Jody Singer, deputy director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, has been appointed as the acting director of the research facility to replace Todd May, who recently retired from the space agency.
NASA said Friday Singer will temporarily lead Marshall until the agency hires a permanent director.
She started serving as the center’s deputy director in 2016, helping the director manage personnel and daily operations.
The NASA veteran also previously served as the manager of Marshall’s flight programs and partnerships office, leading operations for human advanced exploration, science flights, technology demonstrations, commercial crew and support services for the International Space Station.
Within her 32 years of experience in NASA, Singer spent 25 years overseeing the development, assessment and fielding of propulsion elements under the Space Shuttle Program.
She entered NASA in 1985 as an engineer in the agency’s professional intern program.