As a young woman growing up in Mexico, Carmen Arevalo didn’t imagine that, one day, she would work at NASA. The executive assistant to the center director at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California has now worked for the agency for 30 years, supported three center directors, and seen the center’s name change.
Arevalo’s paternal grandfather immigrated from Italy to Mexico, which is the origin of her Italian and Mexican decent. She was born in Sinaloa, Mexico, and grew up in Tijuana until she was 16, when she moved to the United States. Already a high school graduate when she moved to the United States, Arevalo overcame many challenges on her path to work at NASA.
It was hard being a young Hispanic woman learning a second language and taking college courses.
“Pursuing higher education was very difficult for me to keep up with the classes, especially speaking English in public,” Arevalo recalled. “With the advice and guidance from one of my professors I was able to overcome the challenge of learning and speaking English.”
Arevalo started her federal government career with the National Weather Service in Washington, D.C., and later decided to take a leap of faith. Initially intimidated at the thought of applying for employment at NASA, she responded to a vacancy for a secretarial position.
“I was hesitant to apply thinking that I am not going to be selected,” Arevalo said. “But I thought it will be very nice to at least get an interview. To my surprise, I was interviewed and selected for the position in the human resources (HR) office.”
Although she enjoyed working in HR, when the opportunity for growth presented itself, she applied for a few promotions. Eventually she was selected to her current role supporting NASA Armstrong Center Director David McBride.
“Carmen is truly the heart and soul of Armstrong,” McBride said. “Everything she does, she does with exceptional integrity for all of us at the center.” Arevalo attributes her work ethic to her biggest role model, her father.
“He was an honest, hardworking man, who dedicated his life to the well-being of his family,” she said.
Arevalo approaches her job with kindness, which she is quick to point out in others.
“In the midst of a pandemic, I have seen random acts of kindness,” she said. “People helping people is so inspiring”
