Linda Ham '82

In her years with NASA, Linda has been a trailblazer --- first female Propulsion Officer in Mission Control, first female Section Head - Systems Division, first and only female Manager of Space Shuttle Program Integration, first and only Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager and, perhaps her proudest achievement, first female Flight Director - Leader of Mission Control.

Linda has served as Flight Director on fourteen Space Shuttle missions during launch, orbit, and re-entry mission phases. Also, she managed Space Shuttle Program integration for the $3.3 billion (annual budget) national program, which employed 19,000 contractor and civil service employees. Notably, Linda received a special appointment to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and served to create a hydrogen economy.

Currently, Linda is Lead, NASA JSC’s Technology Infusion.  She leads the efforts of Johnson Space Center (JSC) to collaborate with industry in developing America’s return to the Moon 2024 Program.  She pioneers innovative techniques to collaborate with strategic partners worldwide; spearheading efforts to collaborate for technology transfer and to cooperatively develop cross-industry technologies. In addition, Linda led JSC’s effort in creating the newly formed Technology Collaboration Center of Houston.

Linda holds a Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Business Administration from Rice University, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.