Bill Rowley
With over two decades of leadership experience spanning for-profit and nonprofit organizations, both domestically and internationally, Bill brings a wealth of executive management expertise to the table. His diverse background includes Fortune 1000 companies, pioneering startups, and impactful nonprofit ventures. Beyond his hands-on roles, Bill has made valuable contributions as a board member and advisor, and has actively mentored both startup and established organizations.
Notably, his achievements have garnered recognition, with Information Week naming him one of the top 500 IT Leaders for two consecutive years. In 2018, Bill received the distinct honor of being selected as San Diego Christian College’s Alumni of the Year.
Rob Quigley
Rob’s interest in all things Space began early, sparked while reading Adventures in the Solar System: Planetron and Me, and has grown into a life-long passion to help move space technology and exploration forward so we can discover what’s really out there.
Rob started his career as an aerospace engineer supporting U.S. Navy and NASA programs such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, James Webb Space Telescope, and Hubble Telescope Repair, designing and testing structures and mechanisms for those missions. From there, he expanded into roles in business development, R&D, strategy, and management, and was part of the team that conceived of and secured funding for the first commercial space logistics business to successfully dock its servicing vehicle with another satellite. Soon after, excited and inspired by the explosion of space start-ups, he and a few other colleagues set out and founded New Ascent, an organization that has evolved to serve both the aerospace and education markets via non-traditional approaches.
For Rob, SEE fuses his zeal for space, his belief in the importance of the space industry for our future, and his dedication to educating and creating opportunities for our children into a vehicle that he hopes will have lasting impact on the next generation.
Rob grew up outside of Chicago and now lives in Maryland with his wife and four kids. He is gently indoctrinating them all into the space industry, whether it be working for New Ascent or SEE, playing some Halo or Kerbal Space Program, watching Star Trek, or piecing together a DIY drone.
Catherine Franklin
Catherine Franklin brings over 15 years of nonprofit experience to her role as a Board Member at Space Explorers for Education. Her expertise in grant management has led to significant revenue increases for previous nonprofits, with award rates surpassing national averages. She has successfully overseen donor relationships and projects generating over $1 million in annual revenue. Her background in marketing and event planning further enhances her ability to effectively promote and support educational initiatives. Catherine’s extensive professional development in management and early childhood education equips her with a comprehensive understanding of educational program development and execution. Her commitment to community engagement and proactive resource development make her a valuable asset to the board, poised to significantly advance Space Explorers for Education’s mission.
James Govern
James grew up in the glow of Washington D.C.’s light pollution, and his spark for space can be traced back to the first cloudless night of a far-away camping trip, looking up in awe at the night sky for the first time. For James, SEE represents an opportunity to engage with younger generations and create that same sense of awe and excitement about all things space.
James started his career as an aerospace engineer, manufacturing spacecraft thermal control systems. He has since held a number of roles within the aerospace industry, including time at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center developing Crew Aids and Tools for the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 and supporting the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. During the servicing mission, he shared an office with Rob, with whom he would later go on to found New Ascent.
James grew up outside of Washington D.C. and lives in Maryland with his wife and two kids.
Colonel Jack (Jay) Fulmer, USSF Retired
Colonel Jack “Jay” D. Fulmer II was most recently assigned as the Commander, Space Delta 10, Doctrine & Wargaming, temporarily located at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. DEL 10 develops USSF doctrine and tactics, conducts the USSF Lessons Learned Program, and executes and supports wargames in order to posture USSF forces, and designated joint and allied partners, to prevail in a Contested, Degraded and Operationally-limited, all-domain environment.
Colonel Fulmer graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama and was commissioned in 1994 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. He has served in multiple operational and training assignments in ICBMs, Space Control, and the Satellite Command and Control mission areas. He has commanded the 50th Operations Support Squadron and GEODSS Detachment 2, Diego Garcia and previously served on both the Air Staff and Joint Staff. Prior to his Space Delta 10 assignment, Colonel Fulmer served as the Director of Strategic Requirements, Architectures, and Analysis, Headquarters Space Operations Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
