Kennedy Space Center Director Jim Kennedy recently appointed Patrick Simpkins as the Director of Human Resources.
In this position, Simpkins will oversee the Center’s civil service staffing
requirements, manage employee classifications and compensation, and build
training and leadership development programs.
Simpkins began his NASA career in 1983 as a Shuttle engineer and served in
various roles of increasing responsibility for 15 years. After realizing his
strengths in helping others maximize their abilities, he pursued an
education in human resource management and served as KSC’s Personnel
Officer. After completing the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development
Program, he worked in human resources at NASA Headquarters in Washington,
D.C., for two years.
"Pat is an excellent and welcome addition to the senior staff at KSC," said
Kennedy. "He has a strong KSC background in Shuttle and has earned the
respect of everyone during his tenure in human resources."
Simpkins helped modernize NASA’s human resources information systems and led
in the design, development and implementation of the Agency’s competency
management system.
"I look forward to upgrading a really strong human resources office so that
we can help the Center become truly great," said Simpkins. "I hope to
enhance our expertise, both in the functional operation of human resources
and in the development and application of cutting-edge human resources tools
and methods."
Simpkins holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the
University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., and a master’s in human resource
management from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. He will
receive a doctorate in business administration from Nova Southeastern
University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., upon completion of his dissertation.
Simpkins and his wife Beth reside in Merritt Island, Fla. They have one
child, Dainius,10.
