2021 GMiS Luminary Honorees

As Systems Engineer assigned to government programs for Boeing Space and Launch, Maida Lopez has contributed her technical skills to disciplines including design and development of core infrastructures, systems engineering, integration, network systems, information security, and system testing.

Working on such unique programs such as the Ground-based Midcourse Defense Program — a missile defense system that defends our country from long-range ballistic missile attacks — the Wideband Global SATCOM system — a high-capacity satellite communications system — and many others, Ms. Lopez’s outstanding performance and leadership ability led Boeing to choose her to participate in the Boeing Emerging Leaders Development Program.

Raised in South Central Los Angeles in a neighborhood marked by poverty and violence, she was barely able to read or write English until she was in 8th grade.

Ms. Lopez, however, persevered in her education, earning a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Los Angeles before joining the Orbital Space Plane program at Boeing.

She continued her formal education while working at Boeing, earning an M.S. in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University and certificates in Systems Engineering and Project Management from the California Institute of Technology.

Her commitment to others who worked their way up from poverty shows in her work as Boeing Deputy Focal for GMiS, leading efforts including Boeing Scholarship selection, seminars, the College Bowl, and technical poster competitions.