Erin Neal, Vice President, is a senior government relations and public policy leader with more than two decades of experience in civil, commercial, and national security space. She specializes in translating technology into funded priorities by turning opportunities into actionable Capitol Hill, Pentagon, and agency engagement and support.
In 2017, Neal founded Velocity Government Relations, which she co-led until its merger with SMI in 2026. At Velocity, she built a successful record of shaping mission-aligned narratives, advancing congressional priorities, and securing support for funding mechanisms that demand precision, credibility, and trusted relationships.
Neal previously held senior government relations roles at Signal Group, ATK (now part of Northrop Grumman), and Ball Aerospace (now part of BAE Systems). Earlier in her career, she served on Capitol Hill and held policy positions with the Congressional Research Service and the National Academy of Sciences. She also served in the Peace Corps, teaching mathematics and physics in Cameroon.
Neal holds a B.S. in Physics from Centenary College of Louisiana and an M.A. in Science, Technology and Public Policy from George Washington University, where she focused on space policy. She has served as a board member and officer of the National Space Society, American Astronautical Society, Women in Aerospace, Washington Space Business Roundtable, and Planetary Science Institute. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance.