Full Name
Janet Petro
Job Title
Deputy Director
Company
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Speaker Bio
Janet E. Petro is the deputy director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Appointed to the deputy director position in April 2007, she shares responsibility with the center director in managing the Kennedy team of civil service and contractor employees, determining and implementing center policy and managing and executing Kennedy missions and agency program responsibilities.

As Kennedy transitioned into a multi-user spaceport, she led cross-agency initiatives with the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Air Force to streamline government processes and support commercial space operations, to increase government efficiency and limit redundancy. She served a 12-month appointment at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as the deputy associate administrator and acting director for the Office of Evaluation. From 2017 through January 2020, Petro was the Program Executive leading the agency-wide initiative for a phased implementation to restructure all mission enabling functions to ensure efficient and effective support of NASA’s missions. Her assignment to the Mission Support Future Architecture Program (MAP) concluded in January 2020.

Petro began her professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army after graduating in 1981 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. She was in the second class of West Point graduates to include women. Petro also holds a Master of Science degree in business administration from Boston University's Metropolitan College.

Prior to joining NASA, Petro served in various management positions for Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation. At SAIC, Petro held a number of management positions within the corporation's operations. She interfaced with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy and commercial entities on numerous aerospace and military programs. At McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, Petro advanced from mechanical engineer and payload manager, to multiple management positions including program manager for executing a classified, multimillion-dollar U.S. Department of Defense program, to senior manager for Communications and Data Systems Division.

Petro is the recipient of numerous service and performance awards. She helped lead the senior management team that was awarded the 2019 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Sammies Management Excellence Medal, she is the recipient of a President’s Distinguished executive award, and has received the astronaut-selected Silver Snoopy award for outstanding performance for contributing to flight safety and mission success. In 2018, Petro was selected by Florida Governor Rick Scott for induction in the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. Petro is also the Executive Champion of the Kennedy Networking Opportunities for Women and serves as chair of the Kennedy Partnership Board.
Janet Petro