Background & Education
I have a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Towson University. I worked for SURVICE first as an intern in college. My math and statistics skills meshed very well with the requirements needed to assess the vulnerabilities of U.S. aircraft and ground systems.
Who is the most influential woman you know? How do they inspire you?
I had many strong women (aunts) in my life growing up. Many were homemakers, but my Aunt Thema Frederick worked and was the first civilian woman to hold a position of Procurement Officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. My Aunt Beverlee Neff, was also instrumental in maintaining the day-to-day operations of the Perryville Oil Company, the Chesapeake View Campsites, and the Furnace Bay Golf Course.
Accomplishments
I feel very proud to have been the first woman to work at SURVICE with a degree in one of the STEM disciplines and fulfill a technical role. I have held project lead roles for over 15 years on multiple programs and was recognized by the Joint Aircraft Survivability Program (JASPO) for “Excellence in Survivability.”
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the workplace today?
I like to focus on the achievements rather than the challenges facing women. Today, more women are entering and graduating college than men (at all levels, i.e., associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate’s). More and more women are also choosing to enter the STEM disciplines in college, which is encouraging. Currently, I support the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Analysis Center (DAC), where I am on an analysis team that includes four women and only one man. The team is led by a woman, and both the branch and the division chiefs are women. My current supervisor at SURVICE is also a woman. From being the first and only woman fulfilling a technical role at SURVICE to now where there are many women performing highly technical roles and maintaining all levels of leadership makes me very proud of how far women have come. I am confident the trend will only continue.
What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
I feel Women’s History Month provides a good opportunity to recognize women’s accomplishments either in their personal lives or historically speaking. It also provides a way to encourage our young girls to be brave and bold.
