Lauren Johnson

Lauren Johnson is the Chief of the Contracting Office (COCO) of the Ames Office of Procurement, part of NASA Research Center Procurement Organization located in Silicon Valley at Ames Research Center (ARC). In this role, she leads a team of approximately 50 civil servants and contractor employees, overseeing all aspects of pre-award and post-award contractual activities at ARC. Additionally, Ms. Johnson serves as the Ames Competition Advocate, ensuring fair and open competition in procurement processes.

As a seasoned procurement professional, Ms. Johnson has over 20 years of federal procurement experience across multiple NASA centers. She has spearheaded multi-billion-dollar complex and mission-critical contracts supporting major programs and projects. She began her procurement career with the Defense Logistics Agency in Richmond, Virginia, before transitioning to NASA in 2005.

Since joining NASA, Ms. Johnson has contributed to the success of multiple NASA Programs, Mission, and Mission Support Directorates, including the International Space Station, Flight Operations, and Center Operations. Prior to her current role, she served in various leadership capacities, including Deputy Procurement Officer (DPO) at Ames and the Inaugural Division Chief of the Lunar and Planetary Exploration Procurement Organization at Johnson Space Center (JSC). In this capacity, she managed key Artemis contracts exceeding $9 billion for the Gateway Program, Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), and the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and Surface Mobility Operations Program Office (EHP). She also served as the Technical Assistant to the JSC Deputy Center Director.

Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Virginia State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has earned her Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC-C) Level III Certification and is a Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) through the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).

She is the recipient of numerous performance, group, and individual achievement awards, including the JSC Director’s Business Excellence Award, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Ms. Johnson is also actively involved in the professional community, recently completing her term as President of the Space City Houston Chapter of NCMA.