Steven Howell currently serves as the Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In this role, Mr. Howell directs the Public Policy department staff in implementing the Institute’s strategic vision into day-to-day operations. He focuses on comprehensive integration of public policy activities across the Institute’s products and programs to achieve long-term and short-term goals in accordance with the Institute’s core mission. Since 2003, Mr. Howell has helped to raise public and Institute membership awareness of the Institute’s programs, events and policy issues through targeted awareness advocacy activities. Prior to working for AIAA, Mr. Howell worked for the US House of Representatives. He first served on the staff of the US House Committee on Science’s Subcommittee on Basic Research. Mr. Howell worked on several issues as well as served on a working group tasked with updating the National Science Policy. More recently, Mr. Howell worked for Congressman Gary Miller of California where he served as Congressman Miller’s Legislative Director. Mr. Howell directed Congressman Miller’s long-term policy objectives and advised the Congressman on short-term legislative decisions and near-term agenda. Mr. Howell oversaw issues which included appropriations and the federal budget, energy & commerce, interior & water resources, and science, space, & technology policy. A Florida native, Mr. Howell attended Florida State University where he studied Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. Upon completing his studies, Mr. Howell worked as a Program Manager for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Agriculture Environmental Services.