The very first Latina and the fifth woman ever to lead NASA’s Mission Control as a Flight Director, Ginger Kerrick has—by any measure—lived a remarkable life so far.

In her 30-year career at NASA—and in her work today, in the private sector with Barrios Technologies—Ginger Kerrick followed her passion for space exploration wherever it led her. As a little girl growing up in El Paso, Texas, her dream was to become an astronaut. Unlike most of us, she held onto those early dreams, pursuing them with a remarkable tenacity, overcoming multiple challenges and hardships along the way.

And when it turned out that life had slightly different plans in store for her—as life does for us all—she navigated the disappointments and the triumphs with a resilience and grace that is nothing short of inspiring. As she rose up through the ranks of senior leadership at NASA, she never lost her passion or enthusiasm, and she played important roles in the space shuttle program, in the building and deployment of the International Space Station, and in the exciting work done to prepare for the Mars and upcoming Artemis missions—work she continues to be part of at Barrios Technologies, where she was named Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer in early 2022.