The people building the Texas space workforce
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
The SWIFTeam unites a unique blend of experts, innovators, and storytellers, all dedicated to advancing SWIFT and the broader space ecosystem. Together, we bring an unparalleled depth of knowledge and creativity — and we couldn't be prouder of the team driving our mission forward.
Our Mission
Building connections. Testing limits. Launching rockets.
SWIFT's mission is to serve as the integrator of Texas' space workforce ecosystem, uniting community colleges, universities, and industry around a shared purpose.
We bring together the strengths of diverse institutions, combining those who dream with those who do, to streamline collaboration and focus on hands-on experiences that employers need in their workforce. Through shared resources and purposeful connections, we ensure that Texas students and organizations achieve more together than they ever could alone.
Our Vision
Dreaming big. Doing more. Launching Texas.
SWIFT's vision is to make Texas a gateway to the universe and the heart of space exploration and innovation: those who reach for the stars will do so through the Lone Star State. We are lighting the path for future generations by connecting high-school and post-secondary educational pathways with employers, creating a space talent pipeline where dreamers and doers come together not just to imagine, but to build, test, and launch the space technology that will shape tomorrow.
Just as Stanford fueled the rise of Silicon Valley, SWIFT is breaking down barriers and uniting diverse educational and technical strengths. From four-year degree programs to skilled blue-collar talent, we are building an ecosystem where anyone with a dream of space can contribute, innovate, and see their creations take flight from Texas soil.
Founders & Board
Geoff Tudor
President, Board Member
Space policy veteran. Congressional sponsor of Clementine — which found ice on the Moon — and DC-X, the rocket that invented vertical landing. Wrote commercial space legislation. Patent holder in the architecture powering today's mega-constellations. Now building the workforce Texas needs to lead the next space age.
Dr. Leon Vanstone
Vice President, Board Member
Founding Director of the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab (TREL). Rocket scientist and hypersonics expert — and the man behind over 100 student careers launched into aerospace. One of his students won the Collier Trophy for work on Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander. Leon doesn't just teach the frontier — he sends students there.
Joseph Kopser
Board Member, Defense & Innovation
West Point graduate. Army Ranger. Bronze Star recipient. Harvard Kennedy School. Co-founded RideScout, acquired by Mercedes-Benz. White House Champion of Change. President of Grayline. Joseph opens the doors inside DoD's defense and advanced technology units that most organizations never get to knock on.
Harvin Moore
Board Member, Investor & Advisor
Was on the launch team for the world's first commercially-funded rocket in 1982. Since then: banking at Treasury, tech CEO, COO of a commercial space company, faculty at International Space University, and board leader across NASA's Space Center Houston. Harvin brings institutional depth and a lifetime in the room where space and education intersect.
Advisory Board
Jennifer Warren
Workforce Advisor
A workforce strategist specializing in CTE pathway development across Texas — covering cybersecurity, accounting apprenticeships, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Jennifer leads SWIFT's apprenticeship and workforce program design, advising on regional partnerships and integrating rocket labs, STEM programming, and real-world problem-solving into emerging talent pipelines.