[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 60 - 12:39:18 ]
RE: [Oran/NASAChatHost] And now, we would like to introduce Peggy Wilhide from NASA Headquarters who is now online with us to answer your questions.
Hi, everyone--thanks for joining us

[ Brooke/Sheena - 58 - 12:38:44 ]
Do you think that it is important that more women get involved with the NASA associtation?

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 70 - 12:48:54 ]
Brooke and Sheena, Yes. It has been one of my primary focuses here at NASA. We have a lot of incredible women scientists, engineers, astronauts and managers who work here at NASA and I try to get them out in the public arena as much as possible.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 63 - 12:46:08 ]
RE: [April/FromRaleighNC] For Peggy, How do you keep the press interested in NASA activities and as a follow-up. How do you keep them focused on the positive instead of negative events?
April, It's easy keeping the press interested in NASA and in space, because the public is interested in space. We're very lucky to have a lot of talented scientists and engineers and astronauts, who do amazing things. As far as focusing on the positive instead of the negative, space is a very risky business and I think most people understand that we will have failure as well as success. Our failures are front page news but so are our successes!

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 64 - 12:46:57 ]
RE: [TysonsCornerDaughters] What are your major responsibilities at NASA?
I'm in charge of all the agency's public affairs activities. That includes all our media operations and our guest operations. It's a great job.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 65 - 12:47:39 ]
RE: [Alexandra] What activities were you involved in to develop stronger leadership skills?
Alexandra, I take as many management classes as I can...and I learn on the job all the time!

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 71 - 12:50:16 ]
RE: [Deidre] FOr Peggy, WHat is the latest news for NASA? Like has anything bad goen wrong lately?
We recently lost two Mars probes. It was very disheartening to the people who worked on the program, but we will learn from our mistakes. Space is a very risky business and we always learn from failure.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 72 - 12:51:55 ]
RE: [Valerie] What advice would you give to someone who writes to NASA and no one replies?
Write my assistant, Lorraine Walton. Her address is 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 76 - 12:53:02 ]
RE: [Heather/Central] Did anyone inspire you to become the occupation you have today? (a reporter.)
I've always been interested in public service and in journalism, but no one particular person comes to mind.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 77 - 12:53:22 ]
RE: [Brooke/Sheena] So Peggy,do you enjoy your job?
Yes, immensely.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 82 - 12:54:15 ]
RE: [Deederlamarco] Peggy, when did you want to become a reporter and why?
I wanted to become a reporter as soon as I started working on my college newspaper. I loved being a reporter. You learn new things every day.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 83 - 12:54:35 ]
RE: [Shayla] Are there more men or wemen doing the same job you do?
About half and half.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 87 - 12:56:13 ]
RE: [Gina] How much more do you have to compete as a woman in a field that is dominated by men just to get the recognition/opportunities that they have?
At NASA, it is absolutely an even playing field. My boss, the head of NASA, makes sure women are given an equal opportunity.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 88 - 12:57:31 ]
RE: [Deidre] For Peggy, where did u grow up and did it have any impact on your decisions for your future that you are in right now?
I moved around a lot when I was growing up. I spent time in Maryland, in Michigan and went to high school in Tampa, Florida. I really don't think location matters in determining what you want to do when you grow up.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 89 - 12:57:46 ]
RE: [Shannon] How long have you been in the NASA program?
Three years

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 90 - 12:59:15 ]
RE: [April] How is it different being a press secretary for the Vice President and being a press secretary for NASA
It's very different. Being press secretary for the Vice President is a lot of work and you have to sacrifice your social life completely! Being head of public affairs at NASA I have a staff of 40 people, so I have more management responsibilities.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 91 - 12:59:39 ]
RE: [Valerie] Can teenagers work with NASA?
Yes, most of our centers have summer programs for teenagers.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 95 - 13:00:24 ]
RE: [Brooke/Sheena] Do you think that your job is difficult to maintain all the time?
Sometimes. It can be very challenging at times, but I'm lucky to work with a lot of wonderful people who make it fun even in the most difficult times.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 96 - 13:02:04 ]
RE: [Rachel] Hi Peggy,Thanks for taking time to answer our questions. Why did you get out of politics? How was that different that working for NASA? Will you stay with what you are doing for a while?
I was in politics for about 10 years. It was fun and I learned a lot, but it wears you out after a while. When I had the opportunity to work at NASA, I jumped at it. NASA has a lot of really interesting people who have experience and expertise in areas I hadn't been exposed to before, so that's a big difference for me.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 97 - 13:03:16 ]
RE: [SusanAge12] Can you give us an example of a typical day?
That's hard. Every day is different. Today I went to a conference on Continuous Improvement from 8 [a.m.] to 10 [a.m.], then to a meeting of all the NASA news directors from 10 [a.m.] to 2 [p.m.], and now I'm talking with you.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 100 - 13:04:08 ]
RE: [Genny] What do you enjoy most about your job as a reporter for NASA?
Learning about things I never got a chance to learn about before.....

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 101 - 13:04:37 ]
RE: [Deidre] How many people are working in your feild of work at where you work?
I have 40 people on the public affairs staff.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 102 - 13:05:10 ]
RE: [Megan] are any other members in your family in the NASA program?
No.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 108 - 13:06:42 ]
RE: [Valerie] If teenagers can work with NASA, how?(i want info)
Valerie, Check our web site at http://www.nasa.gov, and if you can't find it, email my assistant, Lorraine Walton at lwalton@hq.nasa.gov.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 112 - 13:08:30 ]
RE: [Samantha/Smith] What other careers could you have chosen after leaving politics with your background? Was being involved in politics an asset?
yes, being in politics is an asset. You learn a lot about a lot of different areas and issues, like education, housing, defense, health care, etc., .you can go in any of those directions.

[ PeggyWilhide/NASAHq - 114 - 13:08:59 ]
RE: [Craigsdaughter] Do you ever have to not tell the truth or keep secrets about NASA?
No. We always tell the truth. Otherwise we would lose our credibility.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 113 - 13:08:31 ]
This concludes today's Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day chat with Peggy Wilhide from NASA Headquarters. We would like to thank Peggy for her thoughtful responses to our questions and for sharing her career experience with us today.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 115 - 13:09:45 ]
As a reminder, send us your feedback about today's chat with Peggy at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 116 - 13:12:13 ]
Check our Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day schedule at http://quest.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD00/schedule.html for other events happening today. Have a great day!

[ April - 117 - 13:12:34 ]
Thank you!!!

[ Brooke/Sheena - 118 - 13:13:12 ]
Peggy,before we must go I would like to thank you for devoting you time to answering my questions! Bye for now and THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!

[ Stacey - 121 - 13:13:12 ]
Thank you so much for taking time to chat and answer our questions.

[ Emilie - 122 - 13:13:12 ]
Thanks, bye

[ Corissa - 124 - 13:13:12 ]
Thank you, goodbye, and good luck!!