Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch

Director, SATCOM, Teleport and Services
Program Executive Office
Defense Information Systems Agency

Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch is a member of the Senior Executive Service and is the Director of the SATCOM, Teleport and Services Program Executive Office within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).  In this role she is responsible for managing her portfolio’s resources to ensure the upgrade and integration of communications assets providing the Commander in Chief mission capability anytime, anywhere, and in any environment; to establish the Agency as the provider of choice for SATCOM by delivering Teleport capabilities that provide critical access to the deployed warfighter, and  SATCOM services that are truly responsive, cost effective, mission oriented, and customer focused; and to ensure the Agency’s services are acquired using a strategic, enterprise- wide approach resulting in innovative acquisition solutions for DISA and the Department of Defense.

Since her appointment to the Senior Executive Service in 2002, Ms Cowen-Hirsch has held leadership positions as the DISA Vice Component Acquisition Executive, where she had executive management responsibility for the acquisition oversight and horizontal integration of DISA’s products, services, and programs, and as Director, Defense Spectrum Office, (DISA), where her responsibilities included the development of National security spectrum strategic plans and policy, and National and International coordination of Defense spectrum issues. 

Prior to her appointment to the Senior Executive Service, Ms. Cowen-Hirsch held positions as the first Deputy Chief of the Office of Spectrum Analysis and Management, DISA in Alexandria, VA; the Chief, Electronic Systems Division followed by the Chief, Space and Intelligence Systems Division at the Joint Spectrum Center in Annapolis, MD; Stand-up of the 452nd Flight Test Squadron in Edwards AFB, CA; Program Manager for the Advance Cruise Missile Mission Control Aircraft (CMMCA) preceded by an assignment as the Program Manager and Systems Engineer for the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA) systems integration programs where she was the first civilian female Mission Commander for the ARIA and a flight test engineer , Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.

Ms. Cowen-Hirsch has served with distinction throughout her career with the United States Air Force and the Defense Information Systems Agency.  She was a recipient of the United States Air Force Civilian Exemplary Service Award for her consummate professionalism, dedication, and unparalleled technical expertise in support of the military space systems. 

Born in Denver, CO and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky and completed her post-graduate studies in Engineering Management at the University of Dayton.  She is a distinguished graduate of the University of Tennessee Space Institute Experimental Flight Test Program and is certified as an Acquisition Professional in Test and Evaluation; Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering; and Program Management.  

(Current as of August 2006)

To Jan 9, 2007 Monthly Luncheon Page