Bronze POWER of One winner Krystin Mitchell focuses on team success
2013-08-21
Krystin Mitchell may be the embodiment of teamwork—teamwork in motion. The youthful member of Johnson Space Center’s property accounting staff is a June honoree of the POWER of One bronze-level award for organizational impact.
POWER of One recognizes individual contributions and superior accomplishments for a one-time effort or project. Mitchell, who joined NASA just four years ago, was recognized for contributions above and beyond her normal duties, including her mentorship of first tour co-op Ryan Hancock. The award is bestowed on three levels: gold, for agency impact; silver, for center impact; and bronze, for organizational impact.
“Krystin truly goes the extra mile to accomplish the team-oriented goals within property accounting,” Hancock, a college senior, noted in his nominating citation.
His citation specifically commended Mitchell for her preparation and skill at communicating National Performance Review standards and responsibilities to the organizational representatives throughout NASA, with which she works.
“Teamwork is essential to our success,” Mitchell said. “We can’t accomplish our goals by ourselves. We require project managers and engineers to explain their work and the equipment they need to purchase; the procurement folks to write their contracts in a manner appropriate for our accounting; and the analysts to fund their projects in a way that allows us to track the costs.”
In her accounting duties, Mitchell tracks property transfers of all kinds. She also works with external auditors to ensure Congress and NASA’s other stakeholders have credible information on the agency’s financial soundness.
Her day-to-day responsibilities, for example, helped to facilitate transfers of the shuttle orbiters Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour to public venues across the United States, where they are on display to thousands of visitors. Her accounting duties support development activities like Morpheus and Robonaut, as well as the construction of JSC’s signature green buildings, 12 and 20.
“Her preparation, dedication and knowledge truly encompasses NASA’s motto, ‘For the benefit of all,’” Hancock said, who began his co-op duties in January.
“As my mentor, Krystin provided exceptional training and prepared diligently for my arrival so that my transition was as smooth and productive as possible.”
The recognition came as a surprise.
“It was pretty awesome,” Mitchell said. “Basically, I wanted to make sure I did everything possible to make sure Ryan had a great experience.”
There is, of course, more to Mitchell’s story, including the unusual circumstances that brought the San Antonio native to NASA and the many professional and personal pursuits that account for her accelerating lifestyle.
At a neighbor’s urging, Mitchell attended a 2009 community center job fair in Houston, though she had a promising accounting career underway at a national rental car agency. At the NASA booth, she found a demand for applicants with financial experience and left a résumé.
“They had a stack of résumés, probably this high,” Mitchell recalled, raising her palm. “Two weeks later, I received an email asking for a phone interview. I felt like, ‘Wow!’ Out of all those résumés, they called me. I was so excited about the opportunity to work for NASA.”
Her credentials reflect a Master of Business Administration, earned from the University of Houston while working full-time at her previous job. Mitchell graduated from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting at just 19. After college, she moved to Houston to join her older sister, Danielle, an attorney.
In addition to her regular accounting duties and mentoring of a co-op, Mitchell was selected to participate in NASA Foundations of Influence, Relationships, Success and Teamwork (FIRST), a competitive agencywide leadership development program. As one of five NASA FIRST participants from JSC involved in the year-long program, she is afforded opportunities to observe the leadership styles of executives at NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, Headquarters, Marshall Space Flight Center and her home center.
Mitchell is also pursuing a Certified Public Accountant qualification.
Much of her free time is spent keeping up a recently purchased home, singing in the choir at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and raising black Labrador Retrievers, Andre and Farah.
The POWER of One recipient was drawn to accounting by a high school accounting class and an opportunity to meet professionals at a summer camp focused on accounting.
“I made sure to pick something I would be happy with,” Mitchell said. “A lot of people don’t really like their jobs. The awesome thing about NASA is the many training opportunities that prepare you, both professionally and personally. That has been really awesome.”
To nominate someone deserving for the POWER of One award, click here.
POWER of One recognizes individual contributions and superior accomplishments for a one-time effort or project. Mitchell, who joined NASA just four years ago, was recognized for contributions above and beyond her normal duties, including her mentorship of first tour co-op Ryan Hancock. The award is bestowed on three levels: gold, for agency impact; silver, for center impact; and bronze, for organizational impact.
“Krystin truly goes the extra mile to accomplish the team-oriented goals within property accounting,” Hancock, a college senior, noted in his nominating citation.
His citation specifically commended Mitchell for her preparation and skill at communicating National Performance Review standards and responsibilities to the organizational representatives throughout NASA, with which she works.
“Teamwork is essential to our success,” Mitchell said. “We can’t accomplish our goals by ourselves. We require project managers and engineers to explain their work and the equipment they need to purchase; the procurement folks to write their contracts in a manner appropriate for our accounting; and the analysts to fund their projects in a way that allows us to track the costs.”
In her accounting duties, Mitchell tracks property transfers of all kinds. She also works with external auditors to ensure Congress and NASA’s other stakeholders have credible information on the agency’s financial soundness.
Her day-to-day responsibilities, for example, helped to facilitate transfers of the shuttle orbiters Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour to public venues across the United States, where they are on display to thousands of visitors. Her accounting duties support development activities like Morpheus and Robonaut, as well as the construction of JSC’s signature green buildings, 12 and 20.
“Her preparation, dedication and knowledge truly encompasses NASA’s motto, ‘For the benefit of all,’” Hancock said, who began his co-op duties in January.
“As my mentor, Krystin provided exceptional training and prepared diligently for my arrival so that my transition was as smooth and productive as possible.”
The recognition came as a surprise.
“It was pretty awesome,” Mitchell said. “Basically, I wanted to make sure I did everything possible to make sure Ryan had a great experience.”
There is, of course, more to Mitchell’s story, including the unusual circumstances that brought the San Antonio native to NASA and the many professional and personal pursuits that account for her accelerating lifestyle.
At a neighbor’s urging, Mitchell attended a 2009 community center job fair in Houston, though she had a promising accounting career underway at a national rental car agency. At the NASA booth, she found a demand for applicants with financial experience and left a résumé.
“They had a stack of résumés, probably this high,” Mitchell recalled, raising her palm. “Two weeks later, I received an email asking for a phone interview. I felt like, ‘Wow!’ Out of all those résumés, they called me. I was so excited about the opportunity to work for NASA.”
Her credentials reflect a Master of Business Administration, earned from the University of Houston while working full-time at her previous job. Mitchell graduated from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting at just 19. After college, she moved to Houston to join her older sister, Danielle, an attorney.
In addition to her regular accounting duties and mentoring of a co-op, Mitchell was selected to participate in NASA Foundations of Influence, Relationships, Success and Teamwork (FIRST), a competitive agencywide leadership development program. As one of five NASA FIRST participants from JSC involved in the year-long program, she is afforded opportunities to observe the leadership styles of executives at NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, Headquarters, Marshall Space Flight Center and her home center.
Mitchell is also pursuing a Certified Public Accountant qualification.
Much of her free time is spent keeping up a recently purchased home, singing in the choir at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and raising black Labrador Retrievers, Andre and Farah.
The POWER of One recipient was drawn to accounting by a high school accounting class and an opportunity to meet professionals at a summer camp focused on accounting.
“I made sure to pick something I would be happy with,” Mitchell said. “A lot of people don’t really like their jobs. The awesome thing about NASA is the many training opportunities that prepare you, both professionally and personally. That has been really awesome.”
To nominate someone deserving for the POWER of One award, click here.