Meet the
Speakers

NEXPLORE 2040 brings 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 will inspire attendees to innovate and collaborate toward a sustainable path to 2040.

Featured speakers

Amir Ansari
xFoundry@UMD
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
Keynote: xFoundry & The Horizons Challenge
Dean Kamen
DEKA Research & Development, FIRST
Keynote: High Tech Health
Christyl Johnson
NASA
Opening Remarks
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony
Peter Kreiner
noma group
Keynote: The Noma Playbook: Adapting to a New Pantry Around the World
Marco Casalaina
Microsoft
Keynote: Autonomous Intelligence for Earth and Beyond
Clayton Turner
NASA
Special Program: Horizons Celebration & Award Ceremony

All speakers

Christian Elam
Bachmanity Capital - Founder
Fiorella Nava
xFoundry@UMD - Community Engagement Program Manager
Sarah Kneller
August Interactive - Co-Founder, CXO
Barbara Belvisi
Interstellar Lab - Founder & CEO
Ralph Fritsche
NASA Kennedy Space Center - Project Manager (Retired), Space Crop Production
Tenzin Seldon
Pulse Fund - Founder
Abe Minkara
Legacy Knights Family Office - Founding Partner
Tor Blomqvist
German Aerospace Center (DLR) - Agronomist
Betsabeh Madani Hermann
Philips - Global Head of Research
Dalia David
Heritage Space Food - Co-Founder
Sammy Mosely
Palantir - Technical Lead
Jasmine Kelly
xFoundry@UMD - Associate Director of Academic Programs
Teri Cochrane
Beyond Nutrition - Founder & CEO
Matt Ondler
Axiom Space - Chief Strategy Officer
Corey Twine
NASA - Human Performance Specialist
Mariano Alvarez
Avalo - Co-Founder and CSO
Todd Harple
Stanford - Director of Innovation and Sports Equity Strategy
Robert Wolk
Catalytic Impact Foundation - Robert Wolk Chair and Managing Director
Kristin Wood
August Interactive - Co-Founder, CEO
Thomas Frebel
noma - Creative Director
Ariane Fikki
VRARA Director of Global Ambassadors, AAIA Florida President
Alison Waldman
xFoundry@UMD - Associate Program Director
Mike Koenigs
The Superpower Accelerator - Founder
Amir Ansari
xFoundry@UMD - Co-Founder and Executive Director
Catherine Ball
World of Drones and Robotics Global - Scientific Futurist & Author
Phillip Alvarez
xFoundry@UMD - Associate Director, Ventures and Partnerships
Emilio Fernandez
E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory - Founding Donor
Dragana Linfield
Ernst & Young Technology, Media & Entertainment, and Telecommunications (TMT) - Senior Director
Jeff Schumacher
Ernst & Young LLP - US EY Growth Platforms Leader, EY-Parthenon
Christyl Johnson
NASA - Deputy Associate Administrator - Space Technology Mission Directorate
Stacey Shulman
Intel - VP, Health, Education & Consumer Industries
Janna Salokangas
Mia AI - Co-Founder and CEO
Charisse Grey
José Andres Group - Director of Research and Development
Dean Kamen
DEKA Research & Development, FIRST - Founder
Isabella Laurel
xFoundry@UMD - Associate Director of Marketing
Lee Anderson
Todd Ovokaitys
QiGenix - Bioscientist, Medical Doctor, Innovator
Chanel Fischetti
The Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering, and Design (OSMED) - Committee Chair, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine Doctor
Alex Onufrak
xFoundry@UMD - Associate Director of Technology Services
Marco Casalaina
Microsoft - Lead, AI Futures Team/VP Core Products, AI and AI Futures
Stephenie Rodriguez
Mighty Media Group AI - Founder | Chief Enabling Officer
Peter Kreiner
noma group - CEO & Co-Owner
Clayton Turner
NASA - Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate
Julia Pallé
Formula E - VP of Sustainability
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