ABOUT SHEYENE 

Sheyene got her start in the entertainment industry as a hobby in the early 2000s in parallel with her university medical studies. Of Italian descent, she was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. She received a Master's degree from NASA in 2018 and entered politics in 2020. She also reads pretty voraciously, mostly about analytical psychology and obsessively follows philosophy and ethics. This habit gave her a broad perspective of why political science needs political philosophy. Her personal mission: Creating the first collectively-owned robotics as a key driver in reversing the inequality spiral. Sheyene maintains an active secret security clearance within the U.S. Government. Her work has garnered recognition from federal agencies, leading to collaborative efforts with the Department of Defense (DoD), via NASA, the Navy and the U.S. Air Force, on projects with a direct impact on national security. Her dedication to the field was further recognized by the U.S. government, granting her the prestigious "individual with exceptional ability of national interest" status. A pivotal moment arrived at Redstone Arsenal, her work on tactical weapon systems ignited a passion for harnessing technology as a tool for peace, not war. She continues her focus to developing deterrence strategies through her foundation. Her determination to make nuclear weapons "impotent and obsolete" is a driving force behind her tireless efforts.

Unlike traditional career paths, where one position leads naturally to the other, Sheyene has followed a course in which a combination of factors shaped her view and priorities in life. Gerardi's life took a significant turn with the tragic loss of both her parents in an automobile accident. This profoundly personal event, coupled with a subsequent diagnosis of advanced stage IV lymphoma, could have easily derailed her trajectory, but instead, they ignited a determination to make a lasting impact. While navigating the complexities of her personal life, Gerardi took on the leadership role of a privately-owned mining business inherited from her family in Venezuela, where she has spearheaded the implementation of automation and robotics in mining operations. This focus on automation extended to her work with the Sheyene Institute, a robotics R&D laboratory established in partnership with SBIR/STTR. The institute specializes in developing autonomous navigation technologies for both Space and Earth-bound applications. 

The recognition that leadership success requires a multifaceted approach, led her to pursue a robust internal education; academic programs from institutions such as NASA, Harvard and Stanford University have further enhanced her executive learning and development. In 2018, Sheyene earned a master in In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) offered by NASA with top honors. Later the same year, she co-founded the NASA Planetary Landing Research Laboratory and she was appointed as the Lead of Robotics Outreach. Sheyene is also active in the area of robotics towards self-driving vehicles; in 2017, Sheyene established a robotic company spun out of the Sheyene Institute to commercialize their robotics product line. The company specializes in technology integration focusing on mobility needs for organizations across the public sector, government agencies and military forces. 

Gerardi's commitment extends beyond the realm of business and technology. In 2007, she established the Sheyene Gerardi Foundation, to support early-stage testing and educational outreach efforts. The intersection of technology and public service became a central focus for Sheyene. She is member of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and to the Committee on Professional Ethics, Rights and Freedom. Her areas of interest encompass international relations between OECD States and developing countries; the broad issues to which it attends integrally involves technological globalization, space law, human rights, international security, sovereignty, federalism, war, peace, terrorism, and so forth. She is also actively involved in shaping political discourse and advocating for social change. A deep understanding of international relations, technology and human rights fuels her relentless advocacy for a new era of multilateral cooperation and innovative deterrence strategies to prevent nuclear proliferation.