NUWC Division Newport employees win awards from Women of Color Magazine

NUWC Division Newport employees win awards from Women of Color Magazine

By NUWC Division Newport Public Affairs

Two Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport employees recently won awards from the Career Communications Group's Women of Color Magazine.

Laurie Dutra of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, business operations director, in the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, has won the Technology All-Star Award that honors accomplished women from mid-level to advanced stages of her career that have demonstrated excellence in the workplace and in their communities.

In her current role, Dutra serves as the director of business operations for the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, a 600-person department. She is responsible for the overall administrative, financial and property management, and contracts administration. Dutra is also responsible for the training, recruitment and technical management of the workforce engaged in the performance of business operations. Dutra assists supervisors and leadership in establishing priorities, monitoring costs, and providing information to help determine future requirements and resources.

"Demonstrating her commitment to Division Newport and her leadership abilities, Dutra led the command's annual Combined Federal Campaign, from 2019-21, providing training, guidance, and oversight to over 3,500 employees and exceeding the campaign's goal of raising $125,000 each year for local and global charities," the award states. "Throughout her 33-year career, Dutra has demonstrated her exceptional abilities as a leader and mentor to her co-workers and young professionals. She has mentored several women, at various stages of their careers, offering career advice, guidance, and insights to help them achieve their goals."

Jennifer Caldwell of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, a branch head in the Undersea Warfare Combat Systems Department, has won a Technology Rising Star Award that honors women with 21 years or less in the workforce who are helping to shape technology for the future.

Caldwell, who leads the SSBN and In-service Platform Engineering Branch, was hired at Division Newport in October 2016. She has 20 years of experience in defense, logistics, planning and resourcing, pricing, and technical systems through both her Division Newport career and military service. In addition to her role as branch head, she is the line manager for the Ohio- and the Columbia-class whole ship engineering project, one of the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations Office's top priorities. Caldwell is tasked with the vital responsibility of seamlessly transitioning between the Ohio- and Columbia-class submarine programs, effectively bridging operational gaps between the two.

In addition to her full-time role at Division Newport, Caldwell has served as a member of the R.I. Air National Guard for the past 20 years, attaining the rank of captain. As part of the 143d Airlift Wing in Quonset, Rhode Island, Caldwell is the officer in charge of logistics for the Medical Service Corps.

Both winners will be honored at a Technology Recognition event being held on Oct. 4 during the Women of Color STEM DTX Conference in Detroit, Michigan, Oct. 3-5.

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.