Shirley Deese

Shirley Deese has extensive experience in engineering and leadership, currently serving as President Emeritus of the National Society of Black Engineers since June 2020. Prior to this role, Shirley held various senior positions at Northrop Grumman from 2003 until May 2023, specializing in systems and software engineering. Earlier in the career, Shirley was a Software Process Improvement Project Manager at Xerox from 1995 to 1998. Academically, Shirley holds a Master's degree in Engineering Management from California State University, Northridge, and multiple certifications in Systems Engineering, Business Management, and Computer Software Engineering from institutions including Caltech, USC Marshall School of Business, and Carnegie Mellon University, alongside a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University.