NAR Board of Trustee Nominations 

The NAR is holding an election for the three seats that are open on the NAR Board of Trustees. There are four candidates running for the three seats, so your vote counts!

Resumes for 4 candidates are on this page. Online voting opens April 20, 2025 and closes June 29, 2025.

Andrea Lopez Arguello

NAR #111323 L2
Davis, California

Dear Members of the National Association of Rocketry:

I’m excited to run for a position on the Board of Trustees for the National Association of Rocketry. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Physics/Astrophysics from UC Davis, where I was first introduced to rocketry and fortunate enough to be mentored by people who changed the course of my career. Their support inspired me, and I feel a strong responsibility to pay that forward, both to the NAR community and to aspiring rocketeers. Through the support of many NAR members I was able to obtain both level 1 and level 2 certifications, and am now currently working on level 3. Rocketry has been a central part of my life as a personal passion, and as a way to inspire and educate the next generation of rocketeers, scientists, and innovators.

Over the past three years, I’ve served as a dedicated rocketry mentor, working with both high school and college students. I’ve helped guide teams competing in national NASA competitions such as the University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) and First Nations Launch (FNL) – the latter of which I personally competed in and was honored to win in both 2021 and 2022.

Currently, I serve as the section lead for NAR #801 ARLISS and regularly act as Launch Control Officer (LCO) at launch sites throughout California and Nevada. Safety, education, and inclusion are at the center of my approach, whether I’m overseeing a launch or helping students understand vehicle stability or recovery systems.

If elected, I will focus on strengthening educational outreach, expanding mentorship opportunities, and ensuring safe and accessible pathways into high-power rocketry for newcomers.

Thank you for your support, Andrea Lopez Arguello, Section #801 ARLISS

Don Carson
NAR #11069
Macon, North Carolina

My name is Don Carson, and I am seeking your support for a second term as member of the Board of Trustees. As an NAR Board member, I led a review and update of the NAR Bylaws, removing outdated processes, streamlining some, and modifying others to reflect how the organization has evolved. I am the Board representative on the Section Activities Committee and have recently been appointed chair of the Publications Committee.

I had a dream-come-true career at NASA, in part due to experience gained in model rocketry. I am a 50+ year member of the NAR. Competition rocketry has been a passion of mine through the years, particularly rocket boosted glider events. I was a member of the 2018 and 2023 U.S. WSMC Teams, flying S4A (the Rocket Glider event).

I have been the editor of the NARHAMS club newsletter, Zog-43, and the recipient of multiple LAC Newsletter Awards. I led the effort to change the LAC Newsletter Award to include electronic newsletters in addition to print-only media.

When COVID-19 shut down NAR in-person gatherings, I co-developed and co-CD’ed the first Virtual NARAM. This resulted in greater participation by the membership than in all recent face-to-face NARAMs.

I believe the NAR’s future depends on embracing change. I am witness to the growth mid- and high-power rocketry has brought to the hobby. I would focus on increasing participation in NAR programs by members who may not find current NAR programs/events/activities accessible. I believe we need to do this through a variety of approaches, including virtual events.

I think it is critical to continue to support and develop Competition Rocketry – both our national program and on the international side.

I am a retired NASA Program and Project Manager (Goddard Space Flight Center). I have a BS in Aerospace Engineering and a Masters in Engineering Administration. I have been on the Board of Directors of two other non-profit organizations. Thank you, in advance, for your support.

Mitchel Reed
NAR #86246 L3
Baker, Florida

I am Mitchel Reed, a dedicated Senior NAR member with over 13 years with the NAR and a Level 3 High Power Rocketry Certification. With 20 years of experience in military leadership, nonprofit management, strategic consulting, and program management, I am eager to join the NAR Board of Trustees to champion safety, education, and innovation in rocketry for current and future enthusiasts.

As President of UKnightedXP, I’ve led a global nonprofit impacting thousands across 23 countries, expanding STEMM education and working to assist National Organizations, such as DHS and FEMA – experience I’ll draw on to strengthen NAR’s outreach and safety initiatives. My U.S. Army service as an Air and Missile Defense Officer equipped me with expertise in missile systems, radar, and command-and-control technologies, directly aligning with NAR’s high-power rocketry focus. At WellSync, I helped build an industry leading telehealth platform utilizing agile methods and Lean Six Sigma, skills I’ll apply to enhance NAR’s operations and member services, like Sport Rocketry and the Electronic Rocketeer.

My military roles, including Air Defense Commander and U.S. Air Force Operational Analyst, honed my ability to manage complex projects and liaise with regulators – key for NAR’s work with agencies like the FAA and NFPA. I serve as a NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) mentor for the New Orleans Rocketry Team (NOLAR), fostering hands-on rocketry skills, and advise USA Esport’s board, shaping strategic outcomes I’d replicate at NAR.

If elected, I’ll seek to expand NAR’s educational reach through scalable, STEMM-driven programs, like the American Rocketry Challenge, connecting rocketry to real-world applications to boost engagement and safety awareness. I’ll collaborate with industry and members to secure resources, ensuring our hobby thrives. Backed by a Master’s in organizational leadership, I offer proven impact.

I humbly seek to serve NAR’s vibrant community.

Lynn Thomas
NAR #35974, L2
Indianapolis, Indiana

My name is Lynn Thomas, and I’m writing again to ask for your vote for NAR Trustee.  It’s been both a pleasure and an honor to serve these last six years, and I hope to continue giving back by helping to shape our path forward in NAR educational and competitive activities.  We have a lot going on, working to increase our educational outreach and effectiveness, and trying new ways to improve and expand our contests and member service. I’m particularly looking forward to doing that by supporting an NAR connection with the Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Education program and Cadet Program Model Rocketry Badge.

Next year I’ll reach forty years of NAR membership, still learning from and having fun with this hobby.  We’re still growing, and I’m running for the Board to maintain the momentum and keep paying forward.

Thank you for your vote.