Thought Leader Series

Kellie Gerardi (@kelliegerardi) is a multi-mission research astronaut who became the 90th woman in history to fly to space and one of the first payload specialists to conduct research aboard a commercial spacecraft. A researcher, mother, and nationally recognized science communicator, she has been named a TIME100 Creator and a 2025 USA Today Woman of the Year, with USA Today calling her “a woman of many successful missions.” In 2026, Mattel created a Barbie doll in her likeness, naming her an official Barbie Role Model and member of the first Barbie Dream Team.

Kellie served as a payload specialist on the IIAS-01 / Galactic 05 science mission with Virgin Galactic in 2023, conducting biomedical and thermodynamic fluid research in space on behalf of the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). She currently serves as Director of Human Spaceflight at IIAS, where she is also a microgravity instructor and Test Flight Director. Kellie will lead the upcoming IIAS-02 research mission, which will build upon the scientific findings from IIAS-01 and introduce novel biomedical and women’s health research alongside her international crewmates.

Here on Earth, Kellie has tested and matured spaceflight technologies across hundreds of parabolas in microgravity research flight campaigns, including research collaborations with MIT, the National Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Space Agency. 

Beyond her research career, Kellie has become one of the most visible contemporary voices on resilience, ambition, and modern motherhood. A daily source of inspiration to her millions of followers on social media, she is known for openly sharing her personal journey through infertility, IVF, and pregnancy loss, painting a powerful portrait of modern motherhood. She has appeared on The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Jennifer Hudson Show, The View, and The Talk, and has been profiled in outlets ranging from Forbes and Glamour to Women’s Health. She is also the recipient of a 2025 People’s Voice Webby Award. In honor of the birth of her second daughter following a long IVF journey in 2026, Kellie founded and funded an IVF grant program with Baby Quest and Babylist to cover the full cost of IVF cycles for families pursuing parenthood.

Kellie’s work spans science, education, media, and culture. She has partnered with global brands as the public face of large-scale STEM education and advocacy campaigns, and she is the author of the celebrated children’s book series Luna Muna, which has been read from both the International Space Station and the White House. She also voiced an animated version of herself in a Phineas and Ferb: Agent P Under C episode on Disney+ and serves as the Godmother of Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas. 

In addition to her spaceflight work, Kellie is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, delivering talks at international conferences, universities, and industry events around the world. Kellie is a Member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and a Member and former Executive Board Member of The Explorers Club. She also serves on the Defense Council for the Truman National Security Project. She holds a Master of Science, professional certifications in bioastronautics, and has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science and Technology for her contributions to microgravity research. Kellie lives in Jupiter, Florida, with her husband and their daughters.