2009 Women of Color Award Winners
MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP
Steffanie B. Easter Nancy-Kim Yun
Assistant Commander for Acquisition Director, Integrated Shipboard Systems
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) The Boeing Company
BSc – chemical engineering, North Carolina BSc – computer science
State University BA – psychology, University of California, Irvine
MA – engineering management, Catholic MBA – Anderson Graduate School of Manage-
University of America ment, UCLA
2007 Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award
After starting college, Nancy-Kim Yun discovered an innate tal-
Steffanie Easter has 23 years of federal service. She is an out-
ent for math and science in addition to a passion for psychol-
standing career coach, role model and mentor. Her commit-
ogy, which seemed to be pointing toward 2 different career
ment is refl ected in her enthusiasm for training and develop-
paths. “I didn’t know this then, “she refl ected in an interview,
ment. Easter mentors more than 20 young African American
“but considering the line of work I’m in, psychology, along
professionals and is a frequent speaker at forums that promote
with the math and science are a great combination of skills. As
advancement in the federal workforce
a manager in a technical fi eld, I can understand the technical
From her start as a project engineer for the Presidential Heli-
aspects of the job without losing sight of the human side of
copter Program Offi ce to her current senior executive service
the business.”
(SES) position, Easter’s impressive climb up the ranks of gov-
Throughout her management assignments, Yun has leveraged
ernment service at NAVAIR has allowed her to play a critical
not only her education and experience to execute the busi-
role in promoting opportunities for women.
ness aspects of her job, but her personal experiences have also
In 2008 alone, Easter’s speaking engagements took her before
come into play. Since coming to the United States from Korea
the Federally Employed Women organization, Chapter 307,
at age 11, she has met every challenge from learning English
the Women’s Equality Day Luncheon, the Chief of Naval Op-
to learning the distinctly different, multiply varied cultural per-
erations Executive Panel on Women in the Workforce, and the
spectives of classmates in the inner-city schools of Los Angeles
NAVAIR and NAVSEA (Naval Sea Systems Command) Sym-
to graduating from college and working her way upward.
posium, where she spoke on mentoring. In addition to her
“Today in my role as a leader at Boeing, I can understand
speaking engagements, she has worked with organizations
what it’s like for someone not to feel a part of the group,” she
such as SWE and Women in Defense.
says. “I never take for granted that everyone has the same
Easter is a principal member of the Department of the Navy
understanding or knowledge. It helps me communicate with
Career Development Ad Hoc Group, which facilitates pro-
my teams, management, and customers.”
fessional growth of mid-level managers and prepares them
As a result, her career has been one of upward moves. Yun
for executive positions. She also is a member of the African
joined Boeing in 1996 as a director of business development
American SES Working Group established by the Under-Secre-
for six different divisions, responsible for domestic and inter-
tary of the Navy. She has chaired selection panels, several of
national marketing, research and development and strategic
which have increased minority and female representation of
development. In her current role, she is leading a team that is
the Navy Department’s SES Corps.
responsible for Boeing’s growth strategy into the Naval com-
Since 2004, Easter has conducted workshops offering career
mand, control, communications, computers and intelligence
counseling and guidance. She also hosts professional-develop-
(C4I) market.
ment sessions for civilian personnel from other Navy facilities
Yun is active with the Boeing Women in Leadership group and
and commands. These assignments help broaden individuals’
serves as an executive champion for the Huntington Beach/
knowledge of Navy programs and processes and improve
Anaheim/Seal Beach chapter. She also serves as a member
their promotion potential. As part of her commitment to the
of the Dean’s Leadership Council at the University of Califor-
equal employment opportunity program, she coached and
nia. The council is an advisory board that helps advance the
mentored federal employees on a recurring basis. The women
research, teaching and public service goals of the Irvine Bren
later worked at the Naval Systems Command and other fed-
School of Business by strengthening the school’s ties to indus-
eral agencies in the Washington, DC area.
try and the community.
As assistant commander of acquisition, she is one of a handful
In 2005, Yun was one of sixty women across California to be
of offi cers in charge of Uncle Sam’s checkbook. Easter provides
selected for Leadership California’s yearlong California Issues
leadership to more than 3,000 members of a workforce
& Trends Program. She was elected a board member of the
comprising of civilian and military contracting offi cers, and
1,000- member group, which focuses on next-generation
she executes acquisition responsibilities and management ac-
women leaders from academia, government and industry. She
countability for six program-management offi ces, controlling
is actively involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Anaheim,
more than 50 projects for the Navy and Marine Corps, with
and she has half dozen women and minority mentees she
an annual budget of $3.2 billion.
meets with regularly.
34 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2009
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