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Faces of NASA

The Faces of NASA series combines stunning portraiture with raw, vulnerable interviews of NASA's workforce.

"Everyone needs an anchor from their community to motivate and inspire them to move forward. I want to be a...
A man wearing a tan flight suit flies in a blue-lit flight simulator. Navigation guidance and other controls light up the simulator’s front dashboard.
“The goal is to get as many of the wrong ideas out of the way as early as possible." —...
"As an immigrant myself reporting on stories about other immigrants, I want to show people that space is for all,...
Noelia González smiles widely in the center of the frame. She is wearing large round glasses and a multicolored top of blues and oranges with a flower pattern, and her dark brown hair frames her face. Behind her is the brightly colored artwork for "Universo Curioso de la NASA," NASA’s first-ever Spanish podcast.
“I think the experience of putting yourself in an uncomfortable environment and coming at the other end with lessons learned...
"It's amazing when I get a chance to see the space station fly over. I am very fortunate to be...
Liliana Villarreal, Artemis landing and recovery director with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), stands in front of the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA) at the turn basin in the Launch Complex 39 area at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 1, 2023.
"The stars aligned – I was working at Johnson Space Center in Houston about six months later. That’s how I...
Environmental Portrait of Isidro Reyna in Bldg. 30, in front of the Mission Control Center doors, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“They say if you live long enough, there's a good chance you'll join this community. And just remember, if that...
Dana smiles softly, wearing a red, short-sleeved collared shirt with the Artemis logo on it. She has long, dark brown hair and black eyeliner accentuating her dark brown eyes. She's seated in an electric chair, wearing her flesh-colored prosthetic arms.
"'NASA for all.' That's something that I think is really important because we are the universe, right? We are made...
A woman with dark, long brown, wavy hair looks into the distance with a soft smile on her face. She's wearing a black blazer and the collar of her white button down shirt sticks out the top. A tree and greenery is blurred in the background.
"In order to really bring the community up, we have to lift from the bottom. And when we do things...
Mars Research Scientist S. J. Ralston smiles at the camera. They are wearing glasses, earrings, and a collared shirt. The background is out of focus.
"My big takeaway is: it's okay to take chances. Sometimes we step in our own way and we need to...
Public Affairs Officer Tiffany Fairley stands in front of a mural and smiles at the camera at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
"So here I am, a transgender woman, an engineer, working at Kennedy Space Center, and I get to work around...
Systems Engineering Supervisor Amy Lendian smiles at the camera in a white collared shirt and a black blazer. She is wearing an Artemis pin on her lapel. The background is out of focus.
"We always have some level of self-doubt, but if the end goal of what you’re trying to achieve is going...
A woman with long, curly, and brown balayaged hair smiles widely, wearing a long black suit jacket and white shirt. She's standing in front of space hardware with International Space Station mission patches on showcase and an American flag behind her.
“I think I’m always seeking out projects that help people feel seen. And maybe that’s why I got so into...
“I think I’m always seeking out projects that help people feel seen. And maybe that’s why I got so into photography initially. I struggle with that myself — feeling seen. And so to help other people feel seen is definitely an interest of mine that I keep coming back to." — Aubrey Gemignani, Photo Archivist/Photographer, Mori Associates
"…You cannot grow without approaching the fear, embracing the fear, and then pushing past it." — Tahira Allen, Digital Lead,...
Tahira Allen leans on a wall while gazing into the distance. She is wearing a white plaid sweater. A faint outline of the United States Capitol building can be seen in the background.
“I wanted to create a game because right now, a lot of what we [at NASA] make is geared toward...
Courtney Lee, a Black American woman, looks happy and confident, smiling at the camera while standing in front of a Roman Telescope model. She's wearing a long sleeve black turtle neck under a yellow plaid dress. Her short, curly hair frames her face.
"So, part of the motivation [for my method acting] is just out of interest. I always find value out of...
"So, part of the motivation [for my method acting] is just out of interest. I always find value out of the new skill. It lends itself both in my personal life and professional life." — Dr. Marcus Johnson, Project Manager, Aviation Systems Division, NASA's Ames Research Center
"[I asked myself] how am I going to teach about that heritage, if I'm not fully familiar with it? So,...
Ronnie Adams stands in front of the Vehicle Assembly Building with his arms folded in front of his chest.
"If I can advocate for all the groups that need equity, I'm glad to do it." – Anita Dey, Strategic...
