Jerry Traster is the director of the Human Capital Office at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. In this role, he is responsible for leading the center’s human resources strategy and ensuring the workforce can accomplish its highly complex scientific, engineering, and mission-driven goals.

Most recently, Traster served as chief of the Consulting Services Division at NASA Glenn, where his team delivered a comprehensive suite of HR services from talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organization development to performance management, labor and employee relations, and workforce planning support. Traster also completed a part-time detail as a consulting services strategist co-lead, collaborating with human resources leadership across the agency to shape enterprise-wide HR business partner strategies.

In 2019, Traster spent time at NASA Headquarters as an executive officer within the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer. In this capacity, he ensured alignment of resources and budget, supported high-level decision-making through research and analysis, and contributed to agencywide HR strategies and organizational improvements.

Prior to this, Traster led NASA Glenn’s telework and anti-harassment programs and provided expert guidance on complex employee and labor relations matters as the center’s employee relations officer.

Traster began his career in 2007 as an intern at NASA Glenn. After transitioning to a full-time role, he also led the new employee orientation program and supported staffing and classification efforts for organizations across the center. 

Traster earned a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. A seasoned human capital leader with nearly two decades of experience, he is the recipient of numerous group and individual achievement awards.