The presenter of the 2018 Professional Achievement in Government Award at the Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Conference is the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management for the U.S. Army.

Accustomed to breaking glass ceilings, Lieutenant General Gwendolyn Bingham was the first female officer to serve as commander of the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Life Cycle Management Command, in Warren, Michigan.

Currently, she is the principal adviser to the chief of staff, overseeing installation management, facilities investments, morale, welfare, recreation, and family support programs.

"Tahirih Lackey believes that perseverance, education, and service are key components to a successful life," said Lt. Gen. Bingham. "She has shown that throughout her 14-year career working for the Army Corps of Engineers. She continues that service through her work to develop empowerment programs for young people, helping to encourage them to realize their full potential and give back to their communities."

Dr. Tahirih Lackey is a research hydraulic engineer in the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the Corps of Engineers. She develops numerical models at the ERDC, which conducts research and development in support of the Soldier, as well as for other federal agencies, state and municipal authorities, and with U.S. industries through innovative work agreements.

"My parents, children of sharecroppers, were born and raised in the Mississippi Delta," Lackey said. "With great effort and determination, they became educators and taught us the value of learning. My dad used to say my purpose in life is to know God, serve God, and contribute to an ever-advancing civilization. My innate love of science and need to understand how things work pointed me towards civil environmental engineering. This is my driving force at the US Army Corps of Engineers and in working with young people to help them reach their goals."