BS Mechanical Engineering 1988
Michelle Coppedge is the Executive Director of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) in Oklahoma City. The Aeronautical Center is the second largest employer in Oklahoma City and the fourth largest in the state, with over 6,300 Federal and contract employees and an annual operating budget of more than $1.5 billion dollars. Michelle oversees the facility operations encompassing over 1,100 acres with 136 buildings. The Aeronautical Center serves as FAA’s centralized source for all Air Traffic Control and Aviation Safety training, all logistics and depot level operations, all configuration management, pilot testing, human factors and crash test research, and financial management processing for all 13 operating agencies across the entire Department of Transportation.
Michelle also oversees all of the FAA’s $450M franchise fund operations, which serve as Centers of Excellence across government for 23 federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and Customs and Border Protection. The FAA’s franchise fund operations have a proven track record of successfully driving efficiencies and millions of dollars of cost reduction across federal government. The Center’s Enterprise Services Center received the honor of being selected as one of only four Federally designated Shared Service Providers for Financial management across government.
Prior to joining FAA, Michelle served as the Engineering Director, Integrated Network Solutions, for Lucent technologies. She oversaw all aspects of business planning, project management, new product introduction and strategy formation for the 5ESS (Class Five Electronic Switching System) and Any Media Product lines, a $3B business.
Michelle has extensive international experience, leading globally dispersed teams and managing new product introductions in Europe, Asia, Brazil, Russia and Saudi markets.
Michelle received her Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University in 1995, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma City University in 1991, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1988.
Michelle resides in Norman with her husband Bill, and their two children, Noah and Nicole.
Ph.D. Industrial Engineering 2001
Dr. Wayne Jones currently serves as the Dean of the Engineering and Science Division at Rose State College, Midwest City, Oklahoma. As Dean he has responsibility for all Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics instruction (STEM). Dr. Jones has also taught engineering courses at The University of Oklahoma and Rose State College.
Dr. Jones earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma in 1973. Dr. Jones began his professional career as a systems engineer for Boeing Computer Services, Wichita, Kansas in 1974. He was employed 1974 to 1978 as a systems engineer by Honeywell Inc., Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Jones had a number of assignments related to large/super computer development. During his career with Honeywell Dr. Jones completed a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona in 1977. In 1979, Dr. Jones accepted a systems engineering position at Motorola, Corporation, Tempe, Arizona. While at Motorola, he was principal designer of micro-system software.
Dr. Jones began his federal career in 1980, at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base. From 1980 to 1985, he was a project engineer for cruise missile software. From 1985 to 1991, Dr. Jones was assigned first level to senior level management positions in support of embedded computer software. During the period 1991 through 1992, he was assigned as the Chief Engineer for the B-1B Weapon System. Dr. Jones served as Center Chief Systems Engineer and Chief of the Science and Engineering Division from 1991 – 2004 and as Director of Engineering for the Air Force Global Logistics Center from 2004 - 2010. He completed his PhD in Industrial Engineering in 2001 at The University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Jones is married to Amber and they have four children and 9 grandchildren. Dr. Jones resides in Oklahoma City.
B.S. Chemical Engineering 1983
Dr. Paula Root has worked in the health care industry for thirty years and has been a Medical Director with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma for twenty years. Dr. Root was previously a faculty member for the Department of Family & Preventive Medicine at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center where she served as Residency Director for the Occupational Medicine program.
Paula attended the University of Oklahoma, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (1983), a Medical Doctorate (1987), a Masters of Public Health (1991), and a Masters of Business Administration (2002). Dr. Root is board certified in both Family Medicine and Occupational Medicine (Preventive Medicine).
Paula is married to Mr. Richard Cudjo (BBA Finance from OU). They have three adult children.
Paula’s late father (Paul Root) was on faculty in the Petroleum Engineering department, her brother completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Chemical Engineering, one of her sons is currently a student in the Chemical Engineering program, and a nephew is currently a Mechanical Engineering student, all at OU. (As of 4-1-19)
B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1979
Freda Webb is Vice President of Operations for Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc. Prior to Panhandle, she owned and operated a small mineral business. Previous to that, she held various reservoir engineering, acquisitions, corporate planning and management positions for Cities Services, Occidental Petroleum and Southwestern Energy and has more than 35 years of experience.
Ms. Webb is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (1979) and of the University of Southern California with a Master of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering (1997). She is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Oklahoma.
