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November 2003
Meet the GAVRT Operators!
Have you ever wondered about the people behind the voices that you hear when you are online with Mission Control during a Jupiter Quest Mission? We wanted to introduce you to the people you might spend up to 3 hours talking – at all hours of the morning and night!
| First off, we’d like to introduce Kim Bunnell… As Manager of Global Operations and part of the GAVRT Team since September 1999, Kim is sort of like our “Team Mom” – the one who keeps things running smoothly here in Mission Control. Kim graduated from San Gorgonio High School in 1975; she has been married for 26 years and has 3 children, only one of which is still living at home (she is a senior in high school). When Kim isn’t working, you can usually find her camping, boating, and bike riding with her family. In addition, she enjoys cross-stitching and would one day like to learn how to quilt and play the guitar. Next up are Serena and Kelli… As Mission Control Operators, Serena and Kelli can often be found working together during the midnight or early morning hours – keeping each other awake with their silly antics (hey, we get a little punchy after midnight around here!)… Our most “seasoned” operator, Serena has been with GAVRT since she was hired at the Lewis Center on September 14, 2000. She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the operation of DSS12 and her fellow operators would be lost without her! Serena is the artist in our family and she played a huge role in the design of the recently adopted GAVRT logo. Although she has wanted to be an astronaut since the age of 5, Serena may have to put those plans on hold for at least a few more years since she is the proud mommy of 6-month old Aurora Destiny. Kelli has been at the Lewis Center since July 30, 2001. When she was hired on as an office assistant for GAVRT, it was a part-time position and never, in her wildest dreams, did Kelli ever imagine she would be operating DSS-12. But, because of her desire to learn new and exciting things, that is exactly where she ended up and, although the hours can be treacherous at times, being an operator is immensely rewarding. Kelli has been married 16 years and is the proud mom of 14-year-old Andrew and 12-year-old Gabi (both of whom attend school at the Lewis Center – a big plus for Mom!). What can we say about Matt?? Matt began working at the Lewis Center in September 2002, and is the youngest member of the GAVRT Team (he just celebrated his 21st birthday on September 24!). Just a few days following graduation from Serrano High School in 2000, this dedicated young man began attending ITT Tech in San Bernardino and didn’t stop until he graduated 2 years later! Matt majored in Networking and, upon graduation, scored honors in Information Technology. Although Matt was originally hired as a part-time “tech guy,” we were lucky enough to nab him as a Radio Console Operator for GAVRT – and his expertise in the computer department has certainly come in handy! During his off time, Matt enjoys snow and skateboarding, surfing, offroading, Japanese animation, and hanging out with his friends. IntroducingChris… Chris has been with the Lewis Center for three years, first as a math and science teacher and as a Radio Console Operator for GAVRT. Prior to his career in education, which has spanned 15 years, Chris worked in the electronics industry. His passion for learning new things and inspiring young students is a definite asset to those of us in GAVRT! In addition to being a teacher, Chris has four children keeping him busy at home, plus one who is away at college. Chris’ GAVRT nickname is ‘Sputnik’, after the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth (which, by the way, was launched when Chris was in the seventh grade; ask him how big computers were back then!!). And finally, our newest member, Terry… Although Terry is our newest team member, she has actually been with the Lewis Center longer than any of us (she has 5 years under her belt!). She began as the AAE/LCER Receptionist, but her interest in science and her desire to challenge herself is what brought her to GAVRT (lucky us!). Terry serves as an assistant in Mission Control, although she is well on her way to becoming a full-fledged operator one day. During her downtime, Terry enjoys writing beautiful poetry, gardening, reading, crafting, drawing, and singing (she has an awesome voice). She has been married 17 years and is a mother with 3 sons. |