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Annika JensenExecutive Director
Annika Jensen is the founder and executive director of the Douglas Space and Science Foundation. Annika has been passionate about all things STEM her entire life. Attending, volunteering, and working at Astro Camp, the parent program of STAR Camp, as a youth fueled the flame for her interest in space exploration. Annika earned her BS in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering from Utah State University in 2011, with a minor in German for fun. She worked for three years at the Space Dynamics Laboratory as a student designer, technician, and analyst. She participated in the USLI NASA competition, helping lead her rocket team to a national championship. As a member of the Society of Women Engineers, Annika spent ten years presenting science outreach and leadership workshops across the country.
Annika founded and directed her own STEM summer camp program in Houston, TX, before returning to Utah to take over as director of the Astro Camp program when the founders retired in 2016. As Astro Camp director, Annika expanded opportunities for students to engage in unique STEM learning environments within the Ogden School District and throughout the state. She implemented virtual and remote learning programs that extended across the country and even to China. Annika earned her Level I teaching license and was awarded the Utah Aerospace Education Foundation Teacher of Year Award in 2018. She was selected to be a Space Foundation International Teacher Liaison in 2024.
In her non-science-program-running time, Annika loves to adventure with her nerdy husband and their four brilliant kiddos.
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Ed DouglasPresident
Ed was blessed to grow up during the early days of the U.S. Space Program. From a 12 inch black and white television, he watched Alan Shepard rocket into the heavens aboard Freedom 7, saw John Glenn orbit the Earth aboard Friendship 7, and watched anxiously as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission. He found that he had a love for the space program and an admiration for all those who participated in it.
Opportunities have come his way which revealed things about himself that even he was unaware. At the age of 20, he served as a full time missionary for his church in Dallas, Texas. Here, he learned that he had a gift for meeting and talking with people.
Ed worked as a District Manager for the Ogden Standard Examiner, the local newspaper. His responsibility included working with young newspaper carriers and their parents within a geographic area. It was here he learned that he had a gift for working with children and young adults.
From 1985 to 1989, Ed developed and ran Space Shuttle Mission simulations at Lynn Elementary in Ogden, Utah where his wife, Lois, had built a simulator on the school stage. AlphaLab, as it was called, became an instant success with the students.
In 1989, Ed and Lois were invited to attend the Educator Program at the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. During the flight home, discussed the idea of developing a program where local students could have their own “space camp” experience without going across the county.
After several months of researching and planning, the Douglas’s presented their proposal, which they named Astro Camp, to Ogden School District Superintendent, Dr. James West. Dr. West approved the proposal as a three year Experimental/Developmental project and provided a $1000 per year funding allocation. The remaining operational funds were raised through private donations and camp tuitions. The Astro Camp summer camps became an overnight success, expanding by nearly 500% in a three year period.
In 1993, Ed approached Dr. West again with a proposal to expand the summer Astro Camp program to include a school field trip site where teachers could bring their classes for hands on science experiences. The proposal was approved and Astro Camp became a year round program of the Ogden School District. A building on the Ogden School District Campus was renovated and became the home of the Astro Camp program until 2007 when it was moved into the newly constructed Odyssey Elementary.
Ed served as the Astro Camp Program Director from 1990 until his retirement in August 2016. During his tenure, the Astro Camp program grew from a single 4 day summer camp with 35 students to hosting over 10,000 participants per year.
In 1995 Ed, his wife (Lois), and a 14 year old Astro Camp attendee (Christina) were invited to spend 17 days in Russia where they participated in escorted tours of the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolyov and the Cosmonaut Training Facility in Star City.
Ed is currently a member of the Douglas Space and Science Foundation Board of Directors where he serves as Board President. He has served as a member of the Disaster Discovery Center Board of Directors, Ogden Chamber of Commerce Education committee, Project Lead The Way committee, and HOA Board of Directors. Ed served three years as the coordinator for the NASA Teacher Resource Center at Weber State University. He is the recipient of the Ogden School Foundation’s Golden Apple Award, the American Red Cross Community Volunteer Award, and the Sam’s Club Teacher of the Year.
Ed and his wife, Lois, have three children and a handful of grandchildren. He still enjoys anything related to the space program, watching several different kinds of sports, and spending time with his grandchildren
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Amanda DerrickTreasurer
Amanda Derrick is an engineer turned business strategist, happily putting her scientific problem-solving skills to work across a wide range of professional and personal endeavors. With a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah, Amanda has supported a variety of aerospace efforts with the US Air Force Civilian Service, ATK (now Northrop Grumman), and Boeing. She was selected to participate in leadership training programs, STEM outreach efforts, professional organizations, and student programs which allowed her to continue sharing content and concepts that she loves with students and businesses across Utah.
Realizing that her capabilities were needed in business segments, Amanda earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology. Equipped with the unique talent of translating technical jargon into words that inspire action, Amanda is currently a content strategist and project manager. She is always working to be the bridge between the worlds of technology and creative content, communicating value and excitement in technical innovations.
Amanda is passionate about the scientific principles that are taught in STEM and the flexibility and resilience that they build in students. The ability to hypothesize, experiment, fail, and try again are skills that every child benefits from, whatever career path they follow. DSSF’s focus on teamwork, passion, and leadership aligns with Amanda’s dedication to cultivating growth mindsets, building emotionally intelligent leaders, and helping students reach their full potential.
Life has brought Amanda plenty of opportunities to experiment! Married with two kids, she loves to teach them about science, failure, solving problems, and making messes. She also loves the challenge of continuing to design her home with her architect husband, dancing with community theater, and traveling to sunny places.
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Deb Hefner
Director
Deb is a Boston native with a career spanning 41 years in education. She earned her Bachelor’s from Brigham Young University in Math with a minor in Chemistry, and then earned a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Framingham (MA) State University. of She spent 11 years in the classroom teaching Math and Science on the secondary level, and 30 years in administration. During her time in the Ogden School District, as Child Nutrition Programs Director, she met Ed and Lois Douglas and together they worked to feed the Astro Campers! Her daughter, Ashleigh, attended Astro Camp as a camper and as a volunteer on the staff. Following her retirement from Ogden, Deb served as Director of Business Operations for the Northern Utah Academy for Math, Engineering and Science. This early college high school, in partnership with Weber Star University, graduated at least half of each senior class with their Associates Degree.
Deb serves on the board of Leadership Learning Academy, a K-6 charter school with campuses in Layton and Ogden and is the President of American Legion Auxiliary Unit #27 in Farmington. She has also served on numerous other boards prior to she and her husband Lynn serving a mission for the LDS Church in Brisbane, Australia. She loved the 2 years she spent as an Honorary Commander at Hill Air Force Base for General Steve Bleymaier.
Deb is passionate about the importance of Science Education and knows the value of a program which introduces young students to the wonder and workings of space!
Deb serves on the board of Leadership Learning Academy, a K-6 charter school with campuses in Layton and Ogden and is the President of American Legion Auxiliary Unit #27 in Farmington. She has also served on numerous other boards prior to she and her husband Lynn serving a mission for the LDS Church in Brisbane, Australia. She loved the 2 years she spent as an Honorary Commander at Hill Air Force Base for General Steve Bleymaier.
Deb is passionate about the importance of Science Education and knows the value of a program which introduces young students to the wonder and workings of space!
