DEREK TOURNEAR, DIRECTOR
Dr. Derek Tournear is the Director of the Space Development Agency (SDA). Established in March 2019, SDA is recognized as the Department of Defense's constructive disruptor for space acquisition. SDA will quickly deliver much needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
Before leading SDA, Dr. Tournear most recently served as Assistant Director of Research and Development for Space within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering
where he was responsible for coordinating all DoD efforts in space and initiating programs to address critical gaps.
Dr. Tournear previously held leadership roles in industry, most recently the director for Harris Corporation Space & Intelligence research & development. Prior to industry, Dr. Tournear held program management positions at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He has professional experience at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) managing intelligence and defense programs.
Dr. Tournear has a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University and a B.S. from Purdue University. In 2010 he received an Outstanding Alumnus award from Purdue University and a 2008 DARPA award for Outstanding Accomplishments in a Systems Technology Area. Dr. Tournear is a 2011, and 2020 recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, and a 2012 recipient of the Office of Director of National Intelligence Award for Exceptional Public Service. Additionally, Dr. Tournear is the recipient of a 2021 Space News award, 2021 Theodore Roosevelt Government Leadership award, 2021 Wash 100 award, as well as the 2022 Aviation Week Laureate. He was selected for the Senior Executive Service in 2019.
ABOUT SDA
Leadership
Dr. Derek Tournear - Director
GURPARTAP 'GP' SANDHOO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Dr. Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo is the Deputy Director of the Space Development Agency, where he supports the Director in the daily management of the organization and the execution of the development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, delivering essential space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter in support of terrestrial missions. Prior to joining SDA, Dr. Sandhoo served as Vice President and Chief Architect at Quantum Space and as Director for Emerging Technologies at Northrop Grumman. His previous government experience includes serving as Deputy Director at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency (known as IARPA) and holding the Heinlein Chair in Astronautics at the U.S. Naval Academy. Earlier in his career, he led the Spacecraft Engineering Division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and served as Acting Director of the Naval Center of Space Technology, where he provided executive direction and technical leadership in conducting research, development, and deployment of space systems with advanced technologies. He was also a flight controller at NASA's Johnson Space Center and was a research and development engineer at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory.
A veteran of more than 36 years of military service in the active and reserve components of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, Dr. Sandhoo last served as the National Reconnaissance Office liaison to the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine and as a senior scientist at the Defense Innovation Unit.
Dr. Sandhoo holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, an M.S. in Space Systems, a D.Sc. in Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Propulsion from George Washington University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He is a 2016-2017 Fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI.
HEATHER CAMPBELL, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF STAFF
Heather Campbell is the Chief Operations Officer and Director of Staff of the Space Development Agency (SDA). Established in March 2019, SDA is responsible for unifying and integrating the Department's space development efforts, monitoring the Department's threat-driven future space architecture, and accelerating fielding of new military space capabilities necessary to ensure U.S. technological and military advantages in space.
Ms. Campbell has a distinguished track record of providing strategic oversight of technology applications for U.S. Department of Defense investments. Currently, as the Chief Operations Officer, Ms. Campbell is responsible for ensuring SDA's staff is aligned with SDA's mission and vision for capability delivery, with a focus on corporate strategic planning and organizational effectiveness.
Prior to joining SDA, Ms. Campbell held long-term consulting assignments with both the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering, where her responsibilities included development of new tools and processes that strengthened DOD's ability to identify and leverage innovative independent research and development projects across the defense industrial base. During her tenure in the Director's Office at DARPA, Ms. Campbell focused on the use of prize competitions to accelerate technology and product development and worked on high-profile projects to include the DARPA Grand and Urban Challenges that accelerated autonomous vehicle technology development worldwide.
Ms. Campbell holds a Master's of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University and a Bachelor's in sociology from Washington University in St. Louis.