In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In the second episode of season 2, we hear from Dr. Femi Ishola, Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation.

Dr. Femi Ishola is an experienced Innovator, Entrepreneur, Engineer, and Researcher with a strong background in Electro-Optics, Space, and Satellite Systems Engineering. Accredited and licensed engineering practitioner by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering(COREN); Reg. No. R.4218. With over 15 years of professional experience in the global space industry, Dr. Femi brings a super-heavyweight perspective to aerospace engineering projects and gatherings across the continents!

Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation, a multinational new space company with operations in Nigeria, Japan, and USA. Served as a Researcher at the Japanese Space Communication Systems Laboratory, National Institute of Information Communications Technology (NICT), Tokyo, Japan. Systems pioneer and Project Manager at the National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria. Versatile in optical systems development, antennas, and microwave systems. Actively conducting research on Laser Communication technologies for Small Satellites, Drones, Beyond-5G integration, Beamed Energy Systems, and Unmanned Autonomous Systems.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2010, Incorporated Phemotron Systems Ltd in 2013, obtained a Master of Science degree from the International Space University, France, in 2014, and a Ph.D. degree from the Laboratory of Lean Satellites Enterprises and In-Orbit Experiments, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan in 2021. His Ph.D. research was focused on free-space optical communication technologies for small satellites. Completed advance satellite design course at the Samara National Research University, Samara, Russia.

Dr. Femi served as the SSPI Nigeria Director of Student Affairs where he galvanized undergraduate student exposure to space education and general STEM activities. Dr. Femi participated and contributed to the Japanese Engineering Test Satellite (ETS-9) HICALI project and the 6U CubeSOTA optical communication terminal and mission development. He also participated in the Southern Australian Universities QB50 Collaboration Satellite project. He was the Pioneer and Project Manager of the Nigerian Space Agency Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion (CSTP) Ground Control Station. Recipient of the Best and Most Innovative Project Award, SEEES National Universities Competition 2009, Kano State Government Award for the Best Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Project, in 2011, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Emerging Space Leaders Award, 2019 and the grand prize winner of 9th Annual SATShow (SATELLITE). Startup Space Competition, Washington DC, 2025.

In The Space Business is... – the podcast series of The Space Business is Everywhere campaign, underwritten by ST Engineering iDirect – we take a look at the way the commercial space industry has spread itself to parts of the world where space and satellites were once only read about or dreamed of. Each episode will focus on a specific location and features an innovator who is shaping - and reshaping - the industry. In the final episode, we hear from Terry Bleakley, Regional Vice President of the APAC region at ST Engineering iDirect.

Terry Bleakley is the regional vice president of the APAC region at ST Engineering iDirect where he is responsible for developing and executing strategies to accelerate the company’s revenue growth.

Throughout his extensive career, Terry held several senior leadership roles with leading satellite operators. From 2010 to 2023, he served as Regional Vice President for the Asia-Pacific at Intelsat, where he oversaw significant regional initiatives, strengthening the company’s presence in the region. Prior to his tenure at Intelsat, he was the Chief Commercial Officer at MEASAT from 2007 to 2010, where he played a critical role in driving the company’s commercial growth.

Terry’s journey in the satellite industry began in 1997 when he moved to Malaysia to join British Telecom. Since then, held senior sales management roles at PanAmSat and Intelsat. More recently, he served as Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at Intelsat and as an advisor to Sky TV New Zealand. He is set to continue his advisory work with SkyPerfect JSAT through late 2024.

With strong roots in the APAC region, Terry serves as the President of the Asia Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the satellite ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific region. Since 2023, he has been leading APSCC’s efforts to advance satellite communications across one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Victoria University in Wellington and a Diploma in Aviation Studies from Massey University in New Zealand.

In The Space Business is... – the podcast series of The Space Business is Everywhere campaign, underwritten by ST Engineering iDirect – we take a look at the way the commercial space industry has spread itself to parts of the world where space and satellites were once only read about or dreamed of. Each episode will focus on a specific location and features an innovator who is shaping - and reshaping - the industry. In the fourth episode, we hear from Yo Shimizu, President & COO of JSAT International, Inc., Misao Furukawa, Director, Business Development, Space DC Business of Space Compass and Teppei Kato, Chief Business Officer of Orbital Lasers.

