The National Academy of Engineering announced Tuesday that the organization has elected Kerrie L. Holley as a member. The Class of 2023 has more than one hundred new members the NAE said today. (Photo credit: Kerrie Holley – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

NAE members represent a select group of senior professionals in business, academia, and government who have distinguished themselves through technical accomplishments and leadership.

NAE members volunteer their time on initiatives that help guide the development of federal laws and regulations, improve the effectiveness of government programs, shape the direction of research fields, and inform public knowledge and dialogue about issues of critical importance.

Holley, currently director of healthcare and life sciences industry solutions at Google Cloud was elected “for contributions to the evolution of service-oriented architectures, enabling global businesses to respond more quickly to changing market conditions,” the citation said.

A former CTO and Distinguished Engineer at IBM, Holley presented one of the most popular seminars at the BEYA STEM Conference on the science behind distinguishing yourself.

The holder of two U.S. patents with three pending, Holley was honored with the Chairman’s Award at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Conference in 2003, for making a major impact on IBM’s products and profits and for his management style.

In his “Becoming a Technical Leader” seminar given at the BEYA STEM Conference, Holley provided tips on how to create an image that is recognizable and allows coworkers, clients, and executive management to position your work and capabilities.

Holley was also named one of the 50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science by Career Communications Group, publisher of US Black Engineer magazine.

Other African Americans elected in the Class of 2023 include:

• • • Gregory N. Washington, president of George Mason University, “or the advancement of technology at the interface of electromagnetics and materials, and dedicated leadership and service in engineering education”
    • Vanessa E. Wyche, director, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, “for leadership of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, enabling a commercial space economy and future Moon and Mars missions.”
    • Michael J. Barber, chief diversity officer (retired), General Electric Co., “for contributions and leadership in developing diagnostic imaging and point-of-care devices in the global healthcare sector.”
    • Christine Mann Darden, director (retired), Strategic Communications Office, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va, “for pioneering research in supersonic flight technologies and leadership in advancing aerodynamics design to produce low-boom sonic effects.”
    • Peter F. Green, deputy laboratory director and chief research officer, Science and Technology, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “for contributions in the physics of polymer diffusion, glass behavior, and organic electronic devices and leadership in the energy technologies.”
    • Lisa Perez Jackson, vice president, Environmental, Policy, and Social Initiatives, Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif, “for sustainability leadership in government and business to protect air and water quality and limit greenhouse gas emissions.”
    • Hansel Tookes II, chairman and chief executive officer (retired), Raytheon International Inc., “for leading the design and development of advanced military aircraft engines and systems.”
    • Dawn Jeannine Wright, chief scientist, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, Calif, “for applying geographic information system technology to ocean science and developing GIS models for the oceans.