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Stennis Space Center Employees Receive 2014 NASA Honor Awards

Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech and NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Lesa Roe presented annual NASA Honor Awards to center employees during an onsite ceremony Aug. 19.

In addition to presenting awards, Gilbrech, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, also received NASA’s Equal Employment Opportunity Medal for outstanding leadership qualities in promoting diversity and inclusion at Stennis. This prestigious NASA medal is awarded to individuals for outstanding achievement and material contribution to the principles and goals of NASA’s Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion programs, either within the government or within community organizations or groups. Gilbrech has served as a diversity and inclusion champion in creating an inclusive work environment where employees are engaged, valued and respected and where their talents are fully utilized. This was demonstrated by Stennis receiving the highest possible ranking in the support for diversity category in the 2012 and 2013 Employee Viewpoint Survey.

Three Stennis employees received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal. This prestigious medal is awarded to a government employee for sustained performance that embodies multiple contributions to NASA projects, programs, or initiatives.

Beth Bradley of Slidell, Louisiana, received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal for her work as chief of the Center Management Support Division in the Stennis Office of Procurement. Bradley leads a division of contract specialists with active/inactive contracts valued at more than $1.4 billion. Her leadership and expertise has proven instrumental across a broad spectrum of procurements. She also is a strong advocate of NASA’s Small Business Program, contributing to Stennis receiving the NASA Administrator’s Cup for the best small business program agencywide in 2012.

Wendy Houser of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal for her work as an attorney and mentor in the Stennis Office of the Chief Counsel. Houser demonstrates outstanding and sustained leadership qualities, providing sound analytical advice to subordinates, peers and superiors on a broad spectrum of issues and programs. NASA recently recognized Houser as its 2014 Attorney of the Year for exhibiting performance at the highest levels of excellence and achievement.

Ronald Rigney of Poplarville, Mississippi, received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal for his contributions to propulsion testing at Stennis. Rigney previously served as manager of the space shuttle main engine test project at Stennis and now is chief of the Propulsion Test Project Office in the Stennis Project Directorate. Throughout his tenure, Rigney’s leadership and contributions to propulsion testing have been instrumental in the successful execution of numerous test projects.

Six Stennis employees received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal. This prestigious NASA medal is awarded to any government employee for a significant specific achievement or substantial improvement in operations, efficiency, service, financial savings, science or technology that contributes to the mission of NASA.

Dinna Cottrell of Covington, Louisiana (and a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana), received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for her leadership in a number of areas as chief information officer at Stennis and during her stint as acting deputy director for the Stennis Center Operations Directorate. Cottrell provided exceptional performance on a number of critical projects, including implementation of a project funding priority system and various information technology advancements. Her expertise has produced lasting benefits for both NASA and Stennis.

Sallie Bilbo of Pearl River, Louisiana, received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for significant contributions to NASA and Stennis missions as a public affairs specialist in the Stennis Office of Communications. Bilbo is recognized as the “go-to person” for support of various Stennis activities, including VIP meetings, conferences, tours and historical activities. She serves as Space Flight Awareness manager for all NASA research centers, the Defense Contract Management Agency and the NASA Engineering and Safety Center. Her contributions and expertise ultimately impact NASA’s and Stennis’ mission success.

Thomas Jacks of Mandeville, Louisiana, received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for engineering and technical leadership contributions to the B-2 Project Team at Stennis. Jacks serves as design lead for the project and has made critical contributions in the effort to restore and prepare the stand for testing of NASA’s Space Launch System core stage. His leadership has led directly to project savings and has been instrumental in managing a diverse group of designers and engineers.

Bryon Maynard of Slidell, Louisiana (and a native of Bostic, North Carolina), received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for his knowledge, engineering skills and leadership as part of the project team working to restore and prepare the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis for stage testing. Maynard led in development of restoration requirements and continues to make critical contributions to the ongoing project. His encyclopedic knowledge of the B-2 test facility has been an invaluable asset to the project.

Sonia Rushing of Escatawpa, Mississippi, received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for her work as a contract specialist in the Stennis Office of Procurement. Stennis is the largest consumer of rocket propellants in the U.S., and Rushing is responsible for all aspects of the center’s five propellant contracts. She played an integral role in Stennis exceeding four of its five business goal categories in fiscal year 2013. Her commitment to uninterrupted delivery of propellants has been critical in enabling NASA to meet its engine-testing goals at Stennis.

