Candy Torres Speaking Fee: $10,000 and Below

Candy Torres is a pioneering aerospace technologist whose career has spanned over four decades in the space industry. Born in Manhattan in 1953 to Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in the Bronx and South River, New Jersey. From a young age, Torres was captivated by space exploration. At 15, she joined the Civil Air Patrol and learned to fly a plane before she could drive. Despite facing gender and cultural barriers, she pursued her passion with determination. Torres attended Douglass College at Rutgers University, where she designed her own major in space science, combining courses in astronomy, geology, and aerospace engineering. Upon graduating in 1976, she began working at Princeton University's Astrophysics Department on the OAO-3 Copernicus satellite project. There, she developed her programming skills, which became instrumental in her future roles. In 1984, Torres moved to Houston to work as a software engineer for McDonnell-Douglas at NASA's Johnson Space Center. She contributed to the Space Shuttle program by developing software for flight controllers and later worked on the International Space Station (ISS) in various capacities, including configuration management and operations planning. Her work was integral to numerous missions and advancements in human spaceflight. Beyond her technical contributions, Torres has been a passionate advocate for STEM education and diversity in the sciences. She founded Technorican, a platform to promote Latinx representation in STEM fields, and has spoken internationally on the importance of inclusion in science and technology. Her memoir, "Born on the Moon: Living in the Space Age," published in 2020, chronicles her journey and experiences in the space industry. Today, Torres continues to inspire future generations through her public speaking, writing, and artistic endeavors. Her story is a testament to resilience and the pursuit of one's dreams, regardless of the obstacles faced.