Pamela Drew, known by colleagues for her leadership in aerospace defense and by loved ones for her enjoyment of cooking and decorating, passed away Sept. 21.
She was 64.
Drew also served as a judge for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards and Chief Officer Awards.
“Pam was a remarkable leader whose depth of experience in aerospace and defense elevated every conversation,” said WashingtonExec Founder and CEO JD Kathuria. “Working with her on our awards programs was always a highlight. Her loss is deeply felt by all of us at WashingtonExec.”
According to her obituary, Drew grew up in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Denver, Colorado, after high school graduation. She went on to earn a doctorate from the University of Colorado and forged a career that spanned teaching, computer science, and vice presidential roles at Boeing and Northrop Grumman, among others.
After retiring from full-time work in 2015, she served on the boards of several aerospace defense companies where she continued to drive impact. John Hillen of Hillen Governance & Consulting said he served with Drew on the board of directors of a defense engineering company.
“She was the consummate govcon director, shrewd about technology, smart and up to date about missions and capabilities, and with an engineer’s eye towards performance and financial management,” he said. “She was also a great team player and coach for the management team. We will miss her very much in the GovCon community.”
According to her obituary, “To say that Pam was a meticulous, independent thinker would be an understatement.” She loved to decorate, cook and celebrate holidays. She was a rocker at her core, enjoying music from AC/DC, Queen, Van Halen and Foo Fighters.
In a 2020 interview with WashingtonExec, Drew spoke about the origins of her love of travel, a passion rooted in a gift she received after completing her master’s degree:
“The gift was a sum of money, which I was to stretch as long as I could travel solo in Europe,” she said. “As a result, I spent six weeks traveling all over Europe, solo. The trip changed my life.”
That exposure to places of historical significance, meeting individuals who lived through historic events, and seeing the U.S. through a different set of lenses, had a profound impact. She and her husband later spent five years in Hong Kong, staying until just before the handover to China. It was an experience that she said made her a more complete person.
Drew is survived by her husband Bob, son Seth, mother Audrey, and brothers Steve and Dave. A life celebration will be Nov. 15. Those who want to attend are asked to RSVP.