Kimberly Washington
Founder & CEO
Kimberly Washington is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist with over 20 years of experience leading international ventures, with a focus on leveraging AI and technology for global impact. As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Deep Space Biology, Kimberly spearheads the Yotta platform, the world’s first to standardize 25 years of NASA microgravity research using AI to revolutionize healthcare discoveries. Collaborating with institutions like the Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson, Deep Space Biology has been recognized as one of the top SpaceTech startups and received prestigious awards such as the Care In Space Global Challenge and a NASA/ISS multi-year grant.
Kimberly is also the Founder of Space4Girls, a global nonprofit empowering young women to pursue STEM careers in the space industry through education and mentorship. She serves on the Advisory Council of Leaders on Purpose, bridging the CEO agenda with global sustainability efforts, and on the boards of Precision Payload and Generation AI at Oxford University, advancing AI's role across industries. She has and her company, Deep Space Biology was recognized as one of the worlds top 50 innovators by CODEX in 2024.
A frequent speaker at global forums including the World Economic Forum and Davos, Kimberly is deeply committed to fostering innovation in space, AI, and healthcare. She resides in Napa Valley, California, supporting her family’s agricultural enterprises.
Diana Alsindy
Director of Education & Learning Development Strategy
Diana is an incredibly experienced engineer with a background in propulsion engineering and fluid systems. She has worked for multiple years in various levels of propulsion development such as designing, analyzing, testing, and manufacturing complex launch vehicle propulsion systems for two of the top aerospace companies globally. She thrives in fast-paced startup environments and wear multiple hats across all departments. She is the Founder of The Arabian Stargazer and a skilled Bilingual Science Communicator and TEDx Speaker.
Diana is a passionate STEM Educator and Content Creator. She participates and facilities parabolic flight operations in commercial and research flight campaigns on G-FORCE ONE Boeing 727 aircraft. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from UC San Diego, in Chemical Engineering with area of focus in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. NASA Certificate-American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM): Fire Hazards in Oxygen Systems Training.
Activities and societies: American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Students for the Exploration and Development Of Space (SEDS)
Dr. Alvin Smith, PhD PMP
Founding Advisory board & Mentor
Planetary Protection Manager at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Dr. Alvin L. Smith is the Manager for the Planetary Protection Center of Excellence and Planetary Protection Architect for Mars Sample Return. He provides scientific oversight to several research & development projects to meet stringent engineering requirements for planetary protection, as well as program management for training programs, university outreach, and multidisciplinary collaborations. His contributions have been instrumental in planning flight implementation for Mars 2020 (Perseverance rover), Europa Clipper, and the Mars Sample Return campaign, to include planning for the Mars Sample Receiving Facility. Alvin joined planetary protection science after spending over 20 years as a researcher in high containment laboratories and as a consultant as a biodefense subject matter expert (SME) and focusing on the development of medical countermeasures and biodetection capabilities for HIV, human smallpox, Ebola, and other potential biological weapons. Alvin’s expertise in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats has been leveraged by numerous government agencies including Congress, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and the intelligence community.
Alvin is also the President and CEO of 4 Way, LLC, a STEAM and science management consulting firm. He holds a doctorate in Medical Microbiology from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Talladega College. He is also a certified Project Management Professional.
Nolan V. Rollins
Chief Development, Diversity & Inclusion Officer & Mentor
CLC of Pivital Advisors. Pivital Advisors is an institution investment services firm.
Rollins is a serial entrepreneur, Attorney and is the Cofounder of the Stoc Savvy, ProSeGo Law, the Gigi Hunter Collection. He is the former President/CEO of the Los Angeles and the New Orleans Urban League. He is also the former Chairman of the New Orleans Airport Board and member of the Los Angeles International Airport Board of Commissioners.
Nolan has advised Members of the House, Senate, Governors and Mayors thought out the nation for over fifteen years.
Guillermo M Aparicio, Delgato
Founding Advisory Board & Mentor
Co-founder of Deep Space Biology Co-founder and Director of Technology at Voxiva
Associate member of the Tech to Teaching Teacher Program at Georgia Tech. Member of the British Interplanetary Society. Official Member of SpaceKind5 Crew.
BSc in Chemistry Sciences and Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. Postgraduate in Governance and Political Management at the George Washington University – CAF Program. Specialized in advanced styles of management of the extension program of Harvard University.
Postgraduate Professor at Pacific Business School in Lima, Peru. Pursuing a Master of Science in Analytics at Georgia Tech, and Genomic Data Science at Johns Hopkins University.
Christa Gyori
Founding Advisory Board & Mentor
Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder of Leaders on Purpose
Christa leads an organization that originated as a research collaboration with intellectual pioneers from Harvard University, the World Bank and the London School of Economics. Leaders on Purpose brings together experts from business, politics, academia and non-profit organizations to unlock growth potential in organizations through innovative approaches and sustainable leadership.
