Kelly Alexandar
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grew up, what education do you have, a summary of your resume, did you always want to do what you are doing now, when did you start to become interested in STEM, what internships/ volunteering
I grew up in a suburb of LA, with some amazing opportunities for creative extracurricular activities that allowed me to express myself and to practice my leadership skills. I had two incredible teachers in middle school in math and science that encouraged me to bring out my inner nerd, and ever since then I've loved to explore my potential in STEM! I attended Space Camp in 7th grade and that's when I knew I wanted to be involved in space development. I wasn't sure how at the time, but seeing how my path has unfolded I am so grateful for the inspiration I received as a kid that pushed me to where I am now.
I am currently halfway through a masters degree (distance learning) in System Engineering, with a focus on space technology. I have an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Aerospace Engineering, a minor in Gender and Women's Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Space Systems Engineering.
My job title is officially Captain in the US Air Force, and my technical title is Launch Mission Manager at Vandenberg Air Force Base. We change jobs every few years in the Air Force in order to gain breadth of experience as a foundation for future leadership positions, so I've had lots of different technical jobs in the past. My favorites have been Space Systems Engineer on an experimental satellite program where I got to determine and write requirements which fulfilled specific experiment criteria, operating a multi-million dollar satellite and testing its limits before it burned back into the atmosphere on re-entry, and learning how to design and assemble a launch vehicle (rocket).
When I was in college I was part of the ROTC program, which is kinda like an internship. Since my job upon graduating would be in the Air Force, I was giving my time to learn how to succeed at that. The great part was, we got to take weekend trips to local bases where we learned about the technology they used there to perform their jobs. It was pretty cool. In the summers we attended programs that were leadership focused, which has helped me manage large teams of engineers working together on complex projects (called Integrated Product Teams).
Volunteering and having a willing-to-work personality is so important in STEM programs. Offering to take the harder project, to help others with their work, to stay the extra couple of hours to get something done, to put in the needed effort to do a job well - all of these things make you stand out as an engineer and get you noticed. You are much more likely to get the cool jobs, and big programs, the complicated problems to solve, when you prove yourself in the smaller jobs and details. Having the willingness to learn how to do something and run a problem down til it's solved sets you apart from your peers. Practicing this through volunteer work at school, doing extra programs and homework, and even working for things that are completely unrelated (like at the library or animal shelter) all foster that work ethic that is so valuable.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My current job is to manage specific types of incoming launch programs for Vandenberg Air Force Base. I work with the Minotaur family of launch vehicles and literally know the technology inside and out. I need to be the subject matter expert to the organizations I interface with regarding launch range requirements, safety regulations, and schedule and finance management. I get to coordinate with lots of great people every day - it's a very social job! I worked at the launch vehicle design office and manufacturing plant for a year before I got this job, so that I would be able to make technical decisions knowledgeably. On a daily basis I attend a couple meetings to share information about decisions various people have made, problems we have solved, and paperwork we've finished. I send tons of emails to people to gather information to help me make decisions. I also visit the facilities which process and store the launch hardware, making sure different equipment stays within certification so launches go smoothly. I manage a team of personnel who are experts in handling the hardware and make sure they have what they need to do their jobs. I also report to my boss and let him know what we've accomplished and what we need so he can get the resources we need for mission success.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Everything about my job is STEM! I love working hands-on with the launch hardware. I love writing out technical requirements based on a vague "needs statement" from a customer and then seeing if we can figure out the best solution - it's like a complicated word problem that you turn into a complicated math problem. I love graphing out the solutions in Excel to show visually what my scratchy-notes told me - this helps the higher-up managers understand what you're telling them. And I love working with the mechanics and technicians that know every nut and bolt on a launch vehicle by name. My degree is in Aerospace Engineering, and I focused on space technology. My senior design project was to work on a team (much like an IPT) as the systems engineer to design a mission to the moon and back. The skills I learned during that project I use everyday on the job. Of course, I don't apply every class I took every day, and some days I don't apply hardly any classes at all, but the general technical background coupled with the hands-on experience of my first couple of years on the job, have enabled me to learn how to find solutions to technical problems, even if I've never learned the material before.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
I am incredibly blessed to be an officer in the Air Force in the year 2015. The opportunities they have provided me with have been above and beyond what I have seen from so many of my peers in the private sector. I do not feel like I have ever been discriminated against for being a woman in STEM. I am a double minority in my job - I'm in STEM as well as in the military. So there are very very few women where I work. But there are lots of men with wives! And their learned ability to communicate with women has helped the lines of communication a lot. No matter where you work - whether it's with other women or with just men, women are still 50% of the planet. Sometime men need to remember that =) One of my biggest challenges is more socially than in upward mobility or job competence. I am not and cannot be "one of the guys." I do not laugh at crass jokes, I will not join in when people complain about their spouse, and I am unsympathetic to the men who have to take vacation time to relieve their stay at home spouse from baby-duty. I am a master at "putting things in perspective" for my peers and reminding them that I am a wife and mother, at the same time as an engineer and leader. Being upbeat, lighthearted, and still sticking to your beliefs and values will go a long way in gaining respect with your peers.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
Best - working with hardware. I don't care what hardware, whose hardware, if it's broken or working, how old it is etc. I just want to touch it, put it together, take it apart, fix it, test it, and blow it up. Always. Every day.
