Who We Were
The Institute’s mission was to apply space-based Earth observations and information technology to further science, improve intelligence for decision-making, and advance education.
The five founding Board Members shared a strong interest in and experience with NASA and identified three important issues needed to be addressed:
1) to inform the public of the important role space technologies play in understanding and responding to a rapidly changing planet;
2) to strengthen interagency and international cooperation; and
3) to advance leadership in Earth science education.
Founding Board members included:
-
- Wayne T. Chen, Co-Founder, former President, WT Chen & Company (Chair), who spent the early part of his career as a manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (deceased)
- Nancy Colleton, Co-Founder, President, IGES
- Martin B. Gold, partner at Capitol Counsel LLC
- Shelby G. Tilford, PhD, former acting assistant administrator for NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth program, where he helped establish the U.S. Global Change Research Program (deceased)
- Peter Thacher, former Deputy Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and distinguished fellow with the World Resources Institute (deceased).
Throughout IGES’s 32-year tenure, numerous scientific and policy leaders served as Board Members, guiding this important work:
-
- Eric J. Barron, PhD, Interim President, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR); former president Pennsylvania State University; and former president Florida State University.
- The Honorable Jim Geringer, former Director, Policy and Public Sector Strategies, Esri; and former Wyoming Governor (1995—2003)
- William Klanke, Founder and CEO, Space Intel Report
- Tracey Laws, President, Reinsurance Association of American (RAA)
- Kathy MacKinnon, PhD, Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas, IUCN (deceased)
- Kelly McGrath, CEO and Co-Founder, Planet3
- Thomas Snitch, PhD, Director, Federal Relations, Bowling Green State University
Thanks to the Board’s guidance and dedicated and innovative staff, IGES stayed true to its mission working with numerous government agencies, private sector entities, and non-profit organizations to improve knowledge about the Earth system and leverage the science and technology that help respond to a changing planet. IGES is recognized as a trusted leader in Earth and space science education, communication and outreach.