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Kathy Land |
Dedicated in Huntsville
Kathy Land
October 2008
Huntsville, Alabama—home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and the Redstone Arsenal—has long been synonymous with missile development. Located in the lower Tennessee Valley region, Huntsville was nicknamed "Rocket City" when a group of German scientists were brought to the Redstone Arsenal in the 1950s to develop rockets for the US Army.
For more than 25 years, MITRE has fostered a relationship with sponsors and customers in Huntsville that is continuing as the area expands in the wake of the congressionally mandated 2005 Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. MITRE's Kathy Land has lived in the region for several years and is one of 59 staff located at the corporation's Huntsville site.
Land, a software systems engineer, came to MITRE in June 2007 from the private sector. A friend and colleague, MITRE's Jim Moore, had introduced her to the company. Having previously worked for a major defense contractor, Land was drawn to MITRE's emphasis on providing the best effort for our sponsors. She is now supporting the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Concurrent Test Training and Operations (CTTO).
MITRE's Huntsville, Alabama site
MITRE first opened a site in Huntsville in 1980 to support its customers' work in missile development and defense. Over 25 years later, MITRE's Huntsville site continues to expand and they are now supporting the Missile Defense Agency, US Army, US Marine Corps, US Air Force, and the Department of Homeland Security. |
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"The CTTO's mission is to provide for full BMDS operations while supporting simultaneous development, testing, and training within the same system," says Land. "I have also worked on two other projects in conjunction with the CTTO project. The first project was for the Department of the Navy's Software Process Improvement Initiative, which focused on formulating strategies for improving the Navy's processes for acquiring software systems. The second provided software engineering support to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics as it develops a state-of-the-practice software engineering framework."
Land's work on the Huntsville-based CTTO is closely aligned with her department, which is located at the corporation's Northern Virginia campus. "Although I am in Huntsville, my department [Software Engineering and Computing] is based in McLean, Virginia," she explains. "The Huntsville leadership team—Larry Lamb, Steve Hill, Don Parrish, and Jerry Warner—work very hard to integrate and support all the MITRE folks who are located in the Huntsville area.
"I basically view the site as 'one MITRE' and see us all working together toward common goals. Mike Schrank, who is my department head in McLean, makes a concerted effort to ensure that I remain connected with my colleagues there."
A Site for Satisfied Eyes
There are many advantages to this arrangement. "It's good to have true peer support and to be able to say to a customer that when you hire a MITRE employee you are not hiring just one individual," she says. "Instead, you are truly gaining the wealth of knowledge within the company along with that hire. To me, that really represents one of MITRE's strengths. I think it's important for anyone working here to remember—for folks working on- or off-site—the focus is on the individual providing the best possible support to the sponsor while remaining connected to the MITRE organization."
Prior to joining MITRE, Land worked in various capacities in software systems engineering in Southern California and Florida before coming to Huntsville. Having been raised in Athens, Georgia, Land was happy to return to the South and has found MITRE to be a good fit. "Huntsville is a very exciting place to be right now, and we are anticipating some big changes for the city and our organization locally," she adds. "The BRAC process presents many opportunities for both MITRE and the local community."
Over the next several years, as the 2005 BRAC is fully implemented, it is estimated that there will be nearly 5,000 new military and government jobs moving to the Huntsville area. MITRE expects to add approximately 60 staff (a combination of new hires and relocating staff) to the site to support this expanded customer base.
Giving Time to the IEEE
As is the case with many MITRE employees, Land is also a devoted volunteer—she donates considerable time and energy to the IEEE Computer Society (CS). With nearly 85,000 members, it's one of the world's largest organizations of computer professionals. She has been active in the IEEE CS since 1994 and has served on many boards and projects; she will serve as the chief elected official of the organization in 2009. Land has also written several books on IEEE software engineering standards. Her most recent book, "Practical Support for Lean Six Sigma Software Process Definition Using IEEE Software Engineering Standards," was published in June 2008.
Her dedication to the IEEE CS is clearly evident. "I am often asked why I remain so committed to it and why I chose to run for president," she says. "My answer is that there are many who do not understand the importance, contribution, and necessity of non-profit technical organizations like this. I believe it's crucial that the IEEE CS continues to serve its membership, as well as other stakeholders, and provide this generation of technologists and the next with the tools and resources needed for their personal and professional growth."
She continues, "Over the years I have had some great mentors within the IEEE CS. In addition, I have found the group to be open and welcoming—always encouraging new ideas and thought. I feel very fortunate to have MITRE support and the support of the IEEE CS membership and am looking forward to my role as president of the society next year."
—by Kay M. Upham
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