June Scobee Rodgers

The widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Dick Scobee, June Scobee Rodgers remembers every one of the 73 seconds leading up to the Challenger accident. It marked the first time American lives were lost in space flight. An inspiration to everyone she meets, June has dedicated her life to writing, speaking, and education.

Originally from Alabama and Texas, June holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a Master’s from Chapman College, both in Curriculum and Instruction. June is married to retired Army Lieutenant General Don Rodgers. They live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and have three adult children and nine grandchildren.

As an author, June has touched the lives of countless people through her heroic persistence during difficult times. June is the author of Silver Linings: My Life Before and After Challenger 7, in which she returns to the very public tragedy of the Challenger explosion 25 years later. June’s story of triumph has been featured on Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power, and in Women’s Day, LIFE, Southern Living, and Guideposts magazines.

As a speaker, June has challenged thousands of people through her motivational and contagious personality. Providing the keynote for the National Prayer Breakfast Dinner and the Testimony to the President’s Commission to Moon, Mars and Beyond, June speaks honestly and thoughtfully to each of her audiences. Her high demand speaking schedule takes her across the world, where she delivers spirited presentations on leadership, sparked with personal stories and humor.

As an educator, June serves as a Founding Chairman for the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, where each year over 500,000 students participate in Challenger Center programs. June has appeared on numerous national television programs promoting innovative educational partnerships, and has served on the President’s National Advisory Council on Education. June is personally proud of the fact that she has taught in every grade-level classroom from kindergarten through college.

June has been nationally recognized and honored with countless awards during her professional career, including the National Eagle Award, the Women’s International Center’s Living Legacy Award, the Spirit of Volunteerism, and in 2000, the National Award for Excellence in Leadership. June currently serves on the boards of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Vatican Observatory, and Guideposts, and is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.