MORI Associates has appointed Beth Fischer as vice president of growth, space systems engineering, and Patience Samson as vice president of growth, technology and engineering.
Together, they’ll help strengthen MORI’s expansion across key markets, including its growing operations in Houston, Texas, and Huntsville, Alabama.
“I am thrilled to welcome Beth and Patience to our executive team,” said Shanaz Amirjafari, founder and CEO of MORI Associates. “MORI’s continued investment in growth is central to our strategy, and their leadership will be instrumental in increasing the Enterprise Value of the company. I look forward to partnering with them to drive our expansion into new and emerging markets, where we will continue to leverage MORI’s expertise and capabilities to deliver impactful solutions for our customers.”
Samson brings leadership experience in business development, corporate strategy and team management. At Axient, she served as chief corporate affairs officer, driving major transformations and overseeing communications, marketing, public relations and corporate responsibility. She also led the integration of four companies into Axient.
Earlier, she was vice president of corporate development at QuantiTech (Axient’s predecessor) and held leadership roles at Noblis, Leidos and SAIC.
“I’m excited to join MORI Associates at such a pivotal time for the company and the industries we serve,” she said. “With the rapid growth and innovation taking place in engineering and technology, there’s never been a more exciting moment to help lead strategic initiatives that drive mission success. I look forward to working alongside the team to drive sustainable growth, enhance strategic partnerships, and contribute to the continued success of our clients.”
Fischer brings 25 years of aerospace industry and government experience. As senior director for business development at Sierra Space Corp., she supported NASA’s human spaceflight programs, identified growth opportunities, and aligned company capabilities with evolving space mission needs.
Additionally, she held leadership roles at SAIC, Vectrus Systems Corp., Intuitive Machines and Honeywell Technology Solutions. Fischer also served as a NASA civil servant, including roles as associate director for Johnson Space Center Engineering, deputy director of JSC Center Operations and systems engineer for the International Space Station.
“MORI’s commitment to advancing space technologies and mission-critical solutions is impressive, and I’m eager to leverage my experience to help grow the company’s aerospace and space systems engineering capabilities,” Fischer said. “I look forward to collaborating with our partners to drive forward-thinking solutions for NASA and other key customers.”
These leadership additions are part of MORI’s commitment to expanding its leadership team to meet the growing demand for advanced engineering, technology and space solutions, the company said.
“We’re at an exciting inflection point in the aerospace and defense sectors where technological innovation is driving significant change,” said Blake Hershey, chief growth officer of MORI Associates. “Beth and Patience are outstanding leaders and bring deep expertise and a vision for the future that will help propel MORI forward as we support our customers in these rapidly evolving markets. Their experience in scaling operations, driving business development, and delivering mission-ready solutions is precisely what we need to build upon our momentum and drive continued growth.”