guidance.”
About the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration is a national organization of space industry businesses focused on ensuring the United States remains a leader in space, science and technology. Based in Washington D.C., the Coalition engages in outreach and education reinforcing the value and benefits of human space exploration and space science with the public and our nation’s leaders, building lasting support for a long-term, sustainable, strategic direction for our nation’s space program.