Sumara Thompson-King is seen here being sworn in by Robert Lightfoot, Associate Administrator (left) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC on June 2, 2014. Thompson-King assumed the role of General Counsel on Sunday, June 1, 2014 after Michael Wholley, former General Counsel, retired. She started her career at NASA in the Office of Chief Counsel at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD in 1986. In 1991, she became a senior attorney at NASA Headquarters and in 1995 was promoted to the Deputy Associate General Counsel (Contracts) position. She is the first woman and first African American to serve as General Counsel at NASA Headquarters. (Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Sumara Thompson-King is seen here being sworn in by Robert Lightfoot, Associate Administrator (not pictured) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC on June 2, 2014. Thompson-King assumed the role of General Counsel on Sunday, June 1, 2014 after Michael Wholley, former General Counsel, retired. She started her career at NASA in the Office of Chief Counsel at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD in 1986. In 1991, she became a senior attorney at NASA Headquarters and in 1995 was promoted to the Deputy Associate General Counsel (Contracts) position. She is the first woman and first African American to serve as General Counsel at NASA Headquarters. (Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Sumara Thompson-King is seen here after being sworn in by Robert Lightfoot, Associate Administrator (left) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC on June 2, 2014. Thompson-King assumed the role of General Counsel on Sunday, June 1, 2014 after Michael Wholley, former General Counsel, retired. She started her career at NASA in the Office of Chief Counsel at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD in 1986. In 1991, she became a senior attorney at NASA Headquarters and in 1995 was promoted to the Deputy Associate General Counsel (Contracts) position. She is the first woman and first African American to serve as General Counsel at NASA Headquarters. (Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA General Counsel Sumara M. Thompson-King introduces NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine during the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition finals, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Director of Glenn Research Center, Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis speaks on a panel with NASA's three other female center directors: Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, moderated by NASA General Counsel, Sumara Thompson-King, left, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA General Counsel, Sumara Thompson-King, left, moderates a panel discussion with NASA's four female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, right, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy provides opening remarks for a panel discussion with NASA's four female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, third from left, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, second from right, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, right, moderated by NASA General Counsel Sumara Thompson-King, second from left, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Director of Marshall Space Flight Center, Jody Singer, right, speaks on a panel with NASA's three other female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, second from left, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, center, and Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, second from right, moderated by NASA General Counsel, Sumara Thompson-King, left, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

From left to right, NASA Deputy Administrator, Pam Melroy, Deboshri Sadhukhan, Director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Vanessa Wyche, Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Janet Petro, Director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Jody Singer, and NASA General Counsel, Sumara Thompson-King, pose for a photo after the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Director of Marshall Space Flight Center, Jody Singer, right, speaks on a panel with NASA's three other female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, second from left, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, second from right, moderated by NASA General Counsel Sumara Thompson-King, left, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy provides opening remarks for a panel discussion with NASA's four female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, moderated by NASA General Counsel Sumara Thompson-King, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy provides opening remarks for a panel discussion with NASA's four female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, moderated by NASA General Counsel Sumara Thompson-King, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy provides opening remarks for a panel discussion with NASA's four female center directors: Dr. Marla Peréz-Davis of Glenn Research Center, Vanessa Wyche of Johnson Space Center, Janet Petro of Kennedy Space Center, and Jody Singer of Marshall Space Flight Center, moderated by NASA General Counsel Sumara Thompson-King, during the "DirectHERS" - Launching Through the Glass Ceiling event, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)