Gabrielle's Open Road
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Gabrielle Lee Highlight (1:10)
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Interview (8:39)
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Feeling Like You're Not Living Up To Your Own Expectations (1:42)
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Dealing With Mental Health Issues (1:49)
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There's No Set Path For Any Career (3:36)
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Day In The Life Of A Contracts Administrator At NASA (1:35)
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Coming To An Understanding With Your Parents (2:23)
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It's About Collaboration Not Competition (1:43)
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Finishing Things With Help From Others (2:15)
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You Don't Need To Be Perfect (2:31)
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Your College Major Doesn't Define Your Career Path (1:06)
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GABRIELLE LEE
Contracts Administrator
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
“In school, I was so insecure. But understanding that I didn't have to be perfect and live up to crazy expectations from parents and society freed me. Embrace imperfection.”
INTERESTS:
THEMES DISCUSSED:
Self-Reflection Struggle Experience Fulfillment Family Support & Encouragement Talent Perseverance Doubt Societal Pressures Education
FOUNDATION:
BIOGRAPHY:
- Had always dreamed of becoming a dancer and even auditioned for The Rockettes.
- Attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received her bachelor’s degree in dance choreography with a minor in English.
- Admits that in college, she took on way too much and, as a result, struggled with mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and OCD.
- After suffering numerous injuries and dealing with exhaustion, she decided to give up dancing professionally.
- Got married when she was 20 years old—her parents were initially unsupportive.
- Decided to go to graduate school at Eastern Washington University, where she received her master’s degree in creative writing.
- When she graduated, she found it difficult to find a job with a living wage in that field—she’s since worked as a teacher, an editor, a publisher, and a speech and writing coach.
- Now works as a contracts administrator for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she manages a portfolio of projects and acts as an advocate for technical personnel when it comes to paperwork.