Rachel Lyons
Former Executive Director of Space for Humanity
Rachel Lyons is a key advocate of the space movement. She believes space is a vital tool for societal transformation.
Lyons is the former Executive Director of Space for Humanity (S4H), a non-profit organization which aims to use the spaceflight experience as a way to expand our perspective on Earth. Under her leadership, S4H sent the first woman from the African continent and first Mexican-born woman to space. S4H has received public support from the space industry's most prominent leaders including Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, NASA astronauts and others. During her tenure, Lyons’ team cultivated a highly engaged online community of millions across the globe.
Lyons is the former Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space-USA, the world’s largest student-run space non-profit.
Lyons is a public speaker and former radio host, and has been featured in outlets including CNN, NPR, VICE, Associated Press, ABC News, The Washington Post, Cheddar News, Ars Technica, Yahoo! Finance, and has spoken in front of large audiences at events around the world.
Ultimately, Lyons believes that if we, as individuals, take on a grander perspective, we can free ourselves of inherited constructs and contribute to greater societal change. She works to expand her perspective every day through contemplative practice, leadership and interpersonal training, spending time in nature, learning, and movement. It is her wish that people from all over the world understand we are part of something much greater and in turn use that perspective to treat ourselves, each other, and our planet with deeper respect.