Leadership & Board of Directors
Our leadership team is dedicated to the mission of the Cosmic Leap Foundation and brings a range of expertise, including teaching, education research, program management, engineering, science, and business.
Natasha Wilkerson, Ph.D
President, CEO
Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer of Vivify STEM​
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B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, Ph.D in Curriculum & Instruction.
Michelle Bogden, M.S.
CPO
Senior STEM Education Specialist, Crown Consulting, NASA Office of STEM Engagement and STEM Education Specialist at Vivify STEM
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B.A. in Integrated Science Education, M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
Chad Milam, M.S., CAsP
Vice President, CCO, CIO
Aerospace & Operational Physiologist
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B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Neurobiology, Board Certified in Aerospace Physiology (CAsP)
Denise Richardson, M.B.A., M.A.
Treasurer
Chief Operating Officer at Communities In Schools of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas
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B.A. in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communications, M.A. in Counseling, M.B.A in Business
Rachelle Pedersen, Ph.D.
Secretary, CDO
Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
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Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction (Engineering & Science Education), M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, B.S. in Engineering Science.
Advisory Council
Our Advisory Council members are a dedicated team of educators and STEM professionals passionate about increasing access to quality space education for all students!
The Industry Advisory Council advises on engaging industry and government partners and on integrating real-world content for authentic, rigorous, and inspirational STEM experiences for K-12 students.
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The Educator Advisory Council advises on engaging education partners, especially targeting underserved populations, and implements strategies to empower educators to provide transformational STEM experiences for students.
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José M. Castellón, Jr.
Senior Director, Engineering Technical Development for the Northrop Grumman
Aeronautics Systems (NGAS) Sector
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B.S. in Engineering, M.S. in Electrical Engineering
Lauren Kelly, M.Ed
STEM Education Specialist at Vivify STEM in Crowley, Texas
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B.S. in Early Childhood Education, M.Ed in Educational Leadership
Claire Meschkat, M. Ed.
Co-Founder & STEM Specialist at Vivify
STEM Coordinator at Open Door in Graham, Texas
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B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, M.Ed. in Creativity & Cognition
Missy Northington
STEM Program Coordinator at Communities In Schools of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas
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B.S. in Education
Melissa Oberdorf, M.Ed
Chair of Educator Council
5th-grade STEM teacher at Big Spring School District in Newville, Pennsylvania
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B.S. in Elementary & Special Education, M.Ed. in Assessment, Curriculum & Teaching
Brittany Culjan
K-8 STEM Teacher at Waltham Elementary in Utica, Il
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B.S. in Elementary Education
Magdalini Lagoudas, M.S.
Executive Director for Industry & Nonprofit Partnerships, Engineering Academic and Student Affairs at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas
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Diploma and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Kelly Miller, Ph.D.
Lead Scientist in Space Science at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas
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B.A. in Chemistry, Ph.D. in Planetary Science
Taylor K. Nugent
Chair of Industry Council
Research Associate for Asteroid Threat Assessment Project at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California
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B.A. in Art History and Religious Studies, M.A. in Art History & Visual Culture, M.S. in Aviation & Aerospace Sustainability: Space Operations
Sarah Poor, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Missouri at Columbia MO
B.S. in Physics, M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction, Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction
Trudi Hoogenboom, Ph.D
Planetary Scientist & Director of Earth and Space Sciences at Astra Nova School
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B.S. in Geophysics, Ph.D. in Planetary Science
Shane McFarland, M.S.
Space Suit Technology Development Strategy Lead at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
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B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, B.S. in Physics, M.S. in Aerospace Engineering
Bryan Murphy, M.S.
Associate Chief Engineer for ISS Program and Space Exploration at The Boeing Company & Vice President for Creatorspace in Houston, Texas
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B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Patrick Ream
Aerospace Engineer & Ground Controller Operator at
NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
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B.S. in Aerospace Engineering
Justin Wilkerson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at
Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas
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B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering