Speakers

Dr. Kimberly Brush, Chief of Staff at NASA Langley Research Center, ensures alignment of messaging, change management, and team-building initiatives with Center strategy while supporting the Director. Starting as a special education teacher in 1996, she joined Langley in 2012 as a Co-op Intern, with her research on internships forming the basis of her dissertation. She later served as STEM Engagement Coordinator and Director of STEM Engagement, championing DEIA initiatives, creating education programs, and fostering community in hybrid environments. Named Chief of Staff in 2023, Dr. Brush remains dedicated to workforce development and is pursuing certification in Executive Coaching.

Dr. Eileen K. Stansbery, Chief Scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Chief of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division, oversees a team of over 300 employees managing NASA’s extraterrestrial samples, the Orbital Debris Program, and planetary surface research. She earned her doctorate in Space Physics from Rice University and a bachelor’s in mathematics and physics from Houston Baptist University. Previously, she served as JSC Deputy Director for Exploration Integration and Science and as NASA’s Acting Deputy Chief Scientist, advising senior leadership and the Executive Office of the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy. A critical contributor to the Genesis Mission, she led efforts to recover scientific data after a sample capsule crash. Recognized with numerous honors, including NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal and the AAS Carl Sagan Memorial Award, Dr. Stansbery drives advancements in human and robotic exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.