What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
My first job was as a computer programmer for a food processing company. I got laid off from that job after one year. On the Friday before I took my first hard-earned week of vacation, I was informed that I didn't need to return. Out the door I went with two weeks severance pay and two weeks vacation pay. I learned that:

• I could survive even though initially I felt like I'd been kicked in the teeth.
• I have better, marketable skills, assets, and strengths than I gave myself credit for. There were a few managers at the company that were quite perturbed when I was let go. They obviously saw things in me that I hadn't.
• The forced change could work out well for me. I turned the setback and disappointment into an opportunity (a variation on the "make lemonade out of lemons" theme).

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?
I have one person for each category. My hero is Patty Wagstaff for her dedication and expertise in a male-dominated field-flying. She is a six-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team and a three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, the first woman to earn that title. My interest in flying and my similar situation of competing in a highly male-dominated field makes her accomplishments inspire me.

I define a mentor as someone not in my direct chain of command and at least two levels above me in the organization. A mentor provides a broader perspective and allows one to freely discuss things without passing judgment or trying to fix them. I define a sponsor as someone in my direct chain of command, one or more levels above, that supports me and promotes me and watches out for me and my career. Currently I don't have a mentor although I have had numerous sponsors in my career. Most highly successful CEOs say a mentor was crucial to their success, so this aspect is one I need to remedy.

The person I most admire is my husband, Garry. He possesses several people skills that I try to emulate. He has never met a stranger. He can carry on a conversation with anyone and make them feel comfortable and welcome. He is a preeminent diplomat. Through his words, intonation, and actions, he can tell you where to go and make you look forward to the trip. He is almost unfailingly positive, looking for, finding, and emphasizing the positives in everything and every situation. He keeps me upbeat when forces conspire to drag me down.

What is your favorite book?
I don't have a favorite book, but rather a favorite type of book. I love mysteries! I read about one per week as a mental release from the day-to-day grind. I enjoy authors such as Sue Grafton, Scott Turow, Dick Francis, and Karen Kiejewski. I also read books to improve my business acumen and skills. Recently I've read Inside the Magic Kingdom" by Tom Connellan, "Lions Don't Need to Roar" by Debra Benton, and "Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will" by Noel Tichy and Stratford Sherman. I enjoy rereading "Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams" by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister.

What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?
More high technology from military applications will make its way into the commercial market. Raytheon's infrared NightVision™ system currently available on the 2000 Cadillac DeVille is an example of this technology transfer. I also expect commercial developments to make their way into the military. More and more of the standards and specifications used for military applications are being replaced by best commercial practices.

I expect blended sensors information to be more common and to have diverse usage. The information from sensors will blend different wavelengths such as visible light and infrared with information from sonar, radar, lasers, or ladar to produce a detailed composite image with a multitude of dimensions and dynamics. I also expect growth in analysis tools and software to follow close behind. The technology exists today but is not in production. I think this technology will move from military applications to other areas such as medicine.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?
The technology - I'm constantly amazed by the technology available and by the five and 10 year roadmaps that show future strategies. I enjoy integrating systems, getting all the pieces to work together. The capabilities of the systems in development are astounding. It can be difficult keeping up with the advances in technology, but it's well worth the effort. When I graduated, I never had any idea anything like these technologies existed. It's hard to aspire to something you don't even know exists. I'm glad I stumbled into it.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
On a professional level, my greatest accomplishment occurs when I get a diverse group of people to jell and perform as a truly integrated team. The dynamics of an empowered, performing team are incredible and what they can accomplish is phenomenal.

On a personal level, my greatest accomplishment is my family. We are a close-knit family. Garry and I are always getting compliments about our daughters. They are wonderful young women and we're very proud of them.

What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?
My greatest challenge was getting my pilot's license. I flew in a small plane when I was a teenager and loved it! When I decided to follow my husband's lead and get a pilot's license, I was over 30, married with two kids, and fully aware that I was mortal. I approached each lesson and flight with sweaty palms. I continued in spite of my trepidation and the personal payoff was huge. I have rarely felt as elated as I did when I flew solo. I learned to force myself outside my comfort zone. Most limits I've encountered have been self-imposed.

What strategies do you use to maintain balance in your life?

• I have a "venting partner." That's a close friend or work associate with whom you can exchange gripes, bounce ideas off, and who keeps what is said in strict confidence. This way I can blow off steam in a safe environment and get my thoughts in order so I know how I want to handle a situation.

