Director, Aviation Safety
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
As director of Aviation Safety, Corky Townsend leads all product safety activities for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, including accident investigations, continued airworthiness efforts and safety assessments for new and derivative airplanes. She also leads Boeing’s aviation safety strategy and participation in global industry safety programs. Townsend was named to the position in July 2008. Previously, Townsend was the chief project engineer for the 747 program. Named to that position in August 2003, she was responsible for ensuring the safety of the 747 and enhancing its value from the customer perspective. From May 2000 to July 2003, Townsend was the deputy chief project engineer and airplane-level integration team leader for the 747 program. Her responsibilities included airplane safety, customer introductions, production support, and product improvement. Over the years, Townsend has progressed through a series of management positions, including 777 program management; senior manager of 747/767/777 airplane performance, safety, certification and test and validation; and program manager for the 747-400X. She began her Boeing career in 1985 in aerodynamics engineering and customer engineering. Townsend holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in business administration from Seattle University.