Amber Brown graduated in 2002 from Prairie View A&M University, with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Five years later, she earned an M.B.A. from American Intercontinental University.
"I was given the opportunity to grasp numerous areas of Wiring and Harness design as a co-op and as an employee. So in the first months of my career, I was assigned to the electrical system team where I gained experience in engineering source data requirements, schematics, and organizational design. In the Wings Harness design team, I coordinated requirements with harness installers and production support for the F-16 aircraft.
"I also worked in the Avionic System Requirements organization as a system engineer. On this team, I gained exposure to writing requirements for validating system problem anomaly reports for multiple F-16 configurations.
"On the F-35 Program, I performed several different roles. I worked in the Harness and interconnect Team where I created Harness Impact Reports for changes that impacted harness design. I also supported all applicable change boards by answering questions and providing feedback. Later, I transitioned to the Configuration Management Team and was able to gain a vast amount of experience regarding configuration and change management. "
Brown recalls her younger self was something of a tempest in a teapot. She was opinionated with a whirlwind of “outrageous” ideas that she wanted to see implemented right away.
“The culture was not ready for it,” she said reflecting back to that time. “It became an issue.”
Brown said she gained a reputation for being something of a troublemaker due to her outspoken nature and her aggressive stance.
Over the years she learned to be tactful and found that colleagues became more respective to hearing her ideas.
Brown is now project engineer staff at Lockheed Martin where she works with the Enterprise Integration team as the data/configuration management subject matter expert.
She advises young people to be patient when they join an organization and dismiss the notion that they can change the world overnight.
Among the achievements that Brown cites as her proudest is becoming chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Lockheed Martin, where she’s worked for 15 years.
Brown’s commitment to “Corporate Responsibility” is reflected in her career. She volunteers for opportunities to advocate Lockheed Martin values on many stages in the community. She connects people together through her vocation and commitment to operational excellence. In addition, she has been able to reach out to schools through science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, volunteering through Engineering Week and Toastmasters International.
