The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: [email protected].

The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.

Congratulations to Troy Cline on his new position as Public Outreach Project Manager at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Upon taking the position, he said, “The new job is great but keeping me busy as I learn my way around. I’ll have to say that the team at APL is awesome! In my new role I will focus on Public Outreach and Engagement in the Communications Department. The missions I will work with include Parker Solar Probe, and several others. Each is unique and incredible. I love being in a position where I can remind people we are all part of the same universe and made from the same materials created when the stars were born.”

Before coming to APL, Cline was the director of the NASA STEAM Innovation Lab that provided a collaborative (physical and virtual) space for the exploration and development of new ideas related to infusion of media and educational technology into STEAM activities, programs, and approaches. Prior to that he was the E/PO Lead for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) and was responsible for mission-level public outreach activities and coordination of overall EPO efforts. Before coming to NASA, Cline spent 11 years as a teacher in a variety of challenging locations including the Navajo Indian Reservation, the United States Peace Corps and as an Educational Technology Coordinator at an alternative high school where he worked with ‘at-risk’ students.

Cline was honored with two NASA Silver Achievement Medals: Eclipse Team 2017, Parker Solar Probe Team 2019 and 10 NASA Group Achievement Awards. He was an invited TEDx speaker in Punjab, India in 2019. He received the Pirelli International Award, as co-creator in the development and design of NASA’s Sun-Earth Media Viewer. This Pirelli award is the world’s first Internet multimedia award aimed at the diffusion of scientific and technological culture worldwide.
Cline earned his bachelor’s in education (K-8) at West Virginia University, graduating summa cum laude. He earned his master’s in Educational Technology and Leadership from George Washington University in D.C.

Congratulations also to Steve Alexander on his new position as Director of Philanthropy at KUOW, part of the NPR family. On landing the job, Alexander said, “I’m immensely proud to step into the Director of Philanthropy role at KUOW, and to join a huge NPR family. I sure do miss D.C. though. From Food and Friends to Miss Adams Morgan, WAMU and the Duplex Diner — so many fantastic memories. I’m a whole lot quieter these days. Grateful to be a husband and stepdad, and to call Seattle home. It’s beautiful here! Don’t believe what they tell you about the rain.”

Prior to this job he was founder and principal of Alexander Strategies in Seattle. His clients included USA for UNHCR, Amnesty International, Everytown for Gun Safety, SOS Children’s Villages, Coalition for the Homeless, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Before that, he served as senior director of Direct Response USA for UNHCR in D.C. and was vice president of strategy and analytics for Sanky Communications in New York. His previous positions include director of fundraising systems for Doctors Without Borders, also in New York.

Many know Alexander from his roles as vice president of development at the Victory Fund and Leadership Institute; and director of events and corporate giving for Food and Friends, in D.C.

Steve Alexander