Yo Shimizu was appointed in 2020 as President & COO for JSAT International, Inc. which serves satellite telecommunication services, investments, partnership creations and research & studies in wide range of new space business field. JSAT international is a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (JSAT), the largest satellite operator in APAC. Yo joined JSAT (Space Communications Corporation at that time) in 2001, and has more than 20 years of experience in the satellite related business including national security areas. Currently Yo is engaged in the new business development with U.S. partners for new space-based solutions (SSA, EO, Data analysis, Debris removal, etc.), along with JSAT’s core business of satellite telecommunication service.

Misao Furukawa is Director of the Space DC Business of Space Compass, which was established as a joint venture with NTT and SKY Perfect JSAT in July 2022. Space Compass will launch a novel “Space Integrated Computing Network” to aid the realization of a sustainable society. He has over 23 years of experience in the satellite communication Engineer and Business development. In the company, he played various roles including satellite communication, ITU Radio Regulation related and Remote sensing. He is now developing the Optical Data Relay service in Space Compass.

Teppei Kato joined JSAT Corporation (now SKY Perfect JSAT) in 2007, handling planning and sales of satellite communication services for domestic, Asian and U.S. markets. He later engaged in investment activities and strategy formulation for creating new businesses in the NewSpace sector. In 2021, Teppei led a major investment in a Japanese space venture and contributed to the company's IPO through strategy formulation and execution. He joined Orbital Lasers in April 2024, overseeing overall business development and promotion. Orbital Lasers is a developer of innovative laser technology that carved out from SKY Perfect JSAT in January 2024.

In Everyday Guardians, the podcast series of the Securing the Future of Space campaign, we speak with the people who are helping to build a more resilient, sustainable and secure orbital environment - whether through technology, policy or ethical leadership. Securing the Future of Space is underwritten by the American Space Exploration Fund. In the first episode, we hear from Dr. Daniel Capper, Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Metropolitan State University at Denver.

Daniel Capper, Ph.D., is a Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and Adjunct Professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver. Trained at the University of Chicago in the field of science and religion dialogue, his interdisciplinary studies explore environmental ethical interactions with the nonhuman natural world comparatively as well as among American Buddhists.  Capper’s many publications include the books Learning Love from a Tiger: Religious Experiences with Nature, Roaming Free like a Deer: Buddhism and the Natural World and Buddhist Ecological Protection of Space: A Guide for Sustainable Off-Earth Travel.

How does a young woman from Pakistan grow up to become an influential community builder inside a global corporation like Hughes Network Systems? In this episode of the SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, SSPI's Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Adileh Sharieff, Senior Director Planning and Strategic Programs. In addition to her professional achievements at Hughes, Adileh co-founded a small group called BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) in January 2023, which grew into a thriving community of over 200 women by the end of the year. In June 2024, she was invited to join the Hughes Women Impact Network (WIN) coordinator leadership team, where she has focused on building a supportive and empowering community for women within the company.

With over 25 years of dedicated service at Hughes, Adileh Sharieff has continually evolved through various pivotal roles within the company. She began her career in Network Operations, mastering the fundamentals before transitioning to Systems Integration and Testing. This diverse experience has allowed her to build enduring relationships and make significant contributions as the business scaled its systems and resources.

Currently, Adileh leads a Project Management team within North America Operations, overseeing the rollout and implementation of new projects. Her leadership and expertise ensure the successful execution of initiatives that drive the company's growth and innovation. Adileh holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan, and a Master's degree in Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In the first episode of season 2, we hear from Kelsey Doerksen, Data Scientist with the Climate and Data Environment Unit at UNICEF and 2021 Promise Award Recipient.

Passionate to do impactful work for Earth, in space, Kelsey Doerksen is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Oxford in the Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems Centre for Doctoral Training Program, in the Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning Group under supervision of Yarin Gal. She is focusing her research on the uses of AI and Machine Learning to enable science discovery and understanding of climate-focused applications (expected graduation, 2025). Kelsey is a Research Affiliate at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and a part of the Machine Learning and Instrument Autonomy group, working on the Scientific Understanding from Data Science Strategic Initiative. She is also a Data Scientist with the Climate and Data Environment Unit at UNICEF, building the data pipeline infrastructure and providing analysis necessary to create the UNICEF Children's Climate Risk Index.

