Jennifer Kunz

Jennifer Kunz is the acting deputy director for NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As acting deputy director, she shares responsibility with Kennedy Acting Director Kelvin Manning in managing the center’s team of civil service and contractor employees, determining and implementing center policy, and managing and executing Kennedy missions and agency program responsibilities.

Experience

Prior to her current role, Kunz served as associate director, technical, with responsibility for ensuring safe and effective execution of the center’s technical capabilities, including establishing strategies and policies to ensure alignment of the Kennedy workforce, facilities, and operations to facilitate agency program and project goals.

Kunz previously served as director of Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA), providing Kennedy’s final input on risks and range analysis and providing an overall mission assurance endorsement that NASA’s launches will be safe and successful. She also was responsible for the planning and execution of all SMA activities at Kennedy, ensuring the success of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems, Commercial Crew, Launch Services, Orion and the International Space Station (ISS) programs while protecting the safety of all center personnel and the public. Kunz has more than 30 years of NASA experience at Kennedy, including significant experience in project management and overall leadership. 

Kunz began her impressive career with NASA in 1991 and has made significant impacts to numerous major NASA programs including Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Constellation, and the Exploration Ground Systems Program.

Prior to her role as SMA director, Kunz was deputy program manager of the Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems Program. The program comprised 440 civil service and 1,100 contractor employees responsible for the planning and development of the required facilities; ground systems; test and verification; logistics; and prelaunch, launch, and recovery operations for NASA’s Space Launch System/Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, as well as providing multiuse infrastructure to enable commercial and other government spacecraft and launch providers

Awards

Kunz has received numerous honors, including Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, an Outstanding Leadership Medal, Exceptional Service Medal, Exceptional Achievement Medal, Center Director’s Strategic Leadership Award, seven Center Director Gold Dollar Awards, the Kennedy Certificate of Commendation, and numerous Group Achievement Awards. She has participated in several leadership development programs, including the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education, Federal Executive lnstitute’s Leadership for a Democratic Society and NASA’s Management Education Program.

Education

Kunz graduated from Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and received a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Auburn University in 1990. In 1994, she earned a Master of Science in engineering management from the University of Central Florida.

Personal

Kunz currently resides in Merritt Island with her husband Dean, who also works for NASA at Kennedy, and their two children.

Biography last updated January 2025