Worst - paperwork. Excel spreadsheets don't count. I mean more like permission slips, progress reports, safety description etc. Necessary evils to get to the hardware part.
Change - I need a window in my office...and a door...and a ceiling. Cube farms are SO counter-productive. I have to have headphones on all the time just to be able to focus. And I have beautiful panoramas of National Parks all over my "walls" as my windows =)
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
One of my mottos is "work to live." Of course, it's only a pseudo motto cuz I also love my work - win-win! But I am always remembering that the ultimate purpose of my work (besides saving the world and all that) is so that I can enjoy my family and enable a high quality of life for our many adventures. This is my priority. But I also believe you have to do your best at your job - which inherently creates a conflict of interest. I do not have any secrets. I intend to maintain my career until my 50s, when I will retire early (lol). I have three kids - 6, 7 and 9, and I completely relate to all the women I know who have chosen to leave their career to become full time mothers. What an incredibly difficult choice to make! But on the other hand, I also know a handful of women who are the sole provider and their spouse has chosen to stay at home because her career was more successful than his. My husband and I both work full time as engineers. I know so many couples that continue to make the decision every single day to have two working parents. And then one day the balance tips and the decision changes. Keeping an open mind about your future, not judging anyone harshly for their personal choices, and trusting in God's personal plan for you are the only advice I can give on how to juggling the two. It's tough! But so many of us do it - you will not be alone.
7. What do you define success as?
This is very personal for me and I realize it won't fit everyone's way of life. My definition of success is figuring out and following God's path for me. I believe that God has a very specific plan for my life, one that He will use for the good of His master plan, and that all I have to do is listen carefully to his instructions and then obey Him. OK! So when I got a C in AP Physics in High School and He said "Kelly, get an Aerospace Engineer Degree" - I uncertainly said OK. I loved technical stuff and building things, blowing things up, designing things etc. He put the passion in me, but my silly brain sometimes has a hard time keeping up. I fought my way through college - some classes were easy, some almost beat me. But once I graduated and started "real life" everything suddenly fit together. It was a huge "ah-ha" moment for me. I knew it was right. I loved what I was doing, was good at it, and couldn't wait to do more of it. That is success to me. I had followed His plan for me and saw it reap the fruit He had intended. I am continuing to follow His plan, step by step - sometimes it is so hard I don't know how to keep doing it (family, kids, bills, travel, work) but I trust that He knows what He's doing. As long as I stay on the path, I call it success!
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
I am having a hard time choosing between determination and resilience! You have to be so determined to continue to perform at your best and keep all the plates spinning at once. But you also have to be incredibly resilient in order to bounce back from the failed experiments/projects/tests/reviews etc. You can't let some poor performance affect all future performance poorly.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your career is to find a mentor. My first mentor in my first job encouraged me to go the extra mile, put in the extra effort, and above all - get along with others, even when they weren't nice to me. Drown them in kindness...at the same time as out performing them. Being motivated and optimistic are lessons I learned from my first mentor, who was able to juggle her family amidst travel and military moves.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Trust in your ability. Lack of self-confidence is such an enemy to the success of so many women. It is our bane (pun intended). We must be able to know when we don't know the answer and admit it. But we also must be able to assert ourselves when we know the answer - and be right about it. We cannot feign knowledge anymore than we should feign ignorance. And quietly taking a step back while others solve the problem is the same thing as feigning ignorance. Jump in and be the problem solver, at the same time as knowing your limits and being able to rely on other experts to support you. It takes self-confidence to admit weaknesses and then work to fill in the gaps.
