Gina Crawford
Gina Crawford is a Manager at Raytheon Technologies, overseeing reliability engineering and program quality teams. She serves as a people manager focused on mentoring and career-path development, ensuring her team members have the guidance and resources needed to excel. Based in Goleta, California, Gina brings more than 25 years of experience in quality, reliability, and manufacturing engineering, with deep technical expertise in IR detector fabrication, semiconductor reliability, and advanced research and development for space systems.
Gina’s professional philosophy centers on honesty, transparency, and proactive communication. She emphasizes building trust and accountability within her teams while creating an environment where employees feel empowered to raise issues and expand their skills. Her leadership approach blends technical rigor with mentorship, fostering high-performing teams that consistently meet demanding aerospace and space-quality standards. Throughout her career, she has successfully led initiatives in process engineering, manufacturing engineering, and reliability engineering, with work products and documentation from earlier roles continuing to serve as a foundation for successors.
Gina holds a Master of Arts in Biology from the University of Northern Colorado and completed advanced studies in Ecology at University of California, Santa Barbara. She has received multiple professional recognitions for her contributions, including Engineering Honors, the Women of Distinction award through her employer, and various other internal achievement awards reflecting her impact and leadership. Beyond her technical and managerial contributions, she is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion, having served as Regional Vice President of the Raytheon Women’s Network and as Board President of Spirals Foundation for Gymnastics. Her career reflects a rare combination of technical expertise, leadership, and a dedication to mentoring the next generation of engineers.
• University of Northern Colorado - MA, Biology
• Women of Distinction
• Member, Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Spirals Foundation for Gymnastics
• Raytheon
What do you attribute your success to?
Genuine trust and accountability. She says if she makes a mistake she will admit it publicly, which builds trust; colleagues know that when they hand her something it will get done.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to always be trusted and accountable. I’ve learned that credibility is built through consistency—doing what I say I will do, meeting deadlines, communicating transparently, and taking ownership of both successes and mistakes. Being accountable not only strengthens professional relationships but also establishes a reputation grounded in integrity and reliability. I believe trust is the foundation of meaningful leadership and long-term career growth, and I strive to demonstrate that in every role I take on.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Take chances, speak up, raise your hand for opportunities, and communicate don’t shut yourself out because you are not 100% qualified initially.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Supply chain challenges (getting needed parts/materials when required) and the onboarding challenge of helping new hires understand industry vernacular and the fast pace of work.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, transparency, proactive communication, trust and accountability; creating a safe learning environment for employees.