Kelsey recently completed her Data Science Research Fellow position with UNICEF and European Space Agency F-lab, working on the Giga Initiative to use Earth Observation and AI to map schools in the global south and their access to electricity and the internet. She is a former Space Systems engineer at Planet on the Mission Operations team, using space to help life on Earth, and co-led the commissioning of 48 satellites for the Flock 4S commissioning campaign, publishing the work as part of the SmallSat 2021 conference.

Kelsey graduated from the Masters of Engineering Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering in the collaborative Planetary Science and Exploration Program at Western University in December 2019. Her thesis topic involved the utilization of machine learning algorithms for space weather applications, using in-situ satellite data. Kelsey’s Bachelors degree was in Aerospace Engineering: Space Systems Design with a Minor in Business at Carleton University, in which she further fostered her passion for one day becoming an astronaut. Spacecraft operations, machine learning, climate change and solar physics are some of her research-focused interests.

The space & satellite industry is more dynamic than ever, with professionals moving across sectors and roles at an accelerated pace. At SSPI, this has brought in a wave of new leadership, including a remarkable milestone: as of last year's election, four of our newest Board Directors are women. To celebrate this moment and International Women's Day, we will explore their perspectives and dive deeper into topics such as leadership, vision and the future of SSPI and SSPI-WISE. Newly appointed SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Kidsan Barnes, Senior Vice President, Maritime, Cruise & Ferry at Quvia, Lisa Henke, Chief of Technology & Innovation, USG at Maxar Intelligence and Tina Ghataore, Chief Revenue Officer at Aerospacelab and SSPI-WISE Chair and Board Liaison.

Kidsan Barnes is a distinguished leader in the satellite communications and cruise connectivity industries. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Cruise & Ferry at Quvia (formerly Neuron). With a career marked by innovation and strategic vision, Kidsan has played a pivotal role in driving growth and transformation within her sector. Her contributions have not gone unnoticed; she was honored on the South Florida Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list, recognizing her significant impact on her industry, the economy and community, and also recognized on their Influential Business Women’s list for 2022. Under her leadership, Quvia’s Cruise & Ferry division has seen remarkable advancements, solidifying its position as a leader in the fast-evolving world of satellite communications. Kidsan’s dedication to excellence and philanthropic contributions are seen in her voluntary board roles for both SSPI and Florida International University where she gained her Executive MBA. She remains an inspiration for those in the industries she serves.

Lisa Henke joined Maxar Technologies in 2016 as Chief Architect of Open Technologies and served in several leadership roles at the company before taking on her current role of Chief of Technology & Innovation, USG for Maxar Intelligence in May 2024. Prior to coming to Maxar, she was the Chief Architect for National Reconnaissance Office/Ground Enterprise Directorate/Integrated System Program Office leading ground development, cloud transformation and agile transformation. Lisa also served in leadership roles at DigitalGlobe, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. She is a proud Air Force Veteran and a certified Green Belt with an MBA with technology management emphasis and a variety of certifications, including Agile, Architecture and Systems Engineering and MBSE.

Tina Ghataore joined Aerospacelab in August 2023 as Group Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, and CEO of Aerospacelab's new North American branch. Prior to joining the fast-growing international startup specialized in designing, manufacturing and operating small satellites, Tina served as Chief Commercial Officer of Mynaric and President of Mynaric USA where she led the company’s efforts to position Mynaric as the preferred laser communication provider for aerospace application for both government and commercial markets. In 2022, Tina's contribution to the aerospace industry was recognized by both the public and industry peers alike when she was voted Via Satellite's "Satellite Executive of the Year," accepting her award in front of a select audience at the industry's leading annual conference SATELLITE 2022.

The United Kingdom’s robust and ambitious space sector has many personalities. Each year at the Better Satellite World Awards Dinner in December in London, the SSPI UK Chapter recognizes one of them as the Satellite Personality of the Year. In this podcast, we hear from the 2024 honoree, Dr. David Parker FRAeS, Non-Executive Board Member of the UK Space Agency and Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton. This interview was originally broadcast as part of the Personalities of the Space & Satellite Industry podcast series, which aired before Dr. Parker was named the 2024 Satellite Personality of the Year.

