GSFC Key Personnel Appointments

Alison McNally, Associate Center Director

Goddard has recently welcomed four new additions to its senior management staff. Alison McNally was Director of the Management Operations Directorate (Code 200). Ms McNally, who began her federal career at Goddard in 1981 as a participant in the prestigious Presidential Management Intern program, came to Goddard from NASA Headquarters, where she has served since October 1992 as the Executive Officer for Gen. John R. Daily, NASA's Associate Deputy Administrator. In this role, she served as a focal point and liaison for the NASA Associate Administrators and Center Directors in communicating their expectations and concerns in accomplishing the Agency mission. Prior to that Ms. McNally served for six months as the Executive Office for the NASA Administrator, supporting all aspects of the Administrator's activities including participation in meetings and engagements with Congressional members, international delegations and the National Space Council. Her other positions as NASA Headquarters included a Program Planning Specialist in the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, and Assistant Director for Institutional Resources and Policy Analysis in that Office. Ms. McNally will use her considerable management and organizational experience in the oversight of the institutional infrastructure and business management services necessary for the successful accomplishments of Goddard's scientific and technical missions. Ms. McNally earned a bachelor of science degree in Human Development from the University of Connecticut in 1979, and a master of science degree in Social Work from Columbia University in 1981. She also has completed the Simmons College Graduate School of Management Program and the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Program.

Dolly Perkins, Director of Flight Programs and Projects Directorate

Perkins began her career at Goddard in 1981 as a software manager within the Information Extraction Division. Throughout her career at NASA, Ms. Perkins has been involved with the design, development and operation of information systems that support NASA space flight missions. Throughout the 1980's, she held various project management positions for information system projects in support of NASA's scientific research. She also managed a research and development program where she organized and directed applied research and development in the areas of artificial intelligence, software engineering and human-computer interfaces.

In 1990, Ms. Perkins joined the Mission Operations Division as Associate Chief and four years later became Division Chief and led the merger of her division with the Information Processing Division, incorporating the responsibility for acquisition and standard processing for all of the data collected by the Goddard-managed spacecraft.

In 1997 Ms. Perkins led the formation of Goddard's Information Systems Center, a product of a major reorganization that integrated multiple, Center-wide organizations into a focused center of excellence. Subsequently, she was appointed as Mission Services Manager for the recently formed NASA Space Operations Management Office.

In 1998 Ms. Perkins was appointed Deputy Director of Applied Engineering and Technology at Goddard, where she served until being assigned as the Deputy Associate Director of Flight Programs and Project/Deputy Program Manager for EOS Operations at Goddard. In that position, she managed the implementation and operation of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS). EOSDIS handles the processing, archiving and distribution of most of the Earth Science Data holdings within NASA and controls the spacecraft for several major EOS missions. She also oversaw the operations of other Code Y orbiting missions managed by GSFC.

Perkins attended Wellesley College, in Wellesley, MA, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in Mathematics in 1970. She is the recipient of a Presidential Rank Award as Meritorious Executive, a NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, two Exceptional Service Medals from NASA, an Outstanding Leadership award from the Goddard Space Flight Center, and an Exceptional Award from the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board.