Board Election-2009 Statements

2009-2010 Board Election Nominations
Elections for three open seats took place by Advocates in good standing on Saturday, July 18th at the Domain Hotel in Sunnyvale, CA at 06:00 pm during the NewSpace 2009 Conference.

The list of possible board members included the following individuals:
James Pura
Elizabeth Kennick
Ryan McLinko
Bob Werb
Misuzu Onuki

James Pura

The Space Frontier Foundation has unique timing these days, as its members are now budding entrepreneurs that are about to turn the space industry on end. I plan to be one of these entrepreneurs, and plan on creating a cohesive network between all those like-minded individuals interested in creating a NewSpace company, working for one, or supporting it, whether with time or money. I believe in afuture where the NewSpace 2009 Conference is THEconference to attend EVERY year, and the Foundation can be counted on as it always has been to provide much-needed support for everyone involved in the NewSpace industry. I believe in what the Foundation‘s core is all about, which is to create a space-fairing civilization that supports itself, without help from the government.

Liz Kennick

Liz Kennick

My name is Elizabeth Kennick. I’ve supported the Space Frontier Foundation (SFF) since 2004, and now I want to become a Board Member. I hold a Master of Science degree in Information Systems and Operations Analysis, I’m certified as a Professional Project Manager, and I own my own business, Escape Guesthouse LLC.

In 2008 I opened the New York Chapter of Space Tourism Society (STS) and began working with SFF to co-sponsor and produce events which advance our common interests and goals. I volunteer for many other charities, co-host the annual Women’s Campaign Forum’s Parties of Your Choice fundraiser, and promote social and arts events around New York City.

Previously I was a Vice President of Information Technology at Morgan Stanley, managing global systems projects with multimillion dollar budgets for thousands of users. After 20 years in corporate finance and technology, I want to redirect my accumulated financial, project management, and social networking skills to the cause I care most about: opening the Space Frontier to as many people as possible, as soon as possible.

Four areas of concentration will help achieve this mission:
1. Fundraising and publicity regarding our mission, the progress we are making, the resources required for our next steps, and how to contribute to our cause
2. Defining the physical, political, financial, technical, educational, and cultural barriers which must be overcome to expand the Space Frontier.
3. Identifying and supporting the people and organizations making measurable progress towards overcoming those barriers.
4. Strategic investment of the Foundation’s resources: our programs must become profitable and self-sustaining so we can recover and reinvest our capital.

I’ve already begun addressing my four objectives in a public and profitable way. I organized Yuri’s Night parties in 2008 and 2009. Our Yuri’s Night NY 2009 was attended by 300 people and received an enthusiastic review by TimeOut New York: www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/tonyblog/2009/04/hot-recap-yuris-night-nyc-at-galapagos-art-space/.

The event generated city-wide publicity, defined suborbital flight as the means of affordable space tourism at 62 miles out from Earth, introduced new suborbital flight companies and training facilities with price points, and even made a profit while retaining our 2008 event sponsors andengaging new ones.

I’ve had an excellent experience working with the SFF on our joint Ventures. Now I’d like to help define and manage the suite of projects which best address the Space Frontier barriers, to ensure that our fundraising, publicity, and development activities properly support our mission. I welcome this opportunity to apply my talent, resources, and enthusiasm to one of the world’s most important voices for space advocacy

Ryan McLinko

Ryan McLinko

My name is Ryan McLinko and I have been involved with the Space Frontier Foundation for about a year now. Although this is a very short tenure with the board, I feel that I have entrenched myself pretty deeply with the foundation in that time and have gotten to know what the Foundation stands for and have spent a great deal of effort furthering that goal. As some background, I just graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from MIT and will be pursuing a Master’s Degree in the same field (albeit concentrating on structures and systems integration) also at MIT in the fall. I’ve spent each of the summers after MIT working for the Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program, a small research company working on UAV and satellite projects, United Launch Alliance, and currently SpaceX. It’s probably self-evident that my area of interest is launch vehicles, particularly with NewSpace companies. It’s clear that the older, larger companies are not going to change fast enough to make real access to space in my lifetime a reality (a summer working at one makes that quite clear). On the brighter side, what I’ve seen the past two weeks so far at SpaceX is quite promising and I intend to give my all to help reduce the cost of sending people and cargo into space.

