Leadership
Nellie Chappell-White
President and Chief Executive Officer
Nellie Chappell-White started her management career in aerospace serving as a Program Manager, making contributions to the NASA Mission since 2000. In 2004, Nellie played a key role in creating JES Tech, and served as Operations Manager and Chief Operating Officer since the company’s inception. In April 2018, Nellie succeeded Bobbie Jessie as President and CEO of JES Tech.
During Nellie’s career as JES Tech’s Chief Operating Officer, she supported over a dozen contracts at multiple NASA Centers throughout the United States, leading teams that made significant contributions to NASA’s mission in functional areas, including the Human Health and Performance Directorate and the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate.
Nellie’s experience provides her with unmatched insight into JES Tech’s operations and a remarkable focus on performance to ensure that all technical, cost, schedule, and personnel management aspects of JES Tech’s support are accomplished with optimal professional performance. As President and CEO, she leads the company to deliver unconditional customer satisfaction to its customers. Emphasizing communication and relationship building with employees and customers, Nellie has demonstrated a natural ability to lead teams in achieving outstanding performance across diverse work groups of scientific, medical, research, engineering, technical, administrative, and logistics personnel.
Nellie’s vision and leadership drives JES Tech’s commitment to consistently deliver quality service and performance for its customers. Through active communication, she promotes improved awareness of employee and customer perspectives. Her approach encourages strong and collaborative relationships that drive excellent performance and team loyalty, the hallmarks of the JES Tech culture. Nellie commits to know every member of the JES Tech family by their first name, nurturing and maintaining the team’s strong sense of self-worth and dedication to the JES Tech mission.
In addition to her corporate responsibilities, Nellie serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP), the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Joint Leadership Team Steering Committee, and the JSC Human Health and Performance Contract Fellows Program Executive Committee. She is a member of the BAHEP Aerospace Advisory Committee and serves as an Advisor for The Cannon in Houston, Texas. Nellie is also a frequent speaker on leadership topics.
Keith Sabin
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Keith Sabin began his aerospace career in 1986 as an Accountant and Financial Analyst. With expertise for financial modeling, data analysis, and an ability to multitask, he advanced in the NASA community as a Finance Manager and later as a Vice President of Business Operations. His experience includes contract administration of more than 60 government and commercial contracts and subcontracts with individual values up to $50M.
Keith’s comprehensive knowledge of business functions and government contract administration helped spearhead co-founding JES Tech. As Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of JES Tech, he leads all financial and administrative functions, including accounting, financial analysis, banking, benefits, contract administration, and proposal pricing.
Keith emphasizes customer satisfaction as a key ingredient of the services the financial team delivers to JES Tech’s employees and customers. His broad base of experience and expertise in the financial, contractual, and project management arenas contribute to the responsiveness and operational flexibility that JES Tech is known for.
Outside of his corporate responsibilities, Keith is involved in the National Contract Management Association, Johnson Space Center Joint Leadership Team, and the National Management Association. He has advanced training related to the Department of Labor McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and lends support to government contractors regarding SCA compliance.Keith Sabin began his aerospace career in 1986 as an Accountant and Financial Analyst. With expertise for financial modeling, data analysis, and an ability to multitask, he advanced in the NASA community as a Finance Manager and later as a Vice President of Business Operations. His experience includes contract administration of more than 60 government and commercial contracts and subcontracts with individual values up to $50M.
Keith’s comprehensive knowledge of business functions and government contract administration helped spearhead co-founding JES Tech. As Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of JES Tech, he leads all financial and administrative functions, including accounting, financial analysis, banking, benefits, contract administration, and proposal pricing.
Keith emphasizes customer satisfaction as a key ingredient of the services the financial team delivers to JES Tech’s employees and customers. His broad base of experience and expertise in the financial, contractual, and project management arenas contribute to the responsiveness and operational flexibility that JES Tech is known for.
Outside of his corporate responsibilities, Keith is involved in the National Contract Management Association, Johnson Space Center Joint Leadership Team, and the National Management Association. He has advanced training related to the Department of Labor McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and lends support to government contractors regarding SCA compliance.
Joel Krouse, PMP, PE
Vice President of Business Development
Joel Krouse brings JES Tech strong technical and business credentials using his 34+ years of applied experience in projects, project management, and system engineering as a basis to focus on strategic and tactical business development pursuit initiatives by identifying key market segment growth opportunities. His career over this span encompasses supporting both NASA and DoD customers. Joel started his career in 1987 within Rockwell’s Space Systems Division. He was a Project Engineer for the Space Shuttle Program as a member of their Thermal Control System Group. From there, his career spanned roles including Systems Engineer, Project Manager, Section Manager, Business Development (BD) Director, and Vice President of BD. His technical expertise encompasses the NASA Shuttle, ISS, Constellation, and Space Launch System (SLS) programs, as well as Human Performance programs for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Before joining JES Tech, Joel previously worked for KBR, Wyle Life Sciences (purchased by KBR), and Aegis Aerospace.
Joel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University, a Master of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston, and recently his MBA from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He is a certified PMBOK/Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) of the State of Texas.
Joel’s extensive range of experience as an engineer, technical manager, and senior corporate leader highly influences his team-oriented approach to business development. Joel believes every person in the company contributes to its success, and that continued success is an active team effort. This belief supports and promotes the culture of performance excellence JES Tech was founded upon. He is an experienced operational executive who has demonstrated the ability to lead diverse teams of professionals in multiple, cutting-edge, competitive markets. He has proven abilities to analyze critical business requirements, identify deficiencies and potential opportunities, and develop innovative and cost-effective solutions for enhancing competitiveness which has led to increased revenues, and improved the business portfolio.
Joel’s strong work ethic and dedication to achieving excellence resonates with JES Tech’s values. His commitment to continuous learning and improvement aligns with JES Tech's emphasis on innovation and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Joel’s collaborative nature and effective communication skills make him a valuable asset within JES Tech's team-oriented environment. He actively seeks feedback and welcomes diverse perspectives, fostering a culture of open dialogue and idea-sharing.
Bobbie Jessie
Co-Founder (Retired)
Bobbie Jessie, alongside Keith Sabin, co-founded JES Tech in 2004 as a U.S. Small Business Administration certified HUBZone small business. Their goal was to provide a bridge promoting economic development and employment growth in low income/ high unemployment areas of our community.
Ms. Jessie leaves a legacy of changed lives. She epitomized JES Tech’s commitment to providing government and commercial clients with an outstanding partnering experience through a focus on professional conduct, technical excellence, and unconditional customer satisfaction. Her expectation to the JES Tech team remains firmly in place: Perform with Excellence.
Under Bobbie’s leadership, the team’s devotion to quality service and performance propelled JES Tech to receive several prominent awards. In 2008, JES Tech earned the Small Business Administration Region VI Subcontractor of the Year. JES Tech also received the Johnson Space Center’s Subcontractor of the Year, and United Space Alliance’s HUBZone Supplier of the Year awards.
We are forever grateful for the strong values Bobbie instilled in the company. Highly respected both inside and out of the company, Bobbie set the standard for excellence within JES Tech. Every JES Tech employee, as well as a large network of colleagues, customers, and community leaders, will benefit from Bobbie’s influence for decades to come.