Tanya M. Skeen, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. She is responsible for policy, resources and oversight of developmental and operational testing, and is a focal point for foreign materiel acquisition and exploitation. She assists the Director in overseeing a $4 billion Air Force test infrastructure and the programming and execution of the Air Force test portfolio, with an annual budget of $1.9 billion.

 

Skeen is from Kent, Ohio, and was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1990 following graduation with highest distinction from Purdue University in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. In the Navy, she served as a Technical Instructor and Assistant Director at the Nuclear Power Training Command and also received her Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida in 1994. After leaving the Navy, she joined the private sector developing the next generation X-35 Joint Strike Fighter followed by several positions in flight test 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. Additionally, Skeen was responsible for significant test range infrastructure upgrades for Red Flag testing as well as multiple programs that directly improved test range productivity. Following her private sector positions in flight test and other development programs, she returned to federal service in 2009 as the Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities at the AFRCO included technical oversight of a multi-billion dollar portfolio and serving as the Program Director for programs including the Common Mission Control Center for multiple simultaneous mixed aircraft command and control.

 

Education

 

1990-Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical And Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette,

Ind.

 

1994-Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.

 

Career Chronology

 

1. December 1990 – November 1993, Naval Nuclear Power Instructor, Naval Nuclear Power Training

Command, Orlando, Fla.

 

2. November 1993 – February 1995, Assistant Director of the Officer Department, Naval Nuclear Power

Training Command, Orlando, Fla.

 

3. August 1995 – April 1996, B-2 Environmental Systems Design and Test Engineer, Northrop-Grumman,

Palmdale, Calif.

 

4. April 1996 – February 2000, X-35B Flight Controls, Aerodynamics, Propulsion Design Engineer,

Lockheed Martin Skunkworks, Palmdale, Calif.

 

6. July 2000 – December 2001, Senior Flight Test Engineer, EG&G Special Projects, Las Vegas, Nev.

 

7. December 2001 – July 2003, Senior Flight Test Analyst, Modern Technology Solutions Inc., Las Vegas,

Nev.

 

8. July 2003 – August 2004, Flight Test Software Development Engineer, Modern Technology Solutions Inc.,

Montgomery, Ala.

 

9. August 2004 – July 2009, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance,

Reconnaissance Subject Matter Expert, Modern Technology Solutions Inc., Air Force Rapid Capabilities

Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.

 

10. July 2009 – November 2014, Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer, Air Force Rapid Capabilities

Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.

 

11. November 2014 – present, Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force,

Washington, D.C.

 

Major Awards and Decorations

 

Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award

Exemplary Civilian Service Award

Department of Defense Value Engineering Award

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Annual Award for Acquisition Process Improvement

Navy Achievement Medal

 

Professional Certifications

 

Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program

System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering, Level III, APDP