Our ASO Team Members
ASO Board of Directors
The ASO team consist of professional and citizen astronomers from various specialty areas all combining their knowledge, talents, and volunteer spare time into the ASO mission to educate the Ozark community about astronomy and other physical sciences that can lead to a professional career in the space industry !
Keith Sowell
Star Voyager
ASO Board Chairman
Dr. Keith Sowell is a lifelong citizen astronomer, and formerly served as a College Astronomy Lecturer, NASA Educator, and Outreach Coordinator for several space related organizations. He currently serves as an Aerospace Consultant for Star Voyager LLC, and also serves as an IAU "Co-National Outreach Coordinator" for the USA. He is a "Life Member" of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Astronomcal League.
ASO Director
Advocate and Supporter
ASO Board Member
We are looking for other Board Members who want to volunteer their time toward and talents to a greater mission to take astronomy and aerospace education and outreach to the Ozark regions of Arkansas, Missouri, and eastern Oklahoma. We are all "Dark Sky Advocates" who want to preserve our "Ozark Natural Skies". Please join us in our outreach mission! Send us a message about your interest and how you can help our society to reach its mission goals.
ASO Advisory Board
Our advisory board are all aerospace professionals who promote astronomy education and outreach in their varied advisory positions, and support ASO in its outreach efforts by giving us advise on our operations.
Scott Parazynski
ASO Aerospace Advisor
Dr. Scott Parazynski (MD) is a former NASA Astronaut. He was born in Little Rock-Arkansas, and he is a veteran of five spaceflights, STS-66 (1994), STS-86 (1997), STS-95 (1998), STS-100 (2001) and STS-120 (2007). Dr. Parazynski has logged more than 1,381 hours in space, including more than 47 hours during seven spacewalks, and has traveled more than 23 million miles. ASO welcomes Scott aboard!
Mike Simmons
ASO Business Advisor
Mike Simmons has been an amateur astronomer and outreach leader for 50 years and loves sharing the sky with others. His outreach activities began in the 1970s with the Los Angeles Astronomical Society. He founded Astronomers Without Borders in 2006 to unite astronomy and space enthusiasts around the world through their common interests. Mike is now serving as the founder and CEO of "Astronomy for Equity". ASO welcomes Mike aboard!
Tim Gagnon
ASO Graphic Art Advisor
Tim Gagnon is a well known artist who has designed many of the mission patches for NASA, and has a long esteamed career as an artist. Tim is serving as our "Aerospace Media Advisor" supporting ASO by giving advise on aerospace graphics, media, and advertising. Tim was instramental in helping ASO to get our ASO member patches made by A & B Emblem, who also makes the patches for NASA missions. Mission acomplished! ASO welcomes Tim aboard!
Mark Marquette
ASO Astronomy Outreach Advisor
Mark Marqette is a well known podcast celebrity in the Kennedy Space Center area, and he has a daily Youtube show called "Stay Curious" weekdays at 4 pm EDT. He is also a Board Member at Titusville Area Visitor Council, Vice President at Brevard Astronomical Society, Board Member at Museums of Brevard, and a Community Liaison at American Space Museum & Space Walk of Fame. ASO welcomes Mark aboard!
E. Lee Wilson Jr.
ASO Space Art Advisor
Lee Wilson is a well known space artist and celebrity in the KSC area. He serves as a "Communicator" at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and gives live lectures to the visitors. Lee is a member of the National Space Society, the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA), and the Brevard Cultural Alliance. Lee is also a curated artist at "Aldrin Art Space" website. ASO welcomes Lee aboard!
ASO Local and Regional Outreach Coodinators
ASO Local Outreach Coordinators
This is our network of Local ASO Outreach Coordinators
Kaila Payton
ASO Hot Springs-AR Outreach Coordinator
Greetings, my name is Kaila Payton, and I'm thrilled to serve as the ASO Outreach Coordinator for Hot Springs and its surrounding areas. Alongside my modeling career, I lead a mission focused on empowering women to reclaim their happiness. I was a former Miss Lake Hamilton and my daughter was Jr. Miss Hot Springs. With a lifelong fascination for astronomy, I've shared my enthusiasm with my daughter and extensively explored the moon through telescope observations.
ASO Volunteer
ASO Outreach Coordinator
This is an open position for any new local and regional "Outreach Coordinators". We are always looking for new "ASO Outreach Coordinators" who will help us with their valuable volunteer time and talents to take astronomy outreach and aerospace education to the Ozark regions of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. We need citizen astronomers and space geeks to join our corps of "Dark Sky Rangers" who advocate for the protection of our "Ozark Natural Skies". Let us know if your interested?
ASO Business Affiliates and Supporters
Our Business Supporters
These businesses support our efforts by supplying services, donations and materials to our mission.
STAR VOYAGER LLC
Benafactor
Star Voyager aerospace consulting company supports ASO by providing "pro bono" consulting services with aerospace technical and management advice. They have also donated funds toward our societies outreach efforts.
Astronomy for Equity
Supporter
AFE supports ASO with advice and opportunities for support. AFE's team of experts provide advice on our membership administration and fundraising events. They also make opportunities available for marginalized and underserved communities through astronomy outreach, just like the region of the Ozarks we serve.
Chamber of Commerce
Supporter
Please check out your local Chamber of Commerce for astronomy events. We hope to work with local Ozark region COC's in the near future to support us and advertise our events.
