Kevin Zari

Kevin Zari serves as the associate director for the International Space Station (ISS) in the Exploration Research and Technology (ER&T) programs directorate at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In this role, he is responsible for baseline management of cost and schedule for the program, as well as providing integrated management of space station activities, including planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE), changes and risk. Zari also integrates work for the station’s performance plan and provides oversight to the supervisors of the Utilization and Life Sciences Office and the Mission and Support Office at Kennedy.

Experience

Prior to his current role, Zari held the International Space Station integration manager position and was the acting chief of the Strategic Implementation Office. In that role, he continuously monitored space station processing at Kennedy to identify areas of risk and opportunities for improvement and provided processing expertise and lessons learned with emerging programs such as Gateway.

Before that, Zari was the chief technology officer for the space station at Kennedy, where he was responsible for technology infusion, information technology systems security, and innovation in both processes and technology. Zari also served as the special assistant to the director for the International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing Directorate, where he was responsible for technical integration of activities and data products used for agency, program and center actions.

In 2011, Zari supported the Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of Education at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he led the strategic planning and development of the tools necessary for the monitoring of the performance metrics for the agency’s education portfolio.

Zari started his career at NASA as a co-op in October 1991, when he designed and developed payload processing software and hardware, including Spacelab checkout equipment upgrades. He maintained launch processing ground support equipment and facilitated ground and payload processing activities at Kennedy. Zari gained research experience in assigned systems and payloads, including the High Rate Multiplexer (HRM) Input/Output Test System (HITS) and Payload Operations Control Center POCC Processor (PP) Complex, Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF), Deployer Core Equipment (D-CORE), Microgravity Measurement Assembly (MMA), Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS), Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II), and X-band Radar (XRADAR).

When the Spacelab Program ended, Zari began leading various facility class payloads and EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to the Space Station (EXPRESS) subrack payloads, including: Anomalous Long Term Effects in Astronauts (ALTEA), ELaboratore Immagini TElevisive 2nd generation (ELITE-S2), Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF), Mice Drawer System (MDS), Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and Portable AStroculture Chamber (PASC).

Education

Zari graduated from Florida Tech with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and then went on to receive a master’s in industrial engineering from the University of Central Florida, as well as a master’s in computer sciences from Florida Tech. Zari has received several awards for his civil service.​

Biography last updated December 2021