Dave Larsen:
Executive Leadership Coach
Dave brings a uniquely deep and multi-faceted background to his coaching and consulting work. He draws on 36 years of senior-level program and project leadership experience spanning strategic planning, organizational development, risk and quality management, contract strategy and implementation, systems engineering, design and construction management, operations, and sustainability. This wealth of experience enables Dave to add significant value to clients with diverse needs.
As a former Deputy Project Manager for NASA’s Near Space Network, Dave oversaw a global portfolio of mission-critical antenna ground stations supporting NASA’s spaceflight missions. For three decades, Dave built a reputation for guiding complex, high-visibility programs, leading diverse technical teams, and driving strategic outcomes across geographically dispersed operations.
Throughout his career, Dave held several senior leadership roles that included:
Deputy Project Manager, NASA Networks, directing programming, planning, execution, and performance for worldwide ground-station infrastructure.
Ground Segment Manager, responsible for developing three large aperture antenna ground stations in Australia, South Africa, and the United States.
Facilities Engineering Branch Head, managing the full lifecycle of all capital improvement projects at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Executive Project Manager, leading agency-wide initiatives involving major facilities, technology modernization, and stakeholder integration.
Dave oversaw the full lifecycle of seven major NASA capital facilities, including the Agency’s largest LEED-certified research and office complex, and led the development of seven global antenna ground stations across five continents, including developing international partnerships with Norwegian, South African and Australian teams.
A certified Senior/Expert Program and Project Manager through the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), Dave is known for strengthening organizational alignment, elevating team performance, and forging effective partnerships with U.S. and international stakeholders. His leadership approach emphasizes clarity, accountability, and long-range vision—principles he now brings to executive coaching, strategic planning, and project leadership consulting.
Dave began his professional journey as a licensed structural engineer specializing in commercial design and underwater bridge inspection before joining NASA in 1989. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Maryland.