Brigette Oakes

Brigette Oakes is a seasoned engineering professional with extensive experience in the aerospace industry. Currently serving as Vice President of Engineering at Firefly Aerospace since April 2019, Brigette has held several leadership roles, including Director of Propulsion & Fluid Systems and Director of Design & Analysis. Prior to Firefly, Brigette worked as a Program Engineer at Relativity Space, focusing on vehicle modeling and system-level design. Brigette's career at SpaceX spanned from November 2012 to August 2018, during which responsibilities included developing software tools for liquid propulsion and leading engine performance measurement initiatives. Earlier experience at Lockheed Martin involved optimizing missile performance through simulation development. Brigette holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and multiple degrees in aerospace and physics from prestigious institutions including Stanford University and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.