Her Story
About Ellie
My journey in space medicine began right out of high school when I was selected for Phase 1 of the Dream Moon mission. Although I didn't advance to Phase 2, that experience ignited my determination to keep working toward becoming an astronaut or doing something meaningful in the space industry. I continued doing analog astronaut work, and during one of those missions while wearing a spacesuit, I identified a problem that needed solving. That's when I started my own company to address that challenge. Today, I lead the company as CEO, working with my engineering team to design prototypes. My typical day involves morning email writing, calls with trainees and astronauts, and hands-on work with my engineering team on our medical device. My background in cybersecurity has been invaluable in ensuring our device is safe and secure, with proper data protection for wearers. I'm currently transferring to a new school to study aerospace physiology, which I'm incredibly excited about as it will further strengthen my work in this field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ellie
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from a friend of mine who was my commander on one of my training missions. He took me to the side and told me I need to be like a zero. At the time, I didn't really understand what he meant, but looking back, it was probably one of the best pieces of advice. You can try to achieve high things and try your hardest, but sometimes you just need to step back a little bit and just be a zero instead of a one all the time, because that can actually be a negative one. That could lead to burnout and other issues where you're not really in the middle, not with your crew or the people you need around you. So it's basically always try to be a zero. He learned that from the person he looks up to, which is Chris Hadfield.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, it's not just about personal recognition or my business accomplishments. I grew up in a rural part of America where the space industry wasn't really seen as a big topic at all. What matters most to me is inspiring others to do cool things and passing that baton on to so many others. Every time I get into a spacesuit or go on an analog mission, one of my biggest thoughts is about the people back at home that are struggling and the people who are rooting for me. I need to get to the next level for them. It's about bringing new possibilities to the realm of marginalized people and making sure that the work I'm doing benefits everyone back at home. That's what drives me and brings my work to the next level.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Nebraska
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.