Latest / Daily Influence / 741. From NASA Engineer to Foster Care Advocate: How Dr. Audra Bullock Turned Success into Service and Changed Thousands of Lives

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741. From NASA Engineer to Foster Care Advocate: How Dr. Audra Bullock Turned Success into Service and Changed Thousands of Lives · Daily Influence

• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Daily Influence, your daily dose of positive influence.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Brian Smith founder of IA Business Advisors and co-author of the Iain team series.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Each day we share stories and insights to help you find be and build your influence in a positive and responsible way.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm Greg Clino, partner at IE Business Advisors, and co-host of Daily Influence.
• 0:32
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• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to Davian Fluence, I'm Grecollino.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: Today's guest is someone who truly embodies what it means to turn success into service.
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  [SPEAKER_02]: Dr. Audra Bullock built an extraordinary career as an electrical engineer, contributing to NASA, missions, and earning one of the agency's highest honors,
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: but it was a deeply personal experience becoming a foster parent that shifted her path in a powerful way.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Today, she's the founder of Friends of Foster Care, an organization that has impacted thousands of children by providing stability, support, and opportunity during some of the most challenging times in their lives.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Audra's story is not just about leadership.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's about intentional influence, courage,
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  [SPEAKER_02]: and choosing to act when you see a need.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Audra, I'm so glad to have you here.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to Daily Influence.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much, Greg.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Pleasure to be.
• 1:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: Audra, you had an incredibly accomplished career in engineering and at NASA.
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: What were the key moments or influences that shaped your path and ultimately led you to step into foster care in a non-profit leadership?
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, Greg, it's a great question.
• 2:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was, when I was working as a professor at University of Hawaii before my time at NASA, I happened to be home on a Sunday afternoon doing some housework.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: caught this segment on CNN that chronicled kids in the New York foster care system.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: These were kids that were having a hard time finding permanency being adopted.
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: They were older kids.
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  [SPEAKER_01]: And CNN had picked up this story about some author who did a coffee table picture book of the children, trying to help get them adopted, find their forever families.
• 2:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they interviewed some of the children.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there was this little boy he was nine years old.
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  [SPEAKER_01]: And his words were, I know I can be a good son.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just have to find the right dad.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it broke my heart.
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  [SPEAKER_01]: It literally cracked it right into and I ran outside immediately to call down to my husband in the yard and say, hey, we're going to fly to New York, we're going to adopt this little boy and he yells back he's like, you're crazy and I said, yeah, probably so, but he needs a family and I got okay with him having to find his own family well.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, fast forward 10 years, a different career at NASA, a different husband.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: We had older kids that were going off to college and we're about to to be empty nesters and we took inventory of our life and.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: But wow, everything we do, just by happenstance is all around children's causes.
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this little boy spoke to my heart so many years ago.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think I want to explore what this looks like.
• 3:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: What does that mean?
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we looked into foster care and we were really moved by the need coupled with the impact that you can have for, not just a child and not just their family, but in an entire community.
• 4:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: That kind of pivot doesn't just happen overnight.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: It usually comes from something much deeper.
• 4:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, indeed.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: Can you share a specific moment early in your foster care journey where you realize the level of impact you could have and how that shaped the mission behind friends of foster care?
• 4:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, of course.
• 4:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: I remember distinctly one Sunday morning.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: We had, you know, our first place foster care placement with us.
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  [SPEAKER_01]: He was a three year old little boy.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I started thinking about all the resources that we're coming to him.
• 4:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And honestly, I started thinking about the lack of resources that we're coming to him.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I set up in bed that morning and started calculating, you know, how much does a social worker get paid?
• 4:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: How much is the cost to send them to daycare?
• 4:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: How much does it cost to feed and house him?