An Indian woman with short, curly, salt and pepper hair smiles softly at the camera wearing a sunshine yellow quarter sleeve blouse. Her hands are clasped as she leans agains a railing outside, with bright green bushes on her right-hand side.
“A lot of people in similar positions as myself, we struggle a lot with confidence and imposter syndrome – I...
A man from Colombia with shoulder length brown hair and facial hair, smiles widely at the camera wearing a light blue button up shirt and dark pants. His right elbow props him up on the railing outside at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“NASA is so big on its own, and for kids to feel like they're a part of it, it symbolizes...
“NASA is so big on its own, and for kids to feel like they're a part of it, it symbolizes this connection to great exploration and new discoveries. It makes them feel just as important and gets them excited thinking about what they can contribute or about learning something new." – Katherine Brown, Public Affairs Officer, NASA Headquarters
"When you look out into space, and you see all those stars and all those galaxies — there’s just so...
Nick Hague
“That’s what makes communicating Earth science meaningful for me—knowing that indigenous Hawaiian wisdom and NASA research both point to the...
Samson Reiny
"It was magical that I could just tell the computer exactly what to do. And [my career] all came from...
Ivan Perez Dominguez stands in front of a building with a slight smile. He is wearing a grey shirt and a leather jacket.
"… I try to tell folks that it's not where you started. It's not the mistakes you've made. It's what...
Portrait of Protocol Officer Carolina Rudisel
"I think that getting to be a crewmember on the International Space Station, and getting to serve there over the...
View of NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren floating in front of the Cupola window.
"I was heartbroken by the devastation I saw, and it hit me that this is my calling — the kind...
Remote Sensing Scientist Dr. Sarah Bang standing in front of a view of a forested mountain range called "Cloudland Canyon."
“Then, coming to NASA, [I was] like, ‘Oh, there's the bigger sense of purpose,’ I found it in Artemis, in...
Social Media Specialist Chad Siwik stands in front of a doorway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. He is wearing a suit and tie and is smiling at the camera.
"These kids [in my Scout troop] learn how to cook outside. They know how to start a fire. And if...
Instrument Systems Engineer Víctor M. Torres
"I think I do that with my interns and teams too — I give them the space to grow and...
Environmental Portrait of Trinesha M. Dixon for Faces of NASA Project in the Teague Lobby of Building 2 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
"I believe you always end up where you need to be and that everybody can make things happen for themselves....
Roman Space Telescope Technical Photographer Jolearra Tshiteya standing next to a display.
Michele Beisler, Deputy Program Manager, Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office, Stennis Space Center.
Deputy Program Manager, Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office, Michele Beisler at Stennis Space Center.
Priscilla De Leon, Project Administrator, Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Priscilla De Leon, Project Administrator, Goddard Institute for Space Studies
"The only reason that I am here is because I have had women and men in my life who have...
Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Teresita Smith
“It was all because of this teacher. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have known that materials science was a...
Kathleen Boggs
"…Yes, you must be good at math and do the academic work to prepare you to do the kind of...
Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement Kris Brown leans up against a concrete building and smiles warmly at the camera.
“Data are almost tangible, even though you can’t literally touch them. You can measure the brightness of a star. You...
Knicole Colon
"There’s definitely an artistic component to science. You can just look at James Webb [Space Telescope]. It looks artistic. If...
Kenneth Harris II
"You ask little kids what their big dream is, and it’s not uncommon to hear 'astronaut.' It’s not uncommon to...
Rebecca Hudson
“The job just got better and better and better. I’ve just had door after door open up for me. I...
Jenny Motter
“I was brand new when I came on board the Native American group at Kennedy Space Center. [...] We have...
A woman wearing a black blazer, red blouse, and red lipstick smiles softly while looking at the camera. NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building stands behind her.
"How many people get to see rocket launches? Or have ever seen a shuttle mission? Or had that direct experience...
Sheva Moore
"When the Challenger accident happened, I saw how everyone came together in the public affairs office. I mean, they were...
Connie Moore
"People look at the International Space Station and think, this is a marvel of what humans can achieve. Which is...
Anne McClain
“Shí éí Nikki Tulley yinishyé. Tódích’íí’nii nishłį́. If I were to identify myself in my community, in my language, that’s...
Nikki Tulley, an Assistant Research Scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center
"I think I’ve helped put in place a future for younger engineers that are here that have the same interests...
