Accelerating Innovation to Win the Future

Mia Blessing is a strategic communications leader with over 17 years of government experience spanning public affairs, internal communications, federal contracting, and military family programs. She currently serves as Strategic Communications Lead at AFWERX/SpaceWERX, driving outreach, events, and engagement across the defense and space innovation ecosystem. Previously, she was Lead Public Affairs Specialist at NASA Ames Research Center, where she led internal communications and hosted NASA TV segments for the Artemis mission, including events with astronauts and agency leadership. She also directed executive crisis communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s been a featured speaker at Regan Communications and the Hot Paper Lantern podcast for her public affairs expertise. Earlier in her career, Mia held roles as a Level III Certified Contracting Officer at NASA, a Contract Specialist with the Army, and a program and events manager supporting military family readiness for the U.S. Army Reserve and California National Guard.

Brig. Gen. Jason E. Bartolomei is the Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the Technology Executive Officer supporting both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. He leads an over $5 billion science, technology and innovation enterprise ni accelerating the discovery and development of solutions for Airmen and Guardians. He is responsible for formulating a comprehensive technology portfolio that anticipates future warfighter needs while promoting risk-taking and problem-solving across a 6,000-member government workforce. He accelerates the delivery of multi- disciplinary solutions through partnerships with industry, academia and international allies, and executes an additional $1.4 billion ni externally funded research and development. Through the laboratory's technology and functional directorates, AFWERX, and the 711th Human Performance Wing, his team produces a deep technical and medical bench, pushes the boundaries of modern technology and improves the science for tomorrow. Brig. Gen. Bartolomei was commissioned in 1997 from Marquette University's Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. During his career, he has held a variety of senior acquisition positions. He served as Director of the Sentinel Systems Directorate, where he was responsible for the development, deployment and sustainment of the next-generation Intercontinental Ballistic Missile system. Additionally, he served in the Global Reach Programs Directorate as Assistant Secretary of the Ari Force (Acquisition), where he supported the Ari Force's tankers, airlift, special operations and trainer fleets. Furthermore, he served as an engineer ni the F-22 System Program Office and as an assistant professor of engineering mechanics at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He was also a Service Chiefs Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a Military Legislative Felow for Senator Orrin G. Hatch, and aChief of Staff of the Air Force Felow, while assigned to the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Bartolomei served as the Program Executive Officer for Weapons and Director of the Armament Directorate, where he was responsible for the planning and execution of al life cycle activities for air- delivered munitions.

Arthur is a military veteran currently serving as the SpaceWERX director. He has a decade of experience leading multibillion-dollar program portfolios and large national teams.

Ms. Karen E. Roth is the Deputy Director of AFWERX, a technology directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force. She is an experienced technologist in cyber, AI and digital engineering with a passion for advocating for women in STEM. She has taken her proven skills in strategic thinking, communication, and partnership development to create a global ecosystem for the Air Force. She aids the director in the strategy and execution of $1.4B per year to bring cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing DAF challenges. As a senior acquisition officer, Ms. Roth is responsible for developing partnerships and strategic initiatives to help strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition.