Michael Ciannilli

Failures rarely begin with a catastrophic decision. More often, they begin quietly. Warning signs become familiar; small deviations get explained away, and experienced teams slowly accept increasing risk. Mike Ciannilli spent 30 years inside the U.S. space program, supporting 58 Space Shuttle missions and serving as a NASA Test Director for 21 launch countdowns. After helping recover Columbia and her crew following the 2003 disaster, Mike created and led NASA’s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program.

Today, Mike takes audiences inside launch countdowns, mission operations, post-incident investigations, and the Test Director discipline developed in environments where failure carried irreversible consequences. His presentations combine operational storytelling, humor, and the realities of decision-making under pressure to show audiences how capable organizations drift toward preventable mistakes and what disciplined leaders do differently to interrupt that process early. Mike is the recipient of NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award, presented by astronauts for outstanding contributions to flight safety and mission success. He speaks from operational responsibility, not hindsight.