Joy Kelly

About Joy Kelly

Joy Kelly is the founder of the Joy Hilty Kelly Foundation, focused on STEM outreach and leadership mentoring, serving in leadership roles at Space Center Houston and Wings for Growth. Joy serves on the Board of Directors, the executive committee, and is chair of the Education Outreach Committee of Space Center Houston, a Smithsonian Affiliate and Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center which also has a significant STEM education outreach program with a strong focus on underrepresented students across the United States and in other countries around the world. Joy is supporting the CEO and Founder of Wings for Growth, Varsha Waishampayan. Ms. Waishampayan is dedicated to her passion and commitment to develop women leaders worldwide. Wings for Growth was founded in 2016 and has grown steadily through the years, providing significant opportunities for many women around the world. Joy previously served as Vice President and General Manager of the Jacobs Clear Lake Group (JCLG) from December 2019 – March 2024. She served as Program Manager of Johnson Space Center Engineering, Technology, and Science II (JETS II) contract where the organization provided a breadth of technology development, analysis, design, development, and testing of spacecraft and associated systems for all of the human spaceflight programs (ranging from low earth orbit, commercial crew and cargo programs, and moon to Mars program) and astromaterials curation and basic research at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC). She served previously as Deputy General Manager and Director of Engineering at JCLG. Throughout her career Dr. Kelly has been immersed in breakthrough technologies and cultivating a high-performing culture of innovation in the organizations she has led.In addition to her work for Jacobs, Joy also served as the Director of Systems Engineering and Analysis for two start-up companies, Time Domain and Alereon, where she was responsible for executive leadership for all systems engineering and analysis efforts. These corporations developed technologies and products for ultrawideband wireless communications. Joy has been an invited speaker for numerous engagements and teaching facilitator roles for internal Jacobs corporate-level leadership courses. She earned her BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado, and her PhD in Electrical Engineering from Colorado State University.

Experience

1. Philanthropist

   Self

   Apr 2024 — Present

Education

• Colorado State University

  Ph.D.

Skills

• Aerospace Industries
• Robotics
• Product Innovation
• Systems Engineering
• R&D
• Contract Management
• Strategic Leadership
• Wireless Communications Systems