
Jack Kiraly
Director of Government Relations, The Planetary Society
cell: +1 (202) 746-8281 email: [email protected]
Growing up in the heart of the American industrial belt in Dearborn, Michigan, Jack Kiraly earned an appreciation for hard-work and perseverance from his parents, who both worked long hours on the factory floor. He also learned the importance of unity in accomplishing great feats. Human beings are capable of awe-inspiring things when they band together. To Jack, space is an arena that brings people together across political, economic, and demographic identities to move society forward.
As Director of Government Relations, Jack is tasked with implementing The Society’s advocacy strategy, maintaining relationships with elected officials and key decision makers, organizing events to foster community engagement, and serving as the eyes and ears of the organization in the nation’s capital. A key goal of Jack’s is to use this opportunity to not only involve the scientific community in the policymaking process, but to also engage and empower members of the general public to take action to support space science and exploration.
Prior to joining The Planetary Society, Jack worked in electoral politics and community organizing. This experience gives him a skillset of working with various constituencies, building diverse coalitions, and mobilizing activists to successfully advocate for their values.
Just as space inspired him to pursue his dreams as a child, Jack knows that a robust space program not only transforms our understanding of the Universe and our place within it, but it ignites a passion for discovery and learning that transcends division. In a world often defined by boundaries, Jack sees space as a way to unite people in the pursuit of science.
Jack graduated from American University with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Master of Public Policy degree focusing in Science & Space Policy. Jack lives in Falls Church with his fiancée, their parakeet Paco, and 19 houseplants. He promises he won’t tell you all of their names.
Latest Articles
A status update from The Planetary Society's policy experts.
On March 24, 2025, The Planetary Society’s annual Day of Action brought more people than ever before to Washington, D.C., to advocate for space.
How The Planetary Society helped bring Venus and Moon scientists to fight for missions on Capitol Hill.
Latest Planetary Radio Appearances
Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.
Dava Sobel receives The Planetary Society’s Cosmos Award for her extraordinary storytelling about science and discovery. We celebrate her work, hear from Bill Nye, and share updates on space policy and science communication.
The Fiscal Year 2026 congressional budget justification for NASA could mark the beginning of a dark age for NASA science. We examine what’s at stake and how you can help advocate for NASA’s future.