Celeste Ford

Results Driven Entrepreneur. Technical Visionary. Active Public Board Member. Venture Investor.

Celeste Ford is a prominent entrepreneur and aerospace engineer, currently serving as the Managing Director at Stellar Ventures, a venture capital firm she founded in 2022 to invest in emerging space technology companies. She is also the Board Chair and Founder of Stellar Solutions, Inc., an aerospace engineering services company established in 1995, where she previously held the position of CEO until 2018.

Career and Accomplishments

Ford's career began as a guidance and control engineer at COMSAT, where she was recognized as a trailblazer for women in aerospace. She later worked at the Aerospace Corporation, contributing to NASA's Space Shuttle Program and earning accolades such as "Woman of the Year" in 1984. In 1995, she founded Stellar Solutions with a mission to deliver high-impact performance for various clients, including defense and intelligence sectors.1 4 5

Under her leadership, Stellar Solutions has received numerous awards, including the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and recognition as a Fortune Magazine Great Place to Work since 2014. Ford has also been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Baldrige Foundation and the National Association of Women Business Owners.1 4 6

Education and Affiliations

Ford holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science degree from Stanford University. She is actively involved in various boards and organizations, including serving on the Board of Trustees at the University of Notre Dame and being an Associate Fellow at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.2 3 4

Philanthropy

In addition to her business ventures, Ford is committed to philanthropy. She founded the Stellar Solutions Foundation to support employee-driven charitable initiatives and established the Mirnahill Foundation with her family to promote youth engagement through sports.3 6

Celeste Ford's extensive experience in aerospace engineering and her dedication to fostering opportunities for women in business make her a significant figure in her field.