Today we’d like to introduce you to Camille Bergin
Hi Camille, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was four years old, I saw a Space Shuttle launch and I was hooked. I mean, the concept of human beings exploring the solar system?? How incredible! I looked up at my parents and said, “I want to be an astronaut!” I think a lot of kids have this dream, but unfortunately a lot lose interest in space over time. For me, that wasn’t the case. I’ve always been obsessed with space, but what I did struggle with was representation.
Growing up in rural North Carolina, I didn’t know a single woman in STEM. And the women I saw in sci-fi were almost always facing some sort of sexism that I wanted nothing to do with. I never thought I could have a career in space because you can’t be what you can’t see.
So I explored other careers, specifically trumpet performance. (I know, crazy tangent!) I even attended the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts for high school, graduating with a degree in trumpet performance. I was in the top 30 high school trumpet players in the nation, won national competitions, and was scouted by the top universities and military bands.
But there was always something missing – space. Later in my high school years, I discovered that my love for math and science was not something I could ignore any longer, so I started to look at universities where I could pursue both music and engineering. (Plus, the older I got, the more I realized I didn’t care if I was the only one doing something!)
Enter: UTK.
The first time I toured UTK… imagine my surprise when I saw a bunch of women attending engineering classes! Or when I learned that the university had a program specifically for women in engineering to pursue research opportunities as freshmen and sophomores. Or when I learned there was an entire dorm for women in engineering to live together!
Needless to say, I chose UTK in a heartbeat.
While an aerospace engineering student, I had 3 internships across different parts of the aerospace industry including hypersonics, jet engines, and human spaceflight. It should’ve come as no surprise to me that I loved the human spaceflight one the most!
That human spaceflight internship, working on the Orion spacecraft at Lockheed Martin in Denver, Colorado, turned into my first full-time job after graduation. I worked in a variety of engineering roles for a few years before moving over into business development after realizing I not only enjoyed high-level strategic work but also had a knack for communicating complex engineering topics to broader audiences. Throughout my career, I have developed business strategies, strategic partnerships, and technology roadmaps for humanity’s future on the Moon, sustainable satellite infrastructure, and even the next generation commercial space stations.
At the same time, I started to share content about space and women in STEM online on my platform @TheGalacticGal. My primary goal was to be the representation I so badly needed growing up, to encourage more people from all walks of life to explore a career in STEM. Over time, my purpose expanded to include helping the world understand and engage with not only what we’re doing in space, but also WHY we’re doing it – because space technologies play a crucial and irreplaceable role in our daily lives.
What started as a hobby during Covid is now a thriving business. My platforms have accumulated a following of over 700k space and technology enthusiasts from across the world. I’ve spoken to audiences on several continents and have been featured in high profile publications like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I’ve collaborated with global space agency leaders, government officials, and the UN to increase access to STEM education and space careers. I work with some of the world’s most innovative space and tech companies to share their missions with the world. And as one of the industry’s foremost thought leaders, I’m helping to shape the future of space innovation, including its immediate and long-term value to life on Earth.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anything is ever a smooth road. There are always struggles, especially when you’re forging your own path. I realized quite early in my career that I didn’t want to be a traditional engineer. Transitioning from engineering into business development or even marketing is something that rarely happens—and if it does, it usually requires a decade or more of experience. But I’m very impatient, and I don’t take no for an answer. So I forged my own path. Of course, that was met with resistance—not only in creating a job opportunity for myself but also from peers who didn’t believe I could succeed (or didn’t want me to).
Then there’s the decade-plus-long struggle of growing up as a smart young girl in rural North Carolina with little to no access to STEM education—let alone opportunities to engage with the space industry. I had fully convinced myself that “engineering was only for boys” because I never saw women in engineering (and the women in sci-fi were always dealing with sexism and adversity). No joke, I would say that word for word. I wanted to fit in and be popular… and being a nerd with ambitious and sometimes unconventional dreams doesn’t exactly lend itself to that—especially in the early 2000s. I was bullied a lot and didn’t have many friends. I never felt like I fit in, even when I was attending UNCSA, because there, I was the odd one out for wanting to pursue both my art and STEM. It took a long time for me to break down those stigmas internally and truly believe that I could, in fact, have a STEM career.
Throughout college and the early parts of my career, I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome (I mean, I still do—I’ve just learned better tools to manage it). I was one of only two women in my graduating aerospace engineering class. Even now, I am often the only woman in the room. And to make matters worse, I left a traditional engineering role which—for some strange reason unbeknownst to me—is often looked down upon by people in traditional engineering roles.
And of course, it’s no easy thing to create an entirely new business from scratch, especially doing something very few do!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Galactic Media is a space media and marketing company dedicated to making space technology and exploration more accessible, engaging, and widely supported. Our mission is to bring the wonders of space down to Earth—helping people understand not just what’s happening in space, but why it matters. We educate audiences on the crucial and irreplaceable role space technologies play in our daily lives through two primary verticals:
1) @TheGalacticGal:
Through social media like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, and LinkedIn, I create engaging, research-driven content that educates the public on space exploration, technology, and innovation. With over 700,000 followers worldwide, my goal is to make space fun, understandable, and relevant to everyday life, while exposing more people to careers in STEM. This includes partnerships with the world’s leading space companies and organizations to help bring their missions and impact to a broader audience.
Beyond digital content, I bring these conversations to life through worldwide public speaking engagements – whether it’s keynote speeches, panel discussions, or educational events – helping audiences connect with space in a meaningful, real-world way.
2) Fractional CMO Consulting:
We work with global space companies and organizations at the executive level to develop and implement high-impact marketing strategies focused on effective storytelling and brand building. Our expertise drives awareness, growth, and industry transformation by connecting investors, customers, and future talent with companies and their missions. We specialize in emerging and early-stage startups, helping them craft compelling narratives that resonate with key stakeholders and set the foundation for long-term success.
I am most proud of building a global community that celebrates space exploration, fosters STEM engagement, and challenges outdated stereotypes about who belongs in the space industry. Part of this is the incredible work we’ve been able to do with leading space companies and organizations to bring their missions to a broader audience, such as:
1) Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission to the Moon – As @TheGalacticGal, I am currently working with space companies Intuitive Machines and Lunar Outpost, along with Columbia Sportswear, to highlight the upcoming (as of February 20) IM-2 mission to the Moon. The IM-2 lunar lander, Athena, will carry a bunch of science instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon’s south pole that will pave the way for a future Moon base and other exploration of our solar system. I’m honored to help amplify the mission’s importance and inspire future engineers and scientists!
2) Star Catcher Industries – I am currently serving as the Fractional Chief Marketing Officer at space startup, Star Catcher. My team and I run all marketing and communications in this pivotal stage for the company as they gear up toward some key technology demonstrations this year and a Series A fundraising round. Our work has already strengthened Star Catcher’s visibility and trust with investors, customers, and talent.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
While I didn’t grow up in Knoxville and no longer live there (at least not right now!), I consider Knoxville my home in so many ways. I love that the Volunteer spirit extends far beyond the university and that there is something for everyone in Knoxville! The only thing I “don’t like” is the small airport simply because I would move back in a heartbeat if I had greater access to flights since I travel so much for work!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegalacticgal.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegalacticgal
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thegalacticgal
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/camilleelizabeth
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thegalacticgal
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@thegalacticgal
