Paula Dorsey’s journey to NASA was unexpected. Initially aspiring to be a teacher, she found herself on another path after a friend encouraged her to apply to a secretary position at the agency. Dorsey went on to manage budgets for the person who initially hired her more than three decades later.
Now as a program analyst at NASA Headquarters, Dorsey plays a pivotal role in the Resources Management Office within the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. She optimizes resources across space operations offices and programs to ensure the directorate achieves its strategic goals for current operations such as the International Space Station, enabling commercial industry to build, own, and operate space systems, and future endeavors like upcoming Artemis missions.
Early on in her career at the agency, Dorsey supported guest operations for a space shuttle Endeavor launch. During a trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, she toured the Vehicle Assembly Building and stood under the shuttle. “Everything changed for me. I really understood the importance of the work, the scale of it,” said Dorsey.
Dorsey admires how the NASA values its employees as the best place to work in the federal government for 11 years in a row. Dorsey notes that throughout her career at NASA, she was able to prioritize her son’s education while still feeling supported as a single mother. She also says that the “employee first” mentality encourages her to perform her role at the highest level possible. She remains steadfast in her dedication to the success of the space agency’s human spaceflight exploration goals.
“Working for NASA is a big deal. I’m proud to say that I work here. Not only because of the work being done, but people really do care about the balance of work and family.” said Dorsey.
Looking ahead, Dorsey is excited about NASA’s future and her role in shaping it.
NASA is positioning itself to remain the premier space agency, while also fostering the development of the commercial market in space exploration. She’s anticipating a future where NASA is a healthy balance of government and commercial partnerships as we explore the Moon and beyond.
NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate maintains a continuous human presence in space for the benefit of people on Earth. The programs within the directorate are the hub of NASA’s space exploration efforts, enabling Artemis, commercial space, science, and other agency missions through communication, launch services, research capabilities, and crew support.
To learn more about NASA’s Space Operation Mission Directorate, visit:
