Leslie Taylor
Flight Test Engineer, Civilian
“There should be no barriers to thinking you can succeed in the military and there are many women who have. As my parents told me, ‘You can do it and should do it because you are independent, smart, and skilled.”
WORK EXPERIENCE
Vice Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, NAVAIR.
Executive Director Test Flight Engineering USN.
First Female Executive Director of Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD).
Former Deputy Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation NAVAIR.
Taylor began as a flight test engineer and climbed the ranks to become one of the first major female leaders at NAS Patuxent River. Her status as one of the few women in engineering at the time posed barriers, but also allowed her to stand out and be remembered for her talent. Her experiences of overcoming adversity helped to develop strength, resilience, and skilled leadership. Taylor emphasizes collaboration as key to solving problems in STEM.
