Biographical Summary

About Launch Guest Briefings

• Graduated from Taylor University, Indiana, in 1983 with Bachelor's degree in Physics.
• Spent first seven years with NASA as a Project Engineer/Test Director at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
• Transferred to KSC in 1990.
  
• First Female ever to be certified as a NASA Test Director (NTD), meaning the first woman to lead the team that launches NASA's astronauts into space.
• Spent about 8 years as an NTD and conducted over 60 Shuttle Launch Countdowns.
• Spent 1 1/2 years as Acting Chief of the Process Integration and Implementation Office in the Shuttle Processing Directorate.
• Currently Chief, Guest Services and Special Events Division, External Relations and Business Development Directorate.
• Currently pursuing M.S. in Management from the Florida Institute of Technology
• Married to Robert, also a NASA engineer.

  Biography last updated - March 2001

Involvement in pre-launch briefings can take one of three forms -- either as the master of ceremonies, a presenter or a scriptwriter.  The briefing is composed of two twenty minute presentations -- one that focuses on KSC as a wildlife refuge and also provides an overview of Shuttle processing, followed by a second presentation that highlights projected mission, science and crew activities.

1999 was Debbie's first year participating as an Launch Guest Presenter.    

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