Cherlyn Foster
About Cherlyn Foster
Cherlyn Foster serves as the Head of Section at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she leads the fabrication of prototype enrichment equipment and oversees research demonstrations. She holds an M.B.A. from St. Ambrose University and has extensive experience in manufacturing and engineering, including significant roles at Arconic and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Current Role at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Cherlyn Foster serves as the Head of Section at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a position she has held since 2023. In this role, she leads the fabrication of prototype enrichment equipment and oversees research demonstrations of these prototypes. Her leadership focuses on advancing the laboratory's capabilities in materials and chemistry.
Previous Experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Prior to her current role, Cherlyn Foster worked as the Group Leader for Stable Isotope Materials & Chemistry at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2021 to 2023. In this capacity, she managed projects related to stable isotopes and contributed to the laboratory's research initiatives in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. She also held the position of Process & Manufacturing Engineer from 2020 to 2023.
Professional Background at Arconic
Cherlyn Foster has extensive experience at Arconic, where she held several key positions. She served as General Manager from 2016 to 2018, overseeing operations in Cranberry Twp, Pennsylvania. She also worked as Manufacturing Manager - Finishing from 2014 to 2016 in Davenport, Iowa, and as Director of Smart Manufacturing and Automation from 2018 to 2020 in Alcoa, TN.
Education and Expertise
Cherlyn Foster holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from St. Ambrose University, where she studied Business Administration and Management. She also earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Her expertise includes aligning strategic projects with company vision and utilizing Lean Six Sigma tools to enhance manufacturing performance.
Significant Achievements
Throughout her career, Cherlyn Foster has successfully delivered a $300 million investment project for the automotive sector on time and within budget. She implemented a digital strategy at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that resulted in annual savings of $40 million, demonstrating her ability to drive sustainable change in manufacturing processes.