Marcela Escobar Alava Appointed Social Security Administration SSA Chief Information Officer
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has named Marcela Escobar-Alava as the agency’s new chief information officer. Escobar-Alava has spent the past three years deeply involved in
technology operations at the White House as both chief of enterprise applications since May 2023, and as deputy director of technology since 2021.
The new SSA CIO also brings a wealth of private sector experience to government service, including stints as CIO at Monarch Landscape Companies, chief digital officer at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and divisional CIO at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“She has a wealth of experience in successfully building highly engaged, transformative, agile, and innovative organizations with a customer-first orientation,” said SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley in a statement. “She will make an excellent addition to our senior leadership team.”
Diana Trujillo Makes History as First Latina NASA Academy Graduate
Diana Trujillo becomes the 108th certified NASA Flight Director at the Johnson Space Center. Trujillo, a Colombian aerospace engineer, has shattered barriers to become the first Latina admitted into the prestigious NASA Academy, subsequently ascending to the esteemed role of NASA Flight Director. Born and raised in Colombia, she immigrated to the United States at the age of 17 to pursue her dream of working for NASA.
She enrolled in English as a Second Language courses, working full-time to support her studies in community college and later at the University of Florida and University of Maryland. After graduating, she worked on the Cygnus International Space Station resupply vehicle before joining JPL.
Prior to her current roles with the Perseverance mission, she worked in several roles on the Mars Curiosity and Constellation programs since joining JPL in 2008. Most recently, she served as the Mission Lead, Deputy Project System Engineer, Deputy Team Chief of the Engineering division for Curiosity (also known as the Mars Science Laboratory).
Command Master Chief Veronica C. Holliday, Director, U.S. Navy, Senior Enlisted Academy, Appointed the first Latina Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL) at SEA
CMDCM Veronica Holliday, a native of Reseda, California, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1995, and after boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, she attended Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) "A" School. She is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy Course (Class 183, Gray), Navy Leadership and Ethics Center Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat Course (Class 137), Executive Leadership Symposium, Naval Postgraduate School’s Navy Senior Leader Seminar, and the New Flag and Senior Executive Training Symposium.
Her operational assignments include USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74); command career counselor and leading petty officer of Executive Department aboard USS Howard (DDG 83) completing deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom; command career counselor at Expeditionary Strike Group 3; and command master chief aboard USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Boxer (LHD 4) and Commander, Carrier Strike Group 9. Command Master Chief Veronica C. Holliday will be relieving Director CMDCM David P. Martinez, marking a significant milestone in the Navy's leadership.
LATINA Style Magazine Vol.30#2