Kim Crider is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova. She brings more than 35 years of experience managing multibillion-dollar global operations and technology programs in space, aerospace, cybersecurity, IT, data, and AI to the core team.
A recently retired U.S. Air Force (USAF) Major General, Crider was the first Chief Technology and Innovation Officer for the newly established U. S. Space Force (USSF) where she oversaw a $2.5B Space Science & Technology portfolio and directed a $750M digital services and cybersecurity portfolio to advance the $15B global military space enterprise for 16,000 personnel. Prior to that, Crider was the Air Force Chief Data Officer, a first in the DoD, where she led the implementation of a $100M enterprise data management portfolio to assure availability of operational and business data to over 850,000 military, civilian and contract users across the Department of the Air Force’s $126B enterprise, and established a strategy for enterprise data management that has seminally influenced other DoD level data strategies and initiatives.
Crider regularly advises US Political Appointees, Service Secretaries, Military Service Chiefs, and Civil Agency leaders, as well as international military, civilian and industry leaders, on the strategic use of technology to achieve competitive advantage. She has extensive international experience having served in Europe, Australia, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, and has been a seminal leader in global space, air and cyberspace operations, coalition and NATO command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and international information sharing. She built and led two multimillion-dollar specialty consulting firms focused on IT/data strategy, cybersecurity, and digital services in the education, architecture & engineering, financial services and health technology sectors. A senior engineer at the MITRE Corporation for over 15 years, Crider led the engineering for global enterprise networks, cybersecurity, and advanced surveillance radar systems across the DoD and Homeland Security.
Crider earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Duke University, an M.B.A. from Western New England University, and a Graduate certificate degree in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University. She graduated with distinction from the USAF Air Command and Staff College and the National Defense University Industrial College of the Armed Forces and has been an executive fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the University of Tennessee.
Mike Dickey is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova. Dickey is a career aerospace executive focusing on national security and U.S. space competitiveness for the 21st century. Mike’s experience includes both serving as an Air Force officer, as well as a civilian senior executive level during the stand-up of the United States Space Force. He also has extensive experience advancing space strategy and business development within the space industry.
Dickey’s military career spans a variety of roles and mission areas including space operational commands in the Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office, early development of the Navy’s Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System for the Missile Defense Agency, and flight test of the B-2 Spirit bomber. He was also detailed to NASA, supporting requirements for the International Space Station.
As a civilian, Dickey served as Chief Architect of Air Force Space Command and then the U.S. Space Force and was instrumental in standing up the Space Warfighting Analysis Center. His efforts helped lead advance strategic shift of the Air Force’s space enterprise to a more resilient and combat effective posture.
Dickey has a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado and a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and three professional military education courses. His honors include 27 military awards, the NASA Group Achievement Medal and the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal.
He participated in leadership programs from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and the Center for Creative Leadership, and is an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Eddie Papczun is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova responsible for driving business development and providing solutions for global clients capitalizing on his extensive experience in the Space sector, supporting both private and military organizations.
Papczun is a successful entrepreneur and executive leader with a wealth of expertise in support of national security space imperatives. A proven connector and facilitator, he helps clients navigate opportunities within the public and private sectors of national and international security space so they can actualize the strategic advantages of the space domain.
Prior to co-founding Elara Nova, Papczun served as senior consultant to the Air & Space Forces Association. In this role, he provided AFA’s leadership with insight on how best to maximize advocacy on behalf of the two services, to include talent recruitment, identification and implementation of best business practices, facilitating senior military leadership engagement as well as establishing and curating national security dialogue events on behalf of the association.
Papczun served on active duty in the Air Force for 10 years, and is married Lt General Nina Armagno, the U.S. Space Force’s first permanent Director of Staff. He earned a B.A. and ROTC commission from Kent State University. Additionally, Papczun holds a Master of Legislative Affairs degree from George Washington University.
Roger Teague is a Founding Partner of Elara Nova. He is a widely recognized senior space executive and retired U.S. Air Force Major General who has built and led high performing teams to great success in multi-scale organizations across the public and private sector. He has led strategy, growth, and operations as President, Space and Intelligence Systems for Terran Orbital Corp.; Chief Executive Officer and President of PredaSAR Corp., Vice President of Space, Intelligence, and Missile Defense for The Boeing Company; and is President and Founder of Teague Strategies LLC.
Serving over 31 years in the Air Force, Teague led his unit during launch, test, and operational activation of three Milstar protected communications satellites, and led development, launch, test, and on-orbit checkout of the final Defense Support Program satellite, the first two Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) polar orbiting payloads, and the first SBIRS geosynchronous satellite. Teague commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels and served in executive leadership positions at Headquarters U.S. Air Force and Headquarters Air Force Space Command. While at Terran Orbital, he led strategic direction, strategy and growth, business operations, and program execution. His leadership was instrumental to a successful SPAC transaction, raising $350M, and taking the company public. As the first employee, Teague stood up PredaSAR Corporation and secured $25 million Series Seed funding, directed spacecraft development, and built an industry leading space company poised to field the world’s largest and most advanced commercial constellation of synthetic aperture radar satellites.
Teague is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds an MBA from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University. He was also a Senior Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and attended other executive leadership development programs at the University of Virginia, the University of Tennessee, and the Center for Creative Leadership. Teague is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and among numerous awards and recognitions, he earned the Distinguished Service Medal and the 2017 AIAA Von Braun Award for excellence in Space Program Management. He has served on several non-profit boards and currently serves as a Trustee and chief financial officer for United Through Reading.