SGAC is proud to announce the following appointments to our team.

• Space Exploration PG Co-Lead – Sara Montefameglio

• Small Satellite Project Group Co-Lead – Andrew Karim

• Space Medicine and Life Sciences Project Group Co-Lead – Katherinne Herrera-Jordan

• Regional Communication Manager Middle East – Maedeh Taherkhany

• Commercial Space Project Group HR and Research Lead – Joanna Quan

If you are interested in being part of the SGAC Team, you can find the latest vacancies here.

Sara Montefameglio is a Project Financial Controller at Thales Alenia Space, where she manages and oversees the financial planning, budgeting, and performance of key space technology projects. Sara holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University, which provided advanced business administration skills, and a Master’s in Institutions and Space Policies from the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI) in Rome, focusing on space governance and policies.

Sara was a student-athlete in the U.S. and continues to play volleyball today. This experience instilled a strong work ethic, dedication to responsibilities, and commitment to hard work, which she applies daily in her professional life.

Andrew is a young Canadian professional who holds a Master’s degree in physics and will begin working as a Canadian Space Agency engineer in October 2024. Fuelled by a mission to improve life on Earth, he has been tackling several issues relating to climate change using small satellites, such as greenhouse gas monitoring. Andrew has been deeply involved in several student initiatives during his academic journey. Over the years, he has been leading a research project with SGAC’s Small Satellite Project Group, has contributed to Canada’s space sector by managing SEDS-Canada’s stratospheric balloon competition CAN-SBX, and has presided over his university’s space engineering team. He has also demonstrated interest in politics by running for candidate during the 2022 provincial elections under the Green Party.

Katherinne is an M.Sc. student in Molecular Biology at the University of Montreal in Quebéc, Canada. Born in Guatemala, she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and has worked in Space Microbiology since 2017. She was recently named one of the 100 most powerful women in Central America by Forbes, thanks to her work in space microbiology, co-founding the Guatemalan Association of Space Sciences and Enginering, and founding the space startup Verne Technologies. She co-developed the first microgravity simulator of Guatemala, and was part of two NASA-funded projects: 1) Space Biofilms, and 2) Simulated Micro-, Lunar and Martian microbial research. Katherinne loves space, molecular biology, microbiology, and spiders!

Maedeh is an enthusiastic aerospace engineer with a lifelong curiosity about the cosmos. Her passion for space, particularly asteroids, drives her to delve deeply into research and exploration. Maedeh excels academically, having performed exceptionally well at KNTU University, where she honed her skills and knowledge.

She is actively involved in two project teams at the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), where her teamwork and leadership abilities shine. Maedeh’s interests extend beyond engineering; she loves photography and art, especially when they intersect with her fascination for space.

Maedeh believes that space is her home, where she can always find inspiration. In addition to her technical pursuits, In addition to her technical pursuits, Maedeh is keenly interested in the applications of artificial intelligence within aerospace engineering. Her dedication to teaching and sharing knowledge underscores her commitment to advancing the field and inspiring others.

Joanna is a PhD student at Virginia Tech and a Sr. Consumer Research Manager at Amazon, where she leverages a decade of experience in consumer insights to bridge academic research and industry practices. Her research focuses on the commercial space sector, specifically exploring coopetition dynamics and how firms navigate geopolitical risks in the space economy. By integrating management theories with international relations, Joanna aims to enhance her understanding of how cross-border collaborations can drive innovation in space.

As an active member, research lead, and HR manager of the SGAC Project Group, Joanna is dedicated to promoting global cooperation in space and building stronger international alliances. Based in Arlington, Virginia, she is passionate about making space exploration accessible to all and fostering responsible competition that benefits humanity.