Moderator: Adapting the Government-Commercial Satcom Relationship for the 21st Century

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch is SVP for Government Strategy and Policy of Inmarsat Government Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat Group Holdings Limited.
Ms. Cowen-Hirsch brings more than 30 years of defense, aerospace and executive leadership experience to Inmarsat. As a decorated member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) in the U.S. Department of Defense, she served as the Program Executive Officer for SATCOM, Teleport, and Services at DISA. She served in several other key SES executive positions including as the first Vice Component Acquisition Executive for DISA, with executive management responsibility for the acquisition oversight and horizontal integration of DISA’s products, services and programs. Ms. Cowen-Hirsch established the Defense Spectrum Office, serving as its first Director where her responsibilities included the development of national security spectrum strategic plans and policy, and national and international negotiation of defense spectrum issues.
Her broad defense career ranged from systems engineering, experimental flight test, program management, spectrum management and a wide range of executive leadership positions. Ms. Cowen-Hirsch was a rated experimental flight test engineer; was the first female civilian Mission Commander for the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA) mission; and was the recipient of an Exemplary Service Medal for her years of selfless service to the Department of Defense.
Mrs. Cowen-Hirsch serves as Inmarsat’s representative for key industry associations including SIA. She serves on the Board of Directors for the United Space Force Space Enterprise Consortium, the MSUA and the Women in AFCEA Leadership Board.
Ms. Cowen-Hirsch is a recipient of numerous awards from prestigious organizations such as the AFCEA, Women in Technology, Potomac Officers Club Top 5 GovCon Space Mission Leaders to Know, and WashingtonExec Top 30 Space Execs to Watch.
Ms. Cowen-Hirsch received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. She serves on the College of Engineering advisory board and is a member of the Alumni Hall of Distinction. Having conducted her post-graduate studies in Engineering Management at the University of Dayton, she is also a graduate of the University of Tennessee Space Institute Experimental Flight Test Program; the DoD’s Acquisition Management Program; and the Cambridge Senior Executive Leadership Program.