Friday Future 5 Spotlight: Paul Kennedy

	Paul Kennedy

Each year, AOC recognizes five young professionals as the year’s "Future 5" – individuals who actively innovate and strive for excellence as they support their respective organizations and build their EMSO careers. In each issue of the Show Daily, we will spotlight one of this year's Future 5 and their career goal in their own words.

Today, we recognize Paul Kennedy, Section Supervisor, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

When I look back on my career, I hope to say that I helped our warfighters. That I made a difference. To realize this ultimate goal, I aspire to make critical contributions as a leader and defining innovations as a technical contributor. 

One of the most rewarding experiences in my professional journey has been my time as a section supervisor. As a line manager, I get to participate in the career journeys of my staff, help shape their development, coach them on how to execute their innovative ideas, and celebrate their success. Our warfighters face big challenges in the EMS, and the only way to solve these challenges is as a team. In my role as a leader, creating a culture of innovation and collaboration is paramount for achieving mission impact.

As a technical contributor, my growth is driven by my curiosity and love of learning. Being part of the rapidly evolving field of EW is intellectually fulfilling and offers many opportunities for creative problem solving. Intellectual growth has been a major reason for my involvement in the AOC – learning through conferences, local Roost tech talks, or the latest edition of JED. Synthesizing information across technical silos is essential for creating truly innovative solutions. As I learn more across various specialties within EW, I aspire to use this knowledge to form unique solutions that help our warfighters.

Ultimately, I aim to use my career to serve my family, my nation, and the warfighters that protect them.