Larysa Patten

Speaker's bio

Laryssa Patten is a Ukrainian Canadian engineer from Toronto. She is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in civilian, government, and military space programs. Throughout her distinguished career, she has played key roles in major international initiatives, including Canada’s RADARSAT operations, the International Space Station Operations, NATO’s Global Hawk programme and NATOs Alliance Persistence Surveillance from Space Programme.

For the past 13 years, Laryssa has been an integral part of NATO.  Laryssa served as the Programme Manager for the NCI Agency's Global Hawk Integration Programme, where she ensured the seamless integration of Global Hawk platforms into NATO operations. 

Laryssa has extensive experience in defence procurement within NATO, with a particular focus on championing Allied collaboration and given her Canadian background, advancing Canada’s industrial and strategic interests. She has led and supported a wide range of NATO industry-focused initiatives and successfully managed multinational acquisition programmes, including those featuring Canadian industry participation and innovation. These initiatives unite nations with shared strategic objectives to jointly procure critical capabilities and strengthen trans-Atlantic industrial cooperation.

In addition, Laryssa has overseen NATO common-funded procurement programmes, coordinating across all 32 Allied nations to deliver shared defence capabilities that are accessible to Canadian and other Alliance-nation industries, supporting both operational requirements and the growth of a competitive Allied defence industrial base.

In addition to its widely recognized support for Ukraine, NATO has launched a number of dedicated programmes to assist the country, including initiatives to capture and share lessons learned from Russia’s invasion. Most recently, the Alliance introduced the BRAVE1 programme to deepen cooperation between Allied nations and Ukrainian industry, accelerating joint innovation and capability development.

As the architect and Programme Manager of NATO’s Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space Programme (APSS), Laryssa spearheaded the creation of the Alliance Virtual Constellation—a groundbreaking initiative that enhances NATO’s situational awareness and decision-making through the integration of shared space data and services. Under her leadership, the programme has secured over 1 billion EUR in NATO National contributions, advancing NATO’s space capabilities and fortifying its operational readiness.

In addition to her technical expertise, Laryssa is passionate about promoting STEM education. As a dedicated advocate, she works to inspire and mentor young students, particularly girls, to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Her commitment to fostering the next generation of innovators is a cornerstone of her professional journey.

Laryssa also leads NATO's Space Technology Adoption and Resilience (STAR), driving innovation and the integration of cutting-edge space capabilities into NATO missions. Her team is at the forefront of pioneering advancements in Space Domain Awareness and Space Control, ensuring NATO remains resilient and agile in an ever-evolving space environment. One the key activities Laryssa is involved with is the integration of defense and space industry to NATO, to ensure that NATO maintains it technological edge.

A proud member of the Ukrainian diaspora, Laryssa's heritage is deeply important to her, and she is actively involved in supporting initiatives that strengthen her community and promote global peace and stability.

In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Laryssa was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2023, underscoring her leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication to advancing NATO's strategic objectives.