Ruth Geneva Caserta Gardner

Ruth G. Caserta Gardner was born in Lansdale PA, March 3, 1964, to Richard and Jane Caserta. Ruth grew up in Lansdale and graduated from North Penn High School. Her dream as a young teenager was to work for NASA and the space program. In 1987, she graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, and M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Central Florida in 1994. While at Penn State she competed on the downhill ski racing team and interned with IBM in Ithaca NY. After graduation, Ruth worked for Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals until NASA lifted its hiring freeze. In 1989, Ruth moved to Cocoa Beach FL began her career with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center.

Ruth started her career with NASA as an operations and maintenance engineer for all NASA facilities located on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. She then became the lead O&M engineer for the construction of the Space Station Processing Facility. She was the customer interface to the first customers of that facility, the Russian Space Agency. Next, Ruth was the manager of the 7A Element Office and was responsible for all assembly, test, and check-out activities associated with the International Space Station (ISS) Airlock. She established a resident office at the Marshall Space Flight Center, AL, and led her team through critical assembly and test phases of the ISS Airlock. Ruth then led the successful processing and launch of 11 missions including the extremely complicated U.S. Lab as chief of the Integration and Operations Division, back at KSC, FL. She next served as the deputy director for the ISS and Payload Processing Directorate, where she led and guided technical activities across the directorate, assuring that ISS and Shuttle Payload elements were safely and successfully processed and launched. Following that assignment, she served as an executive level technical advisor to NASA Headquarters and to the Director, KSC, where she was charged with assessing the Agency’s core infrastructure and capabilities and developing a targeted investment plan to support future spaceflight and aeronautical missions. The results of her work were used as the basis for making mission-based investment decisions.

In December 2006, Ruth was appointed to the Senior Executive Service where she was responsible for the development of all KSC facilities and ground systems required for the new generation launch vehicles and spacecraft, returning humans to the moon and then to Mars and beyond. Following this, she served as the Exploration Systems Manager (Associate Program Manager) for the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, where she led the government and contractor team responsible for developing the ground systems, infrastructure, facilities, and processes required to support NASA’s next heavy lift vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS) and deep-space spacecraft, Orion. At the time of her retirement in 2015, Ruth was the Technical Deputy Director for the Engineering and Technology Directorate at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), FL. She provided executive leadership to a diverse, multi-discipline engineering work force that designs, builds, sustains, operates, and maintains ground systems and support equipment and performs system engineering and analysis for launch vehicle and spacecraft flight systems. Her organization supported all the major spaceflight programs including the Launch Services Program, International Space Station Program, Commercial Crew Program, and the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at the Kennedy Space Center.

Ruth’s competence was infallible, with impeccable integrity, she was a leader that others aspire to become. She was a true professional displaying an even-tempered, almost mellow style of leadership, while she was as meticulous and passionate as any when it comes to getting the job done. By valuing different perspectives of others, she was able to facilitate communication and successfully bring out the best in people. Ruth received numerous awards throughout her career, including the Presidential Rank Meritorious Executive Award, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, and Outstanding Woman Engineer by the Society of Women Engineers

After retiring, Ruth was a co leader of the Launch STEM Careers project of the NASA Alumni League, where she loved mentoring elementary through high school girls in Brevard County schools to pursue careers in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Ruth was an aspiring artist (sketching, painting) and an avid athlete in golf and skiing. She loved to bike with Jack to their favorite restaurants and watering spots in Cocoa Beach, and golf with their many friends. She was a proud member of the Penn State Alumni Association, and a huge fan of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.

Ruth’s joy in life was her family and friends. She and Jack cherished making memories traveling with family and friends to ski slopes, golf events, and vacationing to destinations throughout the US and world. Ruth leaves behind her best friend and husband, Jack, her parents Dick and Jane Caserta of Lansdale, PA, sister Robyn and her husband Pete DellaCroce and their 2 children Abbey Butler and Hannah Butler, brother-in-law Ted Gardner, sister and brother-in-law Eileen and Andy Petro and their 2 children Jason Petro and his family, and Katie Carlson and her family. She was predeceased by her brother Rick Caserta.

A private burial will take place October 23, 2021, at Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, NJ and her celebration of life will be 9 am to noon, October 30, 2021, at the Pavilion at the Cocoa Beach Country Club, Cocoa Beach, FL. Donations in Ruth’s name can be made to the American Breast Cancer Society or at https://www.facebook.com/drivenbyheart.org/, an organization to assist women dealing with breast cancer in Brevard County FL.