Amy Heartsill, EVA Increment Manager

Amy Heartsill
Position: EVA Increment Manager
Length of time at NASA: 4 years, 12 years previously at Boeing


Parenthood changed the way Amy Heartsill looked at work. Her husband, a navigation officer aboard a deepwater exploratory drilling ship, works three-week shift rotations. To compensate, Heartsill takes advantage of NASA’s flexible working schedule and the JSC Child Care Center to maximize time spent with her two-year-old son. Her son already recognizes the NASA logo and will point and exclaim “NASA!” He also takes her business cards and shows them to people, telling them that his mom works at NASA.

“My job responsibilities prior to motherhood involved a good deal of after-hours work supporting International Space Station missions and international travel,” Heartsill said. “My directorate was sensitive to these challenges and understood the conflicting job of balancing home and work. I miss my previous assignments, but it is part of the juggling act required to balance parenthood and career.”

Heartsill’s parenting advice: Parents need “patience, tolerance, and tenacity. Don't get discouraged, there are a lot of other parents out there in your shoes.”

Elizabeth Kalla, Space Station Communication Mission Manager

Elizabeth Kalla
Position: Communication Mission Manager for Space Station
Length of time at NASA: 17 years


Phone calls to home at 4 a.m. are a must for Elizabeth Kalla when she is more than 5,000 miles from home. Kalla works with NASA’s Russian and European partners, and that often means two- to three-week trips abroad. But she often brings her work home -- work colleagues, that is. Her Russian “family” visits her own family in the United States and often stays at her home for two weeks. Her kids have enjoyed eating Russian food and learning how to speak Russian.

“We have had Russians celebrate Thanksgiving with us many times, which is nice for the kids since they are the ‘expert’ on the traditions and can teach other people about it,” Kalla said.

Kalla’s parenting advice: “Maintain a balance! Enjoy your job and colleagues, but remember that your kids will only be young once.”

Lauri Hansen, Deputy Director, Engineering Directorate

Lauri Hansen
Position: Deputy Director, Engineering Directorate
Length of time at NASA: 20 years


When Lauri Hansen’s son is asked what his mom does for a living, he proudly exclaims, “My mommy builds spaceships!” As the Deputy Director of the Engineering Directorate, Hansen sometimes has a busy schedule.

To compensate, she reads to her children every night and makes sure to be available for them on the weekends. She also goes to her son’s classes to give speeches and hand out space goodies.

Hansen’s parenting advice: “Be clear from the start about your time limitations. Prior to accepting this job, I made it clear that I'm not willing to (work 60-hour weeks) as a regular thing. Since my boss has accepted that up-front, it at least leaves me with less guilt when I leave at the end of the day.”