Retired Rear Adm. James Basil Godwin III remembers clearly why he selected Steffanie Easter as his deputy program executive officer in 2002, a decision that helped her make history as the first African-American woman appointed to the senior executive ranks at Naval Air Systems Command.
“She had the program management skills, credibility, integrity and dynamic leadership style that we needed at that time in our history,” said Godwin, who then led the command’s Tactical Aircraft Programs, or PEO(T). “She was eminently qualified in all categories and performed even more effectively than envisioned. She was also a critical balance to me as the [program executive officer] in other matters beyond the technical aspects of running programs.”
Eleven years and several leadership positions later, Easter serves as executive director of DoD’s F-35 Lightning II Program Office, overseeing the fighter jet’s design, development, test and production for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight international partners.
She will join a panel of industry and government women leaders sharing career advice at the workshop “When Preparedness Meets Opportunity: Will You Be Ready?” Sponsored by NAVAIR’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office and the African-American Pipelines Advisory Team, the workshop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 12 at the River’s Edge Catering and Conference Center.
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