NASA Flight Director Inspires Young Women
By Angela Satterlee
Women in Aviation International (WAI) celebrated the 30th annual Connect Breakfast Wednesday morning at the Paul H. Poberezny Conference Center, continuing a long-standing WomenVenture Day tradition of connecting young women with role models who have built successful careers in aviation and aerospace.
WAI welcomed NASA Deputy Chief Flight Director Emily Nelson as this year’s keynote speaker.
Emily, who helps lead NASA’s Artemis II mission, shared the story of her own career to encourage young women to believe there is a place for them in the aviation industry. She said her interest in solving problems led her to study mechanical engineering, which eventually opened the door to a career at NASA.
After moving to Houston, Emily joined NASA through the United Space Alliance as an International Space Station thermal operations and resources flight controller. She became NASA’s 70th flight director in 2007, only the 10th woman to hold the position, and now serves as deputy chief flight director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Rather than hiding the setbacks she endured to get to where she is today, Emily said she believes they should be shared to help others realize that failure is part of the journey.
“I would tell you that I did not get certified the first time I went to go and certify as a flight controller,” she said. “I didn’t make it the first time I applied to become a flight director.”
Emily encourages young women to keep pushing forward even when things don’t go as planned, reminding them that every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow. And that no one can succeed alone.
“The best part of my job is there’s no standard day,” she said. “I get to do something different just about every day… And one of the best aspects of human spaceflight in particular is that everything we do, we do as a team.”
As the Connect Breakfast celebrated three decades of inspiring women in aviation, Emily’s message is clear: Setbacks don’t define a career. It takes perseverance, teamwork, and a willingness to keep learning.
