Sonya F. Sepahban

Biography

Sonya F. Sepahban served as Senior Vice President of Engineering Design and Development at General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. from 2009 to 2015. Ms. Sepahban held responsibility for all GDLS products developed for governmental and commercial customers worldwide. She served as the Head of Mission Excellence organization of Space Technology sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation since November 29, 2006. Prior to her employment at GDLS, Ms. Sepahban held a number of leadership positions with Northrop Grumman Space Technology, including as the Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer from 2007 to 2009 where she was responsible for program execution, product development and continuous improvement; Vice President of Systems Engineering from 2006 to 2007; Vice President and Chief Technology Officer from 2004 to 2006; and Vice President and Deputy General Manager of Engineering from 1997 to 2004. She served as Vice President of system Engineering of Space Technology sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation from June 29 2005 to November 29, 2006. she was responsible for developing and implementing overall system engineering strategy. This includes the improvement and control of system-engineering processes across all of the sector's programs and business and technology-development initiatives. Previously, Ms. Sepahban served as Vice President and Deputy of technology development, where she was responsible for identifying, developing and acquiring the Space Technology sector's broad base of strategic technologies, including those involved in space exploration initiatives. Ms. Sepahban served as Vice President and Deputy General Manager of engineering. She joined Northrop Grumman Corp. in 1997 from NASA's Johnson Space Center, where she worked on programs such as the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station from 1989 to 1997 and the Crew Rescue Vehicle during a 10-year career there. She has been Independent Director of Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. since May 19, 2016. She serves as a Board of Directors member at Genomenon, Inc. and the Cranbrook Institute of Science. Ms. Sepahban earned Bachelor's degrees in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and Political Science from the Institute of Political Science, Paris; Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Rice University, Houston; and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston.

Research Interest

Automobiles, mechanical industry, tanks for military uses