Kate Kubicek

Kate Kubicek is on a six-month detail as Technical Assistant to NASA Johnson Space Center Deputy Director.  Kate has been serving in a dual role as Gateway Program Deputy Chief Health and Performance Officer and JSC Human Health and Performance (HHP) Directorate Deputy Manager for Gateway. 

In this role, she is responsible for integrating and leading a team of technical experts in order to ensure Gateway Program elements meet Health and Medical Technical Authority (HMTA) standards as well as managing HHP resources from the Gateway Program.  Kate also serves as the Deputy Chair of NASA’s Human Systems Integration (HSI) Community of Practice.

Kate has more than twenty-five years of experience at JSC. She began her career with Krug Life Sciences as a Medical Operations Trainer and BME (Biomedical Engineering) Flight Controller.  She worked numerous Space Shuttle missions as a BME, including BME Mission Manager for STS-83. As International Space Station Lead BME, she led development of station Medical Operations team processes, data management, and operational documents in preparation for its operations. Kate also had the opportunity to use her medical operations expertise to support both ESA and JAXA as they prepared to provide medical support to their crew members during space station missions.   Since 2006, Kate has had varying roles leading cross-disciplinary teams responsible for tailoring and assessing compliance of NASA-STD-3001, including for the Constellation Program, the Commercial Crew Program, the Gateway Program, and the Human Landing System Program.  Kate has had additional special assignments including Human Systems Integration Implementation Strategy, Commercial Spaceflight Human Rating, and Health and Medical Technical Authority Training.

Kate grew up in Springfield, IL. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering (Mechanical Engineering concentration) from Louisiana Tech University while playing on their DI Volleyball team. Recently, Kate was a member of the NASA Next 2023 Leadership Cohort.