All Presenters

Barbara Belvisi

Founder - Interstellar Lab

Barbara Belvisi is an entrepreneur passionate about space, hardware, biology, and AI. She started her career in finance: from Private Equity to Venture Capital, to work closely with entrepreneurs.

After investing and acting as CFO for several hardware startups, she cofounded Hardware Club (now HCVC) to invest and support "those who build the world." She also participated in the launch of several innovative programs like Hello Tomorrow and the Family in 2013.

In 2017, she left her investor career and started learning engineering and architecture. Drove by her childhood passion for nature and space, she spent a year with NASA engineers before launching Interstellar Lab in 2018. The company focuses on preserving life on Earth and expanding it in space. To do so, they develop controlled-environment modules for sustainable biofarming on Earth and life-support in space. They work with large cosmetics, natural ingredients, and food companies to improve the bioproduct supply chain. They are also part of several space programs that accelerate plant science and food production in space, including with NASA and ESA.

Barbara is Top 10 Women in Tech in France, Top 100 Forbes in Europe, Best Innovator 2022, Choiseul 100 in France, Prix Janus 2023, and BOLD Award 2023. Barbara is Top 10 Women in Tech in France, Top 100 Forbes in Europe, Best Innovator 2022, Choiseul 100 in France, Prix Janus 2023, and BOLD Award 2023.

Zaheer Ali

technology and policy Expert

Zaheer Ali is a respected space technology and policy expert, an agilist, leader, and technologist.

He is now COO at Positon Inc., a Managing Partner at New Space Finance, and a Professor of Practice at Thunderbird School of Global Management, which is part of ASU. Previously he has served in executive positions at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, directing strategy for High-Performance Compute, ThinkOrbital, which is building a 4th generation space station, and at Space Railway.

He is invited to speak around the world on space, artificial intelligence, the future of work, and how to help enterprises become agile. As both a professor and entrepreneur, he advises several companies in the New Space Sector.

He also served as a Senior Manager at USRA, leading aviation data sciences, artificial intelligence, quantum sciences, and nanotechnology for the NASA Ames NAMS contract. He was formerly a senior member of the project management office for NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) with responsibility for all software products and safety and quality of all USRA work on SOFIA.

Previously he built science instrumentation and the laboratory facilities for SOFIA and stood up their science ground operations. In addition, he managed science ground support on multiple deployments around the world.

Zaheer is also a founding executive for Material Mind, an applied AI science company, and AIXIA Global, an Industry 4.0 technology integration and digital/agile transformation company.

He is trained as a research physicist, which has resulted in patents, an R&D100 award, and over 40 authored or co-authored publications. He has also worked as an engineer and manager of teams and programs for the US Department of Energy’s Nevada Test Site, where he co-founded the National Center for Nuclear Security, worked as a Principal Investigator and Shot Director at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester and consulted as a micro/nano device (MEMS) engineer.

E-MGM: Thunderbird School of Global Management, Global Management
BA: University of California at Berkeley, Physics

Terry Virts

Col., Astronaut - USAF, NASA

Col. Terry Virts (ret) served as a U.S. Air Force test fighter pilot, is a NASA veteran of two spaceflights, and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Harvard Business School.

In 2019 he directed his first film, One More Orbit. His second book, How to Astronaut, continues to amass excellent reviews. He is currently involved in several film and television projects, serves on corporate boards, consults to the entertainment industry, and writes and promotes public policy.

He is a celebrated thought leader, speaker, and author whose seven months in space included: piloting the Space Shuttle; commanding the International Space Station; three spacewalks; and performing scientific experiments while working closely with multiple international partners. Virts worked with Russian Space Agency cosmonauts during some of the most stressful U.S.-Russian relations since the Cold War.

While in space, he took more than 300,000 photos – more than on any other space mission. The images are an integral component of the National Geographic IMAX film A Beautiful Planet, which Virts also shot and stars in. His first book for National Geographic, View From Above, combines his best photography with stories about spaceflight alongside his perspectives about life on Earth and our place in the cosmos.

An in-demand speaker at events across the globe, Virts' inspires audiences with stories from space as well as his insights into life on Earth. He brings his unique perspective to businesses worldwide on diverse topics such as our environment, global wealth, intercultural leadership, crisis and risk management, innovation, strategy and vision, and decision-making.

Joel Mozer

ChIEf ScientIst - USSF

Dr. Joel B. Mozer, a Senior Level Executive, is the United States Space Force Director of Science, Technology and Research. He serves as the central lead for all science and technology matters for an organization that comprises approximately 11,000 space professionals worldwide and manages a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities. In this role, he develops long-term military requirements for the Space Force and interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, and international communities to address cross-organizational science and technical issues and solutions. Dr. Mozer represents USSF science and technology on decisions, high- level planning, and policy, building coalitions and alliances throughout the U.S. government, industry, academia, the international community, and other scientific and technology organizations.

