Employee Spotlight: Ava Afghahi
April 8, 2022
Centuria recognizes Ava Afghahi for always going above and beyond!
Ava is the Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GNC) Engineer for NASA’s Aqua and Aura satellites supporting Centuria’s Ground Systems and Mission Operations-2 (GSMO-2) subcontract at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). In this role, Ava has been consistently recognized for outstanding performance, always going the extra mile in support of her customer’s mission.
Thomas Rusu, Aqua Flight Systems Manager, said of Ava, “Ava has been a huge asset to the FOT since her start as a console operator. Now as an Aqua and Aura GNC Engineer, Ava has continued to push the limits of performance…She has continued to manage the workload, execute spacecraft maneuvers flawlessly, and has provided support to her fellow GNC engineers. Ava has also volunteered as a backup console operator should our console team staff be reduced due to [Covid-19] exposure… Ava’s positive attitude influences the entire team and keeps morale high. I can’t thank Ava enough for all that she has done for the EOS missions. She continues to be the best-of-best among our team.”
Ava’s commitment to Excellence through Service is evidenced by her consistent, exemplary performance of her duties, as well as those of her colleagues when necessary. The outstanding quality of her work and “go-getter” attitude is a credit to herself, NASA, and Centuria. Ava represents a model employee, team member, and leader and Centuria is grateful that she is part of our company. Well done, Ava, and thank you for your stellar efforts in support of NASA’s mission!
Eric Brouse
Marketing Manager
Edward Hall
Chief Growth Officer
Centuria recognizes Ryan Sale for his dedication, attitude, and achievements in providing first class service to our customers. Ryan serves as the Observation Lead supporting the Tri-Agency [United States Navy (USN), United States Coast Guard (USCG), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)] U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC) where he has been instrumental in ensuring USNIC meets its critical global maritime safety operations mission. Over the past few months, Ryan stepped in as acting Team and Imagery Order Desk Lead while the position was vacant. He supported the development of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for imagery ordering that simplified and streamlined the process. Ryan also provided orientation and training for the incoming Team and Imagery Order Desk Lead. Ryan demonstrated initiative and adaptability to ensure the standards for the Imagery Order Desk were maintained. For his efforts, Ryan was awarded the USNIC’s Team Member of the Quarter (TMOQ) Award. The Director/Commanding Officer of the USNIC, CDR Travis Wendt, said, “Ryan has been a steady and dependable force at the U.S. National Ice Center, keeping the order desk operating at the highest standard and without delays, blackouts or shortcomings.” Centuria celebrates Ryan and this substantial achievement and recognition. We congratulate him and thank him for all he does for Centuria and our customers.
Centuria Corporation (Centuria) announced today that they have been awarded a contract to supply technical support to the United States Space Force (USSF) Mission Delta 2 (MD2) 19th Space Defense Squadron (19 SDS) at the Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren in King George, VA. Centuria will provide technical services to operate and maintain the Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Technical Control Facility (TCF) used to identify, track, and prevent collisions of objects in earth’s orbit and track launches from adversaries through intelligence gathering. Centuria’s Executive Vice President, John Cordeiro, said of the award, “Centuria is honored to be selected for this task order, especially given the critical importance of this USSF mission to our National Security. We look forward to providing the comprehensive, 24/7/365 technical services required to keep our warfighters and citizens safe through federated space domain awareness.” ABOUT CENTURIA Recognized by the Washinton Post as a Top Workplace for 2024, Centuria is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and a registered ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 20000-1:2018 and CMMI Level 3 assessed company. Since 2002, Centuria has been delivering Information Technology, Engineering Scientific and Managed Services to the Federal Government. Centuria offers technical and scientific expertise in information technology, aerospace, meteorology, radar, and defense systems and has earned the trust and respect of our clients through a mission-oriented and service-first approach. Centuria is headquartered in Reston, VA, with offices in Rochester, NY.
At Centuria, we take pride in the dedication and expertise of our team members who ensure mission-critical software meets the highest standards. Today, we are spotlighting Erika Outland, a highly skilled leader who manages a team of software test engineers supporting the Headquarters (HQ) Cyberspace Capabilities Center (CCC) at Scott Air Force Base. With a sharp focus on quality and precision, Erika and her team are responsible for assessing and certifying mission-critical software packages for Air Force customers. Their work ensures that deployed software is secure, reliable, and mission-ready. Under Erika’s leadership, the team has streamlined testing processes, enhanced training efforts, and improved efficiency, allowing for faster certification timelines without compromising quality. Most notably, she received an official letter of recognition from the division’s Director of Cyberspace Support stating, “Your outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to excellence have left a profound impact on our organization.” Under her leadership, the Software and Application Certification Assessment (SACA) team’s outstanding high-priority package queue has decreased by over 95%. Whether tackling complex challenges or coordinating with key Government stakeholders, Erika and her team are committed to delivering excellence. We are grateful for Erika’s leadership and contributions to our mission. Thank you for your hard work and dedication!
