Thank you to Women in Manufacturing Colorado Chapter for choosing to host their February live event at Barber-Nichols. Barber-Nichols hosted a tour and panel event on February 17, 2022. Our Manufacturing Manager and Supervisors showed our guests around the new 43,000 sq ft state-of-the-art shop. Here are some of our panelists who shared their stories after the tour:
- Lian LiProgram ManagerLian LiProgram Manager
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.
- Casey MartinProject EngineerCasey MartinProject Engineer
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.
- Rebecca RogersDeburr SpecialistRebecca RogersDeburr Specialist
Current Position: Rebecca started at Barber-Nichols in January of 2018 as the company’s first female machinist. After 2 years of machining, she found a stronger passion for being a deburr specialist and transferred departments. Rebecca now handles at least 90% of the parts that flow through the machine shop and repairs or puts finishing touches on each one before they are delivered to customers.
History: Rebecca’s background is in business management and administration. Before moving to Colorado she was a theater manager and administrative assistant for 7 years at Cinemark and worked at her local college as she completed her schooling. She learned about customer care and the importance of communication to balance work between multiple positions to complete projects and work as a team.
Education: Rebecca has an Associate’s degree of Science and Applied Science, and multiple certificates in drafting and machining from Lone Star College in Texas.
Interests: Rebecca enjoys playing with her dogs, traveling to new places and having new experiences, and listening to audiobooks while coloring.
- Joan McMenaminQuality InspectorJoan McMenaminQuality Inspector
Current Position: Joan McMenamin is a Quality Inspector II at Barber-Nichols, starting as a contractor for the company in 2018
History: Previously, Joan worked at Prescient, Incorporated, Covidien/ Medtronic, Custom Milling, and Sierra Nevada (now Sierra Space). Joan has been in the manufacturing industry from high-tech storage vault units to aerospace for 30 years in various positions. She currently assists with the inspection of the MK48 program and source inspection for outside vendors on behalf of the quality engineers. Joan is also Barber-Nichols' first IPC-A-610(H) certified trainer.
Education: Joan earned an AS in Electronic Engineering Technologies, Avionics- Aircraft Navigation and Communication, in 1991 from Technical Trades Institute (now a part of DeVry), Colorado Springs, Colorado. She also earned a Certificate in Paralegal Studies through Denver Paralegal Institute in 1995. Over the years, Joan has been certified in IPC-A-610(B) through IPC-A-610(G), Geo-dimensional Tolerancing through ASME, and trained to audit ISO-9001, AS9001(B), and ISO-13485.
Interests: Joan enjoys studying spirituality, being involved in her community, assisting in animal welfare, and is currently active in artwork, writing technical documentation, memoirs, and short stories.
- Julia McMinnMechanical EngineerJulia McMinnMechanical Engineer
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.
- Leigh Ann EllisProgram ManagerLeigh Ann EllisProgram Manager
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.