On the side, I am heavily involved in various organizations and projects. Organizations of primary involvement include (obviously) the Space Frontier Foundation, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. As part of the SFF, I am both the co-chair of this yearís NewSpace 2009 as well as an advocate. As part of SEDS, I have maintained the position of Vice Chair and local chapter president for the past few years and directed the national conference in 2007. As part of the AIAA, I have led the MIT chapter for the past couple of years as President. Most of my time, however, is spent in various engineering side projects, such as the MIT Satellite Team, Mars Gravity Biosatellite Project, MIT Rocket Team, MIT Power Beaming Team, UAV Team, and Space Architects Group. Clearly, I am no stranger to executive boards or leading projects to fruition.

More specifically to SFF: I see SFF as the primary organization supporting the NewSpace movement. Although many of these companies are competing against each other for customers and contracts, SFF should be serving as the glue between them. As leaders at most of these companies are friends of, if not advocates for, the Foundation, this is already largely the case. However, I think that this can be formalized a lot more than it currently is in order to best reap the benefits. This is vague, so a few examples of what this would entail:
1.) Ensure attendance from as many NewSpace companies as possible at NewSpace conferences (much more than is currently the case, and which I’ve been working toward as Exhibits Manager last year and co-director this year)
2.) Arrange meetings at NewSpace conferences that allow representatives of companies to share vision and figure out how they can best help each other surmount certain challenges
3.) Find ways that SFF can particularly benefit NewSpace companies as more than an advocacy group (and thus companies can see us as more of a tangible asset): things like obtaining permits and such from the government or researching certain technologies would be easier to do en force in a way that only an organization such as the Foundation can do
4.) Enable the next generation: SFF has taken great steps (more than any other space advocacy group) to develop a symbiotic relationship with, among others, SEDS. I have taken a lead to strengthen this bond already and think that this can be taken to another level and go beyond students who are in college and students who are in space advocacy organizations already; again, this is a great way to expose students to NewSpace companies and visa versa
5.) Finding people who can do publicity work both for the Foundation and on behalf of the Foundation for space in general; the reason that we haven’t advanced very far space-wise in the past 40 years is that we haven’t engaged the public since Apollo 11; although publicity isn’t my thing, finding people who can do this (either independent or publicists taht work for NewSpace companies that can do some general publicity too) is vital.

With my experience in directing 3 conferences and vitally helping another (2 of which were SFF conferences), deep institution within SEDS and other space advocacy groups, my experience with the above points is self-evident, as is my drive to get something done once I’ve set my mind to it. Live long and prosper [on the space frontier].

Bob Werb

Bob Werb

My vision for the Space Frontier Foundation remains unchanged. We advance NewSpace to unleash the power of free enterprise, open the space frontier and use the nearly unlimited resources of the Solar System to both protect Earth’s fragile biosphere and create a freer and more prosperous live for each generation.

I want to rejoin the Board of Directors because it is a good idea for one, and only one, of the founders to be on the Board. It’s my turn.

These are times of great challenges, and even greater opportunity, for the Space Frontier Foundation. The recession is effecting income very significantly while at the same time we are finally attracting a new generation of volunteers and the older generation is moving into positions of power. Teachers in Space is moving forward; Ares 1 is going down; and NewSpace is weathering the economic storm as well as can be expected. NewSpace 2009 is shaping up very well; and with the Space Investment Summit Coalition we are planning for SIS 7 in Boston in September.

I expect the next two years to see a dramatic growth in the number of active volunteers. The challenge is to adequately support them with the limited funds we can raise and raise more funds.

Misuzu Onuki

Misuzu Onuki

Located in Tokyo, Japan, Misuzu Oniki has served as the Space Frontier Foundation’s Asian Liason.

She strives to open the space frontier and recently published a book on space tourism.