Morgan Martell will talk about space national security with anyone who will listen. And since joining True Anomaly as a government affairs manager nearly one year ago, she found that most folks on Capitol Hill are all ears.
Background: After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in political science and international relations, Martell moved to DC and worked for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Her second job in DC was at a lobbying firm that represented space businesses such as United Launch Alliance and Boeing. It was there that she was able to marry her interests in space, government, and the art of chit-chat.
Diving deeper into the field, Martell attended Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program in their School of Foreign Service and focused on the intersection of AI and space tech. She wrote a graduate thesis on tactically responsive space and completed a graduate fellowship with Virgin Orbit.
Word of mouth: Now as the government affairs manager at True Anomaly—a role she calls a dream job—she helps break down complex space policy and new technology to policymakers in a digestible way. Martell has been instrumental in helping shape key legislation to further national security space priorities and evangelize policymakers on True Anomaly’s surveillance spacecraft.
Government lobbying is a field that has traditionally been dominated by older men, but Martell said she has found many receptive ears in all government offices. The best piece of advice she has received is to find what you love and specialize in it—something she’s clearly taken to heart.
