Gena Humphrey Henderson, Ph.D., serves as Chief of the Integrative Operations Branch of Exploration Systems and Operations Division within the KSC Engineering Directorate at John F. Kennedy Space Center of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The branch is responsible for providing and building technical competence and expertise in operations and sustaining of ground to flight systems of manifested launch vehicles, space technology, and space flight test programs and projects. Engineers provide expertise and leadership in highly-specialized teams to integrate technical requirements of concept development, planning, scheduling, affordability, and sustainability that span the life cycle across complex, multi-systems to successfully meet mission operability.
With over 25 years of experience in ground and launch processing of space flight systems, Dr. Henderson has served in a leadership capacity on numerous teams and received several awards including exceptional service medal, certificates of commendation and appreciation, and group achievement.
Dr. Henderson graduated from Florida State University (FSU) with a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and from Florida A & M University (FAMU) with a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and became the first student to receive a master’s degree of any engineering discipline in the history of FAMU. Additionally, she graduated from the University of Central Florida, earning her the distinction of being the first woman of color to receive a Doctor of Philosophy in an engineering discipline from the university.
Dr. Henderson is a Florida native and resides in Sanford, FL, with her husband and their three children.