John Zarrella
Bio
Title of the Talk
"The Evolution of Space Travel"
Date: Feb. 20, 2025
Master of Ceremonies - John Zarrella
Zarrella is an American journalist, widely known for his work as principal correspondent for CNN's coverage of the U.S. space program, reporting on events such as the 1986 Challenger disaster, John Glenn’s 1998 return to space, the Mars Pathfinder mission and the final flights of the Space Shuttle program. In 2024, Zarella served as master of ceremonies for the investiture of Dr. John Nicklow, Florida Tech's sixth president.
Panelist - Joan Higginbotham ’92 M.S., ’96 M.S.
Higginbotham is an electrical engineer, rocket scientist and retired astronaut, with dual master’s degrees, and a 35+ year career working with Fortune 500 companies in the aerospace, energy, and retail sectors. In 2022, she founded Joan Higginbotham, Ad Astra, LLC, an aerospace consulting firm, and recently consulted with Blue Origin which was awarded a $3.4 billion contract by NASA to develop and fly a lunar lander.
Panelist - James "Jimmy" Jenkins ’98 M.S.
Jenkins is the President and General Manager of the Armed Forces Portfolio at Blue Halo. Before this, he served as Director of Strategic Programs at Dynetics, focusing on hypersonics, high-energy lasers, and space systems, after spending five years at Northrop Grumman, where he oversaw Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems.
Panelist - Lauren-Ann Graham '20, '23 M.S.
Graham is a Lockheed Martin mechanical test engineer currently supporting NASA's Gateway program, which includes work on the Orion spacecraft set to one day carry humans back to the moon. From the Launch Control Center, she supported the Artemis 1 mission management team during launch operations. An aspiring astronaut and STEM advocate, Graham shares her journey via social media and community outreach.
