Dr Christyl C. Johnson

Deputy Center Director for Technology and Research Investments,
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Dr. Christyl C. Johnson is a distinguished senior executive and systems engineer with over 30 years of experience in strategic mission development, technology innovation, and organisational transformation. As Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, she oversees a $3B annual budget, a workforce of 10,000, and a diverse portfolio of more than 130 advanced technology initiatives.
Dr. Johnson has led transformative efforts at NASA, including the agency’s Tech 2040 initiative to modernise its digital infrastructure, foster innovation, and enable groundbreaking mission success. Her leadership has strengthened global partnerships, advanced green propulsion technologies, and driven the commercialisation of NASA’s innovations, leading her team to secure over 100 patents in a single year.
Her previous roles include serving as Executive Director of the National Science and Technology Council at the White House, where she shaped national R&D policy, and as Assistant Associate Administrator at NASA Headquarters, overseeing programmatic operations of a $17B enterprise. As Deputy Chief Engineer, she led the restructure of NASA’s engineering organisation following the Columbia accident. Earlier in her career, Dr. Johnson was a strategic architect for NASA Earth Science missions, while forging strong international partnerships.
Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in systems engineering from George Washington University, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Penn State, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Lincoln University.
Her numerous honours include the Presidential Rank Award, induction into GWU’s Engineering Hall of Fame, and a nomination for the Presidential National Medal for Technology and Innovation.