NCMA DC is excited to welcome Paula S. Trimble, Policy Chief and Director of Small Business Programs at the Space Development Agency for a fireside chat at our meeting on Wednesday, October 16. The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a new Department of Defense agency, founded five years ago. SDA is delivering hundreds of satellites to low Earth orbit in support of the missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defense mission area, developing and deploying new capabilities in two year “tranches” to leverage commercially available capabilities and a spiral development approach.
Paula will discuss SDA’s unique business model, and how the agency leverages special acquisition and contracting authorities to accelerate delivery of space-based capabilities for the joint warfighter. The chat will be moderated by Jim Segelstrom, CEO of McNally Industries, LLC and Chairman of the NDIA Manufacturing Division. The event will take place at the historic Arts Club of Washington.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE: Your ticket price includes a networking half hour, complimentary drinks, a buffet dinner, and free parking in the Arts Club garage (located off 20th street).
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Paula Trimble is Policy Chief and Director of Small Business Programs at the Space Development Agency in the U.S. Department of Defense. She drives policy solutions to reduce barriers in the acquisition process and enable small businesses and start-ups to work more easily with the government. She formulates and leads SDA’s congressional engagement strategies in support of the defense appropriations and authorization processes, garnering significant increases to the agency’s budget to accelerate delivery of missile tracking capabilities for the nation.
Ms. Trimble started her career as a reporter at Space News and Federal Computer Week. She served in the Department of Commerce Office of Space Commercialization, helping promote the expansion of commercial markets for GPS, satellite communications, and satellite imagery. Following that, she was an industry analyst at the Office of Commercial Space Transportation in the FAA. Ms. Trimble spent more than eight years overseeing prototyping and experimentation efforts in the DoD’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office. Most recently, she was Senior Principal at Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, leading the lobbying firm’s national security practice.
Ms. Trimble is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, with a B.A. in Journalism, and minor degrees in Art History and Science, Technology, and Society. She is a member of Women in Aerospace and the U.S. Air and Space Forces Association.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR:
Jim Segelstrom is the CEO of McNally Industries LLC., and Chairman of the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA)’s Manufacturing Division. He has more than 40 years of experience in manufacturing and distribution management. His last 16 years have been spent at McNally Industries where he serves as CEO. Jim was elected Chairman of the NDIA’s Manufacturing Division in 2023.
Since 1942 McNally has focused on serving the Department of Defense and DoD Primes with capabilities including design engineering, precision machining, complex assembly, and systems integration. Jim also has responsibility for McNally's Northern Gear Pump Division, a specialty gear pump whose markets include Oil & Gas, Chemical Processing, and Specialty Coatings.
Prior to joining McNally Jim spent 25 years managing and selling process equipment, process automation and pumping systems to the Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical, CPI, Power Generation and various fluid handling markets. Jim served these markets for both manufacturing and distribution. This blend of experience has produced a well-rounded understanding of industry and the skills and strategies needed for success.