Lavender, Shelley

2017 Distinguished Alumni Award

For outstanding business and technical leadership in aerospace engineering and defense

Shelley Lavender is the senior vice president of Strike, Surveillance, and Mobility, a division within Boeing Defense, Space, and Security (BDS). The division is one of the world’s largest providers of military airpower. Lavender also serves as the BDS program management leader, working across the enterprise to drive operational improvements that lead to world-class quality, safety and performance. She is also the company’s senior executive for the St. Louis region, working with other business, educational, and elected leaders to ensure the long-term health and vibrancy of a community in which Boeing has operated for nearly eight decades.

Since her start at Boeing in 1988 as an avionics engineer, Lavender has held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in program management, engineering, and business leadership positions. Previously, Lavender was an engineer on a radar program at Hughes Aircraft Company in El Segundo, California.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from ECE ILLINOIS, Lavender holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a distinguished alumna of the Washington University Olin Business School, where she also serves on the school’s National Council. She is an active member of the board of directors for The Magic House children’s museum and the board of commissioners for the St. Louis Science Center.