Dr. David Parker has led a distinguished thirty-five-year career in the space sector, spanning industry, UK government and the European Space Agency (ESA). Until June 2023, he served as ESA’s Director of Space Exploration at ESTEC in the Netherlands, overseeing astronaut missions to the International Space Station, Europe’s involvement in Artemis and pioneering projects like training an astronaut with a physical disability.

Previously, he was the Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency (2013-2016), where he led Tim Peake’s ISS mission and negotiated ESA’s first UK center in Harwell. Starting in the UK space industry in 1990, he contributed to projects like XMM-Newton and ExoMars. Dr. Parker holds a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics and a PhD from NASA Langley Research Center. He has received several accolades, including the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Geoffrey Pardoe award. He currently works part-time at ESA, serves on the UK Space Agency Board and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton.

In The Space Business is... – the podcast series of The Space Business is Everywhere campaign, underwritten by ST Engineering iDirect – we take a look at the way the commercial space industry has spread itself to parts of the world where space and satellites were once only read about or dreamed of. Each episode will focus on a specific location and features an innovator who is shaping - and reshaping - the industry. In the third episode, we hear from two “20 Under 35” honorees from the Bahrain National Space Agency: Aysha Alharam, Chief Satellite Design Department and Yaqoob Alqassab, Space Engineering Specialist.

Aysha Alharam is Chief Satellite Design Department for the National Space Science Agency (NSSA) of Bahrain. She began her career in 2018 when she was selected as one of the nine first members of the Bahrain Space Team, a position that had over 4,000 other applicants. As the first Bahraini space engineer leading the team, Aysha served as project manager, idea innovator and software developer for the “Aman” payload project, which won the prestigious Payload Hosting Initiative – organized by the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) in 2022 – out-competing space agencies, companies, universities and research centers from over 100 countries. The Aman payload project showcases Eng, which focuses on securing satellite data through a novel cybersecurity encryption algorithm based on FPGA and parallel processing technology. Aysha personally developed the idea of the AI-based image processing system that will be onboard the first Bahraini satellite, “AlMunther,” the first of its kind in the Middle East region. She completed her education with two Masters degrees, one in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in space technology from Khalifa University in the UAE and one in Information Technology and Computer Science from the University of Bahrain.

Yaqoob Alqassab is a Space Engineering Specialist at the Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA). He joined NSSA in 2019 as a Senior Engineer and was promoted to his current position in 2024 in recognition of his dedication and impressive job performance. Yaqoob has cultivated a diverse skillset, including expertise in satellite engineering, Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) programming, structural and thermal analyses, system analysis and mission analysis. While working for NSSA, Yaqoob developed the first Bahraini software in space for ADCS as part of his work on Light-1, a 3U CubeSat designed to detect Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes and the first joint project between Bahrain and the UAE. Yaqoob contributed significantly to the launch of DhabiSat, a 2U CubeSat created to test novel ADCS algorithms in space, for which he served as both an ADCS software programmer and structural integrity analyst. He also worked on AlMunther, a 3U CubeSat aimed at capturing medium-resolution images of Bahrain and testing Bahraini AI and cybersecurity innovations in space. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bahrain and his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Khalifa University.

On February 7, 2025, the space & satellite industry lost a giant. Jim Oliver, Founder, Owner and CEO of AvL Technologies and a member of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame, was known throughout the industry as a pioneer, mentor, innovative design engineer and wildly successful entrepreneur. The innovations he brought to the satellite ground segment have been instrumental in freeing the satellite antenna from its fixed base and moving it out into the field for users from broadcasting and disaster relief to government and military. The world has gained in knowledge, lives saved, health restored and greater safety and security as a result. You can read his obituary here.

In honor of his lifetime of contributions to our industry, SSPI is taking this week to rebroadcast an interview from the Risk podcast series, in which Jim shared his experiences taking risks as an entrepreneur and never giving up the passion required to succeed. Read more about Jim in his Space & Satellite Hall of Fame profile.