Tanya M. Skeen
Executive Director, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office,
U.S. Department of Defense
BSAAE '90
FOR HER EXEMPLARY MANAGEMENT OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS BRINGING TOGETHER THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, CONSISTING OF THE AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS AND NAVY, AS WELL AS EIGHT ALLIED NATIONS TO IMPLEMENT AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FIFTH-GENERATION STRIKE AIRCRAFT.
As a Purdue student, Skeen says she formed the bedrock for building success: “Purdue taught me the foundation. It was like reinforced concrete for my technical abilities and confidence. On that foundation, I was able to keep building and growing.”
Skeen was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1990 after graduating from Purdue. In the Navy, she served as a Technical Instructor and Assistant Director at the Nuclear Power Training Command while earning her master’s degree. After leaving the Navy, she held private sector engineering positions developing both the USAF B-2 Bomber and X-35 Concept Demonstrator, the forerunner to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. She later served as a flight test engineer at the Nevada Test and Training Range where she was responsible for test planning, execution and data analysis for nearly every aircraft in the current Air Force inventory including B-2, F-117, F-15, F-16 and F-22.
Following her time in the private sector, Skeen joined the Air Force as a public servant at the now prestigious USAF Rapid Capabilities Office. There, she served as the Chief Engineer of a multi-billion dollar portfolio and Program Manager for a number of classified programs. After a decade in the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Skeen was selected into the elite Senior Executive Service where she leveraged her experience as a change agent and innovator and was charged with the executive management of multi-billion dollar portfolios driving development, test and delivery of critical warfighting capabilities.
A veteran of Naval service, the aerospace industry and the U.S. Department of Defense, Skeen is now the Executive Director for the F-35 Lightning II Program. In this role, she oversees the largest acquisition and most significant program in the Defense Department, delivering the fifth generation warfighting capabilities to the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and 15 Allied Nations.
Looking back, Skeen says Purdue was where she first learned to break through boundaries: “I learned to push myself beyond self-perceived limits. Purdue taught me that I could do things I was certain I could not.”
Taking on what seems impossible has resulted in frequent recognition for Skeen. She has received the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award from the U.S. Department of Defense, Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award, the Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award and the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Annual Award for Acquisition Process Improvement, among others.
As a committed engineer, public servant, wife and mother who any Purdue student would be proud to emulate, Skeen tells today’s students to “work hard, be bold and turn your passion into service – to your community, your country, and your world. Take the jobs that scare you rather than chasing the ‘perfect career.’ Success will find you.”
Career Highlights
| 2018-Present | Executive Director, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense |
|---|---|
| 2017-2018 | Director and Program Executive Officer, Army Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics |
| 2014-2017 | Deputy Director, Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force |
| 2009-2014 | Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer and Program Manager, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force |
| 2004-2009 | Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Subject Matter Expert, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Modern Technology Solutions Inc. |
| 2001-2004 | Senior Flight Test Analyst and Software Development Engineer, Nevada Test and Training Range, Modern Technology Solutions Inc. |
| 2000-2001 | Senior Flight Test Engineer, Nevada Test and Training Range, EG&G Special Projects, Inc. |
| 1996-2000 | X-35B Flight Controls, Aerodynamics, and Propulsion Design Engineer, Lockheed Martin Skunkworks |
| 1995-1996 | B-2 Environmental Systems Engineer, Northrop-Grumman |
| 1993-1995 | Assistant Director, Officer Department, Naval Nuclear Power Training Command |
| 1990-1993 | Naval Nuclear Power Instructor, Naval Nuclear Power School |