Parker Named Special Adviser for International Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sep. 15, 2008) — The Space Foundation has named William Van Rensalier Parker as Special Adviser for International Affairs.  Parker will advise Foundation leadership on international matters and work in developing new relationships and opportunities with global companies and organizations. His broad experience in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Washington, D.C., brings a unique new capability to the Space Foundation as its mission related activities become broader in scope and more international in flavor.

“We are delighted to add the deep international experience of such a distinguished career diplomat to the Space Foundation team,” said Elliot Pulham, president and chief executive officer of the Space Foundation. “Bill Parker brings valuable insight into international growth and development as the Foundation pursues its mission to advance space endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel all humanity.”

Formerly with the U.S. Foreign Service, Parker completed his 31-year career with the rank of Minister-Counselor with the Department of State.  During his Foreign Service career, Parker served in embassies in Ivory Coast, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, the Philippines, NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and India; served multiple tours in Washington, DC; and participated in numerous military and diplomatic operational activities in foreign countries. Parker was also the Foreign Affairs Advisor to General James E. Cartwright, former commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), for three years and planned the commander’s international engagements with Russian and Indian space force commanders.

Parker recently established Global Engagement Solutions, LLC,  an international management consulting firm that provides a broad spectrum of services for those interested in building public and private sector partnerships abroad.  He has served as a senior consultant with SOS International Ltd. with a focus on strategic communication and foreign media analysis and is an adjunct fellow for National Security Analysis at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. Parker holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and international relations from Thiel College.

Photograph available upon request.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983 and celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Space Foundation is an international nonprofit organization advancing space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.  A leader in space awareness activities, major industry events, and educational enterprises that bring space into the classroom, the Space Foundation is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo.  It conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has field representatives in Houston, Texas and Cape Canaveral, Fla.  Along with partnering organizations, the Space Foundation conducts Strategic Space and Defense 2008, from 6-8 October in Omaha, Neb.  The 25th National Space Symposium, the premier annual gathering of the global space community, will take place March 30 – April 2, 2009, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.  For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.

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