During his 40 year career, Alan has been recognized for his leadership and contributions in the field of policy, communications, and STEAM education in the aerospace sector. He is especially known for playing a leading role in developing and managing programs to directly engage the general public in space research and space-related outreach opportunities.

He is Chief of To Orbit Productions, an independent company that provides consulting services and lectures on space policy, as well the creation of folk art based on space themes. In semi-retirement, Ladwig is also serving as the Chief of Communications and a member of the Board of Directors of the Star Harbor Space Training Academy, a startup company with plans to offer astronaut training to the public.

He served three terms at NASA Headquarters - twice as a political appointee and once as a civil servant. In 2013 he retired as a political appointee of the Obama Administration where he served in the Office of Communications as the head of Public Outreach. During the Clinton Administration Ladwig established and was Associate Administrator of the Office of Policy and Plans where he led the development of the agency's Strategic Plan and participation in the development of the National Space Policy. From 1981 to 1989 he was a civil servant and managed a variety of programs for the Office of Education, the Office of Space Flight and the Office of Exploration. He managed both the Shuttle Student Involvement Program and the Spaceflight Participant Program, which included the Teacher in Space and Journalist in Space competitions.

Prior to returning to NASA in 2009 he was the Manager of Space Systems for WBB Consulting and had been Sector Lead Executive for NASA business development at Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. He served as Chief Operating Officer during the start-up phase of the Zero Gravity Corporation, a privately held space tourism and entertainment company. As Vice President of Washington Operations and Assistant to the Chairman of the Board, he established and managed Space.com's Washington Bureau and was responsible for business development, NASA relations, and strategic planning.

He has discussed space topics on national and international television programs such as the Today Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The PBS Newshour, numerous Fox News programs, the Entertainment Channel, CNN news programs such as Cross Talk, Washington Journal on C-Span, TechnoPolitics, the Voice of America, and International media outlets. He also appeared in numerous space documentaries for the BBC, Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Tech TV, and the Idaho Public Broadcasting System. He has appeared on local and national radio programs including the Diane Rehm Show, The Space Show, The Tom Joyner Show, the Voice of America, and NPR's Talk of the Nation, Evening Edition, and Science Friday.

During his career Ladwig received NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, the Exceptional AchievementMedal, two Exceptional Service Medals, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and was a member of six Group Achievement Awards. He is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society. In 2014 Ladwig received the Distinguish Alumni Award for both Elgin Community College and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association.

He served in U.S. Army with the 558th Artillery Group and stationed in Athens, Greece, 1972-1974. Ladwig received a Masters in Higher Education (1976) and Bachelors in Speech (1970) from Southern Illinois University. He received an Associates degree in Business from Elgin Community College (1968).