Gena Ellis
@genaellis
Strategic project manager with expertise in aerospace and defense sectors.
What I'm looking for
Engineering Program Manager with 20+ years of success in aerospace, defense, and high-technology programs. Proven leader in driving cross-functional engineering initiatives, workforce planning, and large-scale program execution under Agile, Waterfall, and Earned Value Management (EVMS) frameworks. Recognized for aligning engineering operations with business objectives, accelerating performance, and delivering complex systems on time, within scope, and under budget. Adept at leading through ambiguity, optimizing resource strategies, and building scalable processes that enable organizational growth.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
• Directed workforce planning and staffing fulfillment, aligning engineering demand with program objectives across 3,500+ technical staff.
• Built and presented executive-level dashboards and metrics to inform staffing and resource allocation decisions.
• Spearheaded cross-functional hiring strategies, reducing hiring cycle time by 15%.
• Led operations planning and workforce integration across multiple engineering homerooms.
• Designed and executed demand forecasting processes, improving operational predictability by 20%.
• Developed SOPs aligned with division-wide objectives and change management practices to ensure project-to-talent alignment in critical mission areas.
• Directed secure systems engineering activities including architecture, modeling, simulation, and testing.
• Delivered system performance models under strict DoD and ITAR compliance.
• Oversaw program operations and cost management, exceeding EVMS targets.
• Executed baseline changes, ensuring compliance with earned value standards and program milestones.
• Led secure systems engineering and architecture design for a multibillion-dollar program.
• Partnered with stakeholders to secure a $13B+ defense contract capture.
• Guided system development, facilitated stakeholder collaboration and supported contract capture.
• Created technical policy frameworks and documentation for program execution.
• Directed cybersecurity integration and compliance across classified programs.
• Developed risk management strategies and achieved multiple ATO certifications.
• Established policy frameworks and technical documentation for secure program execution.
• Supported project planning, logistics, and secure supply chain operations across classified programs.
• Delivered cybersecurity oversight across multiple aerospace programs.
• Designed and executed security training, raising compliance awareness program wide.
• Streamlined risk management processes, reducing program delays by 30%.
• Built management dashboards to improve performance tracking and reporting.
• Authored and maintained System Security Plans (SSPs), enabling successful accreditation of multiple defense systems.
• Secured seven SIPRNet ATO certifications, strengthening classified program networks.
• Performed forensic analysis, incident response, and proactive threat detection.
• Delivered risk mitigation strategies and corrective action planning.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
University of Arizona
Bachelor of Applied Science, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Salary expectations
Social media
Job categories
Skills
Interested in hiring Gena?
You can contact Gena and 90k+ other talented remote workers on Himalayas.
Message GenaFind your dream job
Sign up now and join over 100,000 remote workers who receive personalized job alerts, curated job matches, and more for free!
