Kerry Buckley, Master's Degree in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Industrial / Organizational Psychology

Kerry Buckley is vice president, Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD), the federally funded research and development center that MITRE operates for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In this role, she leads MITRE’s domestic and international civil aviation, aviation/aerospace, and transportation strategic and business operations, with a focus on advancing the safety, security, effectiveness, and efficiency of aerospace and transportation systems in the United States and around the globe. The work builds upon MITRE’s decades-long legacy and partnership with the FAA and other partner federal agencies in the National Airspace System, including the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security, and National Transportation Safety Board.

Previously Buckley was vice president, Air and Space Forces, in MITRE National Security (MNS). MNS develops solutions for Department of Defense agencies, the Intelligence Community, and the Department of Justice. Buckley set strategy and priorities to ensure MITRE delivers technical capabilities and Air Force mission objectives. These included the Air Force’s critical needs in space warfighting, air operations, nuclear enterprise modernization, cyber operations, and joint lethality in contested environments. Under her leadership, MITRE supported critical organizations from headquarters and secretariat Air Force offices through the acquisition centers, major commands, and operational units. 

While at MITRE, she also has served as MITRE’s vice president for Intelligence Programs, helping set MITRE’s strategy and priorities in support of the Intelligence Community. She also directed MITRE’s Information Technology Technical Center. An expert in organizational sciences, Buckley focused heavily on a systems science approach to social, behavioral, and linguistic issues of national importance. She applied her organizational planning and performance measurement knowledge to information sharing, enterprise IT, and collaboration initiatives for agencies across the U.S. government.

Buckley was the director of business process research at Veridian Corporation, a unit of General Dynamics. Buckley previously was an industrial/organizational psychologist for the Human Resources Research Organization. While there, she supported projects for the U.S. Army. She also served as a personnel psychologist at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Buckley is a 2022 Federal 100 award winner for her leadership in building a foundation for public and private cooperation in the space domain. The Federal 100 awards recognize leaders from private industry, academia, and government who show how government can better leverage technology to serve its citizens.

Buckley earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and statistics from Boston University. She also holds a master’s degree in philosophy and a doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology from The George Washington University.