Sonya Gavankar-McKay is the emcee of the 2025 Discovery Awards. She is a spokesperson, television and podcast host, filmmaker and social multi-media content creator. She can be seen hosting programs and giving commentary on everything from hard news to cooking shows on ABC and CBS affiliates, PBS, QVC and even the Puppy Bowl. She is currently a director at Axiom Space, the leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure.

In this episode she shares her journey from journalism to public relations, some behind-the-scenes stories from her years working at the Newseum and more about Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, launching from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This episode is sponsored by Final Flight Outfitters.

This podcast episode is available online on Soundcloud, Castbox, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and other popular podcast platforms and apps.