B.S. Computer Science, California State University Fullerton

M.S. Software Engineering, California State University Fullerton 2006

Battlefield Radar Software Product Line Manager, Raytheon RTX (retired)

 

Laurie Haack enjoyed a 40-year career with Raytheon, culminating in her role as Battlefield Radar Software Product Line Manager. Throughout her career, she held a variety of leadership and technical roles, including software developer, department manager, hiring manager, and software proposal lead.  She was a driving force behind Raytheon's internal innovation initiatives and played a key role in recruiting the next generation of engineers and computer scientists. 

 

Laurie developed the Raytheon Software Project Manager course and taught the course across Raytheon locations in the U.S. plus Canada and the U.K.  

 

Laurie is highly involved with California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), serving as Chair of the CSUF Resource Development Committee and as a member of the Board of Governors for the CSUF Philanthropic Foundation. Within the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), she supports a range of initiatives, including the ECS Leadership Council, ECS Professor for a Day, career fair recruiting, the MS Software Engineering Advisory Board, the Leadership and Diversity Summit, faculty research projects, and student mentoring.

 

As Raytheon Campus Manager for CSUF, she led efforts with Raytheon to support various CSUF College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) initiatives.  She was instrumental in launching major initiatives such as the Women in Computer Science and Engineering program, the ECS Center for Cybersecurity, and the future Navigation, Controls, and Guidance Center. 

 

Laurie was recognized by CSUF as a Distinguished Alumna receiving the prestigious Vision & Visionaries award in 2019. She was also named one of CSUF’s "50 Women of Distinction" and honored as the "Best Master of Science" student in the inaugural class of the university's Master of Software Engineering program.

 

Outside of her professional achievements, Laurie volunteers as a coach and mentor for the BRDG to Connect program, which supports first-generation college students pursuing careers in technology. She served as a team coach in 2024 and is now mentoring the next generation of team coaches. She recently led a workshop on “Crafting a Winning Résumé.”

 

Laurie grew up in Downey, California, a city with strong ties to the aerospace industry, including the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. Although encouraged to pursue math and science, engineering wasn’t initially presented as a career option—at the time, computers were kits built in people’s garages, and some technical colleges, like Caltech, didn’t admit women.

 

Originally majoring in accounting, Laurie discovered a passion for programming during a required FORTRAN course and changed her major to computer science. She was the only woman in her first undergraduate computer science course.

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Laurie enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She and her husband, Paul, recently completed a cruise of Japan and often spend time at their condo on Maui. She keeps an eye on her 90+ year old mother, cheers on her daughters in their careers in HGTV House flipping/design and in Marine Biology and spends time with the grandkids. You may have seen Laurie on HGTV, where she appeared as a guest star on Christina on the Coast and The Flip-Off.  She has a real estate license. She participates in a neighborhood book club and recently started an investment club with other engineers.  

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What draws me to BRDG is its deep commitment to walking alongside students at one of the most pivotal transitions in their lives — the bridge between school and the professional world, between adolescence and adulthood. I love that BRDG doesn’t just prepare students for a job, but equips them with the tools, confidence, and mindset to thrive in every aspect of life. The organization’s focus on real-world experiences, mentorship, and personal growth aligns with my heart for seeing young people step into their potential with clarity and purpose. Being part of that bridge — helping students discover who they are and what they’re capable of — is incredibly meaningful to me.