Home 9 NOAA Fired Employee Stories

NOAA Careers Cut Short

The videos below are the stories of former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) probationary employees who were illegally fired by the Trump administration.

NOAA’s mission is to help our country understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts; to share knowledge and information with others; and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. NOAA has some of the best scientists in the world and a dedicated and professional workforce.

Now is the time to speak up on behalf of those illegally fired workers and to support federal agencies like NOAA that do vital work on behalf of all Americans.

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Former probationary NOAA employees, illegally fired by the Trump administration, share their concerns about the agency’s future without their roles. They also reflect on what they could accomplish for the American people if they were to be reinstated.

Watch their full stories

Tom Di Liberto, Public Affairs Specialist & Climate Scientist

“All they care about, all I cared about, all the people that got fired care about is making sure that everybody is safe.”

Dr. Kayla Besong, Physical Scientist

“Being able to apply my skills directly to help people gave me a different sense of purpose in my work.”

Alex Avila, Ph.D., Marine Scientist

“So many Nobel laureates have come from this country because there’s been such great support from the federal government for scientists, universities, and researchers. If that’s gone, we’re not going to be able to compete on the world stage.”

Hendrick Simoes, Senior Communications Specialist

“Every day, every person in America absolutely 100% depends on what NOAA does. They just often don’t realize it.”

Kenneth Rainer, Ph.D., Instructional Systems Specialist

“They have been successful in dismantling programs that, the whole purpose of them is to protect our lives.”

Ana Vaz, Ph.D., Fisheries Biologist

“Eliminating my role isn’t eliminating the needs of the communities and the fishing industry. It just means they’re going unanswered.”

Sabrina Valenti, Budget Analyst

“There’s a huge demand for [government] transparency. People want to be sure their tax dollars are being spent the right way. I was one of the people who made that happen.”

Marissa Nuttall, Acting Research Coordinator & Unit Dive Supervisor

“Assuming that a probationary position can be easily cut and refilled really isn’t the case. Especially across NOAA.”

Nicole Harris, Education & Outreach Coordinator

“Not everyone’s feeling the impacts of this administration and how they’re making these fast, furious changes to the government as we know it, but people will start noticing when those federal funds are drying up in their communities.”