Joan Karp Bebb

Joan Karp was valedictorian of her graduating class at San Diego High. At San Diego State College, Joan majored in math and minored in economics and philosophy.

She pursued graduate studies in mathematics at UCLA and attended AEA/Stanford Executive Institute where she earned a mini-MBA IN 1988. There was no such field as computer sciences then, but with her general background and mathematical preparation, Ms. Bebb became an engineer for TRW.

She was a software subsystem architect, an operating system designer, a computer configuration definer, and lead programmer. She was manager of Data Management System portion of the NASA Space Station Work Package, Phase B.

She managed the MILSTAR Payload Software Project, the onboard resource manager for a system of autonomous communications satellites with dynamically assignable and configurable resources.

She oversaw significant programs with AT & T in addition to her managerial roles in the TRW space programs. Her final title with TRW was Chief Engineer, Air Force/Civil Business Unit in which capacity she was the overseer of the project management portion of the NAFIS Project.

Joan was an effective and extraordinarily accomplished team leader and project budget manager.

Joan Karp Bebb was recognized by her peers as a leader in a “man’s world.”

Her technical competence was unerring, her leadership outstanding. She was recognized many times in her lifetime with achievement awards, among them: National Women’s Week 1981-1988 “Women of Achievement Award,” and certificate of achievement from the YWCA of Los Angeles for her outstanding contributions to TRW Electronics & Defense Sector (1988). Joan has a daughter and son.