Outstanding Service Award
Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense congratulates Heather Feli on receiving the International Council on Systems Engineering’s (INCOSE) Outstanding Service Award. The award was presented for her unrelenting dedication and transformative leadership in supporting and empowering women leaders to author and publish their important works in the Emerging Trends in Systems Engineering: Practical Research from Women Leaders book.
As an editor, author, and publication leader for the Emerging Trends in Systems Engineering book she fostered an inclusive environment where women and those with diverse worldviews were encouraged and coached to contribute meaningful content. She worked across disciplinary boundaries – not only academically, but also through hands-on engagement with a superior diplomatic communication style. Heather’s work is even more extraordinary because she led this entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic as a side project outside of work.
Her unrelentless and untiring spirit to deliver this book during a pandemic is exceptional. While other initiatives took a backseat due to the pandemic, Heather kept everyone on track to get their chapters to a very high level of quality. She was the perfect leader in these exceptional times. There is no doubt that if Heather was not part of the editorial team of this book, there would be no book. Because of her leadership ability and passion for service, Heather brought together 26 women from 6 different countries to develop exceptional quality writing for this book.
Heather just celebrated her 12-year anniversary with EBAD and is currently a Product Engineering Leader in Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense’s Electronics Center. Heather leads Ensign-Bickford’s campus engagement for her alma mater Clarkson University. She is also the co-creator of Clarkson University’s annual OktoBAJAfest, a unique exhibition rate for student mini Baja vehicles.