Jennifer Boykin
American engineer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jennifer Boykin is an engineer, the first woman president[1] of Newport News Shipbuilding,[2][3] and was the vice president of Huntington Ingalls Industries,[2][3] which is located in Newport News, Virginia. In 2024, Boykin retired.[4][5]
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George Washington University
Former President of Newport News Shipbuilding
Jennifer Boykin | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | United States Merchant Marine Academy George Washington University |
| Occupations | Engineer Former President of Newport News Shipbuilding |
Biography
Early life
Boykin's father's parents are both from Puerto Rico.[1] She was born in California and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] Jennifer was a tomboy and was the first girl[1] to play baseball with the boys in her division.[6]
Education
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy[3] in Kings Point, New York.
She earned her Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University[3] in Washington, D.C.
Career
Boykin first worked as an engineer in the nuclear engineering division at Newport News Shipbuilding, before moving through the ranks, and eventually becoming president of the company.[6][7] She was the first woman president of Newport News Shipbuilding, the first in over 133 years of operation.[8] She ran the largest shipbuilding operations in the United States, including the only one that builds nuclear-powered aircraft carriers[6] and one of two that makes nuclear-powered submarines.[1][8] In 2021, the shipyard was working on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers[9][10] and employed over 22,000 personnel.[11][8][6] Boykin retired at the end of 2024 after 37 years with the shipbuilder.[5][4]
Family life
She has been married to Blake Boykin for more than 30 years, and has one daughter that also works at Newport News Shipbuilding.[6]
