LeoLabs is excited to announce the appointment of Karen D. Dacres as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. Karen is a mission-focused leader who brings more than 25 years of legal, non-traditional government contracting, regulatory, corporate governance, intellectual property, and M&A expertise to the company.
Karen will play a pivotal role on the LeoLabs executive team as it rapidly scales as a leader in the commercial markets for Space Domain Awareness and Space Traffic Management. In August, the company announced significant momentum and a robust list of customers including the U.S. Space Force, the U.S. Department of Commerce, seven international governments, and commercial space operators that own 75% of the operational satellites in Low Earth Orbit.
Karen has a unique blend of government and private sector experience across early-stage startups and large organizations. This includes a strong track record of developing and executing strategic corporate initiatives that transition U.S. Government (USG) contracts such as Small Business Innovative Research awards, Other Transaction Agreements, and other USG contract vehicles into programs of record to accelerate business growth.
Before joining LeoLabs, Karen served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at national security software company Rebellion Defense and was the first Chief Legal Officer at autonomous ocean data collection company SAILDRONE. In these roles, Karen pioneered and executed novel legal strategies to identify and address market gaps and opportunities to sell commercial solutions to the public sector, which positioned these companies for sustained growth, both in the U.S. and internationally.
Karen served as the Satellite Programs General Counsel for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1998 to 2003 and spent 10 years with Booz Allen Hamilton, where she led legal and policy initiatives championing commercial remote sensing (CRS) in support of the Defense and Intelligence Communities.
“Karen has made many significant legal contributions to enhance the economic and technological competitiveness of the U.S. commercial space industry,” said LeoLabs CEO Tony Frazier. “Karen’s deep understanding of the commercial space landscape, coupled with her extensive experience and expertise in the field, make her a tremendous asset to LeoLabs. She will lead our legal and compliance strategies as we rapidly field next-generation technology that unlocks new, mission-critical solutions for our customers.”
Karen’s legal and policy contributions to CRS have been formally recognized by the National Security Council, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Intelligence Community, underscoring her impact on space and advanced technology legal initiatives.
“My passion for space and creative thinking originally drew me to the field of space law, a journey that has provided both purpose and excitement,” Karen said. “I am thrilled to join LeoLabs at this exciting stage in its continued growth as a market leader making meaningful contributions to ensure a secure, safe, and sustainable space environment. I look forward to collaborating with this talented team to navigate the evolving legal landscape and to help drive the next chapter of growth.”
Karen holds a B.A. in French Studies and Chemistry from Northwestern University and a JD from The George Washington University’s National Law Center with a concentration in intellectual property.
Please join us in welcoming Karen to the LeoLabs team.
