Traverse City Space Accelerator
Northern MI
Greg Johnson, Managing Director
Gregory H. Johnson (Col, USAF, Ret.) is a former air force officer and pilot, aerospace engineer, fighter/test pilot, MBA and NASA astronaut. He is currently Executive Director of Newton's Road and Managing Director of the Traverse City Space Accelerator. He also serves on multiple boards in the non-profit and space sectors and is a consultant for innovation and STEM education in several networks including the Boy Scouts of America. While in the Air Force, Johnson flew numerous aircraft including the F-15E in combat operations. In NASA, Johnson was the pilot aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on the STS-123 and STS-134 missions. After leaving NASA in 2013, Johnson served as Executive Director for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, a non-profit that managed the ISS National Laboratory, complementing NASA's traditional projects to facilitate non-traditional innovation, commercial research, technology demo, and STEM education.​
Mike Carey, Deputy Director
Mike Carey is a Founder and the Chief Strategy Officer of ATLAS Space Operations, a Traverse City space-tech company that provides affordable support services for satellite owners to control their spacecraft and recover useful and valuable data. A former USAF general officer with over 35 years of experience in satellite and space-related operations, Mike shapes ATLAS's future through strategy development, business planning, and market engagement. Mike served 32 years in the United States Air Force, working his way up from the rank of Airman Basic in 1978 to the rank of Major General in 2012. He was instrumental in developing tactical relevance of space and cyber capabilities as a Director of Space Forces, and the Director, Strategic Forces Integration Team. After retirement from the military, Mike led AAC Microtec, North America, Inc. from 2014-2017, a US-based Swedish satellite avionics development and manufacturing firm. During his tenure, he substantively assisted in the company's December 2016 IPO and subsequent advances in the market. He now serves as a director on the corporate board of AAC Microtec North America. Additionally, Mike serves as an advisor to several aerospace companies.
Barbara Termaat, Director of Communications
Barb Termaat is the Director of Development and Communications for the non-profit Newton's Road K-12+ STEM initiative, and education liaison for other Boomerang Catapult interests such as NMC, TC Space Accelerator and 20Fathoms tech incubator. She has a Masters in Math & Science Education from Harvard and a BS in Oceanography from UM College of Engineering. Barb is a former STEM master teacher in Germany and California, and led teams at tech companies before and after teaching. At Cisco Networking Academy, Barb led curriculum development and curriculum strategy for their global technology education program. Barb and her family returned to Michigan a decade ago and reside in Elk Rapids.
TCSpaceAccel