Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) and Human Health and Medical (HHM)

Space Launch System (SLS), International Space Station (ISS), and Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) payloads

In an interesting twist in my career path, I shifted from an engineering organization to Information Management. With an engineering and operational background, I knew where administrative processes were burdensome and I could eliminate or simplify them for a better use of time and resources, creating more value for the business. I used my technical background and knowledge to streamline and modernize those processes with cloud technology in collaboration with digital teams to unlock bp’s data assets for global access. My efforts resulted in time and resource efficiencies, making data easy to discover and share, removing roadblocks, bottlenecks, and tedious tasks allowing people to make the best decisions quickly.

I changed badges from Swift Worldwide Resources to bp and continued to revamp, develop, and implement cross-discipline processes to improve the design and execution of drilling and completions activities with greater clarity and efficiency in our ways of working. By defining core and mandatory work and taking the “noise” out of the system, the multidiscipline teams’ focus was directed toward delivering business value. This increased our safety, effectiveness, efficiency, and competitiveness resulting in industry-leading wells that maximize the recovery of crude oil and natural gas.During this time, I served as the authority for the wells organization’s Management of Change process. I owned the requirements and managed the electronic Management of Change (eMOC) system used globally as the organization’s tool for executing the change management process and mitigating risks.

Taking a leap of faith, I made a drastic change in my career path, and moved from Aerospace to the Oil and Gas industry proving that I had transferrable skills that can be applied in an array of fields and industries.As a contractor for bp, I enabled the well delivery teams with improved processes published as bp requirements which also served as assurance from potential high-consequence events during well drilling and completions operations. The processes that I authored, co-authored, and implemented were critical to the close out of 3 of the 8 interim guidance actions derived from a major internal incident investigation (the Bly Report).

I managed multiple teams on the ISS Program Integration and Control Contract which was designed to consolidate ISS Program work, increase efficiency and accountability, and transition the program’s contract strategy from development and construction of hardware to orbital operations. I served as the primary interface for NASA Vehicle, Transportation Integration, and Element Integration Office managers on technical performance and contract issues. In collaboration with key stakeholders (International Partners, commercial partners, company leadership, and NASA clients, Contracting Officers, and Technical Representatives), we developed strategies and plans for current and future program demands to ensure a successful transition to orbital operations. The most thrilling part of the job was representing our contract in the program’s Stage Operations Readiness Reviews (SORRs), where the ISS Program establishes its readiness for a specific flight and/or stage. During these reviews, I had a voice in confirming whether we were “GO” for launch.

I managed teams based at both Johnson Spaceflight Center (JSC) and Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC), encompassing integration safety, engineering integration, on-orbit operations safety, payload displays and graphics, mission management, and database development. Achievements on contract included processes to manage payload launch, utilization, safety certification, interface compatibility, and risk management following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, which required negotiation and process development with Russian International Partners for flight on their vehicles to access the ISS.

Early in my career, I developed NASA agency-level and Shuttle or Station program-level agreements to establish International Partner payload safety review panels (European Space Agency and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) where previously only NASA held the authority for assuring that payloads met safety policy requirements. I co-founded the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety formed to help advance the application of space system safety with respect to safety of people and property in connection with the transport and exploration vehicles and manned space stations.I also represented the Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) organization as a member of the Payload Safety Review Panel and served as the lead for all Japanese projects and interfaces, managing the relationships between NASA and JAXA (formerly NASDA) for Payload Safety. One of my favorite parts of being the Japanese project lead was learning limited Japanese, and I was told by my colleagues from Japan and even Japanese strangers that my accent was perfect!

I designed and detailed a line of zero intrusion high-pressure hydraulic couplings, conducted stress analyses, and gained an understanding of general equipment design, drafting, manufacturing, and testing practices.