Former NASA Astronaut & Engineer; Author of "Reaching for the Stars"
José M. Hernández Biography
José M. Hernández is a Mexican-American engineer and former NASA astronaut recognized for his contributions to aerospace engineering, space exploration, and science education. Hernández was born into a family of migrant workers and spent much of his childhood moving across the United States to follow seasonal crops. He did not learn English until age 12 but pursued his interest in science and technology, earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from University of the Pacific in Stockton and a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Before joining NASA, Hernández worked as an engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he co-developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system, a tool used for early detection of breast cancer. He also contributed to nuclear nonproliferation efforts, serving as Deputy Program Manager in the Russian Highly Enriched Uranium Implementation Program and as Program Manager at the Department of Energy Headquarters for the Office of International Material Protection and Cooperation.
Hernández was selected as part of NASA's 19th class of astronauts after multiple applications. He completed Astronaut Candidate Training and served as a mission specialist on the STS-128 mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. During the mission, Hernández managed the transfer of more than 18,000 pounds of equipment between the shuttle and the International Space Station and participated in robotics operations, traveling more than 5.7 million miles. He became the first person to send tweets from space in Spanish.
After his time at NASA, Hernández worked at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., as a legislative analyst, contributing to space policy development and NASA's annual budget package. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of Tierra Luna Engineering, an aerospace engineering consulting company, and serves as a Regent of the University of California. Hernández also established the Jose Hernandez Reaching for the Stars Foundation, which promotes awareness of STEAM careers among youth in California's Central Valley.
Hernández is the author of several books, including his autobiography "Reaching for the Stars," "From Farmworker to Astronaut," the children's book "The Boy Who Touched the Stars," and "Soaring to New Heights." His life story inspired the film "A Million Miles Away." Hernández has received numerous honors, including NASA Service Awards, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Outstanding Engineer Award, the Upward Bound National TRIO Achiever Award, the MAES Medalla de Oro, the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award, and several honorary doctorate degrees. He continues to speak on topics related to aerospace engineering, STEM education, and perseverance.
José M. Hernández Speaking Topics
-
Reaching New Heights
A motivational talk with a 5 ingredient recipe for success that includes a 3 element strategy to reach your goals
José M. Hernández Videos
-
How do I book José M. Hernández to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like José M. Hernández for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for José M. Hernández, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for José M. Hernández or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for José M. Hernández
Speaking fees for José M. Hernández, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book José M. Hernández are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $30,000 - $50,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire José M. Hernández, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does José M. Hernández speak about?
José M. Hernández is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Astronaut, Diversity & Inclusion, Engineering, Government, Hispanic Heritage, Science, Space, STEM, STEM Education, Technology, Virtual -
Where does José M. Hernández travel from?
José M. Hernández generally travels from Stockton, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is José M. Hernández’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like José M. Hernández for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book José M. Hernández for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host José M. Hernández or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
José M. Hernández is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Reaching New Heights. The estimated speaking fee range to book José M. Hernández for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. José M. Hernández generally travels from Stockton, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Mike Massimino, Leland Melvin, Sylvia Acevedo, J.R. Martinez and Emily Calandrelli. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling José M. Hernández for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








