The Idea of Astra
Our origin comes from the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s reflections on nature:
“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.”
Every industry has “star people” - Individuals so bright they influence and inspire entire sectors. The nature of work, however, often leaves them isolated.
Astra is the constellation that connects the brightest lights and weaves them together in a meaningful way. We create networks where remarkable leaders can multiply their influence and guide us to a bigger, bolder, more beautiful future.
To create these conversations, Astra’s leadership draws from decades of experience in innovation, investment, technology, research, and culture. We’ve hosted hundreds of events, gathered leaders across disciplines, and created communities to influence everything from tech to water.
Meet the team
Ryan Groves
Principal, Founder
Community Architect
Monaco Schmidt
Chief of Staff
Rachelle Cady
Principal
Partnerships & Community
Will Cady
Principal
Resident Sage/Mystic
Lena Xiao
Principal
Marketing & Influence
Landon Phillips
Principal
Innovation
Astra Advisory Board
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Mary Wallace Hannon
Regions Bank Foundation
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Dr. Nathan Mellor
CEO, Strata Leadership
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Chris Yeh
Founding Partner, Blitzscaling Ventures
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Ursula Llabres
Investor, Advisor
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Jamie Strayer
CEO, Opportunity Knocks
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Victor Hwang
CEO, Right to Start
Contact us
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