Our Executive Mentors

RICH LESHNER, PhD

Rich Leshner has been working in the DC space policy community for over two decades, with experience in the non-profit, government, and industry sectors. Currently, he is VP of Strategy at Sierra Space, supporting the company's objectives to grow the commercial LEO economy.

Prior to joining Sierra Space, Rich worked as a leader and executive at NASA, the White House, Planet, and BryceTech.

Most recently, Rich served as VP of Consulting at BryceTech, where he led the team's industry-leading market analysis, technology forecasting, economic modeling, and data analytics business to support customers in aeronautics, space, defense and national security, and other market segments. Previously, Rich worked at Planet, the small satellite Earth observation data and analytics company, where he served as Vice President for Regulatory and Government Affairs and then as Executive Vice President of Planet Federal, the company’s subsidiary for work with the U.S. government.

His NASA experience had him working on international projects for collaboration in exploration, managing a $150+ million portfolio of innovative small business research, and working in the Administrator's office. He worked for two years at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he supported the development of the 2010 National Space Policy as well as championed reforms to more fully integrate commercial space capabilities into national programs.

Rich has a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Syracuse, a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, and a PhD in Public Policy and Public Administration from George Washington. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and children.