Harold (Trey) Carlson

Harold (Trey) Carlson has served as chief of staff for NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida since 2022. In this role, he is responsible for day-to-day operations, helping shape the strategic direction of the center while overseeing various policies and initiatives.

Experience

Carlson served from January to June 2025 as acting NASA chief of staff. His duties included coordinating the management and execution of initiatives, programs, and policies in critical areas of concern to the acting administrator and ensuring the agency actions were in alignment the presidential administration.

Before becoming chief of staff, Carlson served for five years as the center’s legislative affairs manager. He directed NASA Kennedy’s legislative agenda, interfacing with Congress and with the State of Florida legislature as well as advocating for NASA’s exploration and science mission requirements and NASA Kennedy’s multi-user spaceport needs.

Carlson started with NASA in 2003 as a Presidential Management Fellow and worked at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Education

Carlson is a former U.S. Navy submariner and holds a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and planning from the University of California at San Diego, and a Master of Science degree in public policy and management from the Heinz School at Carnegie Mellon University.

Biography last updated July 2025