Jessica PedersenSenior Director, American Rocketry Challenge & STEM Engagement

Jessica Pedersen is the Senior Director for American Rocketry Challenge and STEM Engagement at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). Pedersen has dedicated two decades of her career in the aerospace and national security space. Most recently, she was part of the Space, Cyber, and Intelligence Systems organization at General Dynamics Mission Systems, where she directed the development and evaluation of annual strategic plans, focusing on space and avionics, encryption technologies, and cross-domain solutions.

Prior to this role, Pedersen was the Middle East and Africa Business Development Manager for Lockheed Martin Corporation. She was responsible for fostering and strengthening relationships with Middle East and Africa regional foreign embassies, internationally affiliated organizations, and partner stakeholders.

Pedersen was nominated and selected to be a Department of State Franklin Fellow in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. She led the development and implementation of the Functional Bureau Strategy, a three-year strategic plan mandated by the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), outlining the Bureau’s highest priorities and goals.

Before joining the State Department, Pedersen was the Business Development Manager for the international line of business for Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions. She focused on customer opportunities for NATO, United Nations, U.K., and Australia.

Pedersen holds a BSE in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Maryland.