Dr. Janet Kavandi
Senior Advisor
WESTEXEC
(Former NASA Astronaut, NASA Glenn Research Center Director, and President and CSO for Sierra Space)
Topic: TBA
Biography: Dr. Janet Kavandi’s Biography
Dr. Janet Kavandi is a highly accomplished leader in aerospace and technology who leverages her extensive experience in human spaceflight, aerospace research and development, and strategic planning to enhance national capabilities in space exploration and commercial aerospace advancements. Dr. Kavandi, currently an aerospace consultant, most recently served as the President and Chief Science Officer at Sierra Space. Prior to that, she was the Executive Vice President in the Space Systems Group at Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). Preceding her tenure at Sierra, Dr. Kavandi served 25 years at NASA where she was Director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, overseeing innovative advancements in aeronautics, space propulsion, and energy storage technologies. Under her leadership, the center significantly contributed to the U.S. space exploration agenda and collaborated extensively with the international space community. Prior to her time at Glenn, Dr. Kavandi was Director of Flight Crew Operations and Deputy Director of Health and Human Performance at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1994 and flew on three space shuttle missions, logging 33 days in space and 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits. The recipient of two Presidential Rank Awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals, two Exceptional Service Medals, three NASA Space Flight Medals and the Distinguished Service Medal, Dr. Kavandi was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2019. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri Southern State University, a Master of Science from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Washington.