Greg Ffolkes
"My very first project was literally on a bar napkin. And I was given three dimensions: the top, the bottom...
Dr. Terry Teal
"My goal right now is to find a need and fill it. That’s my thing. And that’s all through life....
Candis Hills
“I was born in India soon after we got independence from the British. My mother was very keen that her...
Hashima Hasan
"Now my whole family likes to brag that they have a rocket scientist daughter who works at NASA.” — Casey...
Casey Denham
"If you tell an artist what to paint, they will paint it. But, if you tell them what you’re looking...
Dewayne looks off camera smiling with his arms crossed while wearing glasses, a silver watch, and a black collared shirt with the Mars Sample Return logo. He has a black mustache & salt & pepper short, curly hair. The NASA worm logo is in the background.
"I am really made to feel like I am part of a family. I don’t feel like anybody is treated...
April Albert
"When someone asks me about my job? I respond with immense pride I am part of the Office of the...
Linda Perozo
"I want to see more women in the workforce. I want to see more women in technical fields. I want...
Nicole Smith
"This 4’11” Black woman achieved this, not knowing that STEM was going to be my path or that I was...
Mary Lobo
"We’re just going to keep lifting each other up and making sure that we all have each other’s backs, because...
Ashley Walker
"It takes twenty thousand people to run NASA — and we’re not all astronauts and scientists and engineers. I try...
Derek Wang
"In my life I’ve learned that things don’t always go your way. But roadblocks can be opportunities. You can either...
Keith Koehler
"I’ve been working with heat treating ever since I started working with shape memory alloys. We actually have our own...
Glen Bigelow
"And here we are twenty years later, and now we have a whole generation of kids that have never known...
Ricky Arnold
"Success is in the journey of trying to work your way back to balanced.” — Magdiel Santana, Senior Program Analyst,...
Senior Program Analyst Magdiel Santana
"It is important that we have cultural awareness. And to actually do the science, to solve scientific mysteries, we need...
Science Communications Lead Maria-jose Vinas Garcia
"Yes, it has been a challenge, to get to work for NASA. But it’s worth it, every single day.” —...
Miguel Angel Rodriguez Maco
"When I walked into those doors [at my new job], understanding my ancestry, and then also understanding, I, myself, who...
Agency Recruitment Lead Esteban Morales
“I think it’s also that I came at a good time when we are having these important discussions about diversity...
Policy Analyst Laura Delgado López
"I’ve worked in many different roles and what drives my passion is learning things that I don’t know. It is...
A photograph of Kennedy Space Center's Barbara Brown
"I just never knew that I would have the opportunity to have these kinds of mentors to actually help me...
Stephanie Fernandez
“I had a mentor say something to me that I think rings really true. He said, ‘when you work in...
Executive Officer Ruth Siboni
"My work will be on that rocket when it flies and this will bring my childhood dream to fruition.” —...
Harsha Rayapati
"I try to be that glue or conduit, ensuring not only that the research portfolio is healthy, but the team...
QuynhGiao Nguyen
"What has changed? What hasn’t changed? Are we progressing? I think that we are in some ways, but in other...
Daphne Dador Huber
"Though I’m a Flight Director and the leader of that team, especially in Houston, I’m not significant unless there is...
Flight Director Pooja Jesrani
I try to keep an open mind and meet people where they’re at, regardless of what they think of me,...
Mechatronics Engineer Amila Cooray
"NASA’s Out and Allie Employee Resource Group helped me do that at work, and that carried over to my life...
Advanced Exploration Systems Data Manager Michael Chandler
"I’m second generation American, the first in my family to go to university, and here I am married, working at...
Portfolio Integration Lead Stratis Catacalos
“People like to say, “safety first” — but that’s not true. If safety was first, we wouldn’t be launching people...
Raja Chari
"There will still be people who question everything and that’s a good thing—you also have to embrace critics and find...
Mars Architecture In-Space Transportation Lead Patrick Chai
"[Studying black holes] is this combination of doing math, and also working out physical, spatial relationships — visualizing things orbiting...
Research Astrophysicist Jeremy David Schnittman
“On my Twitter page it says: rocket scientist, football coach." — Yusef Johnson, Flight Design Engineer, Kennedy Space Center
Yusef Johnson
"But here I am. And maybe I haven’t accomplished everything I want to do. But I can show little girls...
