Women in Manufacturing Tour and Panel

Current Position: Leigh Ann Ellis joined Barber-Nichols in April 2018 and works as a Program & Subcontract Manager on the MK48 Heavyweight Torpedo program.

History: Before coming to Barber-Nichols, Leigh Ann worked in various engineering roles at Bell Helicopter, working with tiltrotor aircraft (V-22, BA609). She also worked at AT&T within the Leadership Development Program, discovering her passion for project management. Leigh Ann worked at Gogo Inflight in SATCOM Engineering as a Principal Program Manager and worked closely with Boeing and Airbus during her time there.

Education: Leigh Ann earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Christian University.

Interests: Leigh Ann enjoys spending time with friends, skiing, traveling, playing guitar, working out, attending concerts, and collecting vinyl.

Current Position: Julia McMinn started at Barber-Nichols in 2019 and works as a mechanical engineer on the Mk48 Heavyweight Torpedo program.

History: Before coming to Barber-Nichols, Julia worked as a mechanical engineer in the Submarine Machinery department at Newport News Shipbuilding where she specialized in the weapons launch system for new construction Virginia Class submarines and supported midlife overhaul of Los Angeles Class submarines USS Boise (SSN 764), USS Helena (SSN 725), and USS Columbus (SSN 762).

Education: Julia earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Interests: Outside of work Julia enjoys skiing, caving, traveling, and standup comedy.

Current Position: Casey has been a Project Engineer at Barber-Nichols since July 2011, combining engineering skills with project management skills to generate turbomachine designs, primarily for Space customers.

History:  Prior to joining B-N, Casey worked as a Test Facility Design Engineer and a Rocket Test Conductor for NASA at Stennis Space Center.  She served as a Contract Officer’s Representative for a $13M procurement related to the vacuum-capable A-3 test stand.  She inspected turbomachinery, injectors, and nozzles on the Space Shuttle Main Engine and RS-68 engine.  She was a Subject Matter Expert on the RS-68 launch engine for NASA’s Launch Services Program, enabling specific engines to be matched to specific mission launches.  She led control room teams in conducting hot-fire and cold-flow tests of rocket components, turbopumps, and engine systems.

Education:  Casey earned a BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University and an MS in Engineering Management from the University of New Orleans.  Her master’s thesis was on floodwater pumping capacity in the City of New Orleans, just months after Hurricane Katrina.

Interests: Casey enjoys reading, hiking, yoga, Pilates, and spending time with her husband and children.

Current Position: Lian Li joined Barber-Nichols (BN) in December 2018 as Quality Manager. She has recently transitioned to a Program Manager Role. Her passion is to manage Space programs.

History: Previously, Lian worked at ValleyLab/Covidien (now Medtronic) for 12 years in various positions. She led the New Product Development Quality Team for Process Validation and New Product Quality. She also led and implemented multiple Process Improvement Projects for multiple sites within the organization. She was a Subject Matter Expert for both internal and external audits on Quality Management systems for New Products. She also held the role of Corrective Action champion and board member.

Education: Lian earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She also earned her Six Sigma Master Black Belt and AS9100 Lead Auditor Certifications.

Interests: Lian enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, and skiing with her family.