Celebrating diverse engineers and technology professionals at BAE Systems, Inc.

Published

February 09, 2023

Business BAE Systems Inc. Head Office

Employees receive BEYA Modern-Day Technology Leader and Legacy awards

BAE Systems, Inc. is proud to serve as a key sponsor of the 37^th Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference, where twenty-one employees will be honored for their professional accomplishments in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

This year’s honorees bring their considerable talents and trusted, inclusive leadership to our mission of delivering the capabilities and technologies that will protect those who protect us.

Advancing diverse talent and perspectives creates a more equitable and diverse workforce, and the BEYA STEM Conference provides an important opportunity to celebrate the contributions of our engineers and technologists to make a positive difference in the world.

Get to know our 2023 BEYA winners:

Clarence Alston is a technical and network subject matter expert in his role as an integrated test engineer. His exceptional diligence, dedication, high level of skill and ability to develop and lead test solutions for the programs he supports enable us to meet our customers’ needs. As a trusted and highly sought after technical resource and mentor to junior team members, he’s a great role model for achieving operational excellence. Congratulations to Clarence on his BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader Award.

A rising star in the world of quality. Paapa Amponsah is a well-respected, motivated, and dedicated junior engineer who has a willingness to dig in and get to the bottom of technical issues. He performs the mechanical inspection for our electro-optical missile sensors before they are delivered to our warfighters. His attention to detail helps to protect military pilots so they can complete their missions and return home safely. He was recently honored with the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award—for this as well as his commitment to quality, he’s one to watch!

Keith Boykin is an exceptional Integrated Test Engineering lead who goes above and beyond in leading his team to success, which is why he is once again being honored with the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award. Keith is relied on for his technical expertise and knowledge and encourages open minds and creativity. He is a true example of what the organization needs as a leader and team player. Congratulations, Keith!

Agent of change. As a program manager, Stephen Brown sees new possibilities and makes them happen, which is why we’re so proud he received the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader Award. We’re grateful for his leadership, and so is his nominator, Mike McDermott, who said, “It’s rare to find a leader within the organization who encompasses technical aptitude, unwavering drive to meet business objectives and sincere leadership talent.”

William Croghan, senior principal systems engineer, understands the requirements for our military GPS products, because he’s been an end user. As a veteran, the insights and guidance he provides leads to better outcomes for our customers, every step of the way from design to fielding. His commitment to excellence and dedication to the mission, both in and out of uniform, is why we’re incredibly proud of him for earning the General Johnnie Wilson Legacy Award at the BEYA Conference HBCU Engineering Deans’ Recognition Event. Way to go, William!

Meet Ivan Edwards, electrical systems engineer and winner of the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award. He grew up wanting to be an inventor and is proud to contribute to the development of products that bring our warfighters home safely to their families. His nominator, Edward Khanishian, shared, “Ivan is the ultimate team player.”

A trusted leader. A problem solver. A champion of life-saving technology. Ryan Edwards is a West Point graduate, former Special Forces operator, and Green Beret who has spent a long time in our end users’ boots and is now dedicated to delivering technologies to protect Army ground vehicles and cross-service airborne platforms from threats of all types. Ryan is a well-respected and trusted leader whose effective listening and communication skills, along with his own military experience, helps him to obtain a deep mission understanding of our customers’ needs. He has been instrumental in the development and demonstration of advanced platform protection solutions. We congratulate him on his well-deserved BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award!

Mariano Figueroa is a significant contributor and a model employee who is highly respected and appreciated by his peers. Mariano has made major contributions towards the success of several programs and is known for his character and integrity. He was recently recognized with the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award and represents the type of engineers that our company can rely on for the future.

What does success in the field of engineering look like? Look no further than Kristen Hurley, senior principal systems engineer and innovative problem solver. Kristen’s disciplined execution skills and effective leadership give her the edge she needs to play key roles in customer flight tests, production of complex electronic systems, and customer training. Kristen is a confident, capable, technical lead who is well-respected by her team. She is an outstanding role model and mentor who helps to make our work environment more inclusive and paves the way for future systems engineering experts. It comes as no surprise that Kristen is once again a recipient of the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader Award!

When it comes to product lifecycle management, Senior System Integration Engineer Torrae Jackson is a subject matter expert from end to end. He continues to innovate using advanced digital engineering technology, and he was recognized for his achievements with the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award this year. According to his nominator, Aslam Maxon, “His tireless efforts and exceptional commitment to providing innovative technology solutions is critical to the operations of Engineering functions and programs across the development lifecycle.”

Congratulations to Quinten Long, a rising star in the field of electrical engineering who recently received the BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award. His energy, initiative, and willingness to learn have already set him on the path to success. His nominator, Edward Khanishian, agrees: “Quinten is the ultimate team player. He has a can do attitude, is an excellent communicator, and is always ready to take on challenges.”

Benjamin Puthukeril is a director at our Austin Business Center. Since joining BAE Systems in 2019 he has steadily risen through the organization due to his exceptional leadership skills and background in quality and manufacturing. The team considers him to be a consistent, insightful, inspiring leader. One of his employees commented, “Ben has easily been one of the best leaders I've had in my career. Under Ben’s leadership the team brings lifesaving technologies to our men and women in uniform.”

Trust high-integrity products to a high-integrity professional. Nate Serrant is a firmware development engineer who is a rising star in the design and development of safety-critical control products. His technical expertise, attention to detail, ability to lead teams, and solve difficult problems earned him the prestigious recognition of a BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award. He has an excellent track record of success and is a trusted collaborator. We’re proud to celebrate with Nate and all of our BEYA Awards winners.

Monica St. Julien is a stand-out program manager who never shies away from a challenge and never gets discouraged when the going gets tough. Monica’s positivity, inclusive leadership and diverse skillset all contribute to the development and production of life-saving advanced electronic systems. The products she helps deliver protect our military aircraft from incoming missiles, helping to bring our warfighters home safely. Monica’s dedication to our mission and the people and technology that support it are some of the key reasons we’re excited to celebrate her BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award. Congrats, Monica!

Khalid Umar is a purposeful, accomplished, and proactive leader who exceeds customers’ expectations and meets project goals. His upbeat and inclusive leadership style brings the team together with open lines of communication, creating an environment where problems can be resolved more easily. Please

Corey Williams is one of our BEYA superstars. He joined BAE Systems in 2012 and has rapidly advanced within the organization. Corey is a hard-working and reliable business analyst who’s committed to ongoing professional development to ensure that he continues to innovate in management and technology. Inside and outside of the organization, Corey is held in high regard for his technical knowledge, problem solving abilities, leadership, teamwork, and collaborative style. Congratulations to Corey on his BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader award!

Celebrating diverse engineers and technology professionals at BAE Systems, Inc.

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Celebrating diverse engineers and technology professionals at BAE Systems, Inc.