2008 Women of Color Honorees
Special Recognition Special Recognition
Stephanie Johnson Major Irma Lopez
Emergency Preparedness Supervisor Company Commander
Texas Instruments Headquarters & Service Battalion
Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego
BA–Biology, University of Texas at Austin
US Marine Corps
Human lack of foresight bothers
Major Irma Lopez considers
Stephanie Johnson. She says
her tenure as a Marine drill in-
mankind never could have fore-
structor as her greatest career
seen the havoc emissions would
achievement. She says it had
wreak on asthma rates or that of
a positive impact on recruits:
buried nuclear waste, and “didn’t
instilling a pride for the Corps
realize that landfills start to turn
they will retain throughout their
into methane gas.”
careers. “Marines are defend-
Johnson, whose introduction
ers of the constitution, and we
to science came as a school-
are willing to give our lives if
girl, via the dissection of a boa
necessary to maintain the liber-
constrictor, has spent a career
ties it provides for Americans,”
helping society balance manu-
she says. “I take tremendous
facturing with environmental
pride in that.”
stewardship. “We are looking
Her decorations include a Com-
at how to produce goods at a
bat Action Ribbon. It was awarded for her part in the defense
profitable level, but maintain an environment we can enjoy,”
of a convoy in Iraq. When she retires, Major Lopez intends to
she says. And her job at Texas Instruments affords her a
pursue a career in the ministry.
unique position — melding sustainability with bottomline
business practice.
Special Recognition Special Recognition
Patricia Lyles Rhonda Lyons
Program Director Experimental Flight Test Operations
CSC Manager
Commercial Airplanes
BS–Electrical Engineering, Howard University
The Boeing Company
MS–Information Systems, The American University
AA–Applied Science, Aviation Maintenance, North Central Institute
Patricia Lyles helps the Homeland Security agency under- BS–Aeronautics and Industrial Technology, Tennessee State University
stand information flows by investigating the interdependen-
MS–Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University–
cies of groups, and the utility of data capture and reporting.
expected in 2008.
Rhonda Lyons may have
Her effectiveness stems from
wings. She holds a private
an ability to set priorities. Her
pilot’s license, helps direct
credo: “There’s always more
activities at a flight academy,
than can be reasonably done
takes fencing lessons, and is
in a day. The game is to fig-
a mentor. At work, her team
ure out what needs to be at
tests, modifies, and certifies
the top and focus on getting
commercial aircraft to ensure
that done.”
they meet federal guide-
Lyles, who serves on her lines. Lyons dreamed about
PTA, is a stickler for disci- aviation since she was a child.
plined project management. After high school, she joined
“It doesn’t seem to me that the US Army as a helicopter
it’s quite enough to have maintenance specialist. Then
degrees and experience her academic interests took
without being able to say flight, as she earned two aviation degrees. Lyons found her
you passed some level of compass in a famed Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: “Do not
credentialing,” she said. follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is
no path and leave a trail.”
44 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2008 www.womenofcolor.net
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