Karen Clothier is a Senior Spectrum Policy and Regulations Analyst and Knowledge Management subject matter expert at Teltrium, Inc., where she supports NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program and spectrum management offices across the agency. In this role, she advises on domestic and international spectrum policy and regulatory issues, leads efforts to broaden understanding of and engagement with spectrum topics across NASA and beyond. She designs educational and strategic communications roadmaps to help protect critical space communications and science applications for missions ranging from the International Space Station to Artemis.
A central focus of Clothier’s work is spectrum workforce development. Through Teltrium, she has helped lead NASA’s Spectrum Education Awareness (SPEARS) initiative, which developed education, training, and outreach activities to build and sustain a knowledgeable spectrum workforce for NASA and its partners. SPEARS was recognized by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for its role in strengthening recruitment and retention of spectrum professionals in the federal government, and ideas advanced by the SPEARS team informed the “Expanded Spectrum Expertise and Elevated National Awareness” pillar of the 2023 National Spectrum Strategy.
Clothier also contributes to NASA’s broader spectrum planning and policy portfolio, including outreach and frequency pre-coordination efforts for lunar and cislunar spectrum. She has co-authored NASA presentations and technical papers to advance spectrum planning to enable the development of interoperable communications and navigation services for future lunar exploration. These papers and presentations have been presented at various international conferences, including the International Astronautical Congress, United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, the International Committee on GNSS, and other spectrum coordination groups. Within Teltrium, she is recognized as a subject matter expert, leading knowledge management and professional development efforts that underpin the company’s internal talent development and knowledge-retention strategies.
Clothier holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Cognitive Science from Johns Hopkins University and a B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology and Linguistics from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Alongside her doctoral research, she also served at the Professional Development Chair within the Graduate Representative Organization and co-founded the Homewood Science Policy Group, providing a foundation for her current work at the intersection of complex technical systems, workforce development, and policy design in support of the nation’s civil space spectrum enterprise.