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Board of Directors

Leslee Gilbert, Ph.D., J.D.

Government Planning & Strategy Committee Chair

Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates

Leslee Gilbert, Ph.D., J.D., helps academic institutions, companies, and other organizations interested in research, development, and competitiveness in fields such as aerospace, cybersecurity, information technology, basic and applied science, and energy.

With a Ph.D. and a law degree, Gilbert has an insider’s understanding of both academia and government policy. Before joining VSA, she was Staff Director and Counsel of the House of Representatives’ Science, Space, and Technology Committee, the primary committee for overseeing non-defense research and development, as well as civil aerospace.

On Capitol Hill, Gilbert played a central role in developing and implementing Federal science, technology, and space policy. She worked closely with senior staff and members of Congress on such important legislation as the NASA Reauthorization Acts of 2008 and 2010 and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Acts of 2007 and 2010.

Gilbert has an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and a Master’s and Doctorate from the University of Kentucky. She has a law degree from American University and is a member of the Maryland Bar. She currently lives in Santa Fe, NM and enjoys skiing, hiking and flying her single-engine plane around the region.

In 2012, Gilbert was presented with the STA Leadership Award by the Space Transportation Association in recognition of her support for robust, affordable space transportation for NASA, DOD, and commercial markets.