Reach, Strive, Achieve: Sandra Cauffman's TEDx Talk

On October 23, 2014 Sandra Cauffman was invited to talk at the TEDx PuraVidaJoven at the National Auditorium in San Jose, Costa Rica, where she was born. Her story is how a Costa Rican girl from a poor family nurtured an improbable dream about space travel, and despite the obstacles, made that dream come true. Sandra's determination and perseverance fueled her ability to achieve what many people thought she should not even consider. Sandra Cauffman is currently the GOES-R Deputy System Program Director at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Her previous role as Deputy Project Manager for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Mission, was a NASA mission which launched to the red planet on November of 2013. A four-time recipient of the NASA Acquisition Improvement Award, Sandra has been awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the NASA Exceptional Leadership Medal. She is a Senior Fellow on the Council for Excellence in Government. Sandra received a B.S. in Physics, a B.S in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering, all from George Mason University.