NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Carolyn E. Knowles, Executive Officer to the Associate Administrator for Education, NASA Headquarters. Credit: NASA Carolyn E. Knowles joined NASA in November 2003. As the Executive Officer to the Associate Administrator for Education, she is responsible for maintaining an overall view of the problems, issues, policies, and program development activities of the agency's education programs and activities. She specifically supports the Associate Administrator for Education by collaborating with colleges, universities, government agencies, and private corporations to achieve NASA's objectives; provides advice and support in all phases of the functional management of NASA Education Programs by evaluating and analyzing program information; presents and interprets management views to appropriate audiences; and provides leadership, oversight, and direction for administrative actions and management issues.

Prior to this assignment, Knowles served as the Senior Manager for NASA Programs at the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation. In this capacity, she was responsible for three programs: the NASA Administrator's Fellowship Program, the Harriett G. Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellowship Program, and the Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award Program.

Knowles received her bachelor's degree in Business Management from Saint Augustine's College in 1977 and received a regular army commission into the Adjutant General Officer Corps. She completed several military schools to include the Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Systems Automation Course, the Reserve Officer Training Corps Instructor Course, and the Command and General Staff College. Knowles also holds a Masters in Management from Central Michigan University.

Upon retirement from the Army, Knowles returned to her alma mater to serve as Assistant Professor of Business and Director of the Saint Augustine's College Learning Community Program, a mentoring system for first-year and transfer students.

Knowles' military and civilian background provides a wealth of experience in leadership, program management, teaching, training and development. She is a member of the National Association of Female Executives, the Retired Officers Association, and the Young Women's Christian Association Academy of Women.