Celebrating Women in Satellite 2023

To commemorate International Women’s Day, Via Satellite celebrates women who have made a difference for the greater satellite and space industry, and in the lives of their colleagues. More than 75 people wrote about their mentors, colleagues, friends, and bosses — women that drive the industry forward through engineering, business development, regulatory policy, sales, and more.

Here are some of those commendations. With the volume of responses, Via Satellite published a Part 2 to this feature in the April edition.

Sharyn Nerenberg, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications for Hughes Network Systems

I met Sharyn Nerenberg through SSPI’s mentoring program. We have met every Friday for the past six months to discuss the space and satellite industry, marketing and communications, and more. As someone who is new to the industry, Sharyn’s expertise and guidance have helped me not only understand satellite communications but my role as a marketing professional within the industry. From helping on a variety of projects to talking through workplace situations, it is as if Sharyn and I have known and worked with each other for years. Currently with Hughes Network Systems, she has also worked with companies including BroadSoft, Intelsat, MCI Telecommunications, WorldCom, GTE Spacenet, and owned her own marketing practice, and her expertise does not go unnoticed through industry. — McKenzie Weeks, Atlas Space Operations

Candace Givens, Vice President of Overhead Persistent Infrared and Geospatial Systems, Northrop Grumman

Dr. Candace Givens leads a talented team that partners with customers to deliver highly capable, resilient, and defendable space systems for the warfighter. Candace has more than 25 years of space experience and has held numerous leadership positions across the company. Candace has successfully implemented engineering product line initiatives, run fast-growing business portfolios, and led mission-critical programs from idea to operation. She has been instrumental in navigating her teams through national challenges. During the pandemic, for example, her business maintained significant growth while delivering satellite capabilities critical to our nation’s strategic defense and adapting work practices that ensured the safety of an onsite workforce. Under her guidance, company leaders continue to engage in challenging and necessary conversations on social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and the value of employee representation and empowerment. She prioritizes the growth and development of other leaders at all levels. — Debbi Sullivan, Northrop Grumman

Susan Saadat, ETL Systems Senior Vice President for the Americas

I have had the pleasure of knowing Susan Saadat for the past 20 years. We met at Intelsat in the midst of exciting and challenging times in the telecommunications industry. I managed the deployment of the company’s expansion plans prior to privatization, and Susan was the leader of our broadband and enterprise network solutions. The field of engineering and communications has long been populated mostly by males, and women were a minority. She impressed me with her engineering expertise and managerial experience — a winning combination for a trailblazer. With her background as a sophisticated negotiator and business manager, she became a trailblazer in the disruptive and innovative new area of broadband technology that enabled the organization to expand and diversify its services. Her accomplishments are many, but her success with broadband technology is just an example of her lasting contribution to the satellite industry, which is now widely used in all applications. — Sara Clark, MSN

Florence Tan, NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate, Deputy Chief Technologist

Florence represents a rare mix of intelligence, humility, openness, and knowledge that has made her so effective as NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Deputy Chief Technologist over many years. As a technical leader, she has served multiple planetary missions from independent review boards through the delivery of state-of-the-art mass spectrometers throughout the solar system. Programmatically, she has advanced NASA’s small satellite programs, and technology strategic planning, as an innovative way to grow the number and diversity of scientists and engineers. What has always impressed me, however, is how freely Florence gives of her time to share the discoveries of NASA science and the engineering development by mentoring students and training professionals, especially women and the underserved, through many forums and communities around the world. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Florence is a treasured colleague who is always seeking new knowledge and whom I’m proud and honored to recognize as a friend. — Charles Norton, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech

Fatema Ali Al Hajri, Executive Vice President of Products and Solutions Engineering for Yahsat

Fatema Ali Al Hajri is one of the earliest UAE women engineers to join the satellite industry and a pioneer and role model for women in my country. She began her career at Yahsat as a teleport systems engineer and now manages the company’s integrated range of fixed and mobility solutions. She was involved in the launch of Yahsat’s first two communication satellites, led the Radio Frequency Gateway project, and is now heading the development of a next-generation mobility portfolio designed for operations over Yahsat’s sixth satellite. Passionate about mentoring women technologists, Fatema actively encourages her young colleagues to develop their skills and grow their careers. She also enjoys exploring new technologies and extending her circle of contacts within the global space and satellite industry. Outside work, she is a wonderful mother, who finds time to pursue her hobbies and interests. I greatly admire Fatema’s generosity, courage, and drive to win at work and in life. — Ahmed Mohammed Hasan Al Shamsi, Yahsat

Nicole Robinson, President of Ursa Space Systems

Nicole has an amazing amount of business acumen. She understands the satellite industry acutely. Nicole is able to navigate the business landscape and maintain a vision and roadmap that accelerates Ursa's progress in the industry, fosters strong collaborative relationships with our partners, and ultimately advances capabilities for the broader user community in ways that, without her guidance and leadership, would not be possible. — Eric Cote, Ursa Space Systems

Ruth Stilwell, Executive Director of Aerospace Policy Solutions

Ruth has served in academia, industry, and government positions in capacities bridging the domains of aviation and space traffic management. Her unique ability to generate compelling analogies between seemingly disparate domains has catalyzed many professionals to think outside of their comfort zone. She brings a fact-based approach to space safety that has led to breakthroughs in policy formulation and technical investigations. Her outspoken participation in global settings such as the International Astronautical Congress, AMOS Conference, and the IAA Space Traffic Management Conference has resulted in substantive dialogue advancing this critical area.

