Johns Hopkins APL Names Stephen Lewia Mission Area Executive

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, has named Stephen Lewia as Strategic Deterrence Mission Area Executive. Strategic Deterrence is one of three mission areas within the Lab’s Force Projection Sector.

Lewia joined APL in 2012 and has served in several leadership roles. He is an expert in the areas of technical program management and Navy Strategic Missile systems, including failure review and operational flight testing. Prior to being named mission area executive, Lewia was the deputy mission area executive and a special assistant to the mission area executive in Force Projection. In these roles, he provided technical support and coordination and review of mission area operations; additionally, he managed mission area goals and future plans, and led technical review teams for the sponsor.

“Steve’s appointment is made in recognition of his domain expertise, demonstrated executive leadership, and exceptional reputation in the strategic deterrence community,” said Force Projection Sector Head Lisa Blodgett. “We look forward to his continued insights into our sponsors’ challenges.”

Lewia has nearly 20 years of experience working on and managing technical programs for the U.S. Navy. He also served as a member of the Strategic Systems Programs Board of Directors. His appointment as mission area executive is effective as of December 9, 2015.

Lewia earned his bachelor’s degree in general engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and his master’s degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School.

For more than 50 years, the Strategic Deterrence Mission Area has made vital contributions to the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile program. The mission area is rising to the challenge of redefining strategic systems from the legacy nuclear mission to a broad set of responses to current and future national security challenges. Strategic Deterrence demonstrates unequaled expertise in system development, testing, and evaluation, and applies that knowledge to the newly expanded roles of strategic systems in the Department of Defense.