By Natalia Rueda 
In a historic moment for both NASA and Colombia, engineer Diana Trujillo made her debut as flight director at Johnson Space Center to lead flight number 108. Originally from Cali, Colombia, Trujillo fulfilled her dream of being part of the U.S. space agency after immigrating to the United States at the age of 17. Despite the language barrier, she persevered and her determination led her to achieve her goal.
At 44 years old, Trujillo reached a new career milestone by becoming one of seven flight directors at the Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas. Her role is to oversee NASA’s program to return to the Moon and ensure the safety of the astronauts in orbit, a task of great responsibility that requires her leadership and skills to achieve the success of this historic mission.
During her inaugural speech Trujillo introduced her team, ‘We are Flight’, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, teamwork and highlighting the skills and passion of each team member. She also presented the insignia that will accompany and represent the team during this new phase. The insignia sports the colors of the Colombian flag, paying homage to Trujillo’s roots and features elements that make reference to her previous experience with Mars.
This milestone for NASA is also a celebration of Latino representation and the diversity of skills and backgrounds within the agency. Trujillo leads a team comprised of Heidi Brewer, Ronak Dave, Chris Dobbins, Garrett Hehn, Nicole McElroy and Elias Myrmo, who will work together to successfully accomplish this mission.
Her appointment as Flight Director is a remarkable achievement, not only for Trujillo herself but for all women. As a woman and a Latina, Trujillo is breaking barriers and inspiring future generations to never stop fighting for their dreams until they become a reality.