Dr. Debra L. Emmons is the General Manager of the Communication Technologies and Engineering Division at The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, she is responsible for leading a geographically distributed division of 200+ engineers and 30+ laboratories supplying expertise across the full range of communications and networking programs, technologies, and system architectures to Aerospace’s many customers. She also leads the strategy development for the Optical communications center, SPIDER providing solutions to customers across the space enterprise.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Emmons served as Associate General Manager of the Strategic Assessments & Studies Division in the Civil Systems Group, leading the line of business serving customers across all the NASA Science & Technology focused centers, universities, and non-profit entities. Within this line of business, she led strategic planning, new business development, and program development and execution.
Dr. Emmons is a skilled aerospace senior leader with technical, management and industry experience in the acquisition and development of advanced technology space systems. She has over 25 years of experience developing and leading cross-enterprise teams of technical experts to solve the nation’s toughest national security, civil and commercial space problems.
Dr. Emmons currently serves on the MILCOM organizing and technical program committee, and the IAF/IAC Space Communications & Navigation Committee (SCAN). She also served on the Board of Directors of the National Space Club, in Washington DC from 2010 through 2016. In the 2015-2016 term, Dr. Emmons served as the President of the National Space Club & Foundation.
Dr. Emmons was awarded a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University. She earned an M.S. and a B.S in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. She was also awarded an MBA from Imperial College Management School, London, United Kingdom.