• I have a housekeeper to do the weekly chores. My husband and I split the rest of the household duties. For instance, he does grocery shopping, most of the cooking, and runs many of the errands. I do the wash, write bills and balance the checkbook, clean up from dinner, and help on the errands. We don't keep as neat a home as I'd like, but there are many things I consider more important than a spotless, uncluttered house. We don't make the beds, dinner may be sandwiches, underwear doesn't get folded, and if you must have something ironed you do it yourself. On occasion we have snack night where everyone picks what they want for dinner and fixes it.

• I make conscious compromises. I have less time to play than I'd like. If I have a deadline I'm working extra hours for, I come home and eat dinner with my family. Then I continue working afterwards while the kids are doing homework or in bed. Something I don't compromise on is exercise. One of the best things I can do for my family is keep myself healthy.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?
Take the initiative.

• Let your supervisors know you are interested in more responsibility and what your long-term career goals are. When a position opens up that you want, put your name in the hat. Don't wait until you get asked - you may get overlooked because they assume you wouldn't be interested. My career started going places after an incident in a department meeting. Our new department manager was holding small meetings within the department to get to know the people. He held a few of those meetings with only women, a radical thing to do in the 1980s. He asked our roomful of 20 women who among us had thought about becoming president of the company. I was the only one who raised her hand amid snickering and disbelief from the other women that I had the chutzpah to even think of it. I simply stated that I didn't know if I could make president, but I couldn't imagine doing the same job forever - nothing could be more boring. In no time at all I started getting special assignments that let me enhance my skills and visibility. The rest, as they say, is history.

• Volunteer for special assignments or tasks outside your normal day-to-day job. This will expand your sphere of visibility, grow your skills, and let you establish a larger network of contacts. You need to get noticed and stand out from the crowd. You also need to be known outside your immediate group.

Establish your presence.

• Treat yourself and everyone around you as equals. You'll get more respect for your ideas and contributions and you'll get more cooperation and teamwork from your supervisors, peers and subordinates.

• Act, sit, walk and talk with confidence. If you must leave a meeting early, don't slink out as if you are ashamed of interrupting the meeting. If it is important enough for you to leave, then do so with your head held high and a smile on your face. By the same token, when you enter a room full of people you don't know, take stock of what's going on, then walk up to a group and introduce yourself. You can't network if you're a wallflower.

• Hone your communications skills. You must be a good listener in addition to speaking and writing well. Be open and honest so people want to talk with you.

• A final item comes only with experience. You can tell the difference between a major and a 4-star general. That difference I call "polish," for lack of a better term. It's taking your presence one step farther on the confidence scale.

Persevere and be patient.

• Timing is everything. Get the right skills required for your next job before you need them - then you'll be positioned when the time is right.

• Keep working harder and smarter than the next person. Recognize that it takes time to gain the experience to get to and perform at the top. You won't be there 5 years after you get out of school. Plan your career steps and set intermediate goals on the road to your final goal. Measure your progress and make adjustments to your plan or goals as needed.

• In spite of the advances women have made, there is still a long way to go. Keep after it and endure. We can change it one woman at a time.

Attitude is the key.

• Exhibit a "can-do and will-do whatever it takes to get the job done" attitude whether you are making your own copies or briefing the CEO.

• Keep a positive perspective and look for the good things in any situation. It's easy to join the crowd in thinking negatively and not know it. If everyone is thinking the same way - negatively - it's not noticeable or remarkable when you follow along. It's when you distinguish yourself from the crowd by taking the positive view that you get noticed. I'd encourage everyone to take a minute each day to analyze the issues affecting the morale of those around you and decide for yourself how to feel about them and what you will do about them.

• Be confident but not cocky. There's a fine line between the two.

• Be a leader. Leadership is a job position, a set of activities, and an attitude that inspires confidence and melds groups.

• Take risks. You will occasionally fail, but you'll learn from it. The payoffs are there when you succeed.

Performance matters.

• Nothing else matters if you don't do a good job. Meet the deadlines you've been given. Don't require daily direction from your supervisor. Do good quality work.

• Doing a good job is not enough to separate you from the pack. Lots of people do a good job. Don't expect fantastic rewards for doing the job as well as everyone else, it takes more.