Aine Nakai

Ms. Aine Nakai is the Deputy Director of Atlas Corps, Space Systems Command, providing critical mission support functions across all mission areas including Command resourcing and talent management, contracting, financial management, innovation, and logistics. Prior to this role, Ms. Nakai was the Director of Guardian Generation overseeing recruiting, hiring, outreach, and interservice transfers for the United States Space Force. Previously, she was the Director of Talent Management for Space Systems Command, formerly the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. She established the Talent Management Organization to oversee the career development, training, recruitment, hiring, retention, and engagement for SMC and geographically separated units in Peterson AFB and Kirtland AFB. In her role, she was responsible for monitoring the career of nearly 5,000 military and civilian personnel in the Contracting, Finance, Program Management, Engineering, Cyber, Security, Human Resources, and Logistic career fields. Ms. Nakai entered the Air Force as a commissioned officer when she graduated from Officer Training School in 2000. She earned her contracting warrant and was stationed at Langley AFB, Air Combat Command prior to being stationed at Yokota AB, Japan where she served as a Flight Commander for the 374th Contracting Squadron. Her final assignment as an Active Duty officer was at LA AFB where she managed the EELV Launch Capability contract, procured the $3 billion Spacelift Range modernization, and deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ms. Nakai worked as an Acquisition Manager in the Space Superiority Systems Directorate at LA AFB where she served as a business advisor on various classified programs with a portfolio of over $30 million. Prior to moving to Enterprise Talent Management, she served as the Contracting Directorate Division Chief for Resource Management & Force Development. In that role, she was responsible for recruiting, retention, personnel & career development of more than 250 contracting professionals.