Leah Echelman

About Leah Echelman

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage before. You’ve probably even said it yourself. Just the other day at a fitness class, the instructor, while demonstrating a new move, said it: “Come on guys, this isn’t rocket science!”Actually, I’m here to tell you that financial analysis can in fact be rocket science.It takes many skill sets to get a launch vehicle into space. Yes, you need those, “Classic” rocket-scientist types, but you also need a world-class business organization making sure you are profitable! Just like the data that comes from a wind-tunnel test or an actual launch, the data generated through cost collection and accounting practices is worthless until you turn the data into meaningful information.Through my 11 years of experience in financial analysis and reporting in the aerospace-engineering industry, I am an expert at transforming data into information you can use to make informed decisions. I can analyze huge amounts of raw data and turn it into complex financial models. I utilize advanced forecasting techniques to estimate future performance and develop comprehensive business cases. I am a polished public speaker with experience presenting my findings and recommendations to senior and executive-level management.Financial analysis: it’s rocket science, not brain surgery.

Experience

1. Director, Program Planning & Controls

   Blue Origin

   Jun 2022 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

Education

• University of Colorado Denver

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), International Business

  2012 — 2013

• Mercer University

  Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Finance and Economics

  2001 — 2005

Skills

• Financial Modeling
• Open Plan & Cobra
• Financial Analysis
• Project Estimation
• Business Strategy
• Financial Reporting
• Budget Monitoring
• Earned Value Management
• Cost Control
• Preparing Business Cases
• Account Reconciliation
• Cost Management
• Forecasting
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Variance Analysis