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I came up with a number that was pretty small on the investment side that was going to make sure this little boy could be stable and have a shot at growing up healthy and happy.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it wasn't enough.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: It definitely wasn't enough.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I got very unsettled.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: at how easy it was for me to move resources around at NASA, I mean millions of dollars at at NASA and I love NASA's a great organization.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: They do really great work and very efficiently and effectively.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it seemed a little bit out of skew with our priorities nationally to be investing so much in space and so little in these humans.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: that are the next wave of engineers, they're the next generation of engineers, and I thought to myself, well, unless they're folks like my husband and I pouring additional resources into these kits, they basically have no shot of making it.
• 5:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they didn't do anything wrong, right?
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  [SPEAKER_01]: They didn't ask for their lot in life.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so at that point, I,
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I turned to my husband and I said, look, I don't think I can, I don't think I can do, do what I'm doing every day and feel okay with it.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I need to do something more in the space of foster care and that's when I realize that.
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  [SPEAKER_01]: that sometimes it takes a whole bunch of money to fix a problem.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But other times, the money can't actually be deployed without boots on the ground.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so that's where I realized that I could have an impact and drive outcomes if I put my boots to work for the foster kids and bring my friends along with me to invest in these very important people because
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need to be productive adults.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Otherwise, they'll end up doing exactly what their parents did generation after generation.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: That moment of awareness became the foundation of everything that followed for you.
• 6:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
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  [SPEAKER_02]: You transitioned.
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  [SPEAKER_02]: from a highly structured technical environment into a deeply human emotional space.
• 7:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: What were some of the biggest challenges or mindset shifts you had to work through and what did those experiences teach you about leadership and influence?
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I learned that data alone doesn't move the needle in human services, that systems that serve humans are inherently messy, and it's largely driven by influence.
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's nothing that I had really a skill set that I had to use when I was an engineer.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: All driven by numbers and data, and your influence really doesn't matter, because it's all about the bottom line
• 7:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: But for human services in a particular child welfare that we can have all the data that we want and we can show abysmal outcomes and paths to solution but without winning over the hearts and minds of people through influence.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Nothing can get done.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was a big, big shift for me because I really like solving problems that are that, you know, have solutions to them.
• 8:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: I saw quite quickly in the space of foster care that there are very clear paths to solutions, but they don't get taken away without that, you know, hard work of earning the hearts and minds in the influence.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Those lessons can definitely turn into something others can actually apply for someone listening who wants to make a difference, but feels overwhelmed or unsure where to start.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: What's a practical framework or first step they can take to follow
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: to move from intention to action and meaningful, measurable way.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think you need to have inspiration to do that.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think admissions in this kind of space where you're helping humanity really need to be driven by heart work.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: because it is hard work.
• 9:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would encourage folks to look at the uncomfortable.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, there's a lot that goes on around us that we can easily overlook because it's hard to view that.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's hard to know that that things go on in the world, particularly to vulnerable populations and children.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, I encourage you to not look away.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and when you look into that world, you'll be moved and follow your instincts on being moved to do something.
• 9:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't have to be huge, but you can take one step and.
• 9:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: that one step can turn into two and then it can turn into a bigger bolder movement.
• 9:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: But take a minute to look at other people suffering because it matters and it you can do something about it.
• 10:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's such an important bridge to go from I care to I'm doing something about it.
• 10:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: What are a few specific habits or practices you use personally or within your organization
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  [SPEAKER_02]: consistent and actually creating positive outcomes for the people you serve.
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this is where my engineering background really comes in handy.
• 10:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: We, as an organization, the Friends of Foster Care, we are extremely data-driven.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are collecting data on every service point that we provide.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are collecting data from the individuals that are participating in that about how it impacts them, what they feel after doing it.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: For example, we run a tutoring program for kids in foster care where we hire tutors mostly school teachers to go work with kids one on one in their home and we're collecting their grades as a report card not for how they are doing but how we're doing as an organization serving them and then
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're always refining our processes to try and make them better so that we can have a bigger impact, you know, we want to make sure that we're holistic in the way that we approach our service implementations so that we're not creating dependence, like we're not using band aids, we're finding cures, if you will, we want to make sure.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: That we're always striving to do the very best that we can and from a personal perspective, you know, it's because
• 11:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: We cannot fail these children.
• 11:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's my model, right?
• 11:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Failure is not an option here.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we're going to make sure that these kids are taking care of to the best of their ability because once you've seen one of these kids start to have that sparkle back in their eyes, start to have the self-confidence of and believe that they're worthy human beings, that they're capable human beings.
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's when magic happens.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we're always in search of that.
• 12:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: That is beautiful.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you could go back and speak to your younger self before NASA before foster care, what would you tell her about using her gifts, her voice and her influence and how can that advice guide others who are early in their journey today.
• 12:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's a great question.
• 12:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would tell younger Audra that don't be afraid of different paths, that you can trust your ability and that life doesn't have to be this straight linear path to success.
• 12:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It can beander in different ways, but trust yourself, follow your heart, and if you work hard, it will work out.
• 12:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: exactly what we can suggest to other people.
• 13:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think to the other important part of this is not just trusting yourself, but knowing where your abilities lie and where your shortcomings are.
• 13:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when you know what your shortcomings are, don't be afraid to surround yourself with people that are good to stand in those spaces because you'll get a lot more done.
• 13:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: perspective is powerful, especially for those still trying to find their direction.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Far listeners, business owners, leaders, community members, what is one intentional action?
• 13:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: They can take this week to positively impact a child, a family, or even their own community in a way that creates lasting influence.
• 13:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the most important people of thing people can do, particularly in the foster care space, is to have a conversation about it with others that they know.
• 13:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Nationally,
• 14:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: about a third of parents and prospective parents report that they have considered foster care and adoption as a way to expand their family, but nationally only 2% do it.
• 14:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you've got this huge prime pump of folks out there that have got it on their heart, on their minds,
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: but it's not converting into action.
• 14:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I always ask people, have a conversation about foster care?
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: What it means, what it looks like in the United States, we've got 368,000 children in the United States in foster care today.
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you can have a conversation that moves the need of a one person to take a positive step,
• 14:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's like the butterfly effect, right?
• 14:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have kids that will benefit from that.
• 14:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they know not enough foster homes or foster care supporters by far.
• 14:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So having that conversation, and I think in general,
• 14:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a good philosophy all the way around whatever you're passionate about.
• 15:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's to start making other people aware of the issues because I think you're amassing the army that makes the difference in the world, right, to make the change that you want to see.
• 15:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's such a powerful message.
• 15:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for sharing that.
• 15:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: If our listeners want to learn more about friends of foster care or get in touch with you, what is the best way to do so?
• 15:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: They can find us online at friendsoffostercare.org and their myriad ways to get involved and to get connected with us.
• 15:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: We would love that friendsoffostercare.org.
• 15:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: Great.
• 15:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: We'll put that information in the show notes.
• 15:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: Audra, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your story and your advice.
• 15:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: I am so grateful for all that you're doing for the foster care kids.
• 15:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
• 15:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
• 15:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a privilege to be here with you.
• 15:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: And for everyone listening, thank you for joining us on daily influence.
• 15:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: I hope today's conversation brought you inside an inspiration.
• 16:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: If it's spoke with you, please share with someone who could use a little positivity today.
• 16:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: The takeaway is simple.
• 16:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: You don't have to change everything, but you can change something.
• 16:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: And that's something can change your life.
• 16:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: So here's my challenge to you.
• 16:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: Take one intentional step this week.
• 16:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: Reach out, get involved, offer support, or simply become more aware of where you can make a difference because your influence is not just something we have, it's something we choose to use.
• 16:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for joining us on daily influence.
• 16:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Remember small actions, create big impact, keep showing up, leading and growing one day at a time.
• 16:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Until next time, stay inspired and keep having a positive, responsible influence.
• 16:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Bye-bye.