In Her Orbit
Shining a light on trailblazing women in the space industry, Qwaltec Co-Founder and CEO, Shawn Linam, talks with women about their careers and the feminine experiences of working in a male-dominated industry. Join us every other Monday in celebrating these women and their successes, reaching new heights In Her Orbit!
Episodes
65 episodes
Jasmine Singh: Follow the Water
In this episode, we’re joined by Jasmine Singh, a planetary scientist, science communicator, and graduate researcher studying some of the most exciting questions in space exploration today. Jasmine shares her journey from a childhood fascinatio...
Lisa Morris: From Factory Floors to the Final Frontier
In this episode, Lisa Morris, Vice President of Operations at Solestial, walks us through her career from an industrial engineer to a leader in advanced manufacturing and commercial space. We also dive into Solestial’s groundbreaking space sola...
Kristina Gatto: Creating Astronomy's Largest Group Chat
In this episode, we’re joined by Kristina Gatto, an astrophysicist, content creator, and founder of NOVA (the Network for Outreach and Vocation in Astronomy), to talk about her journey from a space-obsessed kid in New Jersey to a physics PhD st...
Charlie McGillis: Securing the Final Frontier
In this episode, we’re joined by Charlie McGillis, a retired Air Force Colonel and founder and CEO of 2 Polaris & Beyond, LLC. Charlie shares how her early curiosity, shaped by travel, a military family, and mentorship, led her to engineeri...
Laura Stiles: From Trainer to Astronaut in 48 Hours
Join us for a conversation with Laura Stiles, Director of New Shepard Flight Operations at Blue Origin and a newly minted Blue Origin astronaut, to explore her journey from studying engineering physics to launching to space.Laura shares ...
Izzy House: Marketing the Future
We’re joined by Izzy House, a marketing strategist, author, and space industry communicator who blends creativity with a passion for exploration. We explore her journey from running marketing firms to writing books on marketing the space indust...
Cathy Yeung: The Little Kidney-On-A-Chip That Could
In this episode, we’re joined by Cathy Yeung, an Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, to explore the intersection of drug development, kidney health, and space science. Cathy shares her unexpected journey from...
Anita Renteria: Leading with Authenticity
In this episode, Shawn is joined by Anita Renteria, Chief Growth Officer of Barrios Technology, for an honest conversation about carving out your own path in the space industry. Anita shares her journey into the space industry from a career in ...
Jordan Callaham: No Soil, No Problem
In this episode, Shawn sits down with Jordan Callaham, Assistant Director at the University of Florida's Astraeus Space Institute. Jordan shares how her education in plant and animal sciences launched her into spaceflight research. Shawn and Jo...
Colleen McLeod Garner: Spirits Shaken, But Never Stirred
In this episode, we're joined by Colleen McLeod Garner, Marketing and BD Capture Manager at Paragon Space Development Corporation and a University of North Dakota PhD candidate. Colleen walks us down her unconventional path from the wine and sp...
Dr. Erika Wagner: Reimagining the Space Ecosystem
We’re joined by Dr. Erika Wagner, Lead of U.S. Business Development at The Exploration Company. Erika walks us through her journey from a space-obsessed kid to earning her PhD at Harvard/MIT and helping lead the MIT Mars Gravity Biosatellite Pr...
Sirisha Bandla: Manifesting a Mission to Space
We're joined by Sirisha Bandla, commercial astronaut, aeronautical engineer, and advocate for the next generation of space professionals. Sirisha walks us through following her dream of going to space from earning her degree at Purdue Universit...
Amber McIntyre: Bridging Diplomacy and the Final Frontier
Shawn is joined by Amber McIntyre, Senior Director of Civil Space at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). Amber shares her journey from a career in diplomacy and public service to shaping U.S. and international space policy at NASA, the ...
Sharon McDougle: Suiting Up
Sharon Caples McDougle shares her journey from the U.S. Air Force to becoming the first Black woman suit technician, Crew Chief, and Manager in NASA’s Crew Escape Equipment department. She opens up about suiting up Dr. Mae Jemison for her histo...
Janet Grondin: Top Gun to CEO
CEO of Stellar Solutions and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Janet Grondin shares her path from small-town Iowa to leading a woman-owned small business. She reflects on pivotal moments such as growing up watching her father build a plane in thei...
Caroline Massey: Revealing the Hidden Engine of NASA
Caroline Massey, Vice President, Civil Space Portfolio, at PTX, LLC, shares her 30+ year journey from portfolio management at NASA Goddard and Wallops to shaping civil space operations in the private sector. Caroline breaks down the business of...
Dr. Erika Hamden: Exploring Our Weird Universe
Astrophysicist and University of Arizona professor Dr. Erika Hamden joins Shawn to talk about her lifelong passion for space, her path from Harvard and Columbia to leading cutting-edge telescope missions, and why resilience is key in science. S...
Jaime Kline: Satellites, Self Exploration, and Satya
In this episode, we meet Jaime Kline, Vice President of Operations at Relative Dynamics and founder of Satya Yoga and Wellness. With over two decades in aerospace, Jaime shares how her childhood dream led her from Space Camp to NASA missions, a...
Debbie Wells: Growing Tomatoes on the Space Station
In this episode, we’re joined by Debbie Wells, Vice President (Exploration/Energy/Environment) at Leidos and biomedical engineer whose work has helped shape the future of astronaut health and space research. From supporting experiments like “Ch...
Kelly Page: Carrying the Torch Toward Lunar Hospitality
Today on In Her Orbit, we're joined by Kelly Page, President of Barrios Technology, a woman-owned and operated small business with a long-standing legacy supporting NASA and advancing space exploration. Kelly shares her journey from growing up ...
Carol Craig: From a One-Woman Startup to the First Woman to Go Public in Space
In this episode, we're joined by Carol Craig, Founder and CEO of Sidus Space and Craig Technologies. As the first female founder to take a space company public, Carol shares the journey that led her from a career in the Navy to building a legac...
Laurie Labra: An Enduring Commitment to Human Space Flight
In this episode, we’re joined by Laurie Labra, Vice President of the Science and Space Human Exploration Division at KBR. With a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Houston and a career in aerospace spanning more than three dec...
Meghan Pipitone: Revolutionizing Carbon Dioxide Removal for Sustainability in Space and on Earth
In this episode, we’re joined by Meghan Pipitone, Advanced Project Engineer at Honeywell and co-inventor of life-sustaining technologies for spacecraft and marine environments. With a background in electrical engineering from the University of ...
Kirsten Whittingham: Building the Future of Space Habitats
In this episode, we’re joined by Kirsten Whittingham, President of MAX SPACE, the company developing expandable space habitats designed for greater livability, lower cost, and easier launches. With a background in aerospace engineering and lead...
Maraia Tanner: Engineering Access to Space and a More Sustainable Future
In this episode, we’re joined by Maraia Tanner, Chairwoman of the Board and CEO of STAR HARBOR, the company behind the world’s first publicly accessible spaceflight training facility. With a degree in astrophysics from UC Irvine, Maraia’s caree...
