U.S. Task Force – Policy & Advocacy

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The US Task Force welcomes all participants that qualify for SGAC membership (ages 18-35). Complete this form and we will be in contact. Subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of this page.

As part of SGAC’s mission to represent the young space generation, the U.S. Task Force brings together students and young space professionals to communicate our vision of a sustainable, fair, and cooperative future in space to the U.S. policy community. We produce blogs, educational material, and facilitate discussions with experts to encourage broad involvement in policy.

This Task Force operates under the SGAC Space Generation Advocacy and Policy Platform (SGAPP).

Policy Briefs and Resources


Space Debris

Leah Farrar

Additional Resources

Space Diplomacy

Alyssa Goessler

Additional Resources

Commercial Partnerships

Rahim Talibzade

Rocket Fuel and the Environment

Anja Sheppard

Webinar Series


Episode 1 – Space Debris

Episode 2 – Space Diplomacy

Episode 3 – Space for Climate Action

Blog and Newsletters


U.S. Task Force Leadership

Lead - Lindsey Wiser

Lindsey is an Astrophysics Ph.D. Candidate at Arizona State University, where she studies exoplanet atmospheres, science mission development, and space law/policy. She earned her B.S. at Johns Hopkins University studying Engineering Mechanics and Earth and Planetary Science. Lindsey is passionate about all things space and aviation, enjoys the outdoors, and loves her cat.

Deputy Lead - Sunny Narayanan

Dr. Anand “Sunny” Narayanan is currently a Professor at Florida State University (FSU). As a first-generation, immigrant, Indian American, Sunny has held a life-long interest in encouraging diversity through educational outreach and interdisciplinary projects. Sunny holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Medical and Space Physiology, and B.S. degrees from West Virginia University in Mechanical Engineering and Biology.

Policy Lead - Anja Sheppard

Anja Sheppard is a PhD student at the University of Michigan where she is investigating robotic perception for space exploration. She is a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow, and holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. She has also contributed to research at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. Anja is very passionate about encouraging an ethical approach to space exploration by bridging the gap between discourse in humanities spaces to those working on space technologies.

Advocacy Strategy Lead - Hanh Nguyenle

Hanh is a Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the London School of Economics, where she applies public policy and environmental economics ideas to space issues. She received her B.S.F.S. at Georgetown University, studying Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in security. Hanh previously worked in Government Relations at the Space Foundation and interned at Astroscale U.S. and United Launch Alliance. Hanh enjoys reading science fiction, discovering new music, and, recently, baking (as a quarantine baker).

Advocacy Strategy Lead - Cody Knipfer

Cody is the Advocacy Strategy Lead for the U.S. Task Force for Space Policy. His professional expertise is in the space policy sector, having worked in government affairs for a commercial space firm, several space trade associations, and on Capitol Hill. He holds a B.A. in international relations and political science from McDaniel College, and a M.A. in international science and technology policy, specialized in space policy, from George Washington University's Space Policy Institute. While not an aerospace engineer, he has successfully assembled every available LEGO space set.

Programs Lead - Josh Burns

Josh is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Northeastern University, where he studies Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and Diplomacy. Josh is very focused on issues of international diplomacy in space and public-private business development in space applications, and plans on entering the field upon graduation. In his spare time, Josh enjoys swimming and photography.

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