Andrea began her NASA career as a Mechanical Engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center, where she built a distinguished foundation in project management—leading the development and delivery of complex, high-impact space science systems. During the past 15 years, she served in senior executive roles at NASA Headquarters, serving as Deputy Director of Astrophysics and Assistant Director of Planetary Science. In these positions, she oversaw portfolios encompassing more than a dozen NASA missions and international collaborations. Andrea concluded her NASA tenure as the Senior Agency Official responsible for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), guiding one of the world’s premier centers for robotic space exploration. Before joining NASA, Andrea worked as a Defense contractor, contributing to engineering development projects for the U.S. Navy. Her career also included a White House appointment as a Policy Analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she helped shape national science initiatives. Andrea holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Brown University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering design from The Catholic University of America.