At JPL Leon managed the Office of Strategic Planning and Strategic Partnerships, and was responsible for the strategic vision and strategic relationships for the world’s premier robotic space science exploration institution. In 2018, Leon led a team to develop the laboratories 2018 Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP)

Dr. Alkalai is the recipient of the NASA Individual Distinguished Achievement Medal for the formulation of the GRAIL mission to the (Earth’s) Moon and for leading the JPL team to win the 2007 NASA Discovery competition. GRAIL successfully launched in 2011 and completed its gravity recovery of the Moon. Dr. Alkalai was also responsible for leading and winning the InSight mission to Mars proposal which won the (next) 2012 NASA Discovery competition. InSight launched on May 5th, 2018, and landed on Mars on November 26th, 2018. On October 29th, 2019 Dr. Alkalai received his second individual public achievement medal from NASA for the successful commissioning of the InSight Lander on Mars.

Dr. Alkalai, over his 31-year career at JPL in space engineering sciences, has accumulated a world-wide reach and network across all major international space agencies (CNES, DLR, ISRO, ESA, ASI, IAS, CSA, etc.) and key leaders in industry, academia, venture capital, investment firms, government and more.