Gena Humphrey Henderson, Ph.D., serves as Chief of the Modeling & Simulation Branch of Exploration Systems and Operations Division within the KSC Engineering Director at John F. Kennedy Space Center. Before this position, Henderson progressed through several leadership positions at Kennedy Space Center.
With more than 25 years of experience in ground and launch processing of space flight systems, Henderson has served in a leadership capacity on numerous teams and received several awards including exceptional service medals, certificates of commendation and appreciation and group achievements. Some of these include the Florida Space Coast’s Outstanding Woman Engineer of the Year in 1995, Outstanding Young Woman of America 1997, national recognition for the Women of Color in Government and Defense Technology All-Star Award in 2002 and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. Hawkins was acknowledged by KSC as the Most Supportive Mentor in both 2013 and 2015.
Henderson graduated from Florida State University in 1989 with a BS in applied mathematics. In 1992, she graduated from Florida A&M University with a MS in mechanical engineering through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, becoming the first student in FAMU’s history to receive a master’s degree in engineering. In December 2000, she graduated from the University of Central Florida, becoming the first woman of color to receive a Ph.D. in engineering from the university.
Henderson is a Florida native and resides in Sanford, Florida with her husband, Roderick and their three children.
In April 2018, Henderson was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering department of mechanical engineering.