Dr. Mozer entered government service in 1992 with the U.S.
Air Force. Prior to this assignment, he was Chief Space
Experimentalist of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space
Vehicle Directorate. In that role, he was responsible for
managing AFRL’s $40 million per year investment in
research and development related to the development of
experimental satellites and payloads and conducted a team
of 100 engineers and scientists at Kirtland and Holloman Air
Force Bases in New Mexico—all working to develop cost effective ways to assemble, integrate, test and fly novel spacecraft and systems and to demonstrate new concepts for DOD systems and missions. His area of specialization relates to space control and remote sensing—understanding the natural and man-made space environment and developing forecast tools for warfighters, theater battle commanders and other decision- makers to mitigate risks.

Dr. Mozer has more than 30 years of space science, engineering, management, and financial experience working space and ground systems for the DOD. In addition to the Integrated Experiments Division, he served as Chief of the Battlespace Environment Division and led the laboratory’s Space Weather Center of Excellence and was a scientist at the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak. Before coming to AFRL, Dr. Mozer worked at the Air Force’s Radar Attenuation and Scattering facility at Holloman Air Force Base where he developed measurement and analysis techniques to study the radar cross section of low-observable aircraft and technology. Prior to that, he worked for the Army’s Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory where he developed techniques to quantify the effects of natural and man-made battlefield obscurants on electro-optical sensors.

Mike Gold

NASA, Redwire

Mike Gold is the Chief Growth Officer at Redwire. In this role, Gold leads Redwire’s business development, marketing, and external affairs teams, positioning the company for long-term growth and expanding adoption and integration of Redwire’s cutting-edge capabilities across civil, commercial, and national security space sectors.

Gold was previously the Executive Vice President for Civil Space and External Affairs at Redwire, where he supported the company’s civil space business development efforts and government and media relations.

Prior to joining Redwire, Gold was NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, and Senior Advisor to the Administrator for International and Legal Affairs. At NASA, Gold led the development and implementation of the Artemis Accords, which established norms of behavior to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future in space for all of humanity. Gold also successfully led the negotiations to develop and execute the binding agreements for the lunar Gateway, the development and implementation of the first lunar resource purchase by NASA, and updating planetary protection regulations. Due to this trailblazing policy work, Gold was awarded NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal.

Before joining NASA, Gold was Vice President of Civil Space at Maxar Technologies and General Counsel for the company’s legacy Radiant Solutions business unit. Additionally, Gold spent thirteen years at Bigelow Aerospace, where he established the company’s Washington office, oversaw the launches of the Genesis 1 and 2 spacecraft, and was a recipient of a NASA Group Achievement award for the development and deployment of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module onto the International Space Station.

Gold is currently the Treasurer of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and has served on its Board of Directors on several occasions. Gold is also currently serving on NASA’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Independent Study Team. Moreover, Gold was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to Chair the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee from 2012 - 2019 and was appointed by the NASA Administrator to serve on the NASA Advisory Council and Chair its Regulatory and Policy Committee in 2018.

Gold has authored numerous law review articles and editorials addressing commercial space issues. He has also testified on several occasions before the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate as an expert in commercial space as well as space law and policy.

Gold received a BA from Brandeis University and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Lee Levy

Major General, Retired - USAF, NASA

Maj. Gen. Lee K. Levy II was the Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters. Prior to this assignment, he was the Commander Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. As the AFSC Commander, he leads nearly 43,000 Total Force U.S. and U.K. Airmen to deliver global combat effects for the immediate and long-term requirements of combatant commanders. Serving as the Logistics Numbered Air Force, AFSC is the enabling command for USAF readiness. The Center is composed of three Air Logistics Complexes, three Air Base Wings, and two Supply Chain Wings, operating from a global network of 73 locations.

The AFSC is responsible for $26 billion in assets generating $16 billion in annual revenue. The command provides global logistics and sustainment planning, operations, and command and control, including agile software development and sustainment, supply chain management and execution, weapons systems maintenance, modification, repair, and overhaul, as well as critical sustainment for the Air Force and Navy nuclear enterprise. The AFSC also provides mission-essential support to joint and interagency operations, allies, coalition partners, and foreign military sales partners.

Maj. Gen. Levy was born in New Orleans. He entered the Air Force in 1985 as a Louisiana State University graduate. Maj. Gen. Levy has had numerous operational, command, and staff assignments leading logistics, civil engineering, and nuclear operations. Prior to his current position, he was Vice Director for Logistics (J4), at the Joint Staff, Arlington, Virginia.

Greg Autry

 Director of Space Leadership - ASU

Dr. Greg Autry is Director of Space Leadership, Policy and Business in the Thunderbird School of Global Management and Affiliate Professor with the Interplanetary Initiative at ASU. He holds an appointment as Visiting Professor at Imperial College London and is Vice President for Space Development at the National Space Society.

Dr. Autry served on the Agency Review Team and as White House Liaison at NASA. He was nominated to serve as NASA’s Chief Financial Officer and also served on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) at FAA.

Dr. Autry’s writings are frequently published in Foreign Policy, Forbes and Space News. He is serial entrepreneur and the author of The New Entrepreneurial Dynamic (Flatworld 2022). He serves on the editorial review boards of: The New Space Journal and The Journal Space Safety Engineering.

Dr. Autry holds an MBA and PhD from the University of California, Irvine.