NASA has announced the appointments of Mary Beth Schwartz as head of center operations directorate at the Johnson Space Center and David Korth as deputy for Johnson’s safety and mission assurance directorate.
Schwartz, who has been working with NASA for almost 20 years after starting as an intern, was the immediate former deputy of Johnson’s center operations directorate, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her previous positions in the agency include senior chair of the payload safety review panel for the International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs.
She also worked as manager of safety and mission assurance business office and led its budget consolidation and integration functions. A graduate of bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston, Schwartz has received the NASA Exceptional Service medal the NASA Honor and Silver Snoopy awards.
Vanessa Wyche, Johnson Space Center director, cited Schwartz’s “unique perspective” in focusing center operations not only on mission and customer goals but also employee experience.
“I appreciate her vision for the organization, commitment to the mission and overall genuine respect of the workforce,” she said.
Korth’s Background
Wyche also acknowledged Korth’s track record meriting his appointment as Johnson’s safety and mission assurance directorate deputy, calling him an “outstanding leader and engineer” with a full grasp on the agency’s safety procedures.
“His leadership will ensure the center continues its safety-first ideology,” Wyche commented.
Korth has worked at NASA for over 17 years and held the role of deputy manager of the ISS Avionics and Software Office before his new appointment. He also previously served as deputy manager of the ISS Systems Engineering Office where he concurrently headed procurement for the NASA commercial destination program.
His NASA career started in 1998 as an engineer in the ISS operations planning group, bringing with him over eight years of experience in the Houston-based aerospace company Barrios Technology. He also previously worked part-time for five years as an adjunct mathematics instructor at Lee College.
Korth has earned several career recognitions, including a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
