Nilufar Ramji: Shaping Johnson’s Giant Leaps Forward

NASA · May 6

A first-generation college graduate, Nilufar Ramji was blazing trails long before arriving at NASA. With her multifaceted expertise, she is helping shape the messaging behind humanity’s return to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Ramji is currently on detail as the co-executive producer for NASA’s live broadcasts, ensuring the agency’s missions and discoveries are clearly and effectively communicated to the public. Through her work, she expands understanding of what space exploration means for all—and why it matters.

A portrait of a woman dressed in a white blazer and shirt. She is in front of the U.S. flag (left) and NASA flag (right).

Official portrait of Nilufar Ramji.

NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Before stepping into her acting role, Ramji served as the lead public affairs officer for Moon to Mars activities at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. She spearheaded communication strategies for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, which works with private companies to deliver science and technology payloads to the lunar surface. She has also provided live commentary for International Space Station operations to learn and prepare for Artemis missions.

Ramji played a pivotal role in communicating NASA’s involvement in two major lunar missions in 2025 including Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 which successfully delivered 10 NASA payloads to the Moon’s Mare Crisium on March 2. Ramji served as the live mission commentator, helping audiences around the world follow the historic moment—from lunar orbit insertion to touchdown. She also led communications for Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission, which landed near the Moon’s South Pole on March 6, marking the southernmost lunar landing ever achieved.

Two women with headsets on converse during a live broadcast.

Nilufar Ramji, left, and Brigette Oakes, vice president of engineering at Firefly Aerospace, in the company’s mission operations center in Cedar Park, Texas, during the Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar landing.

NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

Early in her NASA career, she led agencywide STEM communications, shaping how NASA connects with students and educators. As a lead strategist, she developed messaging that made science and technology more accessible to younger audiences—helping inspire the Artemis Generation.

“Being one of the storytellers behind humanity’s return to the Moon is something I take pride in,” she said. “People don’t realize what exploring our solar system has done for us here on Earth. Going to the Moon and onto Mars will bring that message home.”

Nilufar Ramji, left, and Aliyah Craddock, digital media lead for NASA Science in the Science Mission Directorate, in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA

Ramji communicates not just the science of space, but its greater significance. “How can we be thoughtful in our communications?” is a question that drives her approach. Whether guiding a live broadcast or developing messaging about lunar science, she is constantly evaluating, executing, and refining NASA’s voice.

She also understands the importance of commercial partnerships in expanding human presence in space. “It’s exciting to see how many different people and organizations come together to make this a reality,” she said. “By creating a larger space economy, we’re able to do things faster and cheaper and still accomplish the same goals to make sure we’re all successful.”

Nilufar Ramji presents a TedX Talk, “Storytelling from Space” in Sugar Land, Texas.

In Aug. 2023, Ramji delivered a TEDx Talk, “Storytelling from Space” in Sugar Land, Texas, where she emphasized the power of narrative to inspire and unite humanity in the quest to explore the universe. Drawing from her NASA experience, she illustrated how communication bridges the gap between complex science and public engagement.

She credits her mentors and colleagues for supporting her growth. “I have great mentors and people I can lean on if I need help,” she said. “It’s something I didn’t realize I had until I came to NASA.”

Ramji believes stepping outside your comfort zone is essential. “Discomfort brings new learning, understanding, and opportunities, so I like being uncomfortable at times,” she said. “I’m open and receptive to feedback. Constructive criticism has helped me grow and evolve—and better understand NASA’s mission.”

For her, balance means creating intentional space for reflection, growth, and meaningful connection.

A woman dressed in a light brown suit smiles and stands at a podium during an event.

Nilufar Ramji gives remarks during Johnson’s building naming ceremony of the “Dorothy Vaughan Center in Honor of the Women of Apollo” on July 19, 2024.

NASA/Robert Markowitz

Before joining NASA, Ramji had already built an international career rooted in service. She worked at the Aga Khan Foundation in Canada, a nonprofit organization focused on addressing challenges in underdeveloped communities through education and healthcare.

She led visitor programs, workshops and more than 250 events—often for diplomats and global leaders—to promote “quiet diplomacy” and dialogue.

“Transparency, quality, fairness and diversity of perspective are all important to me,” she said. “People come from different experiences that broaden our understanding.”

Ramji later moved to East Africa as the foundation’s sole communications representative across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. There, she trained more than 300 staff and built a communications strategy to help local teams share stories of impact—both successes and challenges—with honesty and empathy.

Her work left a lasting mark on the communities she served and underscored the power of communication to drive positive change.

A woman sits outside dressed in a white t-shirt and takes notes on her lap. To her right is a man watchi

Nilufar Ramji captures the story of a sesame farmer in Mtwara, Tanzania, whose livelihood improved through a rural development program initiated by the Aga Khan Foundation.

In 2013, Ramji moved to the United States and started over, rebuilding her network and career. She worked for the Aga Khan Council for USA in Houston, leading a volunteer recruitment program that connected thousands of people with roles suited to their skills.

She later applied for a contractor position—not knowing it was with NASA. “I never thought my skills or expertise would be valued at a place like NASA,” she said. But in 2018, she accepted a role as a public relations specialist supporting International Space Station outreach. She has been shaping the agency’s storytelling ever since.

Ramji’s journey represents NASA’s commitment to pushing boundaries and expanding humanity’s knowledge of the universe. With collaboration, transparency, and vision, she is helping bring the next frontier of space exploration to life.