Space Health Nexus

Jeremy Wain Hirschberg is a Research Specialist in the Christopher Mason Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, a Founder and Director of Operations of the Cornell Aerospace Medicine Biobank (CAMbank) and a member of the Space Omics Medical Atlas (SOMA) Team. He has a background in Next Generation Sequencing, in-vitro diagnostics development, and a Masters in Space Studies from the International Space University. Jeremy has personally overseen, and worked to standardize, the collection, processing, and storage of over 15,000 different biospecimens from 8 different space missions. His work aims to increase accessibility of samples associated with space missions, while conducting his own multi-omic research, positioning him at the center of a blossoming space medicine research network.

For 47+ years, Mike Lawrence has been transforming communities through seamless implementation of workforce, economic, education, and community development. He has extensive experience assisting and supporting local and state workforce board development, particularly to grow the most important emerging sectors. Mike has extensive experience in all areas of work-based learning. His emphasis over the last six years has been on Registered Apprenticeship (RA)—from directing state level evaluation to RA approval and management. Although Mike works nationwide, his greatest successes have been in Pennsylvania, infusing communities with workforce, economic, education, and infrastructure development.

With a background in education, program coordination, and training, Layne Mikesell develops accessible apprenticeship opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and exceptional student education (ESE). Previously, she served as the Educational Programs Coordinator and Training Specialist at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee. She also taught science and art, bringing a strong foundation in education and instructional design to her work. Currently, Layne is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Crime Scene Investigation and plans to obtain a forensic diving certification. Passionate about justice, accessibility, and creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities, Layne bridges education and workforce inclusion, making her a dynamic advocate for career pathways, accessibility, and the intersection of education and employment.

Dr. Monroy has experience in both military and civil aviation medicine. During her residency, she participated in international training and research projects, including collaborations with the FAA and the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority, resulting in publications and technical reports. As an Army officer, she served as a military physician, performing psychophysical aptitude evaluations for aviation personnel and gaining experience in extreme and operational medicine. In civil aviation, she oversaw aeromedical certification processes, conducted air ambulance surveillance, drafted regulatory documents, and provided sector-specific recommendations. She holds a specialization in Occupational Health and has been actively involved in fatigue risk management consulting for industries such as oil, mining, aviation, and ground transportation. Passionate about education and research, she has experience in aeromedical transfer, flight physiology, sleep and fatigue, and extreme environments. She is currently working on a project focused on dentistry in extreme conditions.

Dr. Oehring specializes in eye and vision science. With 20+ years of experience across academia, industry, and humanitarian sectors, Daniela’s research primarily focuses on accessible eye care, ocular tissue integrity, and clinical innovation. Her notable contributions include developing and clinically validating diagnostic of the anterior surface of the eye and pioneering machine learning methods for early diagnosis of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction. Dr. Oehring has supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students, emphasizing rigorous scientific training alongside clinical applicability. She collaborates internationally to advance eye care solutions that fit everyone and has served on several strategic and ethical committees, including roles with the European Academy of Optometry & Optics, the Committee on Publication Ethics, and the Chair of the Institutional Review Board (Ethics and Integrity Committee – Health) of the University of Plymouth. Dr. Oehring is actively involved in humanitarian initiatives, including Inclusive Vision. Her multidisciplinary approach and commitment to global eye health continue to drive innovations that address some of the most pressing health needs locally and internationally.

Dr. Paul completed her postdoctoral training at NASA Ames Research Center as a Universities Space Research Association (USRA) fellow and is currently a Blue Marble Space Institute of Science Scientist and Assistant Professor at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, Wessel Fellow (21′-24′). Her research focuses on immunity and neuroendocrine crosstalk in extreme environmental conditions. She is interested in how physiological stress in both acute and chronic settings influences immunity and countermeasures that can circumvent these impacts. Dr. Paul’s research is in part supported by NASA’s Human Research Program and the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium. She is the director of the Omics Lab for Health and Human Performance at Embry-Riddle, Chair of the Open Science for Life in Space (OSDR) Animal working group, Board member of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR), and Co-I of the Center for Science, Technology, and Advanced Research in Space (C-STARS).

E. Stanley Richardson is an American poet, actor, author, playwright, producer, educator, workshop facilitator, and an advocate for the transformative power of poetry and the arts. Richardson is the founder and director of ARTSPEAKSgnv Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy, wellbeing, and creating healthier communities by providing access to creative arts and cultural programs in historically underserved areas of North Central Florida. Richardson serves as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Alachua County, Florida (2020 -2025) and is a Community Scientist at the University of Florida (UF) Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics. He is an active member of the UF Health Cancer Center Community Advisory Board and the External Advisory Board for Community Outreach and Engagement.