Astrophysics Division Deputy Director Sandra Cauffman
"I get really excited talking to kids and inspiring the next generation of explorers. For our role as communicators, it’s...
Linda Rivera wearing a black turtle neck sweater in front of green trees.
"I'm a hands-on person and I'm a Lifetime Girl Scout. So, I typically have to demonstrate things in a visual...
Lauren Denson wearing a white "women in space" t-shirt smiling with her hands on her hips in front of a grey wall. She's wearing black glasses and a Native American ring.
“I’ve always wanted to learn about cosmology, specifically. The history of the universe is fascinating for me." — Dr. Howard...
SPHEREx Postdoctoral Scholar Dr. Howard Hui
"I realized long ago that I am an ant carrying my little grain of sand. But someday, this anthill will...
A woman with a short grey bob softly smiles with crossed arms. She's dressed in a starry blue shirt and black blazer& stands in front of the Pillars of Creation image. Tentacles of dark space dust and gas climb upwards, with starlight dotting the image.
"I thought to myself, ‘well, that vehicle took off in not-so-ideal conditions. Things aren’t impossible.’ That’s what led me to...
Andres Almeida
"I love seeing the spark in young kids' eyes when they see somebody that looks like them working on big...
Aaron Yazzie dressed in a light blue button down shirt with his arms by his side smiling face forward at the camera with trees behind him. He's wearing black rimmed glasses and a Native American necklace.
"It is very easy to get lost in your work, get burned out, and not be present when you're home...
Jena Garrahy leans against the marble outside NASA headquarters wearing a beige jacket and white shirt, smiling at the camera with her mouth closed and hair down.
“I am right where I need to be today and don’t have any regrets, but it took me a long...
Gateway Program Planning and Control Manager Emma Lehnhardt
"If you find yourself getting lost in it, pursue it feverishly.” — Paromita Mitra, Principal Investigator for the Joint Augmented...
Principal Investigator Paromita Mitra
"I hope to have more open conversations about mental health support with my fellow lab members as well as outside...
Assistant Research Scientist Rachel Tilling standing on an icy landscape.
"I’ve learned that my voice is valuable, and I need to utilize it in order to make a difference —...
Science Deputy Associate Administrator Wanda Peters
"Operating the International Space Station requires an entire team of people all coming together with one goal in pursuit of...
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins
"I've been very fortunate throughout my career here at NASA, to have other people that were willing to mentor me....
Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche standing in front of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory pool.
"Something improv comedy taught me is: When you start to let go and not take yourself too seriously and embrace...
Elizabeth Landau, Senior Communications Specialist
“[The ceremony] was more than just a street renaming. In my mind, I was thinking, who am I doing this...
Cindy Steele
"I want to ensure I do my best so others can get access to more opportunities and those at the...
Tabisa Taliwaku Kalisa
"It’s almost as if I’m a musician and the fader is my instrument — and I’m playing the astronaut’s voices...
Alexandria Perryman
"I ended up going out and getting my own dog who I’ve trained to be a therapy dog, so now...
Jean Wolfe
Portrait of Jennifer Hamilton for Faces of NASA Project.
Portrait of Jennifer Hamilton for Faces of NASA Project.
"When you meet someone who is doing something different but yet, you can relate to them because of what they...
Maria Santos
"I think that we have long way to go to reach out to some of those smaller, under-serving communities where...
Brittani Sims
"I learned what it means to not give up. Cold, rain, wind, sun, doesn’t matter. You keep going." — Eliad...
Technology Program Manager Eliad Peretz
“In just navigating our significance in the broader scheme of things, when it comes to Earth, when it comes to...
Justin Rice, Deputy Manager of the ESDIS Science Systems Development Office, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
"I was labeled a troublemaker. Teachers wouldn't help me. My career counselor said I would do amazing work at a...
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead Edward Gonzales
"And in the end, we are all so close when it comes down to it. We do act like family....
Engineer Nyla Trumbach standing in front of a test stand
"Can you imagine someone landing on the Moon that looks like you?” — Risha George, Advanced Communications Capabilities for Exploration...
Risha George
“You have to use different clues, follow the trail, isolate what you know, and find the solutions. Sometimes it can...
Clifford Timpson smiling and wearing a brown leather jacket while standing in front of a river with the Arlington, Virginia city-scape blurred behind him.
"I think all my creative passions meet somewhere in the middle of the road. I can draw on those tools,...