As the founding principal of a consulting firm on the integration of commercial space operations and unmanned aircraft in civil airspace, she continues to be one of the thought leaders that can truly span both aviation and space safety activities. Ruth relishes the opportunity to serve on government projects to develop airspace policy to accommodate commercial space operations, risk analysis on space debris, integration, and accommodation for emerging space technologies. —Darren McKnight, LeoLabs

Negar Feher, SpaceRyde CRO

Negar is the human epitome of "inclusion in space.” Not only is she highly active in engaging young women to join the space workforce, but her incredible career and achievements have made her a role model for many women already in the sector, myself included. Her impact on inclusion doesn't end with women's engagement; she also works with customers from all over the globe and different industries to encourage them to get their missions off the ground. She engages with more than just the significant satellite players but also gives her time to assist in realizing innovators' and scientists' missions. People like her will be the reason the space economy we're all banking on succeeds. I've never seen someone more passionate in my life. She's someone I truly look up to and love learning from every day. — Jen Scholten, SpaceRyde

Carolyn Belle, Director of Advanced Systems for Astroscale U.S.

Carolyn is committed to creating a sustainable economy in space. She has been dedicated to various leadership roles within the industry — both within the companies she has supported, and in the larger Women in Aerospace network. During the time she worked for me at KSAT, she was instrumental in developing the new KSATlite product line that was ground-breaking in providing ground station services at a price point that was sustainable for small satellite companies. The success that Carolyn drove at KSAT can arguably be seen as opening up the ground station market more broadly.In her role at Astroscale, Carolyn has championed space sustainability, helping create business models that enable debris removal to become a lasting solution. She has a deep knowledge of the industry, a sharp strategic mind, and is a team player working toward the common good. — Katherine Monson, Hedron Space

Anastasia Kuzmenkom, Marketing & Communication Vice President for IEC Telecom

Anastasia Kuzmenko is a resilient young woman. A Ukrainian now based in the Middle East, and a former activist at the UNESCO Youth Forum, Anastasia leads the marketing and communication division of service provider IEC Telecom. While her family was under heavy shelling in Ukraine she found the time and energy to continue her studies and graduated with distinction from the Hult International Business School with an MBA. Since the start of the Ukrainian war she participated in an association to raise funds and she helped some of her family members and friends settle abroad. She has shown me and all my team how to remain smiling, enthusiastic, entrepreneurial, creative, and enduring amid a hard time. I suppose there isn't a minute in her life that she isn’t thinking of her mother potentially facing a missile. This incredible strength and attitude is to be recognized. What a force and example for a company, for a society, for all young people! — Erwan Emilian Deur Grannec, MSUA

Ruth Pritchard-Kelly, Senior Advisor for Regulatory & Space Policy at OneWeb

While Ruth Pritchard-Kelly was literally born into the satellite industry — her father, Dr. Wilbur Pritchard was a pioneer in the development of satellite technology — she has carved her own path and created an outstanding career in the legal and regulatory side of the industry. In addition to her corporate work for firms including OneWeb, SES, O3b, and American Mobile Satellite Corporation, she has been a member of the advisory boards of the Secure World Foundation, the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Spectrum Management Committee, as well as a frequent participant in international and regional working groups. Perhaps most importantly for the future of the satellite industry she has worked extensively to promote the next generation of professionals, both as a law professor and by mentoring women through organizations such as SSPI-WISE and the ITU. — Andrea Maleter

Michelle Bryan, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Intelsat

Michelle Bryan is a highly respected and exceptionally impactful member of Intelsat’s senior leadership team, an outstanding lawyer, and an authoritative and caring voice for employees. Always bringing a forward-looking and strategic mindset, Michelle has a wealth of institutional knowledge about the industry and our company, having been with Intelsat for the better part of two decades.

Her insight and guidance have been particularly helpful to me over the past several months as I came on board as the company’s new CEO. During her time as an Intelsat leader, she has managed an IPO, a corporate headquarters relocation, a company restructuring, and merger/acquisition activity. Her influence and impact extend well beyond Intelsat, as she is widely seen within the industry as a respected and effective leader. I can speak for the entire Intelsat leadership team when I say: Michelle is a superstar – full stop! — David Wajsgras, Intelsat

Kristin Rice, Vice President of Client Success at Atlas Space Operations

Prior to starting her own company, Kristin was the lead liaison between the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Actors of Hollywood for "The Second Jungle Book." During the months she spent in Sri Lanka working on the movie, she felt a disconnection with those back home because of the inconsistent and unreliable ways to communicate with her friends and family. This experience ignited the spark to start Constellation Corporation in 2003 to provide internet, voice, data and video connectivity via satellite to areas of the world with challenged or non-existent fiber infrastructure.

