OFFICE OF GEOSTATIONARY EARTH ORBIT OBSERVATIONS TEAM (Click the team photo for high-resolution version)

Edward Grigsby, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF GEOSTATIONARY EARTH ORBIT OBSERVATIONS, NOAA

Edward Grigsby serves as the director of the Office of Geostationary Earth Orbit Observations. In this role, Grigsby oversees the development, acquisition, integration, installation, and acceptance of major system elements (spacecraft, instruments, launch services and ground systems) for NOAA’s geostationary satellite program.

Previously, Grigsby was the director of Systems Architecture and Engineering at NESDIS. Prior to joining NOAA in May 2023, Grigsby served in a variety of leadership roles for NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the commercial aerospace sector.

At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Grigsby served as deputy system program director for the GOES-R and GeoXO program, where since 2016 he supported the formulation of NOAA’s geosynchronous satellites. For six years prior, as GOES-R Program Systems Engineering Lead, Grigsby oversaw all technical aspects of that mission, including program mission systems integration, engineering processes and products for that mission.

Earlier in his career, Grigsby developed his technical and engineering leadership abilities serving in a series of roles overseeing mission, program and instrument development. Those included positions as NASA Earth System Science Pathfinder Program Director; program executive for NASA’s Landsat Data Continuity and IceSat missions; and as program manager, systems engineer and senior test director for a variety of NASA, U.S. Air Force and commercial projects.

Grigsby earned his Master of Science degree in Electro-Optic Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic/Computer Engineering, both from the University of Wyoming.

Monica Todirita, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Geostationary Earth Orbit Observations, NOAA

Monica Todirita is the Acting Deputy Program Director for the Office of Geostationary Earth Orbit Observations, where she provides executive leadership across NOAA’s geostationary satellite portfolio. She supports program direction for the development, acquisition, and integration of major system elements, guiding strategy, technical execution, and milestone governance for the nation’s next generation of geostationary capabilities.

Monica previously served as the GeoXO Flight Project Deputy Manager, leading formulation activities, acquisition planning, and early phase engineering for NOAA’s future geostationary constellation. She also served as the Flight Project Deputy Manager for the GOES R Program, where she helped steer mission execution, supported launch readiness efforts, and worked closely with multidisciplinary teams to strengthen system performance and operational continuity.

Her earlier roles within GOES R include leadership positions in instrument systems and instrument management, where she oversaw development, integration, and environmental qualification for multiple flight instruments and supported algorithm transition and post launch testing. Prior to her GOES leadership roles, she contributed to systems engineering and mission operations at NASA Goddard and NOAA, supporting ground system development, mission automation, and operational transitions.

Todirita holds a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Al. I. Cuza University in Romania. Her work has been recognized through numerous agency and interagency awards.

Daniel Lindsey, Ph.D. GOES-R PROGRAM SCIENTIST AND GEOXO DEPUTY PROGRAM SCIENTIST, NOAA

As the GOES-R Program Scientist, Dan Lindsey serves as the primary science authority for the program. Lindsey is a research meteorologist who worked for the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research for 15 years before moving to the GOES-R Program in March 2020. In this capacity, he manages the GOES-R science portfolio. Dan also serves as the GeoXO Deputy Program Scientist and the GeoXO Imager Instrument Scientist.

His research interests include remote sensing of mesoscale phenomena, especially convective storms, cloud physics, and algorithm development. Prior to the launch of GOES-R, he helped lead an evaluation of the utility of one-minute imagery from GOES-14 by the National Weather Service.

Dan began his NOAA career in 2004. He is a 2016 recipient of the NOAA David Johnson Award for his work in preparing for the optimal use of data and imagery from GOES-R's ABI prior to launch. Lindsey holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Georgia, a Master of Science in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University, and a doctorate in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University.

Steve Grippando, GEO GROUND PROJECT MANAGER, NOAA

Steve Grippando is the GEO Ground Project Manager. In this role, he oversees the design, development, acquisition, integration, installation, test, verification, and deployment of the GOES-R Ground System.

Prior to joining GOES-R, Grippando served as the Project Manager for the Radio Frequency Interference Monitoring System (RFIMS) and the System Engineering Division Chief in NOAA’s Office of Satellite Ground Services (OSGS) in Silver Spring, Maryland. He joined NOAA in 2008. Before joining the GOES-R Ground System Project, Grippando worked within NOAA, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the commercial sector, serving in several technical and engineering positions. Early in his career, Grippando served as a Space Operations Officer in the United States Air Force.

Steve has a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Arizona State University.