From Submarine to Spaceport: Adaptive Leadership with Trey Carlson

Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.

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

Before assuming his current role, Carlson served five years as the Kennedy Space Center legislative affairs manager. He directed KSC’s legislative agenda, interfacing with Congress and the State of Florida legislature and advocating for NASA’s exploration and science mission requirements and Kennedy’s multi-user spaceport needs.

During his tenure as legislative affairs manager, Carlson served several months as NASA’s acting deputy associate administrator for the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs (OLIA) and eight months as the acting director for Legislative Liaison Division within OLIA.

Previously, he led the development and execution of Kennedy’s master plan that transformed the center from a single-use, government-operated federal facility to a multi-user spaceport providing both government and commercial launch operations.

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.

A Quote From This Episode

• "It’s the people element that is the most important—whether you’re making yeast rolls or launching rockets.”
• “I’ve never thought, ‘Why did I do this?’ after investing time in a relationship.”

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Podcast: Jordan Peterson
• Podcast: President’s Daily Brief
• TED: Ian Bremmer’s 2025 outlook

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

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Chapters

1. Meet Trey Carlson, NASA's Chief of Staff (00:00:00)

2. From Submarine Cook to Leadership Insights (00:06:58)

3. Relationships Drive Mission Success (00:11:36)

4. The Value of Self-Awareness in Leadership (00:16:47)

5. Creating Culture Through Strategic Time (00:23:00)

6. Putting the Right People in Place (00:29:06)

7. Global Leadership Shifts and Generational Challenges (00:31:10)