Initially, when I started working for NASA, I can’t say that there was something that inspired me. I longed to return to my career field of procurement, and an opportunity became available at NASA. The inspiration came later, as I became more involved with the programs and projects I supported.

I began my career at NASA in 1998. While preparing to move to California, I applied for a contract specialist position at NASA Ames Research Center. Initially, there were conversations with Human Resources and Procurement management. However, many months went by without any contact. By this time, I assumed the job had been filled and applied for a job with the Department of Education in San Francisco. One day, I received a call from Ames’ Human Resources inquiring if I was still interested in a position with NASA. I was quite surprised to receive the telephone call, but very happy. They explained that shortly after our last conversation, a hiring freeze had been invoked. I expressed my continued interest, as I enjoyed procurement work and was eager to return to it. Within a month, I was hired as a contract specialist at Ames. I could not have been more thrilled. Shortly after, I resumed my role as a contracting officer in the Acquisition Division. I later served as the Acting Branch Chief for Business and Operations, and occasionally as the Acting Deputy Division Chief for Acquisition. Keep reading →