Glenda Johnson

The most rewarding part of my job is helping young people realize that they can do anything that they aspire to do if they’re willing to dedicate themselves to doing the needed work. It’s rewarding to see the moment of revelation when you’ve reached them.

I have been at NASA many years. Currently, my major role is the Johnson Space Center and White Sands Test Facility Volunteer Programs Manager in the External Relations Directorate. This includes the agencywide program, Speakers Bureau, and the JSC program, V-CORPs [Volunteer for Community OutReach Programs]. I also support other outreach events.

Human spaceflight is not finite, and the programs that I’m responsible for touch all generations worldwide. The beauty in my job lies in empowering volunteers to make a difference. We touch the lives of our future explorers and space-support personnel. We educate the public about NASA’s role in space exploration and benefits to humanity. That’s the legacy I want to leave with the agency. When we send speakers to schools and the students grasp the information and know their dreams are attainable—I know these are the students that, even when I’m gone, will carry on the desire to travel to worlds beyond Earth.