Academic and Career Accomplishments
Karrie graduated from Ravenna High School in 1989. In addition to being valedictorian, Karrie participated in the Wind Ensemble, the Marching Band, Chess Club, Varsity Soccer, Ski Club, Explorer Scouts, Science Olympiad (where she placed first in the region), Photography, Key Club and National Honor Society. She earned a B.S. in Ocean Engineering and a Masters of Science at MIT in Ocean Engineering and an MBA in International Executive at Georgetown University. She was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and functioned as a Surface Warfare Officer. Karrie was involved in many professional activities/organizations and received the Society of Women Engineers Emerging Leaders Award, the Northrop Grumman Corporation Chairman’s Award for Excellence, Northrop Grumman Ship System President’s Award and the U.S. Coast Guard Deepwater Shield of Freedom Excellence Award. Karrie works for the Northrop Grumman Corporation, a company which designs systems integrators and manufactures military aircraft, defense electronics, precision weapons and commercial and military aero structures. Her love of shipbuilding was born by her years in the Navy. She is the Site Director (overall manager) of Gulfport Operations of Northrop Grumman in Mississippi and is responsible for strategically positioning the sector’s composites technology for the future. She leads operations of a 128 acre manufacturing facility, 150 union craft workers and overseas support operations personnel. While at Northrop Grumman, she was employed as Sector Director of Engineering-Technical and worked with the U.S. Coast Guard. She managed a staff of 300 engineers. Other positions held at Northrop Grumman include Technical Director, U.S. Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter, where she was responsible for the engineering design and technical program management of a 140 ft. new class of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter. She was the Engineering Manager of Ship Research and Concept Development. Karrie also worked at John J. McMullen Associations as both Senior Structural Engineer and as a Senior Naval Architect.