Executive Director and Co-Founder

Julie Hudson, M.D., M.A.

Co-founder and Executive Director of Aspirnaut™, Julie Hudson, M.D., spearheads the program’s efforts to increase STEM achievement and to increase the numbers and the diversity of students entering the STEM workforce. She focuses on strategic vision, program development, and fundraising.

A first-generation college graduate and second-generation rural mid-westerner, Dr. Hudson and her team are committed to finding talent not visible on the usual radars, providing STEM opportunities to those whose access is limited, and ensuring that each Aspirnaut™ intern has the opportunity for a quality education and meaningful career in STEM.

Unique in its holistic approach, Aspirnaut™ focuses on discovery science and also incorporates wellness strategies, teaches lifelong personal and professional development, and focuses on self-management to help students with the many challenges of a competitive and meaningful STEM career.

A pediatric anesthesiologist with a background in development, government relations, and science training, Hudson is the Vice President for Medical Center Relations at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She completed her medical and master’s degrees at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and residency training at Kansas University Medical Center.

In her spare time, Julie enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, cooking, and taking in all that life has to offer. She has trekked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and to Everest Base Camp and explored the naturalist’s gem of the world, the Galapagos Islands. She looks forward to challenging herself in her next outdoor adventure.

Scientific Director and Co-Founder

Billy Hudson, Ph.D.

In 2006, Billy Hudson, Ph.D., co-founded Aspirnaut™ with the help of his wife and his sister and brother, after a visit to his hometown of Grapevine, Arkansas, which made him realize that not much had changed.

His motivation stems from a rocky childhood of poverty, abuse, and a lack of preparation for higher education. To escape his dysfunctional family, he dropped out of high school and entrusted the next steps of his life to a teacher who provided him the opportunity and guidance to acquire an education that underlies his scientific career. However, he never turned his back on his family or forgot his roots.

Hudson returned to Grapevine to rescue his family and help provide them with a better life. He overcame adversity and has since devoted his life to providing STEM opportunities for talented students around the world. His mission is to shine a light to show students there are options beyond poverty and unfortunate living situations.  He takes great joy in working individually with the Aspirnaut™ students to identify important questions in science and has guided more than 250+ interns through their scientific journey, where over 80+ interns have co-authored scientific publications.

Dr. Hudson is a world-renowned scientist who helped to discover the molecular foundation of autoimmune and genetic kidney disease. He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Iowa and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Joslin Clinic of Harvard University Medical School. He and his team discovered and characterized collagen-IV proteins, in which structural alterations underlie the pathophysiology of three kidney diseases: Goodpasture’s disease, Alport syndrome, and diabetic nephropathy.

Associate Director

Rachel Baugh, M.S., OLY

Rachel Baugh is the Associate Director of Aspirnaut™. Inspired by all the people that guided her to success, she strives to help others reach their personal and physical goals. With over 20 years of experience and efficacy in team building, strategy, and winning results, Rachel combines her passion for fitness with her knowledge and experience in business development to provide strategic planning and fundraising for the program. Rachel leads the Aspirnaut™ Wellness for Life sessions, focusing on self-management, building resilience, and lifelong strategies for good health and well-being.

Formerly known as Komisarz, she is a performance leader, fitness expert, and a 2004 Olympic gold and silver medalist in swimming. Rachel began swimming after a career-ending gymnastic injury left her with two fractured vertebrae at the age of 15. After overcoming her fear of the water, her potential for swimming success developed quickly.  Her career highlight occurred in 2004 at the Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California, where she won the 100-butterfly, solidifying her spot on the USA Olympic Team roster. She went on to win the gold medal in the 4 x 200 freestyle relay and silver in the 4 x 100 medley relay at the 2004 Olympic Games. In total, Rachel represented the USA in 13 International competitions and won 27 medals.

Rachel loves helping each Aspirnaut™ win in their individual journeys of career and personal development. When she is not inspiring Aspirnauts™, she helps friends and neighbors stay fit, gardens, and cooks sumptuous (but healthy) Polish dinners.

Associate Scientific Director

Elena Pokidysheva, Ph.D.

A scientist and mentor, Dr. Pokidysheva oversees the research laboratory experience of Aspirnaut™ participants.

Originally from the Russian Federation, she received a Master of Science degree from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Basel, Switzerland in 2004.  A postdoctoral fellow at Purdue University and Oregon Health Sciences University and at Shriners Hospital, she joined the Hudson laboratory and the Aspirnaut™ Program in 2015, in the position of Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dr. Pokidysheva has expertise in molecular and structural biology, biochemistry, electron microscopy, and animal models. Her current work focuses on solving the mystery of how diabetes and Alport syndrome cause kidney failure in millions of people worldwide.   Recently, Elena has made several seminal discoveries about the molecular structure of the kidney filter, including the “garland” architecture and functions of collagen IV molecules of basement membranes. Her discoveries pave the way for the development of therapy.

While not in the research lab, Elena enjoys spending time with her family and raising two daughters, 16 and 13 years old. Being their parent also involves being a fan and prominent supporter of a Team USA figure skater and a rising competitive foil fencer.

Program Manager

Sabrena Moser

Sabrena joins Aspirnaut as the Program Manager after serving as the Fellowship Program Manager at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to her time at Columbia University Medical Center, Sabrena gained experience as the senior Patient Coordinator at Weill Cornell Medical College and has also worked as a medical assistant and nurse attendant.

Sabrena is a dynamic individual with a diverse range of interests and expertise. With a degree in psychology from SUNY College at Old Westbury in New York, she prioritizes mental health and well-being, especially in the workplace.  Outside of her professional pursuits, Sabrena finds joy in maintaining an active lifestyle through F45 training, indulging her creative side by crafting stunning floral arrangements for her home, and exploring the culinary world by cooking and seeking out new local restaurants. Her greatest happiness, however, comes from spending quality time with her loving husband and their beloved fur-baby.