PPPL’s procurement director Hekima (pronounced Heh-KEY-mah) Qualls comes to the job with more than 20 years experience working for several prime contractors supporting federal agencies. Her achievements include leading  procurement efforts for NASA’s mission control center and astronauts’ space suits.

During her career she has worked with all military branches through both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Defense prime contracts as well as the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Transportation and most recently NASA.