I grew up in a suburb of LA, with some amazing opportunities for creative extracurricular activities that allowed me to express myself and to practice my leadership skills. I had two incredible teachers in middle school in math and science that encouraged me to bring out my inner nerd, and ever since then I've loved to explore my potential in STEM! I attended Space Camp in 7th grade and that's when I knew I wanted to be involved in space development. I wasn't sure how at the time, but seeing how my path has unfolded I am so grateful for the inspiration I received as a kid that pushed me to where I am now.
I am currently halfway through a masters degree (distance learning) in System Engineering, with a focus on space technology. I have an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Aerospace Engineering, a minor in Gender and Women's Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Space Systems Engineering.
My job title is officially Captain in the US Air Force, and my technical title is Launch Mission Manager at Vandenberg Air Force Base. We change jobs every few years in the Air Force in order to gain breadth of experience as a foundation for future leadership positions, so I've had lots of different technical jobs in the past. My favorites have been Space Systems Engineer on an experimental satellite program where I got to determine and write requirements which fulfilled specific experiment criteria, operating a multi-million dollar satellite and testing its limits before it burned back into the atmosphere on re-entry, and learning how to design and assemble a launch vehicle (rocket).
When I was in college I was part of the ROTC program, which is kinda like an internship. Since my job upon graduating would be in the Air Force, I was giving my time to learn how to succeed at that. The great part was, we got to take weekend trips to local bases where we learned about the technology they used there to perform their jobs. It was pretty cool. In the summers we attended programs that were leadership focused, which has helped me manage large teams of engineers working together on complex projects (called Integrated Product Teams).
Volunteering and having a willing-to-work personality is so important in STEM programs. Offering to take the harder project, to help others with their work, to stay the extra couple of hours to get something done, to put in the needed effort to do a job well - all of these things make you stand out as an engineer and get you noticed. You are much more likely to get the cool jobs, and big programs, the complicated problems to solve, when you prove yourself in the smaller jobs and details. Having the willingness to learn how to do something and run a problem down til it's solved sets you apart from your peers. Practicing this through volunteer work at school, doing extra programs and homework, and even working for things that are completely unrelated (like at the library or animal shelter) all foster that work ethic that is so valuable.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My current job is to manage specific types of incoming launch programs for Vandenberg Air Force Base. I work with the Minotaur family of launch vehicles and literally know the technology inside and out. I need to be the subject matter expert to the organizations I interface with regarding launch range requirements, safety regulations, and schedule and finance management. I get to coordinate with lots of great people every day - it's a very social job! I worked at the launch vehicle design office and manufacturing plant for a year before I got this job, so that I would be able to make technical decisions knowledgeably. On a daily basis I attend a couple meetings to share information about decisions various people have made, problems we have solved, and paperwork we've finished. I send tons of emails to people to gather information to help me make decisions. I also visit the facilities which process and store the launch hardware, making sure different equipment stays within certification so launches go smoothly. I manage a team of personnel who are experts in handling the hardware and make sure they have what they need to do their jobs. I also report to my boss and let him know what we've accomplished and what we need so he can get the resources we need for mission success.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Everything about my job is STEM! I love working hands-on with the launch hardware. I love writing out technical requirements based on a vague "needs statement" from a customer and then seeing if we can figure out the best solution - it's like a complicated word problem that you turn into a complicated math problem. I love graphing out the solutions in Excel to show visually what my scratchy-notes told me - this helps the higher-up managers understand what you're telling them. And I love working with the mechanics and technicians that know every nut and bolt on a launch vehicle by name. My degree is in Aerospace Engineering, and I focused on space technology. My senior design project was to work on a team (much like an IPT) as the systems engineer to design a mission to the moon and back. The skills I learned during that project I use everyday on the job. Of course, I don't apply every class I took every day, and some days I don't apply hardly any classes at all, but the general technical background coupled with the hands-on experience of my first couple of years on the job, have enabled me to learn how to find solutions to technical problems, even if I've never learned the material before.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
I am incredibly blessed to be an officer in the Air Force in the year 2015. The opportunities they have provided me with have been above and beyond what I have seen from so many of my peers in the private sector. I do not feel like I have ever been discriminated against for being a woman in STEM. I am a double minority in my job - I'm in STEM as well as in the military. So there are very very few women where I work. But there are lots of men with wives! And their learned ability to communicate with women has helped the lines of communication a lot. No matter where you work - whether it's with other women or with just men, women are still 50% of the planet. Sometime men need to remember that =) One of my biggest challenges is more socially than in upward mobility or job competence. I am not and cannot be "one of the guys." I do not laugh at crass jokes, I will not join in when people complain about their spouse, and I am unsympathetic to the men who have to take vacation time to relieve their stay at home spouse from baby-duty. I am a master at "putting things in perspective" for my peers and reminding them that I am a wife and mother, at the same time as an engineer and leader. Being upbeat, lighthearted, and still sticking to your beliefs and values will go a long way in gaining respect with your peers.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
Best - working with hardware. I don't care what hardware, whose hardware, if it's broken or working, how old it is etc. I just want to touch it, put it together, take it apart, fix it, test it, and blow it up. Always. Every day.
