SGx2025 Organizing Team
Visionary Team Leaders
Sapna Rao is a Systems Engineer Sr at Lockheed Martin Commercial Civil Space located in Denver, CO. She is currently supporting the Cryogenic Demonstration Mission as the mission sequencing lead for the mission. She has previously worked on Artemis II on the Orion vehicle, the Human Lander System, and was leading commercialization for the Lunar Mobility Vehicle. For SGAC she has been on the organizing teams for SGC 2022 and SGFF 2023, was the team lead for the Space Exploration Project Group's ACHIEVED project, and helped support a project on STEM outreach throughout Europe with the Diversity and Gender Equality Team. Outside of work Sapna enjoys skiing, hiking, Formula 1, and Dungeons and Dragons.
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Future Space Leader Fellows
Program Team
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Event Coordination Team
Alex Merker is a Senior Consultant at Guidehouse, where he supports federal agencies involved in the commercial space industry. Prior to his current role, he was the lead aerospace and defense industry researcher for the Aerospace Industries Association. Possessing a lifelong passion for space, aviation, and governance, he holds a M.A. in Transportation Policy from George Mason University.
Uli is a dedicated young space law professional who recently completed the ISU SSP 2024 at the in Houston. Formerly a Legal Counsel at Ryanair in Dublin, she holds a German law degree, a Bachelor’s in International Legal Studies, and a Master’s in International and Comparative Law with a focus on aviation law. Uli has authored multiple papers on space law and attended the ECSL summer course on space law and policy. With her academic and professional experience, she’s eager for more hands-on involvement in the space sector.
Outside of her legal work, Uli enjoys winter sports, running, and exploring the outdoors. She participates in analog astronaut missions, "world's longest" races, and mountain climbs. Originally from Germany, Uli has lived in New Zealand, the UK, and now Ireland, where she’s an active volunteer in sports and space communities. Passionate about connecting with like-minded people, she’s always ready for new challenges and exciting projects.