Published Nov. 16, 2023

Christina Upah started her Boeing career because of her passion for military aircraft. Along the way, she discovered two new passions: leading people and solving complex problems. As vice president of Attack Helicopter Programs, she does all three.

Walk us through your career so far.

Throughout my career, I moved toward roles where I was able to collaborate with a team to solve complex problems. I love problem solving, and sharing that sense of accomplishment with a team energizes me.

What is your favorite part about your current role and responsibilities?

I get to set our vision and stretch my team to find new and innovative ways to achieve it. There’s no shortage of problems that need to be solved quickly, but together, we take on the day’s challenges while remaining focused on that vision.

What’s a fear that you had to overcome to get where you are now?

The fear of failure is always present, but I try to adjust my thinking, take a breath and ask, “what did I learn in this moment? How will I do better next time?”

 "It can be scary to fail, but I want my team to feel comfortable with failure. It’s a profound way to learn, and it’s my job to lead by example."

What advice would you give someone as they build their Boeing career?

Perspective is everything. I encourage everyone to explore new roles because when you understand the challenges within another area of the company, it opens your eyes to the opportunities. I’ve explored many different jobs at Boeing, and with each role I’ve learned new skills and increased my understanding and knowledge of what we do and why and how we do it.