Kelsey Johnson is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Virginia and has served as president for both the American Astronomical Society and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.  She has won numerous awards for her research, teaching, and promotion of science literacy. Her TED talk on the importance of dark skies has more than 2 million views, and her writing has appeared in nationwide publications, including the New York Times, Scientific American, and Washington Post. In addition to over a hundred peer-reviewed publications, she has a childrens’ book (Constellations for Kids) and a new book coming out in fall of 2024 entitled, Into the Unknown: the Quest to Understand the Mysteries of the Cosmos.