NASA 2016 Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Implementation Plan

 

FY 2016 – FY 2019

August 15, 2016
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 2 

MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR 

At NASA, we have long recognized diversity and inclusion (D&I) 

as vital components of mission success. The D&I Plan for FY 16-

19 provides a roadmap for continuing to do so throughout this 

decade. As we approach the next decade of space exploration 

and scientific advance, we need diverse people and perspectives 

more than ever before. As I said when we launched the NASA 

D&I Framework in 2010, “Diversity and inclusion are integral to 

mission success at NASA. First and foremost, our commitment to 

these principles helps us to ensure fairness and equity in all of 

our decision making. Diversity and inclusion also help us to fully 

engage and utilize the talents, backgrounds, and capabilities of 

individuals and teams, allowing us to create and maintain a work 

environment where diverse ideas are highly valued and viewed 

as critical to effective technical solutions, the lifeblood of NASA's work. In turn, individuals can 

reach their potential and maximize their contributions to our strategic goals.” 

That is just as true today as it was then. From a strategic standpoint, we are approaching the 

most complex and challenging project of our storied career as an agency: the journey to Mars. 

Getting there will require the best talent the country has to offer, and it will require a NASA 

organizational environment that encourages, even demands, creativity, innovation, and the 

freedom and support needed to pursue excellence. We know that creative minds and 

innovators do not all come in the same package – they don’t look alike, think alike, or come 

from the same regional, educational, or cultural backgrounds. Those are facts – and we must 

continue to take them into account if we want to go on arriving at the best technical solutions 

and building on NASA’s legacy as a world leader in science, aeronautics, space exploration, and 

technology. 

I am extremely proud of the strides NASA has made on its D&I journey over the past six years. 

We have been recognized many times as the best place to work in government. Now is the time 

to ramp up our efforts. I challenge all senior leaders, managers, and employees, whether 

supervisory or not, to make D&I an integral part of their strategic decision-making and everyday 

workplace interaction. Now more than ever before, as we focus on landing humans on Mars, we 

must recognize that we will not reach our goal unless we value both technical expertise and 

commitment to D&I equally. I know that those astronauts who will walk on Mars one day, young 

as they are now, will be a highly capable, extremely diverse group of individuals. Let’s honor that 

dream of tomorrow by making diversity and inclusion the values we live today. 

Charlie B. 
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 3 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................4

PRINCIPLE 1 – DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT................7

PRINCIPLE 2 – EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND....................................... 

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.............................................................10 

PRINCIPLE 3 – CONTINUOUS D&I EDUCATION.......................................

AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT..............................................................12 

PRINCIPLE 4 – DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT .....................................

TO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS........................................................14 

PRINCIPLE 5 – SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY AND ...................................

RESPONSIBILITY FOR D&I................................................................16 
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 4 

Introduction 

Creating a diverse and inclusive NASA work environment is critical to the successful 

accomplishment of NASA mission objectives. Staying competitive in today’s global marketplace 

and economy requires an organizational culture and work environment at all levels of the Agency 

where the best and brightest minds - employees with varying perspectives, education levels, 

skills, life experiences, and backgrounds - work together to achieve excellence and realize 

individual and organizational potential. 

In August 2011, President Obama issued Executive Order 13583, Establishing a Coordinated 

Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce, outlining 

a commitment to equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion for the Federal Government and 

identifying focused, collaborative actions for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 

(EEOC), and the President’s Management Council (PMC) as well as separate actions for 

executive agencies. Soon thereafter, OPM issued the Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan and in response to that plan, NASA developed its 2011-2015 Diversity and 

Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan. 

For the Agency’s 2016-2019 D&I Plan, the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Partnership (DISP) 

Leadership Working Group developed the plan, which incorporates effective and measureable 

actions to assist the Agency in achieving its D&I goals. 

This plan helps ensure mission success for NASA by enabling a positive environment valuing 

diversity and inclusion. 

Defining Diversity and Inclusion 

The Agency’s definitions for diversity and inclusion are intended to establish a shared 

understanding of the meaning of these terms. We have, therefore, sought to define these terms 

in the simplest, most straightforward manner possible. Diversity is the similarities and differences 

in the individual and organizational characteristics that shape our workplace. Inclusion is the 

means by which we optimize the benefits of the NASA workforce inherent in our diversity to create 

more inclusive work environments. 
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 5 

The Value of Diversity and Inclusion for NASA 

Internal Drivers 

Today, the U.S. workforce is more diverse than ever before - the Nation’s best and the brightest 

represent an endless variety of cultural, geographical, and educational backgrounds, not to 

mention life experiences and perspectives. We know the best employees come from different 

backgrounds and hold divergent viewpoints and that workforce diversity, when fully utilized, leads 

to inclusion of more ideas and viewpoints, which in turn leads to more creativity and innovation. 

The bottom line is that NASA must attract, fully utilize, and retain the best talent to design creative 

and innovative technical and organizational solutions to achieve its mission, NASA must be 

viewed as an employer of choice for a diverse workforce. 

External Drivers 

NASA, like all organizations, has a mission and a series of goals and objectives designed to help 

achieve it. NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, research and 

development, aeronautics and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, 

economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth. The Agency’s stakeholders include the U.S. 

Congress, the commercial space industry, the American public, and ultimately all of humankind. 

NASA needs to be reflective of the diversity of America at all levels of the organization. We must 

educate a more diverse American public on the need for robust space and aeronautics programs 

and their value in advancing U.S. scientific, technical security, and economic interests. Awareness 

and motivation for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational and 

job opportunities are lacking, and too many students/families are unaware of the available 

resources and potentials. NASA will increase outreach efforts to encourage and motivate people, 

especially young people (the “Mars Generation”), in diverse and underserved communities to 

pursue careers in STEM. We also need to work as effectively as possible with a host of industry 

and international partners. A comprehensive, fully realized approach to diversity and inclusion is 

a powerful tool that can assist in accomplishing all of these objectives. 

Principles of a Successful Diversity and Inclusion Approach 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Framework 

The Agency Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan is the centerpiece of the NASA 

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Framework. The framework was initiated in FY 2010 to: 

 Fully integrate diversity and inclusion into the strategic decision making of the Agency to 

enhance organizational effectiveness, help achieve mission goals, and meet the 

challenges that lie ahead. 
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 6 

 Strategically utilize and expand workforce talents, skills, and opportunities to maximize 

individual potential and productivity Agency wide. 

The framework provides the Agency with a solid foundation, based on recognized principles, for 

fully integrating D&I into NASA’s mission and strategic decision making and developing strategies 

and initiatives at both the Agency and Center levels. These principles are: 

1. Demonstrated Leadership Commitment 

2. Employee Engagement and Effective Communication 

3. Continuous D&I Education, Awareness, and Skills Development 

4. Demonstrated Commitment to Community Partnerships 

5. Shared Accountability and Responsibility for D&I

The five principles along with effective measurements of D&I efforts are intentionally broad to 

allow the Agency and Center diversity leadership to expound upon and further specify the 

mechanisms through which the principles will be implemented. The broad-based nature of the 

principles is consistent with the framework’s intent to provide latitude to leadership Agencywide 

in developing this plan and Center plans to operationalize the framework. 

This plan is NASA’s blueprint for fully leveraging our diversity over the course of four years. As 

such, it provides innovative guidelines and strategies consciously designed to enhance the 

inclusiveness of our work environments and further broaden the reach of our education, 

recruitment, and small business efforts. The support and participation of everyone, including 

executive leaders, managers, supervisors, and employees, are critical for successful 

implementation of this plan. Responsibility for achieving the goals set forth in this plan resides 

with all of us. With this in mind, the plan identifies the officials and offices with primary 

responsibility for program implementation, while at the same time recognizing that all of us are 

required to advance the D&I goals and strategies. 
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 7 

PRINCIPLE 1 – DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT 

Goal: All levels of Agency leadership, following the example of the Administrator and 

Deputy Administrator, will demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion 

through career assignments and awards, their individual actions, and by highlighting the 

topic at leadership meetings.

Strategy 1.1

Monthly D&I Topic Discussions

Promote monthly D&I topics at Agency VITS; host topics at Center/Mission Directorate Senior staff 

meetings (similar to Safety and Counterintelligence topics) highlighting specific desired D&I 

behaviors, challenges, or information in order to help internalize D&I. 

Actions Measures Completion Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Conduct D&I topic 

discussions once per 

month at the Senior 

Leadership VITS.

Develop the plan and 

implementation 

schedule for both VITS 

(Agency) and 

MD/Center Senior staff 

meetings for D&I topic 

discussions.

9/30/2016 Associate Administrator 

(AA)/Mission Directorate 

(MD)/Center Directors 

(CD)

(2) Leaders at all levels 

conduct regular 

meetings to focus on 

diversity and inclusion 

topics.

Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Partnership 

(DISP) members 

Report out at 

appropriate DISP 

meetings.

9/30/2016 and 

ongoing

Agency and Center 

Leadership
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 8 

Strategy 1.2

Reverse Mentoring Engagement

Challenge each leader (from Administrator down to branch level) to mentor at least one employee 

who has a different set of experiences (reverse mentoring) and highlight/report/share experience at 

appropriate meetings. 

Actions Measures 

Completion 

Date 

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Administrator issues a 

challenge to Officials-inCharge (OICs) to participate 

in a reverse mentoring 

experience. 

Report at an Strategic 

Management Council (SMC) 

(date TBD)

12/30/2016 Administrator/

Office of Human 

Capital (OHCM)/ 

Office of Diversity 

and Equal 

Opportunity 

(ODEO)

(2) Expand reverse 

mentoring opportunity to all 

SES/ST/SL employees.

Results are reported in 

executive performance 

accomplishments

9/30/2017 Officials-in-Charge 

(OICs)/OHCM/ 

ODEO 

Strategy 1.3

Dashboard Reporting Measures

Develop a “dashboard” of metrics to be annually reviewed with the SMC, to include diversity in 

training, leadership positions, awards, and appointments to committees/boards/teams. 

Actions Measures Completion Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Recommend a 

standard set of metrics 

to be used to assess 

the Agency’s progress 

in providing career 

Recommendation is 

adopted by SMC. 

Baseline data is 

developed.

12/30/2016 OHCM/ODEO
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 9 

enhancing 

opportunities, awards, 

and recognition to a 

diverse cross-section of 

the workforce. 

(2) Collect data and 

review annually at SMC

Review and assess 

against baseline

12/30/2017 OHCM/ODEO

Strategy 1.4

Benchmark Other Organizations 

Benchmark other organizations, federal/civilian/private corporations/non-profits, to continue to 

move NASA’s D&I effort forward and to serve as idea generators for advancing NASA’s D&I efforts. 

Actions Measures Completion Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Benchmark the 

leaders in the D&I 

arena and compare to 

NASA to identify 

opportunities for 

improvement.

Assemble team to 

begin Actions #1 and 

#2.

9/30/2016 ODEO/OHCM

(2) Analyze and 

compile promising or 

emerging practices for 

consideration to assist 

in NASA’s D&I portfolio.

Complete Action #1 

Begin compilation of 

new programs and 

platforms

9/30/2017 ODEO/OHCM

(3) Present findings 

from benchmarking 

study to DISP for 

consideration for 

implementation.

Complete Action #2 

and assess results

9/30/2018 ODEO/OHCM

Using results from 

Action #3, begin 

implementation, where 

appropriate.

9/30/2019 ODEO/OHCM
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 10

PRINCIPLE 2 – EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND EFFECTIVE 

COMMUNICATION

Goal: NASA builds an inclusive, collaborative, open, and innovative work environment 

that enhances employees’ work life and encourages career development. 

Strategy 2.1

Strong Mentoring Programs

Promote strong and effective mentoring program to enable employee engagement and effective 

communication.

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Update and distribute 

2013 inventory of mentoring 

practices and programs and 

distribute widely.

Inventory is updated and 

distributed.

9/30/2016 OHCM and Center 

Human Resources 

(HR) Offices

(2) Develop a strategy for 

leveraging promising 

practices across Centers on

a regular basis, including 

mentoring programs for GS 

9-13s. 

Strategy is developed and 

publicizing has started.

9/30/2017 OHCM/Mentoring 

Community of 

Practice 

Strategy 2.2

Career enhancing leadership assignments 

Enable diverse/inclusive career leadership opportunities across NASA to enhance Senior Executive 

Service (SES) and Senior Leaders / Senior Technicians (SL/ST) workforce.
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 11

Actions Measures Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Actively monitor the 

ST/SL candidate pool and 

continue strategies to 

increase diversity among 

ST/SL cadre. 

Guidance Developed 2/28/2017 ST/SL Executive 

Resource 

Board/OHCM 

Report on progress at SMC

9/30/2017 AA, Executive 

Resource 

Board/OHCM

Strategy 2.3

Effective employee engagement

Enhance employee engagement through new and innovative forums that bring in diverse ideas, 

individuals and perspectives.

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Continue to increase 

employee engagement 

Agency-wide, including 

conducting activities such as 

breakfast seminars, lunch 

colloquia, “ask me anything” 

events, town halls, etc. with a 

diverse audience and the 

Agency leadership.

Identify and develop plans to 

integrate new actions or 

activities.

9/30/2016 ODEO/OHCM/ 

Centers

Baseline the engagement 

index of the Employee 

Viewpoint Survey (EVS) for 

the Agency and the Centers 

and track Center activities. 

9/30/2017 ODEO/OHCM/ 

Centers

Annually assess progress 

using the Engagement Index 

of the EVS report and track 

Agency and Center activities.

9/30/2018-19 ODEO/OHCM/ 

Centers
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 12

PRINCIPLE 3 – CONTINUOUS D&I EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Goal: NASA maintains a continuous program to ensure that all employees understand 

the importance of embracing D&I and acquire the skills needed to demonstrate actions 

and behaviors across the wide demographic of the Agency. 

 

Strategy 3.1

Heighten D&I Awareness

Raise awareness of D&I across the Agency using media; recognize leadership as part of award 

process; and enable effective D&I training.

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) HQs and Centers launch 

NASA D&I Websites and 

other social media; develop 

D&I posters, banners, videos 

and brochures; Ensure there 

is information available via 

social media.

Assess visitation to D&I 

websites. Report on Center 

success during Baseline 

Performance Reviews (BPR).

9/30/2016 HQ/Center EEO 

and D&I offices 

(2) Explore extending the 

EEO medal to include D&I as 

part of the Agency honor 

award.

Recommendation to DISP for 

inclusion.

9/30/2017 OHCM/Center HR 

Offices/Center 

Award Offices 

(3) Provide Just-in-Time 

training that incorporates 

implicit bias learning for 

specific actions: i.e., 

Recruitments, Selection 

Boards, accommodation 

requests, harassment 

allegations.

Assess and report progress 

of individual offices D&I EVS 

scores during June BPR.

9/30/2018 ODEO/OHCM and 

Center counterparts

Continue progress 

accomplished in prior years.

9/30/2019 (ODEO/OHCM and 

Center 

counterparts)
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 13

Strategy 3.2

Increase D&I Competencies for Managers, Supervisors and Employees

Increase D&I competencies through effective training programs online and classroom. 

Actions: Measures:

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Provide D&I training to all 

NASA managers, 

supervisors, and employees.

Monitor progress through 

existing survey instruments, 

EVS and D&I Survey Report 

on Center attendance and 

success during BPR.

9/30/2016 and 

Ongoing 

ODEO/Center EEO 

and Diversity offices

(2) Continue to embed D&I 

concepts in Agency/Center 

developmental training 

(Foundations of Influence, 

Relationships, Success, and 

Teamwork (FIRST), MidLevel Leader Program 

(MLLP), SES Candidate 

Program (SESCDP), 

Leveraging Agency 

Supervisory Excellence and 

Resilience (LASER), etc.), 

including Just-in-Time 

training.

Monitor progress through 

existing survey instruments, 

EVS and D&I Survey. Report 

on Center success during 

BPR.

9/30/2019 OHCM/ODEO

(3) Align efforts with 

Baseline Survey Assessment 

(BSA) “zero-based review”

(ZBR) on Agency-wide 

training to help enhance D&I 

training efforts.

Pending results of the zero 

based review recommend 

appropriate measures for the

training programs.

9/30/2017 Centers
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 14

PRINCIPLE 4 – DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY 

PARTNERSHIPS

Goal: Actively partner and build constructive relationships with schools, communitybased organizations, small businesses, and professional associations to expand 

outreach to diverse communities. 

Strategy 4.1

Educational involvement to promote early education and inclusion

Expand education and outreach with under-represented educational communities to foster early 

talent detection in K-12 students and engage students from previously unexplored schools (HQ and 

Centers).

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Each Center and 

Headquarters, under the 

leadership of the Agency 

Office of Education (OE), 

foster early talent detection 

through the adoption of 

“local” K-12 schools where 

there is a broad diverse 

student population.

Monitor progress and report 

on Center success during 

BPR.

9/30/2016 OE/Center

Directors/HQ

(2) Each Center and 

Headquarters, under the 

leadership of the Agency 

Office of Education (OE), 

conduct an annual 

activity/event/program with a 

non-traditional school, such 

as schools for the disabled 

Each Center conduct at least 

one event with a nontraditional school.

9/30/2017 OE/Center

Directors/HQ
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 15

and help promote NASA with 

broad-based groups and 

further enable diversity.

(3) NASA Senior Executives 

to actively support and 

participate in at least one 

outreach per year event 

promoting education and 

outreach to enhance diversity 

and outreach efforts.

Reach at least 50% 

participation from SES 

leadership in outreach 

activities. Report on progress 

at the BPR.

9/30/2018 OE/SESs/Centers/ 

HQ

Reach 100% participation 

from SES leadership in an 

annual activity.

9/30/2019 OE/Centers/HQ

Strategy 4.2

Small Business Program Goals to help expand diversity

Continue to enhance and accomplish small business program objectives to ensure broad and 

diverse partnerships for NASA.

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) NASA Office of Small 

Business Programs (OSBP) 

continue to work with Agency 

leaders and effectively

achieve or exceed small 

business program objectives 

Meet or exceed small 

business goals as an Agency

9/30/2016-

9/30/2019

OSBP 

(2) NASA Office of Small 

Business Programs works 

with the Office of 

Procurement (OP) to explore 

ways to expand participation 

of diverse suppliers.

Increase in minority owned 

businesses contracting with 

NASA (use comparison of a 

baseline statistic (number as 

of FY 2015) with the number 

in FY 2019

9/30/2016-

9/30/2019

OSBP/OP
 

NASA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan 16

PRINCIPLE 5 – SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR D&I

Goal: All leaders, managers and employees at NASA model inclusive behavior through 

individual and organizational actions that foster NASA’s ability to promote diverse 

viewpoints, backgrounds and experience. 

Strategy 5.1

Utilize performance plans to address D&I standards

Continue to incorporate D&I criteria in SES and GS supervisory performance plans to ensure D&I 

accountability.

Actions Measures

Completion 

Date

Primary Office 

Responsible

(1) Continue to include an

element in SES and GS 

supervisory performance 

plans to ensure 

accountability for D&I is

addressed in all 

organizations.

Monitor progress of senior 

leadership indicators relative 

to D&I in EVS Surveys.

9/30/2016 OHCM/ODEO

(2) Require annual 2nd level 

reviewer training to ensure 

the validation of distinguished 

ratings of SES and GS

supervisors in the D&I arena.

Monitor progress of 

supervisory indicators 

relative to D&I in EVS.

9/30/17 Centers/HQ