Kathy Reid

Kathy Reid is the Spark Division Deputy for AFWERX, enabling Airmen and Guardians across the innovation ecosystem. She oversees programs such as DAF Spark Cells, The Refinery, Project Arc, Challenges, Combat Innovation and Fellowship, and supporting Airmen and Guardian innovation projects addressing technology gaps with organic and industry solution sets. For 7 years, she served as the Chief Innovation Officer for the 96 Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base where she developed an innovation program that enabled 9,800 military, civilian and contractor personnel to increase lethality and readiness for the 96 Test Wing’s test and evaluation, base operations and services support missions. She spent 24 years as a DoD contractor providing systems and software engineering support for several small businesses, and 13 years in civil service computer scientist and engineer to include 6 years as the Wing Innovation Officer. She has achieved certifications as a Program Management Professional (PMP), Capability Maturity Model Integration SCAMPI Lead Appraiser and CMMI Introduction to Development Instructor. She pioneered the 90+ innovation assets coined “Spark in a Box” enabling Spark Cells to rapidly setup infrastructure and execution capabilities for their unit and Defense Homeland Security to emulate for their Lift Cell innovation program. Her work served as the grass roots innovation program sought out by Air Force Installations across the globe as a benchmark capability for Wing innovation programs.