Christa has 20 years of experience as a top manager of international companies, including Unilever, where she held various management positions. She is a lecturer for manager training at Harvard University and has been awarded numerous prizes.
Tatiana Kazakova, PhD
Founding Advisory Board & Mentor
Chief Strategy Officer, Co-founder of Leaders on Purpose
As a strategist, her focus is developing the pathway for a systemic transition towards a business logic in service of our planet and society. Tatiana is convening, advising and mobilizing world leaders, their teams and partners, around systems issues, diverse eco-system engagement, visionary business transformation strategies and policy as well as multi-lateral implications.
She also mentors leaders of tomorrow such as youth and young rising leaders. Her academic background in applied mathematics, systems theory, strategic decision making under uncertainty and strategy is underlined by both, experiences in qualitative social sciences research and natural sciences.
For her ethnographic Ph.D. on strategy practices in decision making under uncertainty in c-suites of corporates and ventures across industries, she was recognized with the honorary speech, nominated for the William H. Newman All-Academy Award of the Academy of Management where she published amongst other international outlets in the best papers proceedings. Tatiana holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management (HEC Montreal, University Hamburg) and a B.Sc. and M.Sc. (diploma) in Mathematics with a specialization in Finance (Chalmers University of Technology, University of Technology Kaiserslautern).
Sibyl Obodoekwe
aDVISOR, Mentor
Medical Researcher
Sibyl is both a medical doctor and a self-learned astronomer, she still kept her enthusiasm for astronomy, space exploration and science education albeit not having the opportunity to pursue said interest. Sibyl currently works as a medical researcher while learning astrophysics and practicing astrography, quite keen advocate for the advancement and perseverance of humankind with the progress of science and tech.
She's also most recently a member and ally of womeninrobotics.org, Space in Africa focused on growing the African space industry and similar space exploration and tech ventures.
Dr. Reuben Umunna
fOUNDING aDVISORY bOARD, Mentor
Space Engineer, National Space Research and Development Agency
Dr. Reuben Umunna was selected, along side 26 Nigerian engineers to participate in a Know-How-Technology-Transfer collaboration between the National Space Research and Development Agency and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, United Kingdom in 2008. The international collaboration saw the development and launch of NigeriaSat-2 and Nigeria Sat-X earth observation satellites. Reuben worked as part of the propulsion team to design, assemble, test, and integrate the onboard cold gas propulsion modules of both satellites. In 2017, Reuben participated in the launch of Nigeria’s first educational cube satellite, NigeriaEduSat-1, at Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan.
Dr Umunna joined the National Space Research and Development Agency in 2007 and has over twelve years working experience with the agency. In 2014, the International Astronautical Federation recognized Dr Reuben Umunna as an emerging space leader.
Chioma Uka
fOUNDING AdvisorY bOARD, Mentor
Bio & Molecular Chemist, Space Explorer & Medical Student
Chioma C. Uka worked as a Medical Technologist at one of the top organ and tissue transplant labs in the world. While obtaining her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she also conducted microgravity research to study its impact on drug delivery for 2 years and sent her research to the International Space Station. Chioma has presented research at Yale University, the Kennedy Space Center, and the National Air and Space Museum.
Chioma is currently enrolled in Meridian School of Medicine’s Class of 2025. She hopes to represent doctors with a global perspective and strives to uplift disenfranchised communities neglected due to inaccessible medical intervention.
Trevor Grand Pre
Founding AdvisorY bOARD/Mentor
Associate Research Scholar, Princeton University
Trevor GrandPre is an alumnus of DePaul University and UC Berkeley where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physics in 2014 and his PhD in 2021. He is currently serving a fellowship at the Center for the Physics of Biological Function (CPBF) at Princeton University.
Joe Livingston
foUNDING AdvisorY bOARD, Mentor
Social Entrepreneur & Non Profit Executive
Joe has served many years in a leadership role for the Boy Scouts of America in which he also served as an instructor of astronomy and space education. He share the joys of discovery and looking up at the night sky with thousands of other scouts. Joe continued his post university education working at various outdoor science schools, always enjoying the time spent sharing the wonders of the night sky.
His professional career has revolved around camp management, non-profit management, and youth based coaching and mentoring programs. Joe is currently a part of the startup leadership team for a Silicon Valley based 3D printing company that has innovated sustainable global supply chain solutions. His personal mission is to encourage the next generation of space enthusiasts, specifically supporting young underrepresented children.
Daniel Fox
Creative Advisor/Mentor
Daniel Fox is a solo wilderness explorer, founder of SPACE 100.10, author of FEEL THE WILD, founder of Feel the Wild VR, professional photographer.
He is also the creator of the FOX Rules, a roadmap for achieving a fulfilling life and a successful career, inspired by his time of solitude in the wilderness. He believes that nature has the power to Nurture, Awaken, Transcend, Uplift, Restore and Elevate the human spirit.