Martha Shepard is the Vice President of Contracts at BAE Systems, Inc. a U.S.-based, international defense, aerospace and security company with nearly 34,000 employees that generated sales revenues of approximately $10 billion in 2016. Her responsibilities include overall functional direction, policy formulation, professional development, and oversight of US Government acquisition and contracting policy. She represents BAE Systems, Inc. on internal corporate councils and in external trade associations and professional organizations. Throughout her over 35-year career in contracting, Martha has worked in a variety of contracting roles at BAE Systems and its legacy companies. She started in technology development and electronic warfare systems at the former Sanders Associates, Inc. which was later acquired by Lockheed Martin. She provided contracting support for commercial and foreign government customers seeking aircraft maintenance and modification and was later responsible for domestic and international contracting for aircraft self-protection systems, shipboard surveillance systems, combat vehicles and naval weapon systems. Martha has served in operational roles where she led contracts due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, developed an in-house contract management system, a contracts career development guide and a cross functional seminar on intellectual property for US Government contractors. Martha holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration from Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, West Virginia and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Franklin Pierce Law Center (now UNH School of Law), Concord, New Hampshire. She is a long time member of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a member of NCMA’s National Board of Advisors, and an alumna of the International Women’s Forum Leadership Foundation Fellows Program.