Steve Butow

Steve “Bucky” Butow is the Director of the Space Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Office of the Secretary of Defense. He joined DIU in 2015 and became its first Space Portfolio Director in 2016, helping establish the organization’s presence in Silicon Valley, Boston, and Austin.

A brigadier general, Butow also serves as Commander of the California Air National Guard, leading approximately 4,900 Airmen across air, space, and cyber operations. His military career includes senior leadership roles supporting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Air Forces Central, as well as ten deployments supporting combat and contingency operations. He has logged more than 3,500 flying hours in multiple military aircraft.

Butow holds a B.A. in Physics & Astronomy from San Jose State University and an M.S. in Management with a specialization in Air and Space Strategic Studies from the University of Maryland. Earlier in his career, he conducted research with the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, contributing to Mars science and astrobiology missions.