Who I Am
My name is Jesús Ortiz. I work at Kennedy Space Center with INDYNE Inc. as a computer programmer and analyst for the Facility Project Management System (FPMS) program. I live in Orlando, Florida with my wife Carmen Socorro Ortiz and my 4 year-old son Jesús Gabriel. We love the Orlando area and are currently having our home built here! Along with staying busy at Kennedy Space Center I also volunteer a lot of time with Saint Isaac Jorgues Church. I have been working on a web site for the church so feel free to visit the site at http://www.st-isaac.org . I enjoy working with youth groups in the church. I teach computer applications and introduction to programming classes at Florida Metropolitan University. I also enjoy working out with weights.

What I Do
As I mentioned earlier I work with the FPMS project at Kennedy. The FPMS is a computer program that guides project managers in the development of buildings and other facilities. The system is used from the beginning of a project all the way through to completion. Let's say that we need a building such as the Space Station Processing Facility. The system assists the project manager develop a project study, define the project, develop the budget, track the progress of the project - virtually it acts as a guide to the manager and keeps everything on a logical track. The program has been used effectively for about fifteen years and has evolved into a management model for many of the centers. I have been working with FPMS for five years now.

My Career Journey
I attended High School at Villa Fontana Superior in Carolina Puerto Rico and graduated in 1983. After completing high school I decided to attend the University of Puerto Rico to study Computer Science. I graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in 1988 with my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. From the time I was little I knew that I wanted to live in Orlando Florida because of my interest in the space program. Having my degree in computer science would accomplish two of my goals. First, I would be working in a field I really enjoy and secondly I would increase my chances of working at Kennedy Space Center. A few months after graduating I moved to Orlando. Unfortunately at the time I moved, Kennedy Space Center had a hiring freeze so I began working with a banking institution in Orlando. In 1992 I was reading the newspaper and saw an advertisement for employment at Kennedy that seemed to have MY name on it! I followed through with the interview and was soon hired and began my work at KSC! Since working at KSC I have been involved with hardware, software, networking and many other aspects of computers. In 1994 NASA opened their Master Program for their KSC employees to contractors. I joined the group and I graduated in 1996 with a Master of Science in Engineering Management from University of Central Florida. In 1995 I began working with the FPMS program. I do most of my work in Visual FoxPro. This software is specialized for use in large databases.

Influences
The Space Program has been a major influence in my life. When I was young I used to track the space shuttle test missions and follow them very closely. Also, I used save newspaper and any information about the space shuttle and the first astronauts that flew on it. I remember playing with my nephew, when he pretended to be John Young and I pretended to be Robert Crippen. I was always fascinated with him and his first flight in the space shuttle Columbia. I knew early in life that I wanted to work at Kennedy Space Center.

When I started working in KSC, I took the elevator and when the door opened, this familiar person got in ... It was Mr. Crippen! I remember he said Hi! - I was speechless (I guess he figured out I was in shock!) until finally I responded back to him. I will never forget that day when I met the person I pretended I was when I was a kid. Also, I was close to my science teachers, they always encouraged me to study the science field.

Advice
EDUCATION first! It is very important to learn all that you can and to take advantage of the education opportunities around you. Secondly - set goals. Once you reach those goals set new ones. This advice will keep you focused in life.