Thank you to our
Speakers

NEXPLORE 2040 brought together top speakers from technology, entrepreneurship, and space exploration to share insights on shaping the future of lunar and Martian habitation—and how we can start making an impact today. These experts inspired attendees to innovate and collaborate toward a sustainable path to 2040.

Thank you to our speakers

Christyl Johnson
NASA
Opening Remarks
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
Closing Remarks
Charting the Course to 2040: A Fireside Chat with NASA’s Space Technology Leaders
Matt Ondler
Axiom Space
Investments in the Next Frontier
Andy Walshe
The Liminal Collective
Keynote: Peak Performance
Peter Kreiner
noma group
The Noma Playbook: Adapting to a New Pantry Around the World
Darryll J. Pines
University of Maryland, College Park
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
Dean Kamen
DEKA Research & Development, FIRST
On High Tech Health
Amir Ansari
xFoundry
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
xFoundry & The Horizons Challenge
Clayton Turner
NASA
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
Charting the Course to 2040: A Fireside Chat with NASA’s Space Technology Leaders

All speakers

AJ Gemer
Lunar Outpost - CTO
Abe Minkara
Legacy Knight - Founding Partner
Alan Gershenfeld
E-Line Media - President and Co-Founder
Alex Onufrak
xFoundry - Technology Services Lead
Alison Waldman
xFoundry - Partnership and Sponsorship Lead
Amir Ansari
xFoundry - Founder & CEO
Andy Walshe
The Liminal Collective - Partner & Co-founder
Ariane Fikki
VRARA Director of Global Ambassadors, AAIA Florida President
Beth Dean-Pope
Vast Space - Vice President, Corporate & Commercial Partnerships
Chanel Fischetti
The Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering, and Design (OSMED) - Committee Chair, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine Doctor
Charisse Grey
José Andrés Group - Director of Research and Development
Christian Elam
Bachmanity Capital - Founder
Christyl Johnson
NASA - Deputy Associate Administrator - Space Technology Mission Directorate
Cian Fogarty
Keeper.app - Product Manager
Clayton Turner
NASA - Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate
Corey Twine
KBR - NASA Human Performance Specialist
Dalia David
Heritage Space Food - Co-Founder
Darryll J. Pines
University of Maryland, College Park - President
Dean Kamen
DEKA Research & Development, FIRST - Founder
Dragana Linfield
Ernst & Young Technology, Media & Entertainment, and Telecommunications (TMT) - Senior Director
Fiorella Nava
xFoundry - Community Engagement Manager
Gary W. Goldstein
Gary Goldstein + Company - Film Producer (Pretty Woman) • Strategic Advisor • Story Architect
Geoff Wylde
ÅŒURA - VP and General Manager, Health & Human Performance
Isabella Laurel
xFoundry - Head of Marketing and Communications
Jack Bellissimo
ABB - Senior Vice President of Product Management, Marketing & Strategy, US and Latin America, ELIP
Jacob Scoccimerra
Interstellar Lab, Represented by Monolith LLC - Space Program Lead – Consultant
Janna Salokangas
Mia AI - Co-Founder and CEO
Jasmine Kelly
xFoundry - University Engagement Lead
Jeff Schumacher
Ernst & Young LLP - US EY Growth Platforms Leader, EY-Parthenon
Jennifer Rochlis
Advancing Frontiers, Inc - Co-founder, President and CEO
Julia Pallé
Formula E - VP of Sustainability
Kimberly Griffin
University of Maryland, College Park - Dean, College of Education
Kristin Wood
August Interactive - Co-Founder, CEO
Lakiesha Hawkins
NASA - Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator, Moon to Mars Program Office
Lee Anderson
KPMG - Manager, Ignition Lab Delivery
Luke Apisa
Massachusetts General Hospital - Clinical Instructor
Mariano Alvarez
Avalo - Co-Founder and CSO
Martha Wang
University of Maryland, College Park - Assistant Director, Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices
Matt Ondler
Axiom Space - Chief Strategy Officer
Mike Koenigs
The Superpower Accelerator - Founder
Newton Campbell
Heritage Space Food - Co-Founder
Omonigho Adebiyi
Philips - Exploratory Innovations Lead, Philips Research
Peter Kreiner
noma group - CEO & Co-Owner
Phillip Alvarez
xFoundry - Head of Projects and Ventures
Ralph Fritsche
NASA Kennedy Space Center - Project Manager (Retired), Space Crop Production
Rob Wolk
Catalytic Impact Foundation - Chair and Managing Director
Ryan Branon
ÅŒURA - Senior Director of Business Development, Human Performance
Sammy Moseley
Palantir - Technical Lead
Samuel Graham
University of Maryland, College Park - Dean, Clark School of Engineering
Sarah Kneller
August Interactive - Co-Founder, CXO
Stacey Shulman
Intel - VP, Health, Education & Consumer Industries
Stephenie Rodriguez
Mighty Media Group AI - Founder | Chief Enabling Officer
Tenzin Seldon
Pulse Fund - Managing Partner
Thomas Frebel
noma - Creative Director
Todd Harple
Sports Equity Lab, Stanford University Medical School - Director of Innovation and Strategy
Tor Blomqvist
German Aerospace Center (DLR) - Agronomist