Worst - paperwork. Excel spreadsheets don't count. I mean more like permission slips, progress reports, safety description etc. Necessary evils to get to the hardware part.
Change - I need a window in my office...and a door...and a ceiling. Cube farms are SO counter-productive. I have to have headphones on all the time just to be able to focus. And I have beautiful panoramas of National Parks all over my "walls" as my windows =)
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
One of my mottos is "work to live." Of course, it's only a pseudo motto cuz I also love my work - win-win! But I am always remembering that the ultimate purpose of my work (besides saving the world and all that) is so that I can enjoy my family and enable a high quality of life for our many adventures. This is my priority. But I also believe you have to do your best at your job - which inherently creates a conflict of interest. I do not have any secrets. I intend to maintain my career until my 50s, when I will retire early (lol). I have three kids - 6, 7 and 9, and I completely relate to all the women I know who have chosen to leave their career to become full time mothers. What an incredibly difficult choice to make! But on the other hand, I also know a handful of women who are the sole provider and their spouse has chosen to stay at home because her career was more successful than his. My husband and I both work full time as engineers. I know so many couples that continue to make the decision every single day to have two working parents. And then one day the balance tips and the decision changes. Keeping an open mind about your future, not judging anyone harshly for their personal choices, and trusting in God's personal plan for you are the only advice I can give on how to juggling the two. It's tough! But so many of us do it - you will not be alone.
7. What do you define success as?
This is very personal for me and I realize it won't fit everyone's way of life. My definition of success is figuring out and following God's path for me. I believe that God has a very specific plan for my life, one that He will use for the good of His master plan, and that all I have to do is listen carefully to his instructions and then obey Him. OK! So when I got a C in AP Physics in High School and He said "Kelly, get an Aerospace Engineer Degree" - I uncertainly said OK. I loved technical stuff and building things, blowing things up, designing things etc. He put the passion in me, but my silly brain sometimes has a hard time keeping up. I fought my way through college - some classes were easy, some almost beat me. But once I graduated and started "real life" everything suddenly fit together. It was a huge "ah-ha" moment for me. I knew it was right. I loved what I was doing, was good at it, and couldn't wait to do more of it. That is success to me. I had followed His plan for me and saw it reap the fruit He had intended. I am continuing to follow His plan, step by step - sometimes it is so hard I don't know how to keep doing it (family, kids, bills, travel, work) but I trust that He knows what He's doing. As long as I stay on the path, I call it success!
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
I am having a hard time choosing between determination and resilience! You have to be so determined to continue to perform at your best and keep all the plates spinning at once. But you also have to be incredibly resilient in order to bounce back from the failed experiments/projects/tests/reviews etc. You can't let some poor performance affect all future performance poorly.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your career is to find a mentor. My first mentor in my first job encouraged me to go the extra mile, put in the extra effort, and above all - get along with others, even when they weren't nice to me. Drown them in kindness...at the same time as out performing them. Being motivated and optimistic are lessons I learned from my first mentor, who was able to juggle her family amidst travel and military moves.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Trust in your ability. Lack of self-confidence is such an enemy to the success of so many women. It is our bane (pun intended). We must be able to know when we don't know the answer and admit it. But we also must be able to assert ourselves when we know the answer - and be right about it. We cannot feign knowledge anymore than we should feign ignorance. And quietly taking a step back while others solve the problem is the same thing as feigning ignorance. Jump in and be the problem solver, at the same time as knowing your limits and being able to rely on other experts to support you. It takes self-confidence to admit weaknesses and then work to fill in the gaps.