REBECCA WADDINGTON
NOAA Corps Commissioned Officer, Pilot, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
American, Florida
Rebecca grew up in California and developed a passion for weather. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and immediately joined the NOAA Corps. Her first assignment was as navigation officer aboard NOAA’s oceanographic research vessel, the KA’IMIMOANA. Following her sea time, she transitioned to working in the storm surge unit at the National Hurricane Center. In 2009, she traded her sea legs for wings and became a pilot. She combined her love of weather and flying by working at the Aviation Weather Center and serving as aircraft commander on NOAA’s research aircraft. She is now the Chief of Operations at NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center, overseeing all of NOAA’s airborne scientific missions while also flying NOAA’s Gulfstream-IV and King Air platforms.
