Will Also Serve As Company Spokesperson
Privately-funded space launch
services provider Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
(SpaceX) announced this week Diane Murphy has joined the company as
Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
Murphy assumes the newly-created position with responsibility
for all aspects of marketing and communications, including
strategic planning, media relations, advertising, video and web
content, exhibits and trade shows, community affairs, and event
management, as well as serving as company spokesperson.
"Diane brings a wealth of experience within the aerospace
industry and contacts across the media world," said Elon Musk, CEO
and CTO of SpaceX. "She will help us communicate effectively as we
grow and work to revolutionize access to space."
"In addition to the extraordinary demand for our products and
services, we are experiencing tremendous demand for updates on the
upcoming launch of our Falcon 1, delivery of the first Falcon 9 to
Cape Canaveral and development of our Dragon spacecraft," said
Gwynne Shotwell, VP, Business Development. "Diane will be
instrumental in keeping everyone informed of our progress."
Murphy comes to SpaceX from Northrop Grumman Corporation where
she led communications for their Space Technology Sector.
Previously, she served as Vice President of Communications for EADS
North America, the US holding company for the world’s second
largest aerospace and defense company, and Executive Vice President
of the X Prize Foundation, organizing the first X Prize CUP and
working with the state of New Mexico to support the creation of the
New Mexico Spaceport.
For 15 years Murphy served as Chairman and CEO of Federal City
Communications providing communications strategies to aerospace,
defense, and telecommunications clients. She began her career on
Capitol Hill as a press assistant to former House Republican
Leader, John J. Rhodes (R-AZ), before working for a Washington
consulting firm where she managed campaigns related to defense,
energy systems, and directed political advertising campaigns for
more than 30 candidates including Senators Bill Cohen (R-ME), John
McCain (R-AZ), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Governor John Sununu
(R-NH).
Murphy is a member of the National Press Club, serves on the
Board of Trustees of the X Prize Foundation, California Space
Authority, and Dashew International Center for Students and
Scholars at UCLA. She was educated at Friends Academy, Northwestern
University and studied in the former Soviet Union before receiving
a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University’s
School of Foreign Service.
Founded in 2002, SpaceX aims to help fill the gap when the Space
Shuttle retires in 2010. Under the existing contract, SpaceX will
conduct three flights of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon
spacecraft for NASA, culminating in Dragon berthing with the
International Space Station (ISS) and returning to Earth.