Katrina Wright of Picayune, Mississippi (and a native of Greenwood, Mississippi), received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal for her work as industrial hygiene manager at Stennis. Wright’s leadership of the industrial hygiene and health physics programs at Stennis has been critical in ensuring worker health and safety. This was demonstrated in her work to implement the new Globally Harmonized System Hazard Communication standards required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Wright’s efforts ensure safe work precautions are known and used efficiently, resulting in key improvements in the Stennis safety culture.

One Stennis employee received NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal. This prestigious medal is awarded to any non-government individual for sustained performance that embodies multiple contributions on NASA projects, programs, or initiatives.

William Turner of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, received NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal for his work as project manager for ISS Action Inc. on the Stennis Protective Services Contract. Turner leads more than 80 personnel to manage and properly badge hundreds of visitors per week, provide twenty-four hour emergency response, conduct employee vetting and site entry control, conduct random vehicle inspections, enforce traffic regulations and provide general investigative services.

One Stennis employee received NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal. This prestigious NASA medal is awarded to any non-government individual for a significant specific achievement or substantial improvement in operations, efficiency, service, financial savings, science, or technology that contributes to the mission of NASA.

Andrew Martin of Upper Arlington, Ohio, received NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for his work as the lead structural design engineer on the B-2 Test Stand restoration project. Martin conducted a comprehensive, hands-on structural assessment of the B-2 facility from the sub-basement to ground level to the highest structures. Martin’s design team developed the initial structural restoration assessment report and initial cost and schedule estimates that ultimately were adapted to become the project’s facility restoration requirements and cost and schedule estimates.

Four Stennis employees received NASA’s Early Career Achievement Medal. This prestigious NASA medal is awarded to any government employee for unusual and significant performance during the first 10 years of an individual’s early career in support of the agency.

Justin Junell of Slidell, Louisiana, received NASA’s Early Career Achievement Medal for his critical, accurate analyses and test operations expertise on high-priority propulsion test projects and his contributions to numerous propulsion test projects across nearly all of the Stennis test stands. His technical and leadership abilities also have enabled him to serve as the test conductor for several engine tests. The test conductor is responsible for running a successful engine test, a role reserved for the most seasoned and capable operations engineers.

Nicholas Nugent of Carriere, Mississippi, received NASA’s Early Career Achievement Medal for his contributions as mechanical design lead for the B-2 Test Stand restoration and adaptation project. Nugent coordinated a multi-contractor mechanical systems/process piping design team, developing four major design packages to restore the B-2 Test Stand mechanical systems, including the water systems, cryogenic propellant system and high-pressure gas system.

Michael Perotti of Slidell, Louisiana (and a native of Santa Rosa, Calif.), received NASA’s Early Career Achievement Medal for his contributions to safety and mission assurance (SMA) for test operations at Stennis. Perotti is one of the youngest engineers to achieve SMA console operations for propulsion testing. Since 2011, he also has assumed lead responsibility for the center’s Mishap Interim Response Team. He currently is responsible for all SMA aspects for the A-1 Test Stand.

Rebecca Strecker of Slidell, Louisiana, received NASA’s Early Career Achievement Medal for contributions in key NASA public affairs positions at Stennis, Kennedy Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center. Strecker also served an assignment at NASA Headquarters. As NASA news chief at Stennis, Strecker has managed numerous high-profile media events onsite and provided key support for the success of Stennis’ 50th anniversary celebration in 2011, including production of the anniversary video.

Two Stennis employees received the NASA Silver Achievement Medal. This prestigious medal is awarded to individuals or teams by NASA center directors for a stellar achievement that supports one or more of NASA’s core values.

Andrew Guymon of Diamondhead, Mississippi, received NASA’s Silver Achievement Medal for outstanding support to NASA’s Morpheus Program to develop an innovative takeoff and landing vehicle in direct support of the agency’s goal to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability and opportunity in space. Guymon is the lead mechanical operations engineer and primary test conductor for the Morpheus engine test project at Stennis. He also has provided valuable support to the AJ26 engine test project at Stennis.

Steven Rathbun of Slidell, Louisiana (and a native of Muskegon, Michigan) received NASA’s Silver Achievement Medal for outstanding contributions to the Pressure Vessel and Pressurized System (PVS) Program at Stennis. As pressure systems administrator for the Jacobs Technology Facility Operating Services Contract, Rathbun’s work consistently exceeds expectations. Rathbun has led in implementing several proactive changes to enhance the excellence and safety of the Stennis PVS Program.

For information about Stennis Space Center, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/.

Paul Foerman
Stennis Space Center, Miss.
228-688-1880
paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov