“NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission: Ambitious Science and Engineering Challenges” –
Leo spent 43 years helping to turn ambitious ideas into spacecraft that explore the solar system. After earning his Electrical Engineering degree from Cal Poly Pomona in 1982, he joined JPL and never looked back—contributing to missions that have expanded humanity’s understanding of planets, oceans, and distant worlds. From Saturn’s rings on Cassini to Martian soil with Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance rovers, and most recently the journey to Europa, his work has helped carry science millions of miles from Earth.
Much of his career was hands-on at the sharp end of exploration—assembly, test, and launch operations—often traveling to Florida to see missions through their final steps into space. Along the way, he balanced a full life at home: 44 years of marriage to his wife, Rosie, three children, and four grandchildren. Now retired, he’s shifting his focus closer to home—running, biking, traveling, and giving back through local volunteering.