Janae Elkins, Tiffany House, Jena Kent, and Jennifer Melton were part of a group of NOAA employees recognized at the Women of Color STEM Digital Conference in 2021.
Janae Elkins is an early-career professional at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She was recognized as a Technology Rising Star. Elkins graduated from Jackson State University (JSU) in 2018. While attending JSU, she had a unique opportunity to be a part of one of NOAA’s Centers for Atmospheric Science and Meteorology.
"I had many NOAA and National Weather Service (NWS) mentors, paid internships, and several opportunities to attend national conferences and meetings at NOAA Headquarters in Maryland," she told NOAA. "Along with being exposed to NOAA through NCAS, the JSU meteorology program has a strong alumni network. Several NOAA employees who are JSU alumni would come back and speak to students and provide mentorship."
Because of this, Elkins became interested in the NWS and sought employment at the Weather Forecast Office in Jackson, Mississippi.
Jena Kent, also a Technology Rising Star award winner, is an oceanographer attached to the NOAA Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. She started her career at NOAA through an internship with the NWS Forecast Office in Wakefield, Virginia, as a meteorological aide in 2002.
"During my internship, I learned about every aspect of the meteorologist positions at the office," she said. "After graduating from college, I moved to Maryland in hopes of increasing my chances of getting a job at NOAA Headquarters. In 2005, I became an oceanographic data analyst, and a federal government contractor, for the National Ocean Services' Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS). In 2010, I became a full-time federal employee."
Tiffany House started at NOAA's National Ocean Service after graduating from Central State University in 2007.
NOAA's 2021 Technology All-Star awardee was Jennifer Melton . She is chief of the Environmental Compliance Division/Safety and Environmental Compliance Office. Initially, she worked for the Army Corps of Engineers as a plant operations engineer, and then with the Department of the Navy as a remedial project manager."I am currently the commercialization specialist of the NOAA Small Business Innovation Research Program within NOAA Research," she said. "I'm honored to serve in my role of doing everything I can to help small businesses get their technology or products to the marketplace; it is not only a super fantastic job but critical support for small businesses."
"I came to NOAA as the manager of the Environmental Compliance Division within the Safety and Environmental Compliance Office," she told NOAA. "While in this role, I have grown the division to better support NOAA Line Offices and Corporate Services, enabling them to execute their mission while maintaining compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations aimed at protecting human health and the environment."
