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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear SLS-OPT Working Group members,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">As discussed at our August meeting, the Optical Communications Working Group is in search of a new chair because NASA has asked that Bernie Edwards, the current chair, relinquish the position after serving
in the role for over a decade. NASA and ESA are recommending that the chair be transitioned to Jon Hamkins from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who has been a leader in the working group for many years. They also recommend that Clemens Hesse remain as the
deputy chair. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">However, any space agency member of the working group can make a recommendation. Thus, please consider whether a representative from your agency would like to be the new chair, and if so, please be prepared
to make a nomination at our next SLS-OPT meeting on 12 September 2023. At that meeting, the working group will resolve to send a recommendation to the SLS Area Director regarding the new chairmanship, which will officially start the transition process. Please
note, however, that this will just be a recommendation from our working group—it is not final.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Until the handover to the new chair is completed, Bernie will continue as the chair and he will be in attendance at the face-to-face meeting in November 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#595959"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>--<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Lena Braatz<span style="color:#595959"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lead Associate<span style="color:#595959"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">434.973.4453<span style="color:#595959"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:braatz_lena@bah.com"><span style="color:blue">braatz_lena@bah.com</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Booz | Allen | Hamilton<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#595959"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.boozallen.com/"><span style="color:blue">BoozAllen.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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