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Laura Rochester is the director of Procurement at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Laura Rochester

Director, Procurement Office

Laura Rochester is the director of Procurement at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Selected in February 2020, Rochester is responsible for leading and managing the overall operation of KSC procurement activities, including planning and implementing acquisition strategies, issuing solicitations, conducting negotiations, processing awards and administering contracts for KSC programs and projects as well as enterprise-wide institutional portfolio contracting activity.

Experience

Rochester began her career as a public accountant. She entered federal service as an auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency, auditing NASA and Department of Defense contracts. She joined NASA in 1989 as a contract cost/price analyst.

Prior to her current position, Rochester served as the deputy director of the Procurement Office within the organization for four years where she advised the Procurement director, center director and senior management officials on contracting and procurement matters in support of Kennedy’s major programs and mission of being a multi-user spaceport. From 2006 to 2016, Rochester served as division chief of the KSC Procurement Policy and Review Office where she worked closely with NASA leadership and the KSC Procurement Team in reviewing, recommending and implementing procurement policy and procedures.

In 2014, Rochester accepted a one-year detail with the NASA Office of Agency Council Staff in Washington, D.C., where she served as executive to the Mission Support Council and Program Management Council.

Upon her return to KSC, Rochester served as a project lead for diverse agencywide teams for both the Business Services Assessment (BSA) and the Mission Support Future Architecture Program (MAP) where she supported an agencywide procurement evolution to an enterprise model, seeking and implementing large-scale efficiencies in the procurement process.

Rochester previously held numerous other positions in the Procurement Office. Among them, she was responsible for management of a joint contract with the United States Air Force, 45th Space Wing, administered by both NASA and Air Force personnel, and was responsible for contract administration of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during its $100 million renovation from 1995 through 2000.

Awards

Throughout her career, Rochester has received numerous honors and awards. In 2002, the Kennedy Procurement Office nominated her for the Agency’s Contract Manager of the Year. She has received the noteworthy Silver Snoopy Award, the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, and a Superior Accomplishment Award.

Education

Rochester holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in management from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Personal

Rochester was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., but grew up in Merritt Island, Fla., and graduated from Merritt Island High School. She has been a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida since 1988 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.