Breaking the Glass Ceiling: University of North Texas System Names Its First Woman as Chancellor

It is welcome news that the University of North Texas System has snagged Lesa Roe, NASA's acting deputy administrator, to be the school system's third chancellor. She brings an impressive resume, an expertise in the all-important math and sciences, and a reputation for effective team building. She'll be the first woman to hold the post, succeeding Lee Jackson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Her appointment holds great promise for the evolving UNT system. It is not every day that a NASA heavy-hitter comes onto the job market, and certainly not one with Roe's striking background. Although she took over as acting deputy administrator just this year, Roe, 54, has vast experience across NASA. She worked on 38 space missions and held numerous executive posts, including the top NASA administrator at the Langley Research Center in Virginia and the International Space Station Research Program Manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston.And Roe brings a reputation as a mission-focused, strategic team-builder who emphasizes esprit de corps and workplace balance without losing sight of objectives. As she once said in an interview, "it's all about attitude," stressing the importance of coming "into a room curious (and) asking questions in a positive way and wanting to know."  Continue reading...