01
A&D Primes
Bringing major-prime leaders into the conversation on supplier growth, capacity and regional strengths.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works VP and GM OJ Sanchez engaged with student members and A&D leaders at our launch.
The cradle of aerospace and defense innovation.
Solid momentum Real connections A region building what's next
01 From the CEO
Year one. Real momentum.
What SPADA has delivered since launch
700+A&D leaders, educators, students and policy leaders have joined SPADA events and convenings, and every one brings new faces
ShowcaseAt Machina Labs, our manufacturing leaders and company owners saw what next-generation production looks like here at home, and learned from SpaceWERX how to engage Space Force programs
50+Employers students met at the Aerospace Valley Career Fair, with SPADA on the floor helping them plan next steps
LaunchCongressman George Whitesides and Skunk Works' OJ Sanchez headlined our debut and engaged with student members and A&D leaders
Our four pillars
- ConnectEvents, business forums and focused initiatives that give members insight, strategic relationships and access to the resources that fuel growth.
- Develop the workforceClosing the skilled-workforce gaps facing regional manufacturers and expanding apprenticeship and technical training pipelines.
- Open doorsPartnerships and supply chain opportunities that amplify our mid-tier suppliers and give member voices real weight.
- Grow the regionAccelerating automation, robotics and AI, and aligning industry, education and government around shared priorities.
Southern California is the cradle of aerospace and defense innovation, and our industry has solid momentum. SPADA was founded to build on that legacy and help keep this region competitive for the next generation.
We serve every part of the A&D ecosystem: primes, suppliers and contract manufacturers, automation and robotics innovators, surface treatment and coatings specialists, universities and community colleges, federal, state and local government, and the students and emerging professionals who will carry this industry forward.
In our first year, we have intentionally brought these leaders together around the challenges, and the connections, that make their companies more successful. More than 700 A&D leaders, educators, students and policy leaders have joined our events and convenings. Our work rests on four pillars: connect, develop the workforce, open doors and grow the region.
Behind the scenes, the team has been heads down. We rebuilt our website from the ground up, put clear member benefits in place, and kept the conversations going across the region between events.
Those conversations keep pointing to the same priorities: workforce readiness, supply-chain resilience, and a region that knows and supports its own. That's why we're bringing everyone together in El Segundo on November 12, and why, in the months ahead, we'll be hosting regional cluster meetings with primes, MROs, manufacturers and industry leaders to hear directly what each cluster needs to thrive.
We also have good news to share about our team. Stephanie English, who has served on our board, is now with SPADA full time as Director of Development.
Thank you to our members, sponsors and partners. None of this happens without you.
Pennie Burnham
CEO, Southern Pacific Aero-Defense Alliance
02 Featured event · Thursday, November 12 · Registration open
One Region. One Mission.
Powering the next era of aerospace and defense in Southern California
SPADA is hosting an afternoon in El Segundo in collaboration with DTI x BR‑DGE and SpaceWERX. Join regional aerospace and defense leaders as they tackle the issues that matter most to Southern California's A&D industrial base. Two panels bring state policy leaders and industry executives together on competing in California and strengthening the region. SPADA events are curated to keep our A&D companies, and our region, strong and future-proof.
PresentationU.S. Space Force / SpaceWERX
ModeratorChris PimentelMayor, City of El Segundo
01
Panel
Competing in California
The policy landscape shaping A&D business
- Senator Bob ArchuletaCalifornia State SenateChair, Senate Military & Veterans Affairs Committee
- Joe AhnLockheed Martin Skunk WorksBusiness Strategy & Development, National Security, Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Dustin McDonaldCalifornia GO-BizBusiness Development Manager, LA & Orange Counties
- Mark TaylorBoeingSenior Director, State Advocacy & Global Engagement
02
Panel
Strengthening the Region
Workforce · Supply chain · Manufacturing · Innovation
- Bridget HopkinsTOMI EngineeringVice President, Business Development
- Gina WoullardNorthrop GrummanVice President, Manufacturing Operations
- Ryan ReidBoeingPresident, Boeing Satellite Systems International
- Speaker TBALockheed Martin
Tickets: SPADA members $50, non-members $75. Member tickets are for current SPADA members, and membership is confirmed at check-in.
SPADA Launch Event · March 2026
Scan to registerThursday, Nov. 12 · 2:00 to 5:30pm
777 Aviation Way, El Segundo, CA 90245
Members $50 · Non-members $75
Now full timeDirector of Development
03 Team news
Stephanie English joins SPADA full time.
Board of Directors
Director of Development
Stephanie has moved from our board into a full-time role as Director of Development. She brings more than 20 years of public policy work with Los Angeles County, most recently in the office of Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, where she worked alongside businesses, schools, workforce groups, nonprofits and government agencies.
Grow membership
Strengthen affiliate partnerships
Build our sponsorship program
Connect industry, education and government
“Stephanie understands that strong industries are built through strong relationships. Her ability to unite business, education, government, and community partners will strengthen the workforce pipeline and expand SPADA’s impact throughout our region.” Marcie Washburn, Founder and President, SPADA
04 Behind the scenes
Our new home online.
