Jannette Bolden embraces family—her own and JSC’s—to make an impact
2014-02-13
For Black History Month, Johnson Space Center is honoring a few African-American employees whose culture and history have helped shaped them into the people they are today.
Jannette Bolden, cost/price analyst in the Procurement Source Selection Office and contracting officer in the Procurement Operations Support Office, has been part of the JSC family going on more than 21 years. She credits her job satisfaction and tenure to many things but, most of all, JSC’s amazingly supportive work environment.
“There are three things that I equally enjoy about my job: people, professional development opportunities and family/work-life balance,” Bolden said. “Since starting my career at JSC, I have been blessed to work with so many diverse individuals who have taken the time to share their knowledge with me, which I credit, along with my desire to learn, as the key reasons I am where I am today. As a result of all the professional training and educational programs at JSC, not only have I achieved some of my short- and long-term professional goals, but I have also achieved my personal goals while working at JSC by earning my high school, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I especially enjoy the flexibility of family/work-life balance at JSC. Because of the value that JSC puts on family/work-life balance, I’m able to continue to grow professionally without sacrificing the one thing that’s near and dear to my heart—and that’s my family.”
In fact, in Bolden’s spare time, her family is central to all her activities, be it church, sporting and school events, birthdays and anniversary celebrations.
It’s no wonder that as we observe Black History Month during the month of February, Bolden credits Coretta Scott King—American author, activist, civil rights leader and widow of Martin Luther King Jr.—as her source of inspiration.
“Her courage and strength as a woman, wife and mother enabled her to not only support her family, but blacks as a whole during and after the civil rights movement,” Bolden said. “One of my favorite quotes by Coretta Scott King is, ‘I’m fulfilled in what I do. I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes—the finer things in life—would make you happy. My concept of happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense.’ At the end of the day, the things that make me truly happy is being there for my family and helping others in need.”
Bolden not only makes it a point to be there for family, but she also gives back in other ways. A member of JSC’s African-American Employee Resource Group (AAERG), Bolden has attended many AAERG events and has also helped with the AAERG Black Heritage Month Closing Event.
“The AAERG has positively impacted JSC by volunteering and speaking to schools outside of the JSC community about JSC’s vision, engineering, science and math,” Bolden said. “Also, the AAERG has held programs where guest speakers have had the opportunity to come in and share their personal stories about diversity, equality and teamwork, which has inspired many JSC and contractor employees.”
A diverse workforce is integral to a good workforce, and the AAERG serves as a catalyst to enhance JSC recruitment, orientation, retention, engagement and development of African-Americans, thus contributing to the maximum inclusion and innovation of the JSC workforce and enhancing success of the NASA mission and vision.
“Diversity plays a key role in JSC’s success,” Bolden said. “Having a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome to share their ideas, regardless of age, race or gender, brings about creative ways of doing business and different levels of expertise.”
Fifty years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, Bolden is in control of her personal and professional destiny, where she exerts her quiet influence as an upstanding example to those around her.
“I’m most proud of my family, our faith and our values, which have shaped us into who we are—a strong, supportive family,” Bolden said. “I am also proud of being given the opportunity to work at JSC and the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people at JSC who have impacted my life in a positive way.”
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
Jannette Bolden, cost/price analyst in the Procurement Source Selection Office and contracting officer in the Procurement Operations Support Office, has been part of the JSC family going on more than 21 years. She credits her job satisfaction and tenure to many things but, most of all, JSC’s amazingly supportive work environment.
“There are three things that I equally enjoy about my job: people, professional development opportunities and family/work-life balance,” Bolden said. “Since starting my career at JSC, I have been blessed to work with so many diverse individuals who have taken the time to share their knowledge with me, which I credit, along with my desire to learn, as the key reasons I am where I am today. As a result of all the professional training and educational programs at JSC, not only have I achieved some of my short- and long-term professional goals, but I have also achieved my personal goals while working at JSC by earning my high school, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I especially enjoy the flexibility of family/work-life balance at JSC. Because of the value that JSC puts on family/work-life balance, I’m able to continue to grow professionally without sacrificing the one thing that’s near and dear to my heart—and that’s my family.”
In fact, in Bolden’s spare time, her family is central to all her activities, be it church, sporting and school events, birthdays and anniversary celebrations.
It’s no wonder that as we observe Black History Month during the month of February, Bolden credits Coretta Scott King—American author, activist, civil rights leader and widow of Martin Luther King Jr.—as her source of inspiration.
“Her courage and strength as a woman, wife and mother enabled her to not only support her family, but blacks as a whole during and after the civil rights movement,” Bolden said. “One of my favorite quotes by Coretta Scott King is, ‘I’m fulfilled in what I do. I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes—the finer things in life—would make you happy. My concept of happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense.’ At the end of the day, the things that make me truly happy is being there for my family and helping others in need.”
Bolden not only makes it a point to be there for family, but she also gives back in other ways. A member of JSC’s African-American Employee Resource Group (AAERG), Bolden has attended many AAERG events and has also helped with the AAERG Black Heritage Month Closing Event.
“The AAERG has positively impacted JSC by volunteering and speaking to schools outside of the JSC community about JSC’s vision, engineering, science and math,” Bolden said. “Also, the AAERG has held programs where guest speakers have had the opportunity to come in and share their personal stories about diversity, equality and teamwork, which has inspired many JSC and contractor employees.”
A diverse workforce is integral to a good workforce, and the AAERG serves as a catalyst to enhance JSC recruitment, orientation, retention, engagement and development of African-Americans, thus contributing to the maximum inclusion and innovation of the JSC workforce and enhancing success of the NASA mission and vision.
“Diversity plays a key role in JSC’s success,” Bolden said. “Having a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome to share their ideas, regardless of age, race or gender, brings about creative ways of doing business and different levels of expertise.”
Fifty years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, Bolden is in control of her personal and professional destiny, where she exerts her quiet influence as an upstanding example to those around her.
“I’m most proud of my family, our faith and our values, which have shaped us into who we are—a strong, supportive family,” Bolden said. “I am also proud of being given the opportunity to work at JSC and the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people at JSC who have impacted my life in a positive way.”
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center