Speakers and Moderators
RADM (S) Elizabeth Young, USN
Director
Low Earth Orbit System Program Office
National Reconnaissance Office
Rear Admiral (select) M. Elizabeth Young is the Program
Manager, Low Earth Orbit System Program Office in the Signals Intelligence Directorate at
the National Reconnaissance Office in Chantilly, VA and assigned to Space and Naval
Warfare Systems Command Space Field Activity. She is responsible for cost, schedule, and
performance of a satellite system which provides essential, actionable intelligence to ships at
sea and is the engine for Maritime Domain Awareness.
Rear Admiral Young is from New Mexico and graduated in 1984 from the United States
Naval Academy with a BS degree in Chemistry. Her initial tour was at the Naval Space
Surveillance Systems Command, Dahlgren, VA. In 1987 she attended the Naval
Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where she graduated in 1990 with MS degrees
in Physics and Space Operations.
After graduation she reported to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. Her
team developed biological warfare sensors which were deployed to the fighting forces during
the first Gulf War and serve as the basis of many of today’s detectors. While at the Naval
Research Laboratory, she served additional duty to the Naval Space Technology Program.
In 1992 she reported as the Officer in Charge, Naval Space Command Detachment at the
Defense Support System Ground Station at Buckley Air National Guard Base in Aurora,
CO. During this tour she qualified as Crew Commander and was promoted to Lieutenant
Commander.
In 1994 she reported to the Aerospace Data Facility at Buckley Air National Guard Base in
Aurora. During this tour she developed and fielded a new ground processing upgrade at the
Aerospace Data Facility and other facilities. Upon completing her tour, she attended and
graduated from the Program Manager's Course at the Defense Systems Management College
at Ft. Belvoir, VA.
From 1997 to 1999 she served as the Assistant Program Manager for Systems & Engineering
(Class Desk) on the Naval Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle Program at the Naval Air
Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD.
In 1999 she reported to the SPAWAR Space Field Activity, National Reconnaissance Office,
Chantilly, VA where she served as the Deputy Chief Systems Engineer of the Future
Imagery Architecture Program in the Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) Directorate and was
promoted to Commander. In 2001 she was reassigned as the Deputy Program Manager and
Chief Systems Engineer of the Advanced Concepts Staff in the IMINT Directorate. During
this tour she led a three-year Technology Readiness Assessment of advanced, special
technologies. While in this tour she was promoted to Captain.
Her military decorations include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Naval and
Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Naval Achievement Medal.
Her National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) awards include: Director's Circle, NRO Gold
Medal for Distinguished Service, NRO Silver Medal for Superior Performance, IMINT
Employee of the Year 2004, and NRO Employee of the Year 2005. She has been
nominated for the Jimmie D. Hill National Military Intelligence Award and for the Women
in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award.
She is also the recipient of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Director's
Coin, NGA Medallion, and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Director's Award.
