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Executive Team

Like our membership, our executive team represents a cross section of a diverse, interdisciplinary, and highly accomplished community that is working to make future milestones in human spaceflight possible.

PRESIDENT & CEO

Michael Gallagher  

Michael Gallagher, MD is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated in Space Studies from the International Space University’s class of 2014 in Montreal, Quebec and completed the Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine Short Course at the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2015. He also holds a certificate in Advanced SCUBA Diving from NAUI. He serves as President of the Aerospace Medical Association Corporate Forum and as President and Chief Executive Officer for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER

Jamila Siamwala  

Jamila Siamwala holds a PhD in cardiovascular biology from Anna University, India and was a research scientist at UC San Diego and Assistant Professor at Brown University, where she investigated cardiac fibroblast plasticity in tissue regeneration. Jamila led the metabolism wing of NASA's Twins Study, a study leveraging her expertise in hemodynamic responses to the microgravity environment and published in Science. She currently works as a consultant for research and development activities with a focus on grant writing. Jamila serves as Chief Science Officer for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


LIFE SCIENCES TEAM LEAD

Shawna Pandya  

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project ​PoSSUM​, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with ​Luxsonic Technologies and Fellow of the ​Explorers’ Club​. She holds degrees in neuroscience (BSc Hons. Neuroscience, University of Alberta), space (MSc Space Studies, International Space University), entrepreneurship (Graduate Studies Program, Singularity University) and medicine (MD, University of Alberta), and is completing a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine (Academy of Wilderness Medicine).

VICE PRESIDENT

Brett Bennett  

Brett Bennett is a business manager and human performance researcher with degrees in neuroscience and genetics (U of M-TC) as well as certificates in wilderness medicine first response (NOLS) and alpine mountaineering and leadership (AMTL Level 2). In ongoing work, he studies EEG-based technologies for application to expeditionary training and bioastronautics. Brett serves as Vice President for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


PHYSICAL SCIENCES TEAM LEAD

David Wassell  

David Wassell is a Senior Chemist at a large regional utility in Saskatchewan, Canada. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and an M.Sc. in Process Engineering, was a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast. David maintains an interest in resource development, and serves as Physical Science Team Lead for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


ENGINEERING TEAM LEAD

Prashant Waghmare  

Prashant Waghmare is assistant dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Carleton University. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and studies droplet dynamics, interfacial fluid dynamics research, and reduced gravity research. Prashant has extensive experience in managing parabolic flight campaigns for testing payloads in microgravity. He serves as the Engineering Team Lead at the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


EDUCATION & TRAINING OFFICER

Casey Stedman  

Casey Stedman is a navigator and officer in the Air Force Reserve Command. He sits on the Chapters Committee of the National Space Society, has served as a crew member for NASA’s HI-SEAS and HERA analogs, and is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM.

MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

Jeska Clark  

Jeska Clark is a graduate researcher at Arizona State University in Ira Fulton School of Engineering. She pursues ongoing study in human performance, medicine, and optimizing decision making in extreme environments. She serves as Membership Officer for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals.


Association of Spaceflight Professionals

7901 4th St. N, Ste. 300
St. Petersburg, FL 33702

+1 (587) 938-5876
team@spaceflightprofessionals.org
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