We've put a lot of work into spadalliance.org this year. The goal was simple: make it easy to see who we are, what we've done, and how to get involved.
Membership
Every level, side by side
Six levels with a clear comparison so you can see exactly what's included.
Events
One place for the calendar
Current, upcoming and past events, with calendar and directions links.
Board
Meet our leadership
Bios for all twelve directors from manufacturing, finance, law, policy and talent.
Impact
The full record
What the alliance has done since launch, and the sponsors who made it possible.
05 Member benefits
A seat at the table.
Six levels, one alliance. Every membership includes invitations to SPADA events and access to the member portal partnership page.
Individual 1 seat
Student$50 / yr
For currently enrolled students only. Student networking sessions, career resources and access to A&D leaders.
A&D professional Popular$250 / yr
For individuals working in aerospace and defense. Engage with industry experts and join selected panel discussions.
Non-A&D professional$500 / yr
For professionals outside aerospace and defense who want to stay connected to the industry, with the same expert access and panel invitations.
Company 3 to 6 seats
A&D company Popular$5,000 / yr
For aerospace and defense businesses. Three leadership memberships, industry roundtables and exclusive supply chain opportunities.
Non-aerospace company$10,000 / yr
For businesses outside A&D that serve the industry. Three leadership memberships, industry briefings and cross-sector networking.
Premier company$15,000 / yr
For companies shaping the alliance. Six leadership memberships, priority access all year, a hand in shaping SPADA programs and elevated branding.
Invitations
Showcases, forums, the awards evening and the year-end gathering.
Roundtables
Conversations with the people running the region's primes and suppliers.
Supply chain access
Company members see partnership opportunities first.
Member portal
Resources, the partnership page and member-only details.
06 Community outreach
Building bridges across the region.
SPADA connects all ends of the industry. This year we've been working with four groups whose success depends on each other, and helping them take on complex challenges together, from the skilled workforce to the strength of our mid-tier suppliers.
02
Manufacturers
Putting regional suppliers in front of the programs and partners that fund their next contract.
At Machina Labs, our manufacturing leaders and company owners saw advanced production up close and learned how to engage Space Force programs from SpaceWERX.
03
Educators
Connecting students, colleges and universities with the employers who need their talent.
We bused students to meet 50+ exhibitors at the Aerospace Valley Career Fair at Boeing Plant 1.
04
Policy Leaders
Keeping federal, state and local leaders close to what our industry needs to grow here.
Congressman George Whitesides engaged with student members and A&D leaders at our launch.
07 The year so far
What we've done, and what's next.
Launch
SPADA launch event
Congressman Whitesides and OJ Sanchez engaged with student members and A&D leaders on careers and policy.
Showcase
Machina Labs
Machina Labs showed what advanced manufacturing looks like here at home, and SpaceWERX briefed business owners on Space Force programs.
Workforce
Career fair
Students met 50+ exhibitors at Boeing Plant 1, with SPADA on the floor helping them plan next steps.
Nov 12
One Region. One Mission.
Our regional forum in El Segundo with DTI x BR-DGE and SpaceWERX. Registration is open.
Coming spring 2027 · In collaboration with College of the Canyons
Spring Workforce Showcase
A&D companies from across the region will bring hands-on displays and interactive equipment to show the full reach of our industry's workforce, from the shop floor and the lab to the flight line. It's a chance for students, young professionals and veterans transitioning to civilian careers to see the work up close, meet the people doing it, and picture their own future in aerospace and defense.
Want your company on the floor? Reach out to exhibit.
Regional A&D Cluster Meetings
SPADA will host focused conversations within each of the region's A&D clusters, bringing together primes, MROs, manufacturers and industry leaders. Together we'll map what makes each cluster strong, where the pressure points are, and where SPADA can make the biggest difference. What we hear will shape our programs and priorities.
Scholarship and Community Aerospace Awards Evening
Recognizing the students, educators and companies moving the regional industry forward, and awarding this year's SPADA scholarships.
Affiliate and Sponsor Appreciation Gathering
A thank-you to the members and Corporate Circle sponsors who carried the year.
08 Thank you
The partners behind the work.
Our sponsors are manufacturers, suppliers, educators and public leaders building the future of aerospace and defense in Southern California. Their investment powers every event, every convening and every student connection we make. Thank you for standing with this region.
Nycote LaboratoriesWoman-owned anti-corrosion coatings manufacturer
Hedman Partners LLPCPAs and advisors to A&D companies
TA AerospaceAerospace and defense manufacturerNew partner
Northrop GrummanGlobal aerospace and defense technology company
Northrop GrummanGlobal aerospace and defense technology companyNew partner
HEICO CorporationGlobal aerospace and defense leader
HEICO CorporationGlobal aerospace and defense leader
Become a sponsorPut your company alongside the partners building the region's aerospace and defense future.
View sponsorship levels
09 Get involved
Join the mission.
More than 700 people have already joined SPADA events and convenings. Membership gives you a seat at the table where the region's priorities get set. It starts at $50 a year for students, and company and premier levels bring your leadership team in with you. Questions about sponsorship or partnership? We would love to hear from you.