Donald Goddard

Don Goddard is an Executive Coach and a Professor of Systems Engineering, Defense Acquisition University-West Region, San Diego, California. Don has Defense experience providing both short-term and on-going mission assistance (consulting) to Major Defense Acquisition Programs, including Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services, Multiband Terminal, Space Based Infrared Sys­tem, Global Positioning System, USAF Nuclear Capability, and Navy Undersea Integration. Besides program management and systems engineering, he is a subject matter expert on risk management.

Don is a 1976 graduate of Ohio State University and received his commission in the United States Marine Corps the same year. Addi­tionally, he received a Master of Business Administration degree from National University and training in Program Management and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California.

Following active duty, Don worked in industry on multiple Defense acquisitions involving all military branches. He rose to become a functional manager at Xerox, a senior-level program manager at General Atomics, and a vice president/general manager at Management Systems International. He has fulfilled one or more program office roles, including program manager at times, on more than 20 systems, involv­ing laser engagement, aircraft launch/recovery, solid rocket motor demilitarization, focused ion/particle beam, infrared countermeasures, radar, explosion suppression, and unmanned air systems. Don has a long history of implementing programmatic/enterprise breakthroughs, including failure reporting, analysis, and corrective action system; item unique identification; product lifecycle management; capability maturity model integration; enterprise risk management; public-private partnership; and efficient factory trouble­shooting. As Manager, Life Cycle Programs at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, he led a cross-functional team to transition reconnaissance systems successfully from design-only to a full lifecycle approach (design, build, test, support). He has 30 years of leadership experience across all acquisition life cycle phases and at for-profit and non-profit organizations.

Don has earned certifications from Project Management Institute and the Society of Logistics Engineers. His Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) level 3 certification in Program Manage­ment is underway. Cross-functionally, Don also is DAWIA certified in Systems Engineering (level 3) and Production, Quality, and Manufacturing (level 1) and is a member of the Acquisition Corps.

Don was a business/life coach for six years prior to coming to DAU, and was a breakout session speaker at the International Coach Federation's convention in Canada in 2000. For Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, he is a rare INFJ, meaning that he sees possibilities in people and institutions and enjoys helping those possibilities come to fruition. Don became a DAU-qualified executive coach March 2012. As a DAU exec­utive coach, he earnestly accepts its mission to "improve acquisition outcomes" via coaching. He espe­cially appreciates coaching clients who are busy high achievers wanting a thinking partner to get to his/her next level, rather than someone who feels broken and wants fixed.

His personal interests include photography, cooking, needle art, and music. Even here, he relaxes with an eye toward achievement. Don won first-place for baking and second place for cross-stitching at the San Diego County Fair. He sang with the San Diego Symphony chorus during Summer Pops. He continues to hone his photography via workshops, challenges and expeditions. Don calls Wheeling, West Virginia, his hometown and Oceanside, California his residence. He is married to the former Charlotte (Chari) Cook of Cherry Valley, California.