diff --git a/src/api/user/UserAPI.js b/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
index de44084379..4cf9804f55 100644
--- a/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
+++ b/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
 } from './constants';
 import StatusAPI from './StatusAPI';
 import User from './User';
+import SessionPersistance from './SessionPersistance';
 
 class UserAPI extends EventEmitter {
     /**
@@ -90,6 +91,45 @@ class UserAPI extends EventEmitter {
         }
     }
 
+    getPossibleRoles() {
+        if (!this.hasProvider()) {
+            return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+        } else {
+            return this._provider.getPossibleRoles();
+        }
+
+    }
+    /**
+     * If a user provider is set, it will return the active role Id
+     * @returns object
+     */
+    getActiveRole() {
+        if (!this.hasProvider()) {
+            return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+        }
+
+        // get from session storage
+        const sessionStorageValue = SessionPersistance.getActiveRole();
+        if (sessionStorageValue === 'undefined' || sessionStorageValue === undefined) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
+
+        return sessionStorageValue;
+
+    }
+    setActiveRole(role) {
+        SessionPersistance.setActiveRole(role);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Will return if a role can provide a operator status response
+     * @memberof module:openmct.UserApi#
+     * @returns {Boolean}
+     */
+    canProvideStatusForRole(roleId) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * If a user provider is set, it will return the user provider's
      * 'isLoggedIn' method
diff --git a/src/api/user/constants.js b/src/api/user/constants.js
index 5b63a1d77b..b41f2403cd 100644
--- a/src/api/user/constants.js
+++ b/src/api/user/constants.js
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ export const MULTIPLE_PROVIDER_ERROR = 'Only one user provider may be set at a t
 export const NO_PROVIDER_ERROR = 'No user provider has been set.';
 
 export const SESSION_STORAGE_KEY = 'USER_ROLE';
+export const BROADCAST_CHANNEL_NAME = 'USER_ROLE';
diff --git a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatus.vue b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatus.vue
index 5c0a7d99a5..e125b2dfb0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatus.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatus.vue
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export default {
     },
     data() {
         return {
-            allRoles: [{ key: 'FLIGHT', name: 'Flight'}, {key: 'CAPCOM', name: 'CAPCOM'}, { key: 'GUIDO', name: 'GUIDO' }],
+            allRoles: [],
             role: '--',
             selectedRole: '',
             pollQuestionUpdated: '--',
@@ -117,12 +117,14 @@ export default {
                 // trigger role selection modal
                 this.promptForRoleSelection();
             }
+            // todo confirm status role
 
             this.role = await this.openmct.user.status.getStatusRoleForCurrentUser();
 
         },
         promptForRoleSelection() {
-            const selectionOptions = this.allRoles;
+            const allRoles = this.openmct.user.getPossibleRoles();
+            const selectionOptions = allRoles.filter(this.openmct.user.canProvideStatusForRole);
             const dialog = this.openmct.overlays.selection({
                 selectionOptions,
                 iconClass: 'info',
@@ -138,8 +140,9 @@ export default {
                         label: 'Select',
                         emphasis: true,
                         callback: () => {
-                            this.setRole(this.selectedRole);
                             dialog.dismiss();
+                            //TODO: introduce a notification of success
+                            this.setRole(this.selectedRole);
                         }
                     }
                 ]
diff --git a/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue b/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
index 796e666442..45f5940c9d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 <template>
 <div class="c-indicator icon-person c-indicator--clickable">
     <span class="label c-indicator__label">
-        {{ `${userName}: ${role}` }}
+        {{ role ? `${userName}: ${role}` : userName }}
         <button>Change Role</button>
     </span>
 </div>