Kris Brown

Vice President, Wintergreen Music 

Kris Brown (Vice President of the Board) is in her second year serving on the board of Wintergreen Music. Kris brings experience from working on non-profit performing arts organization boards, coupled with her passion for music and years of service on the artistic side as a semi-professional singer in classical music. Kris currently serves as Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement at NASA, leading the agency’s team of over 200 people and overseeing a $143M program, in designing and deploying programs and activities devoted to engaging young people in STEM. Earlier roles at NASA included Chief, Strategy and Integration Division and Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Public Outreach in NASA’s Office of Communications, where she led NASA’s communications strategy and public engagement program and initiatives. Previously, she served as NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Deputy Chief of the Office of Communications, and earlier, the Center’s Assistant for Strategy and Development. In engineering, Kris served as Head, Systems Engineering Services and Advanced Concepts, leading the team in the conceptualization and formulation of spaceflight mission concepts and in the development of advanced engineering tools and capabilities. Kris is a systems engineer with in-depth expertise in spaceflight projects and systems planning, development and implementation. She has a B.S. in Engineering from Virginia Tech. Kris is committed to building our nation’s next generation STEM workforce. She has strong dedication to the arts, life-long learning, public and community service. Kris brings deep experience in leading strategy development, strategic communications, and public and stakeholder engagement. She lives with her husband in Bethesda, MD, and has two grown sons. Her family has enjoyed their Wintergreen home and the Wintergreen Music Festival for over 25 years.