November 20, 2025—Ryan Krenzischek (Kren-zis-shek), W4NTR, has been named the new ARISS-USA Director of Operations. In this role, Ryan will oversee the USA telebridge ground station teams, the USA technical mentors, ARISS-I operations website development and maintenance, as well as Contact Pass predictions and Keplerian Element product generation.
An ARISS technical mentor since 2013, Ryan will also be in charge of USA operations coordinator(s), USA HamTV ground stations, and the operations committees led by USA team members, including the SSTV committee, the telebridge committee and the emergency communications committee.
Ryan will work closely with the ARISS-International Operations lead, Ciaran Morgan, with the ARISS-I regional operations leaders in Canada, Europe, Japan and Russia and with our NASA operations liaison, Ana Guzman and her deputy Andrea Lloyd. He will serve as a member of the ARISS-USA Executive team, where he will work closely with ARISS-USA’s senior leadership team on strategic and technical matters.
Ryan is the perfect fit for the role, given his long history of mentoring people in the specialized operations and technology behind one of amateur radio’s most unique programs—connecting astronauts with kids in schools!
His ARISS journey began years ago with a call from Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) headquarters seeking an expert in satellite operations in South Florida. In addition to his role with ARISS, Ryan served for 11 years as the Training Officer for the Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) and Army MARS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 4. In this capacity, he ensured that radio operators were well-prepared for emergencies, boosting community resilience during crises.
Ryan is also the ARRL Assistant Section Manager for the Southern Florida Division, ARRL Emergency Coordinator for Miami-Dade County, and Assistant RACES Officer for Miami Dade Emergency Management, where he actively promotes local and regional initiatives. Ryan’s passion for amateur radio extends to his role as the Volunteer Examiner Liaison. He collaborates with the ARISS program, Dade Radio Club of Miami, Everglades, and South Florida Latin Amateur Radio Clubs, helping guide both new and existing operators through the process of obtaining their amateur radio licenses.
He is also a seasoned Lead Engineer at Baptist Health South Florida, where he has spent 19 years supporting IT infrastructure and operations. His technical background enhances his effective communication strategies within the amateur radio community.
“I am truly excited and honored to take on the role of Director of Operations for ARISS USA,” Ryan said. “I look forward to leading our USA operations team as we continue our important work aboard the ISS and embrace new opportunities with our upcoming lunar missions. These missions will provide us with incredible chances for innovation and growth.”
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