Kenneth R. Human

Kenneth R. Human has served as a NASA attorney for a major part of his career.  He also has served as a NASA Chief Counsel, as an executive with the International Space Station (ISS) Program, and as a NASA Associate Center Director. He is currently the Director of Legal Operations at NASA Headquarters. 

As the Associate Director of Stennis Space Center (SSC), he served as a member of the leadership staff, directing a large multi-disciplinary NASA/contractor team and overseeing a multi-billion-dollar rocket test facility. He led efforts to preserve and promote institutional health and excellence during a period when the facility transitioned from primarily Government testing to also accommodate the growth of the commercial space industry so as to compliment SSC’s propulsion test mission.

Earlier in his career with NASA, Mr. Human worked at Johnson Space Flight Center in the ISS Program where he had responsibility for external interfaces such as relationships with the international partners, including the Russian, Japanese, Canadian, and European space agencies. He provided executive-level leadership and direction, defining and implementing agency policy related to international collaboration and partnerships.

He began his career with NASA as an attorney at SSC and later served as Chief Counsel there for more than 20 years. During this period, he provided comprehensive legal counsel to the director, senior staff, and employees on legal issues and policy such as the development of innovative industry agreements and business systems to accommodate other resident Federal, state and commercial partners.

In 2018, Mr. Human spearheaded a project for Goddard Space Flight Center, as a special assistant to the Center Director, and led an interdisciplinary executive team which developed a plan to improve the relationship with its component installations. Since 2019 he has been employed as a program manager for transformation of the NASA Office of General Counsel from a center-based model to a national legal enterprise.

He graduated from George Washington University with a BA degree in English Literature and received a Juris Doctor degree from University of New Hampshire Law School. He is a member of the bar in Virginia, Louisiana, and Texas.  He is a member of the ABA, FBA, and the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium.

Mr. Human has been awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988), NASA Leadership Medal (2017), and Distinguished Service Medal (2018).