Champions of Change: NASA Innovators
President Obama’s Strategy for American Innovation seeks to harness the ingenuity of the American people to ensure economic growth that is rapid, broad-based, and sustained. America’s economic growth and competitiveness depend on its people’s capacity to innovate. We can create the jobs and industries of the future by doing what America does best – investing in the creativity and imagination of our people. These Champions of Change work day in and day out to enable innovation, education, and new development that promotes economic growth and excellence in science and technology by taking advantage of the skills of the workforce, facilities, and infrastructure of the Florida Space Coast.
Dr. Bobby Jeanpierre
Dr. Bobby Jeanpierre, an Associate Professor of Elementary/Middle School Science Education, is a National Science Foundation 2005 CAREER AWARD recipient. Dr. Jeanpierre's CAREER AWARD research is focused on how teachers in K-12 settings implement inquiry-based science instruction.
Dale Ketcham
Dale is the Director of the Spaceport Research & Technology Institute (SRTI). He spent a decade with Rockwell International on the Shuttle, and also served as District Director for Congressman Jim Bacchus on the House Space Subcommittee, and as the Director of Space Programs for Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development agency.
Fred Maxik
Fredric S. Maxik, has served as Chief Scientific Officer of Lighting Science Group Corporation since June 2004 and has served as a director of Lighting Science Group since August 2004.
Joyce Riquelme
Joyce is Manager at the Kennedy Space Center Planning and Development Office. She provides strategic leadership and management integration of center planning activities and partnership development initiatives to enable KSC as a multi-user spaceport supporting both government and commercial launch providers and their customers.
Tony Sasso
Representative Sasso is a Representative for Florida’s 32nd district. He supports space-related economic development and university programs, including the Space Technology and Research Diversification initiative.
R.J. Scaringe
Dr. Scaringe founded Rivian out of a passion to develop and produce ultra-efficient yet fun-to-drive vehicles. Rivian is reinventing the way cars are developed, manufactured and distributed, enabling the elimination of many of the typical compromises found in today’s vehicles.
Jen Scheer
Jen is a former space shuttle technician at Kennedy Space Center. Jen created The Space Tweep Society, a group of space enthusiasts on Twitter from a variety of backgrounds.
Carrie Solomon
Carrie Solomon is the Representative from SpaceX. Established in 2002, SpaceX has already developed two brand new launch vehicles, established an impressive launch manifest, and been awarded COTS funding by NASA to demonstrate delivery and return of cargo to the International Space Station.
Lynda Weatherman
Lynda L. Weatherman, a Florida native, is the president & CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. She presides over the operations and strategic direction of a nearly $3 million operation.
Robert Whelen
Bob Whelen is Corporate Vice President, Real Estate for Harris Corporation and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast.