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Katie Konans, NASA\u2019s audio and podcasting lead at the agency\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is one of two NASA employees named to Forbes\u2019 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. The other agency honoree, Clare Luckey, is a systems engineer at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/p>\n
Forbes\u2019 30 Under 30 list is a selection of young, creative, and bold minds the magazine\u2019s experts consider revolutionaries, changing the course of business and society. Forbes evaluated more than 20,000 nominees to decide on 600 business and industry figures, with 30 selected in each of 20 industries.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I joined NASA in 2018, the agency didn\u2019t have a dedicated audio program or strategy,\u201d Konans said. \u201cI was fresh out of an NPR member station fellowship, excited about the world of audio storytelling, and had the rare opportunity to build out a new part of NASA\u2019s communications program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will forever feel fortunate to have had that chance to experiment with a new medium and grow NASA\u2019s audio program into the storytelling unit it is today. I recognize what a unique privilege it is to get the time, space, and encouragement \u2013 to do something new and different, that also pushes against the status quo, and have that big bet pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Konans has revolutionized NASA\u2019s digital strategy through her work in audio communication. She is a creative communicator who works at the intersection of storytelling and strategy. Konan\u2019s work has expanded NASA\u2019s reach in the digital audio space, resulting in millions of downloads worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At NASA, she manages five active podcasts, including the flagship podcast \u201cNASA\u2019s Curious Universe,\u201d which she launched in 2020. Since taking the leadership role in 2019, she\u2019s grown the podcast audience to more than 8 million episode plays on Apple Podcasts alone, with a listener retention rate of 70% on average. She\u2019s received the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal, a Webby Award, and the Robert H. Goddard Award for her team\u2019s contributions to NASA\u2019s public engagement and communication.<\/p>\n
Prior to joining NASA, Konans was a features reporter at NPR affiliate Georgia Public Broadcasting, where she covered community-focused stories. Konans is passionate about working with students and is a coordinating mentor for Goddard\u2019s Office of Communications internship program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m from the small town of McDonough, Georgia. I graduated from Mercer University in 2019 as the first in my family to complete a traditional college degree, but not without overcoming significant roadblocks. I put myself through school, and really struggled financially to make it to the finish line. I didn\u2019t give up, and it\u2019s one of the big reasons I was able to make it to NASA.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to thank the many mentors I\u2019ve had along the way, but especially the faculty of Mercer University\u2019s Center for Collaborative Journalism. While I was battling those challenges, they saw something in me and truly encouraged me to reach for the stars. It\u2019s one of the reasons I\u2019m so involved in mentoring NASA\u2019s communications interns today \u2013 I know that having just one person in your corner can absolutely change your life.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2023, Konans also launched the agency\u2019s first Spanish podcast in collaboration with the NASA en Espa\u00f1ol team.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, NASA\u2019s podcasts reach hundreds of thousands of podcast listeners across the globe, sharing stories of space and science that educate, inspire, and encourage younger audiences to get curious about the world of science and space. Working with my team to share those stories is more than I could have ever dreamed of being a part of. It\u2019s incredibly rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n