Starr Schroeder’s nursing experience includes critical care, emergency nursing, research, education, and nursing management. Starr and her team presented “Medical Guidelines for Commercial Space Flight: A Review” at the International Astronautical Congress in Fall 2019. She was the presenting speaker for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals 2020 Space 101 lecture series with her presentation “The Ins and Outs of Space Nutrition.” Starr is a member of the Aerospace Medical Association, National Space Society, and Wilderness Medical Society. A Master’s candidate in Human Factors in Aerospace at Embry Riddle, she anticipates graduating in May. Her work includes chapters on Spaceflight Nutrition, Spacesuit Trends, and The Lunar Environment, and a position paper on telemedicine during the pandemic. An active space medicine advocate, Schroeder collaborates on ECG studies in parabolic flight and spacesuit life support testing with Final Frontier Design in microgravity. She strives to define nursing’s role in space exploration and commercial space industries. Starr earned her BS in Nursing from Indiana University in 1999.

Mary Showstark is a Physician Associate/Assistant (PA), an Assistant Professor at Yale University, and an affiliate faculty member of the Yale Institute of Global Health. Showstark is involved in growing the healthcare workforce for the PA profession globally and currently works with World Continuing Education Alliance. She is also Chief Liaison Officer to Health Tech Without Borders (HTWB) and holds a PhD in Security and Intelligence Studies from the University of Buckingham. Showstark has clinical experience in trauma surgery, emergency medicine, urgent care, disaster preparedness and response, wilderness, event, and mass gathering medicine. She has extensive experience with online education, group learning, organizational culture, and utilization of extended reality and artificial intelligence. She is also a consultant for the World Bank specializing in disaster, health, and climate.

With 25+ years in complex healthcare, transportation, and communication issues, Dr. Siler is a nationally-recognized leader in technologies and workforce education and development. As CommHIT’s CEO, she plans & operationalizes programs to assuage needs in rural and resource-poor or otherwise remote settings. Dr. Siler was an appointed stakeholder advisor to the Trump Administration White House Office of American Innovation and the Obama Administration White House Rural Council. Starting in 2008, Dr. Siler led the development of the nation’s first rural-based HIE. She was the Wave 1 Lead of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Task Group required under federal law to help health organizations of all sizes improve their digital security practices. For her depth and breadth of work in helping the nation’s rural health systems embrace health information technology, she received a 2013 Rural Hospital Champion Award from the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator (now the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy). Dr. Siler develops registered apprenticeship programs that help create a strong and flexible tech and health workforce that can help people day-to-day and in times of emergencies. Dr. Siler received her PhD from the University of Florida (UF) where she specialized in Immunology and Biochemistry and was a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Post-doctoral Fellow at the McKnight Brain Institute.

Blake Staring is a seasoned entrepreneur and C-level executive with two decades of experience in health and human performance. His work spans nutraceutical development, peptide therapy, and regenerative medicine—applied across startups, clinical settings, and multinational markets. As a Wellness Director for two Integrative Medicine clinics, and with a scientific foundation as a Holistic Nutritionist and Physiologist, Blake spearheaded innovative formulations that enhance human performance, optimize the gut-brain axis, and improve bioavailability. As a passionate pioneer in novel therapeutic compounds, he continues to pursue the future of performance-enhancing wellness. At the intersection of space science and human health, Blake focuses on novel therapeutics designed for the casual consumer as well as astronaut wellness for Mars-bound missions. His work blends science, biohacking, and ancient wisdom to develop space-adapted supplements and human performance protocols—advancing health and resilience for space explorers and individuals on Earth. Whether designing for high-stakes space environments or everyday longevity, Blake’s mission remains the same: advancing wellness and performance science through transformative solutions that benefit communities everywhere.

Dr. Willis is a Board-Certified Family Physician practicing family physician and CommHIT’s co-founder. In addition to remaining on the pulse of healthcare, he has 20+ years of experience as a private entrepreneur, hospital Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO), and a community health center CMO at an NCQA Level-3 Certified Medical Home with eight clinical locations offering the following services: pediatric and adult medicine and dental, maternity, and behavioral health. He merges his clinical and technology expertise to assist medical providers and social service organizations with cybersecurity, community engagement research, and better uses of technology to improve community health. He established Healthy Ocala in 2007, a secure and private digital mechanism to share patient data in Ocala, FL. CommHIT expanded that into the first rurally-based Health Information Exchange in the nation. Dr. Willis was awarded the 2013 Critical Access and Rural Hospital Champion Award from the Office of the National Coordinator (now the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy). Dr. Willis completed his undergraduate training in mathematics at Stetson University and obtained his Medical Doctorate at the University of South Florida (USF). He completed his training at the Florida Hospital Family Practice Residency in Orlando in 2000.