Bank of America Women's Leadership Series [POSTPONED]
VIEW EVENT DETAILSWomen in Space: Breaking Barriers on Earth and Beyond
UPDATE (March 31) — In support of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, we have postponed this program. Please sign up for our e-newsletter to receive updates on the rescheduled program, and join us for videos, family activities, and more online at Asia Society at Home.
Since Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space in June 1963, and Sally Ride followed as the first American woman 20 years later, there has been an increasing number of women breaking barriers — often, literally, Earth's barriers. Half of the most recent NASA class of astronauts, selected in 2013, are woman. However, space exploration requires more than just astronauts. There is an increasing number of women working behind the scenes to send astronauts into space: scientists, engineers, mathematicians, physicians, technicians, and many others collaborating to achieve the seemingly impossible.
Join Asia Society as extraordinary women involved in the U.S. space program discuss their careers and how to help women continue breaking barriers on Earth and beyond.
Schedule
Thursday, May 7, 2020
6 p.m. Reception
7 p.m. Program
About the Speaker
Pooja Joshi Jesrani is one of twenty-nine NASA Flight Directors responsible for managing operations for all human spaceflight programs including the current International Space Station (ISS). From the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Flight Directors lead teams of flight controllers, research and engineering experts, and support personnel located around the globe. They also coordinate ISS cargo and crew-vehicle integrations and help plan for future exploration missions.
Jesrani began her NASA career in 2007 as a member of the flight control team operating the ISS's motion control system. She certified to be a guidance, navigation and control front room and backroom flight controller as well as an instructor to the astronauts. In 2011, she planned the final Shuttle docking to the ISS for STS-135. In 2014, Jesrani was selected to be a Program Integration Engineer and help incorporate mission operations with the ISS program and upcoming commercial crew flights. In 2016, Jesrani was selected to be a Capsule Communicator (CapCom) for the ISS. In this role she interfaced directly with the astronauts in space, including as the lead CapCom for SpaceX's 14th mission to the ISS.
NASA selected Jesrani to become a Flight Director in 2018. She has since acted as lead Flight Director for the International Space Station's 14th Northrup Grumman cargo flight and has supported Russian crewed and uncrewed vehicles. More recently, Jesrani is undergoing Flight director certification for the CST-100 Boeing Starliner crewed vehicle, which will be launching American astronauts from U.S. soil this fall for the first time in nearly a decade.
Additional speakers and moderator information will be announced.
About the Women's Leadership Series
The Women's Leadership Series (WLS) celebrates influential, diverse women making a substantive impact in both the business and culture arenas, locally and globally.
Previous programs:
Asia Society Welcomes Journalist Ann Curry for Bank of America Women's Leadership Series
Asia Society Launches the 2019–2020 Bank of America Women's Leadership Series with Former PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi
Asia Society Concludes 2018-2019 Bank of America Women's Leadership Series Season with Focus on Women in Entertainment
Bank of America Women’s Leadership Series Spotlights Local Energy Executives, Importance of STEM Education
Bank of America Women’s Leadership Series Kicks Off 2018-2019 Season with Celebrated Female Asian Chefs
Asia Society Concludes 2017-2018 Women's Leadership Series with Women in Fashion Evening
Technology Trailblazers on the Business of Innovation
Third Year of Women’s Leadership Series Begins with Medical Innovators
Former UK First Lady Leads Dialogue on Women’s Education
Women's Leadership Panel Addresses Female Representation in the C-Suite
Former Secretary of Labor Credits "Strong Families, Education, and Hard Work" for Success
Local Leaders Share Personal and Professional Successes at Inaugural Women's Leadership Program
The Women's Leadership Series Steering committee is chaired by Dr. Anne Chao. Members include Nancy C. Allen, Dr. Dina Alsowayel, Lisa Barksdale, Rania Daniel, Kathy Goossen, Dr. Ellen Gritz, Dr. Michelle Herrera, Richa Himani, Brigitte Kalai, Mandy Kao, Shirley Kwan, Sultana Mangalji, Niloufar Molavi, Davana Petree, Vani Rao, Sue Sim, and Y. Ping Sun.
Title Sponsor
Presenting Sponsors
Anne and Albert Chao
Nancy Pollok Guinee
Lead Sponsors
Nancy C. Allen
Michelle and Hector Herrera
Brigitte Kalai
Additional Support
Kathy and Marty Goossen
Mandy and William Kao
Shirley and Peter Kwan
Sultana and Moez Mangalji
Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron
Sue and Randy Sim
Sahana and Kishore Sundararajan
Event Details
1370 Southmore Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77004
713.496.9901