The Inspirational Learnings from the Apollo Space Mission with Jonathan Ward, author of Rocket Ranch

How did NASA harness the collective brain and brawn of 450,000 people to send 24 men to the Moon from 1968 to 1972? Jonathan Ward’s new book, “Rocket Ranch,” provides fascinating insights into the critical success factors needed to create Apollo’s infrastructure from scratch, manage a huge workforce, and land Apollo 11 within 8 years. Take a peek behind the scenes at Kennedy Space Center’s amazing facilities and learn about the men and women who made it happen! Jonathan’s presentation will include a “petting zoo” from his collection of Apollo artifacts.

Jonathan Ward has lived in Greensboro for 4 years, and he considers the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D. C., to be his hometown. Although he has a wide variety of interests and has worked in many fields, space exploration is his lifelong passion. His joy of bringing the space program to life for the general public began in high school, when he served as a volunteer tour guide at the National Air and Space Museum during the Apollo era. He continues his public outreach today, as a Solar System Ambassador for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as a frequent speaker on space exploration topics, and as an author for Springer-Praxis.

Jonathan brings a unique perspective that marries a systems view of the topic, fascination with the technology, and deep respect for the people who make it all happen. He holds an MS in Systems Management from the University of Denver and a BS in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is professionally certified by the International Coach Federation, and serves as an adjunct at the Center for Creative Leadership. His professional experience includes extensive work with leadership teams and several years with Boeing on the Space Station Freedom program.