Dr. Candace Coyle
Site Project Manager
Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant
Dr. Candace Coyle
Site Project Manager
Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant
Dr. Candace M. Coyle is the site project manager for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP), one of two chemical weapons destruction facilities of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA). In this position, Dr. Coyle is responsible for overseeing the project to design, construct, systemize, operate and close the plant, which is destroying the chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot. In addition to managing plant activities, Dr. Coyle’s duties include coordinating with depot and Blue Grass Chemical Activity leadership. She has held this position since 2019. Prior to her position at BGCAPP, Dr. Coyle served as the PEO ACWA chief scientist where she oversaw and served as the subject matter expert in the scientific functions and topics associated with the safe elimination of chemical weapons at BGCAPP.
Her career with DOD-related projects began in 2010 as a defense contractor serving as a senior research chemist and program manager performing research and exploratory development of chemical, biological and emerging threats defense items and overseeing day-to-day surety operations at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (CBC).
In 2018, Dr. Coyle was detailed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Chief Management Officer (CMO) to represent the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology equities on the OSD Reform Management Group for Testing under the direction of the CMO and Deputy Secretary of Defense. In this role, she led agile acquisition reform projects to transform DOD business functions to reduce business costs while investing in capability and aligning stakeholders to mission.
Prior to that, