NCMA DC is honored to welcome Karla Smith Jackson, Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) at NASA, as our speaker for the October dinner meeting. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 19 at the Arts Club of Washington.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE? Your ticket price includes a networking half hour with complementary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet meal, wine during dinner, and parking in the Arts Club garage (located off 20th street).
Karla Smith Jackson is the SPE, Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer & Assistant Administrator for the Office of Procurement at NASA. In this role, she provides senior executive leadership and oversight of NASA's procurement functions, policy, and initiatives to an acquisition workforce of over 4,000 personnel. Ms. Jackson serves on the FAI Board of Directors and on the FAR Council. She is one of only three signatory authorities that can execute procurement policies and procedures on behalf of the Federal Government.
A seasoned acquisition professional with over 30 years of extensive experience, Ms. Jackson previously served as the Acting Director for Acquisition at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). From 2016 to 2020, she served as the Director of Contracts at MDA, responsible for all agency contracting actions. Previous assignments include Chief/Deputy Chief of Contract Operations for the Coast Guard, Chief of Staff/Executive Officer to the Director of Acquisition at MDA, Chief of Acquisition Operations at DLA, and Deputy Executive Director for Contracts at the Headquarters of DCMA.
Ms. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Hampton University and a Master of Science degree in contract and acquisition management from the Florida Institute of Technology. She also holds a Master of Science degree in national resource strategy with a concentration in acquisition from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (Defense Acquisition University). Ms. Jackson became a Certified Professional Contracts Manager in 1997 and is Level III–certified in the Contracting (Acquisition) Career Field.
Ms. Jackson has received numerous awards and is a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, and the OSD Medal for Humanitarian Civilian Service.