NASA’s Glenn Research Center Director Marla Pérez-Davis has appointed Susan Motilas the next deputy director of the center in Cleveland. Motil, a 31-year veteran of NASA, most recently managed the Orion Program’s European Service Module Integration Office (EIO). She succeeds Pérez-Davis, who was named center director in January.
“Sue is a solutions-oriented leader with outstanding communication skills, a track record of successful technical leadership, and the institutional knowledge needed to meet the demands of the center director’s office. Her distinguished career at Glenn has demonstrated her work ethic, passion and commitment to NASA. I look forward to working with Sue as we move forward with Artemis and continue to change the way we fly,” said Pérez-Davis.
Motil will assume the deputy director role immediately. She will share with the center director responsibility for planning, organizing, and managing the agency level programs and projects assigned to the center.
The Orion European Service Module represents NASA and ESA’s first partnership to provide a mission-critical element for a crewed U.S. deep-space exploration mission. Under Motil’s management, the EIO delivered the Orion service module for Artemis I, and is in the process of completing the service modules for Artemis II and Artemis III, the mission that will return astronauts to the Moon in 2024.
Motil has successfully managed projects with diverse multidisciplinary teams, ranging from small to large multi-center teams throughout her career. Since joining Glenn in1989, Motil has managed several significant projects, including the Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Project, Space Environmental Test Project, Cryogenic Fluid Management Project, and Altair Project.
A native of Strongsville, Ohio, Motil earned her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Cleveland State University. She has been recognized with many awards, including the Presidential Rank Award in 2019.
