COLORADO SPRINGS (Nov. 16, 2015) – The board of directors of the Space Foundation has elected new officers and directors, for terms to commence on January 1, 2016. ADM James O. Ellis, Jr., USN (Ret.) was elected Chairman of the Board. A former command of United States Strategic Command, Ellis is the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow as the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Lon Levin, Chairman through December 31, was elected to Director Emeritus. A 12 year veteran of the Space Foundation board, Levin is a co-founder of XM Satellite Radio, and heads his own firm, SkySeven Ventures.

Kay Sears, President of Intelsat General, was elected to a two-year term as Secretary. She replaces former NASA astronaut and educator Dr. Kathryn Thornton, who was elected to a special emphasis position as Special Director, Education, and will focus her attention on the Foundation’s STEM education programs and operations.

Hoyt Davidson, Managing Partner, Near Earth LLC, was elected as a member of the board, and elected to a two-year term as Treasurer. He assumes the role of Treasurer from Anita Antenucci, Senior Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey, who was elected Life Director.

Patti Grace Smith, former Associate Administrator of the FAA and Principal in Patti Grace Smith Consulting, was re-elected to a one-year term as At Large Member of the Executive Committee.

In addition, the Space Foundation’s board elected several members to new, three-year terms:

Dr. Alice Bunn
Director of Policy, UK Space Agency

Jeffrey D. Grant
Sector Vice President and General Manager, Space Systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems

Blake E. Larson
Chief Operating Officer, Orbital ATK

Dr. Amy Mainzer
Senior Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Dr. Robert D. Richards
Founder & CEO, Moon Express, Inc.

Gen. William L. Shelton, USAF (Ret.)
Former Commander, Air Force Space Command

Richard R. Yuse
Vice President, Raytheon Company, President, Space and Airborne Systems

Elected to a special two-year term, New Generation Space Leader:

Victoria Alonsoperez
Founder, Chipsafer
Chair, Space Generation Advisory Council

Other Space Foundation board members are:

Elected to a second term:

Dr. Ronald M. Sega
Director, Systems Engineering Programs, Colorado State University
Former NASA astronaut

Board members continuing in office are:

Richard F. Ambrose
Executive Vice President, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

The Honorable Robert E. “Bud” Cramer
Managing Director, C2Group/FTI Consulting

John W. Elbon
Vice President and General Manager, The Boeing Company – Space Exploration

Tom Feeney
President and Chief Executive Officer, Associated Industries of Florida

Michael C. Gass
Former President and Chief Executive Officer, United Launch Alliance

Dr. Fritz Merkle
Member of the Executive Board, OHB System AG

P.J. O’Rourke
Author and Political Satirist

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium, in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” Space Foundation World Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA, has a public Discovery Center, including El Pomar Space Gallery, Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere® and the Lockheed Martin Space Education Center. The Space Foundation has a field office in Houston and conducts government affairs from its Washington, D.C., office. It publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, and through its Space CertificationTM and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, recognizes space-based innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.org, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube, and read our e-newsletter Space Watch.