Kathy Sullivan

Kathryn Sullivan has built an extraordinary career as a distinguished scientist, astronaut, and executive. She was one of the first six women selected to join the NASA astronaut corps in 1978 and became the first American woman to walk in space. In 2020, her historic dive to the Challenger Deep made her a triple Guinness World Record holder — recognized as the “most vertical person in the world,” the first person to both orbit Earth and reach its deepest ocean point, and the first woman to dive to full ocean depth. Her achievements continue to inspire generations in science, exploration, and leadership.


After her NASA career, Dr. Sullivan held several major leadership and executive positions, including Presidential appointments to the National Science Board and roles as Chief Scientist, Deputy Administrator, and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She currently serves on the boards of International Paper, Accenture Federal Services, Terra Alpha Investments, and the National Audubon Society. In addition, she is a Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and Ambassador-at-Large for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Dr. Sullivan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. in Geology from Dalhousie University. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Public Administration. Over the years, she has received numerous honors, including induction into multiple halls of fame, recognition by Time Magazine and the World Economic Forum, as well as awards such as the Explorers Club Medal, Rachel Carson Award, and an Emmy. She is also the author of To the Stars! and Handprints on Hubble, and in 2021 was appointed by Joe Biden to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.