Jennifer R. Boykin

Sector Vice President
Process Excellence
Northrop Grumman Newport News

Jennifer Boykin is vice president of process excellence for Northrop Grumman Newport News. Named to this position in 2004, Boykin is responsible for strengthening sector-wide performance by driving continuous improvement and standardization in all areas. Boykin’s focus is to use wide-scale employee involvement to improve the efficiency of cross functional business processes by identifying and reducing waste. Additionally, she is responsible for measuring process improvement opportunities and communicating progress.

Prior to this promotion, Boykin served as director of facilities and waterfront support with responsibilities for facilities engineering, waterfront and rigging services, construction and maintenance of company buildings, equipment and services throughout the 550-acre facility in Newport News. She joined the company in 1987 in the nuclear engineering department and has held progressively responsible positions, including senior nuclear engineer, program manager for the nuclear engineering division, and construction superintendent for the aircraft carrier program during construction of the USS John C. Stennis and USS Harry S. Truman.

A native of St. Louis, Boykin earned a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a master’s degree in engineering management from The George Washington University. She is also a graduate of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce leadership program.

Boykin currently serves on United States Merchant Marine Academy Engineering Industry Advisory Board, Hampton Roads Partnership Board of Directors, and Old Dominion University Engineering Advisory Board. She received the Newport News Shipbuilding President’s Model of Excellence award for leadership in 1997 and was recognized as an Outstanding Woman of the Peninsula by Girls, Inc., of the Greater Peninsula in 1999. She currently resides with her family in Suffolk, Va.

Northrop Grumman Newport News, headquartered in Newport News Va., is the nation’s sole designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear powered submarines. Newport News also provides after-market services for a wide array of naval and commercial vessels. The Newport News sector employs more than 21,000 people.