I don't consider Kristin just my supervisor, but a woman who I can look up to. She has shown me that in a small town like Traverse City, Michigan, you can make a big difference. Each day Kristin pushes the envelope to be an integral part of the industry and make a positive name for Atlas Space Operations. She is taken seriously in a male-dominated field and proves that female voices matter. She has influenced multiple women to go after their dreams and demonstrates women in "new tech" can have a family and a career. Because of her example, I know it's possible to become a woman I am proud of and also have an established, successful, and really cool career. — Hanna Pritchard, Atlas Space Operations

Yasrine Ibnyahya, Senior Director of Advanced Concepts and Technologies for Inmarsat

I met Yasrine in 2011 when we both worked at SSTL. She was leading SSTL’s first Geostationary telecommunication satellite (GMP-T) and I was working on the Galileo satellites. Our paths diverged and crossed again when I joined Inmarsat in 2015. At Inmarsat, Yasrine heads the Advanced Concepts and Technologies (ACT) team, a group she created from the ground up. She is responsible for creating and leading breakthrough technology innovation and early stage mission concepts. Her tremendous passion and dedication is contagious to the team, making all of us deeply involved. She is not only able to lead strategic decisions for the company or bring in and win double-digit million projects like NASA CSP, but also get into the nitty gritty and perform satellite link budgets or lead physical layer discussions. Yasrine is also the founder of the women’s network at Inmarsat. I am very grateful for the opportunities she has given to me over the past years because I have grown professionally and I am where I am thanks to her. — Juan-Pedro Mediano, Inmarsat

Amber Ledgerwood — Director of Social and Environmental Impact for SES

In a world where companies are increasingly called by stakeholders from investors to employees to find ways to make a difference, Amber Ledgerwood has spearheaded industry-leading effort at SES to develop a purpose-led Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) strategy aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Recognizing that corporate social responsibility is a way of doing business, Amber drew together a number of separate internal initiatives into a full ESG program, which she developed and tested using industry best practices. Amber has not only led SES to think about its own responsibility, but also about what more a leading space company can do to impact the planet and help achieve the sustainable development goals. We at Astroscale have benefitted from her advice and guidance in developing our own internal CSR strategy, even as we promote space sustainability across the industry. — Jack Deasy, Astroscale U.S.

Lisa Scalpone, Amazon Project Kuiper, Global Development

Lisa Scalpone has had an incredible impact on the satellite communications industry ranging from WildBlue, Viasat, and now at Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Her inspirational leadership combined with world-leading business, technical and operational insights demonstrates the highest level of expertise which enables us to lead the satellite industry into new domains and frontiers. It is an honor to work with her every day and I hope her inspirational leadership will attract more women to have a meaningful and impactful career in the satellite industry. — Naveen Kachroo, Amazon

Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems for Airbus U.S. Space & Defense

I first met Debra as the recipient of the inaugural Women in Aerospace (WIA) Foundation scholarship, which she endowed in 2010. Since that time, I have had the pleasure of observing Debra shine as a mentor, friend and colleague. Debra is a mentor to many others in the field, with an invited presence at nearly every industry conference, speaking on topics of strategy, technology, and business, and also serving as mentor to young people through the Brooke Owens scholarship and more. I am grateful to know Debra and to be in her orbit. — Whitney Lohmeyer, Lohmeyer Consulting/Olin College

Hanna Steplewska, Cognitive Space COO and President

Hanna’s impressive resume and international business experience across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. working with space and satellite startups, public and private companies, and civilian and military government agencies is only matched by her relentless pursuit of coaching, mentoring, and elevating women. I had the privilege of working beside Hanna as her supervisor at Mynaric. Hanna taught me the importance of having a strong peer network and I am proud that she is a part of mine. She champions for others around her and is always there to work through a challenge, develop a plan for moving forward and provide a critical review when faced with tough decisions. She is passionate about developing the next cohort of leaders who will lead the space and satellite industry into the future. — Tina Ghataore, Mynaric

Suzi McBride, Iridium COO

Suzi has made a significant impact on the space and satellite industry for over 25 years. This includes her role in building and launching the original Iridium satellite constellation, and she was a key leader in developing Iridium's second generation constellation and is now Iridium's COO, leading operations of the Iridium network. In addition to being an incredible leader, Suzi is a huge advocate for women in STEM and has been an inspiration to many as a competitor in the Rebelle Rally, the first women’s off-road navigation rally raid in the United States. This year, Suzi won the Rebelle Rally Team Spirit Award for promoting and encouraging a positive spirit in the midst of focused competition. Thank you Suzi for your leadership and for being an inspiration to those around you! — The Iridium Team VS

Read the 2022 version of Celebrating Women in Satellite