Ratkewicz joins Space Foundation as Manager of Cyber Initiatives

Addresses increasing importance of Cyber domain

Recognizing the increasingly important role of the cyber domain and how it relates to the needs and missions of corporate and military customers, the Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation has hired cyberspace expert Art Ratkewicz to fill a new manager - cyber initiatives position.

"With his extensive breadth and depth of experience in the field, Art has a keen vision and understanding of the potential a cyber function brings to all aspects of the Space Foundation's mission, including events, research and analysis, corporate support and education," said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham.

Ratkewicz has served at Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Forces Korea and in private industry at Booz Allen Hamilton, Atmel and Texas Instruments. His cyber experience began in the mid-90s when he wrote the Air Force's first Command information operations (IO) plan and integrated IO into AFSPC's intelligence function. He organized and moderated one of the first Department of Defense seminars on information operations, and was the AFSPC project officer for several general officer working group sessions on IO and how to best integrate it into the Air Force. As a member of the AFSPC IO Working Group, Ratkewicz assisted in developing plans for AFSPC to assume the Air Force's lead in IO, and has presented to senior Air Force leadership at CORONA conferences, the Air Force's senior leadership decision forum.

Ratkewicz is responsible for creating programs specifically devoted to cyberspace education and advocacy and for integrating cyberspace perspective into existing Space Foundation programs. He is based at Space Foundation headquarters in Colorado Springs.