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Our Crew
Sharon Hagle, Founder Board Chair
Sharon Hagle Founder of SpaceKids Global completed her flight on Blue Origin's NS-20 launched on March 31, 2022 as a member of Crew 4. Joining Sharon on the flight was her husband, Marc Hagle, making them the first married couple to fly to space on a commercial vehicle. Sharon and Marc recently announced they will be returning to space with Blue Origin on a future flight.
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Founded in 2015, SpaceKids Global's mission is to bring the possibility of space to kids everywhere, by inspiring students to excel in STEAM+ Environment education, ensuing girls are equally represented.
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SpaceKids Global hosts a variety of annual challenges designed to inspire kids to pursue careers in the space industry. One of the recent SpaceKids programs is a national essay competition, Why I Want to go to Space. The students authors of the two winning essays were selected to experience a ZERO-G flight. In 2023, SpaceKids Global is sponsoring field trips to Kennedy Space Center for selected fourth grade students from Orange County Title 1 schools.
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Sharon shares her journey to space and encourages students through speaking engagements at schools, nonprofit youth organizations, science centers, universities and space organizations. To date, Sharon has reached over 866,000 students globally with the goal of helping fill the 3.5 million STEM job vacancies predicted in the United States by 2025.
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Sharon was recognized as one of the Orlando Business Journal's 2023 Women Who Mean Business, and is the recipient of the Clifford H. Lee Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to and achievements in philanthropy throughout Central Florida. In 2024, she was honored as a "Hometown Hero" at the Orlando Magic NBA basketball game. She is a member of the Purdue University Engineering Advisory Council and the U.S. Space Force Association.
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Sharon had a decades long career in commercial real estate as a site selector for national retail tenants in the southeastern United States. Sharon attended Morris Harvey College (now called the University of Charleston) in Charleston, W. Va.
Saba, The Space Dog
Co-Board Chair
After a 10 year career with SpaceKids, Saba 15 1/2 Pomeranian is hanging up his spacesuit. His final official appearance will take place at the Hagles' Blue Origin upcoming launch in Van Horn, Texas. Although stepping back, he will still make appearances for special occasions.
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Saba comes from a family of entertainers. His father's career began early on in a photo shoot with the Backstreet Boys and several episodes of Life Styles of the Rich and Furry. Saba's career began with SpaceKids Global where he was able to combine his love of kids, education and space. Blue Origin made him an honorary member of NS-20 with a flight suit matching Crew 4.
A philanthropist at heart, SpaceKids Global gave him the opportunity to focus on his charitable work where he has supported several organizations including Canine Companions, ASPCA and others. Saba, a national speaker, has engaged with kids through Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Yuri's Night LA and SEDS.
He resides in Central Florida with his family.
Maryann Barry
Chief Executive Officer
Maryann Barry begins her mission as Chief Executive Officer for SpaceKids Global in October 2024. She overseeing the organization's day-to-day business operations.
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Maryann joined the SpaceKids Crew as a veteran not-for-profit executive, most recently serving as CEO of Girl Scouts of Citrus Council in Central Florida. Her passion for launching today's youth toward becoming tomorrow's purpose-filled leaders is matched only by her passion for all things Space. Maryann's career reputation for innovative organizational growth and development aimed at strengthening long-term outcomes for our youth is guided by her belief that each child deserves a change to reach for the stars in their own way. Maryann's passion for space, science and exploration motivated her to achieve an Aerospace Education Certification while in graduate school in 1992. She has always sought to infuse the importance of aerospace related STEAM education into the youth programs she has led over the years and in 2019 onboarded with Virgin Galactic as one of their future astronauts. She looks forward to seeing Spaceship Earth from above soon.
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Maryann is a proud Florida Space Coast kid, growing up in Cocoa Beach area during the height of the Gemini and Apollo programs. Catching the space bug early, she drew inspiration from family members who worked with or reported on NASA at Cape Kennedy in the 1960s. Her favorite Space Coast kid memory, you might ask-riding in one of the Mercury Astronauts' famous Corvette sports cars in a parade at age 5!
Leah Shepherd,
Chief Operating Officer
Leah Shepherd serves as Executive Consultant for SpaceKids Global, overseeing the foundation’s day-to-day operations, strategic business plan and major donor relationships.
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Leah launched the onePULSE Foundation and was a key architect in the exponential growth and successful milestones of the start-up organization. She also served as Vice President of Philanthropy for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and was part of the venue’s grand opening team in 2014. Her career also includes extensive revenue growth experience with business development roles at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Orlando Magic. She launched her career in the hospitality industry, spending five years with Marriott Hotels, where she was honored as Director of Sales of the Year.
A graduate of Florida State University, Shepherd is a lifelong resident of Central Florida. She currently serves as board secretary of POLIS Institute, and is Vice-Chair of the City of Orlando’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.