Krystal A. Porter

About Krystal A. Porter

AI-enabled systems engineer, PhD systems engineering student, and founder working at the intersection of defense, digital health, and mission‑critical IT. I design and integrate complex systems that must work the first time because warfighters, clinicians, and communities are depending on them.By day, I support national security missions as a systems engineer at Leidos, turning operational needs into secure, scalable technology. By night, I pursue my PhD in Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia and advocate for STEM City USA, building pathways that move underrepresented talent from curiosity to careers in STEM.Strengths: AI-enabled systems architecture - defense and national security environments - digital health and healthcare IT workflows - cybersecurity and risk mitigation - stakeholder alignment from C‑suite to frontline operators - STEM advocacy, program design, and community partnerships.If you are working on the future of defense, digital health, or STEM equity, let’s connect.

Experience

1. Engineering, Integration & Operations (Eio) Solution Architect

   Leidos

   Jan 2025 — Present

   Serve as a systems engineering and technical SME for EIO business area, shaping winning technical solutions for new, current, and takeaway business across national security customers.• Lead the design of end‑to‑end architectures, roadmaps, and concepts of operations that integrate emergent technologies, with a focus on AI-enabled decision support and secure, scalable infrastructure.• Respond to RFIs and proposals by translating complex mission needs into clear technical approaches, estimates, and discriminators that strengthen Leidos’ competitive position.• Use internal AI and knowledge tools to accelerate research, solutioning, and reuse of best practices for customer problems.• Build and sustain customer relationships by partnering directly with program managers, capture managers, and technical leads to refine requirements and de‑risk delivery.• Mentor teams across engineering, capture, and delivery on systems engineering best practices and emergent technologies that impact our customers’ future missions.

Education

• University of Illinois Chicago

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Finance

• University of Virginia

  Master of Engineering - MEng, Systems Engineering

• University of Virginia

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Systems Engineering