[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2979-S2980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JODY SINGER

  Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, I wish to recognize and congratulate Jody 
Singer on her retirement as the Director of the Marshall Space Flight 
Center and to express my gratitude for her countless contributions to 
our Nation and to the State of Alabama.
  Singer, a native of Hartselle, AL, earned a bachelor's degree in 
industrial engineering from the University of Alabama in 1983. She has 
completed two NASA fellowships, one at Pennsylvania State University in 
State College and another at the Simmons College Graduate School of 
Management in Boston.
  Singer began her trailblazing 38-year National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration career in 1985 through the professional intern program 
in the mission planning and development office. In 1986, she joined the 
Space Shuttle Program Office, where she was an engineer in the Space 
Shuttle Maine engine office. In this role, she was able to aid in 
Return to Flight activities after the Challenger accident.
  From 1990 to 2002, Singer served in various roles in the External 
Tank project office. These roles included business manager, technical 
assistant, and deputy manager. From 2002 to 2007, Singer served as the 
first female project manager for the Reusable Solid Rocket Booster 
Project, leading the team during the Columbia Return to Flight 
activities. Additionally, Singer served as the deputy manager in the 
Space Shuttle Propulsion Office from 2008 until the shuttle's 
successful retirement in 2011.
  From 2010 to 2012, she held deputy positions for three concurrent 
major programs: the Space Shuttle, Ares, and the start-up of the Space 
Launch System. As deputy for the Shuttle Propulsion Office, she guided 
successful fly-out and retirement of the space shuttle in 2011 as the 
deputy of the Ares Project Office.
  From 2013 to 2016, Singer served as manager of the Flight Programs 
and Partnerships Office at Marshall, where she held primary 
responsibility for the center's work with human advanced exploration 
projects, science flight mission programs, technology demonstration 
missions, commercial crew, and International Space Station life support 
systems, research facilities and payload operations. Singer also was 
responsible for identifying opportunities to develop and maintain 
partnerships with government agencies, academia, and international and 
commercial partners to help achieve NASA's vision.
  Additionally, Singer was integral to the startup of the Space Launch 
System, SLS. As the deputy program manager of SLS at Marshall, she 
helped

[[Page S2980]]

oversee nearly 3,000 civil servants and contractors involved in 
developing and testing of the vehicle, the most powerful rocket ever 
built. In November 2022, as Marshall's center director, Singer led the 
team through the successful launch of SLS. The historic Artemis I 
mission restored America's capability to send humans to the Moon, a 
feat we have not undertaken since 1972.
  Singer was appointed in September 2018 as the 14th Director of 
Marshall Space Flight Center and first female Director. She manages one 
of NASA's largest field installations, with nearly 7,000 on- and near-
site civil service and contractor employees. Prior to being named to 
the position, Singer served as Marshall's Acting Director starting in 
July 2018 and was Deputy Director from February 2016 to July 2018, 
assisting the Director with the daily management of the Center's 
workforce and operations.
  Her awards and commendations throughout her service to NASA are a 
testament to her dedication to this Nation. She has received multiple 
NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals and two Presidential Rank of 
Meritorious Executive Awards, the highest honor for career Federal 
employees. She received the Space Flight Awareness Leadership Award in 
2005 for inspiring the Shuttle Propulsion Office to strive for 
excellence and continuous improvement; and the NASA Exceptional Service 
Medal in 1993 while managing the External Tank Project's business 
office. For her unwavering commitment to excellence and achievement in 
support of the human space program, she received the Silver Snoopy 
Award from the NASA astronaut corps and was named a Space Flight 
Awareness Launch Honoree.
  Singer has also received numerous external awards and recognitions. 
This includes the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, Stellar 
Award; Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame; Distinguished Fellow by the 
University of Alabama College of Engineering; Federal Asian Pacific 
American Council--FAPAC--Outstanding SES Leadership Award; Women in 
Leadership, and Morgan County Hall of Fame; Gardner Award (2020); 2022 
AIAA Associate Fellow and 2022 Engineer of the Year. Singer was named 
in Alabama Magazine's ``Top 40 Over 40!'' and Business Alabama's ``20 
Who Make Alabama Business Tick.'' She serves as a board member for 
Leadership Alabama and is a member of the University of Alabama 
President's Cabinet.
  On behalf of the people of Alabama and our Nation, I offer Director 
Singer my heartfelt thanks and a long and happy retirement with her 
husband Chris, their three children, and five grandchildren. Her career 
is defined by remarkable innovation and unwavering devotion to the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. We owe her a debt of 
gratitude for her exemplary service to her community, the Marshall 
Space Flight Center, and her country.

                          ____________________