Sara grew up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She is a proud Nittany lion who received a B.S. in Computer Science at Penn State. With a love of space and a desire to help others, she found the perfect fit at Iridium.
Mali is from Denver, Colorado. She studied Computer Science and Spanish at Washington University in St. Louis before joining Iridium, where she spends her days happily engrossed in satellite code.
Mali and Sara both work for Iridium Communications Inc. As two women engineers, they quickly became a breath of fresh air for one another in the workplace which evolved into a great friendship. Earlier this year, Mali joined Sara on her long road trip to relocate from the east coast to Arizona. In a tightly packed Honda Civic, they thought, if this is so much fun – why not kick it up a couple levels?? This brunette and blonde with an inseparable bond couldn’t be more excited to take on this journey!
Iridium
Space Vehicle Software Engineer
Denver, Colorado
"Honor those who seek the truth, beware of those who find it." – Voltaire“Every day above earth is a good day.” – Ernest Hemingway
I love learning new languages! I can speak Spanish and Swahili, and am currently trying to improve my Czech (my mother and grandparents' first language).
Having lived most of my life in Colorado, I find great joy in most outdoorsy, adventurous activities, from hiking to snowboarding to rock climbing–when I learned about the Rebelle from previous Iridium teams, I was really excited to potentially try out off-roading too! Sara is not only one of my best friends but also one of the people I trust most in the world, and the idea to participate in the Rebelle Rally truly became real to me once we talked about taking it on together.
My parents, brother, and grandparents, who have all worked incredibly hard to forge lives dedicated to helping others.
Impossible to choose, but some favorite writers include:
Isaac Asimov, Barbra Demick, Anthony Doerr, Kazuo Ishiguro, Tahir Hamut Izgil, Brandon Sanderson, Ian Urbina, and Robert E. Vanderleest
Journeys prompted by a penchant for spontaneous plane/train/boat/bus tickets.
Space Vehicle Software Engineer
Phoenix, Arizona
"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.” – Carl Sagan
Growing up I was a three time Odyssey of the Mind world finalist. It's a creative problem-solving competition and one of my favorite things! Without it, I doubt I would have ever decided to pursue engineering.
As someone with an inclination for caution, I've started to realize that my favorite version of myself is the one who can push past my hesitations to try things outside of my comfort zone. The opportunity to do something like this in my current stage of life alongside one of my absolute best, most encouraging friends was just too perfect.
I am inspired by those who think for themselves and live life authentically. Particularly my mom, who is one of the strongest people I know!
Game of Thrones, New Girl, Survivor
Life!
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