Public Affairs Specialist Brée Hill
"So, the skills that I learned as a historian — asking difficult questions, looking for answers that aren't immediately obvious,...
Exploration Integration and Science Associate Director Rebekah Reed standing in front of a model of the Orion spacecraft in the Mockup Facility.
"If I had a chance to go to the Moon – absolutely. If I had a chance to go to...
Teang “Anne” Tripathi
"A piece of my story that I think needs to get told is that broken crayons still color." – Tyrone...
Tyrone McCoy wears a crisp blue suit, light blue button up shirt, and orange and blue paisley tie, looking off into the distance to his right. There's a heroic feel to the captured moment, and the rims of his clear glasses reflect the blues in the scene.
"I want to make sure that I foster an environment of inclusion, equity, and opportunities for everyone.” – Donya Douglas-Bradshaw,...
Lucy Project Manager Donya Douglas-Bradshaw
"I saw astronomy as the final frontier, but then I realized I couldn’t personally experience it, and I wanted to...
Dr. Mason Quick, a man with long brown hair, a beard, and mustache, wears a red long sleeve shirt, blue slacks, and black and grey converse. He is holding himself up on his hands, with his body horizontal to the ground and legs kicked out in a split.
"[As for which one I prefer,] I think the space station has windows, and a beautiful view, so it definitely...
Expedition 66 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Kayla Barron is pictured inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world," as the orbital complex flew 263 miles above the Pacific Ocean.
"I think people try to take their fears and understand and dissect them... It gives them a sense of closure....
Deputy Program Scientist Dr. Aaron Piña wearing a suit and leaning against a building.
I think it’s important to know that everybody has different experiences in life. And then you can learn from those...
Irma Rodriguez
"I go outside the box to get ideas. I think about, how do I solve this? I apply the same...
Senior Program Analyst Jenny Acebron-Carlos
"And so this fixer mentality has been with me — and what do you know? I’m in safety now, literally...
Tremayne Days
“I am a really average embroiderer, but I really love doing it. That’s one of my hobbies. In the last...
NASA Earth Social Media Lead Katy Mersamann
"But everything, every medical procedure — you have to rethink it when you’re talking about spaceflight. It’s kind of like...
Flight Surgeon Moriah Thompson
“This is what makes America great. The opportunities are there and anything is possible. I’m a son of an immigrant,...
Orion Program Deputy Program Manager Howard Hu
“When NASA hired me to be an astronaut, I had a lot of imposter syndrome going on. It was as...
Mark Vande Hei looks happy, smiling at the camera in a navy blue t-shirt, purple surgical gloves, and metal-rimmed glasses. Aboard the ISS, he holds the Advanced Nano Step Cartridge in the Solution Crystallization Observation Facility during installation.
"Having it in front of you makes it real. So when you see it on TV, it’s like: ‘I know...
Phillip Hargrove
"Well, little did I know, even at a young age, he instilled in me the importance of seeing people for...
Robin Lee
"Everybody has a place where they shine. And for me, it’s being a physician, helping people heal, solving medical problems....
Andrea Fore
“One of the reasons I fell in love with applied math is because it is so broad. We studied so...
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Scientist Kerry Cawse-Nicholson
“The first time [I went to Antarctica], my first impression was what Buzz Aldrin said about the Moon — this...
ASTHROS Project Manager & Technical Lead José Siles
"When I thought about how to do the most amount of good, I thought we should be putting solar panels...
Ruth Amundsen, Aerospace Engineer at NASA Langley Research Center, in front of solar panels
“Through my job communicating and doing outreach, I’m making people aware of how we all can contribute to a more...
Lashanda Battle, Sustainability Lead at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
"I want people to see me and realize ‘she looks like me,’ or ‘she speaks Spanish like me,’ and I...
Stephanie Primeaux, Cost Analyst and Proposal Specialist at NASA's Langley Research Center
"Not having many real-life scientific role models, the exploits of the fictional Mentats and of Peter Parker helped pique my...
Scientist Emil Cherrington standing in front of the original NASA logotype, also known as the "worm."
“I’m helping manage a new program [at NASA] called Student Airborne Science Activation, or SaSa. The program focuses on recruiting...
Samiah Moustafa, Program Scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, in front of snow capped mountains
“Sometimes your passion will take you to something else that you never expected. That helped me to find myself and...
Winnie Humberson, Science Communications Support Office Manager, NASA Headquarters