Colleen McLeod Garner is a recognized leader in the global space ecosystem and was recently named among the Top 100 Women in Aerospace & Aviation, an honor reflecting her impact across commercialization, leadership, and human-centered innovation.

She currently serves in Business Development and Marketing leadership at Paragon Space Development Corporation, the world’s leading life-support company with more than three decades of flight heritage. At Paragon, Colleen supports strategic growth, capture, and storytelling across advanced life-support systems, thermal control, spacesuits, and human-rated technologies that enable exploration, defense, and commercial space missions. Her work focuses on translating highly technical capabilities into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with government, commercial, and international partners.

Colleen is pursuing a PhD in Human Factors in Space at the University of North Dakota, where her research centers on human performance, wellness, and creating normalcy for sustained human presence in extreme environments. She also holds an Executive Master’s degree in Space Leadership, Business, and Policy from Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and an MBA in Global Innovation, graduating with distinction from both programs.

With more than 20 years of experience in consumer packaged goods, sales leadership, and commercialization, Colleen brings a pragmatic, founder-friendly perspective to innovation. She is the founder of InterGalactic Imbibing, a venture exploring sustainable bioprocessing, food and beverage systems, and responsible policy frameworks for commercial space environments.

A passionate mentor and advocate, Colleen is committed to expanding access to the space economy—particularly for founders and innovators without traditional STEM backgrounds. She serves in leadership and advisory roles across multiple organizations and regularly works with early-stage teams on market clarity, positioning, storytelling, and go-to-market strategy.

Colleen is also an author and frequent speaker, publishing and presenting on space sustainability, human factors, leadership presence, and the future of commercial space. Through Vanderbilt’s Wond’ry, she looks forward to supporting founders with thoughtful guidance, real-world insight, and encouragement as they build ambitious ideas into viable ventures.

To meet with Colleen, or any of our excellent mentors, please fill out this interest form.