TANYA M. SKEEN
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.
Ms. 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, Ms. 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
(Current as of December 2014)
Ms. 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, Ms. 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
(Current as of December 2014)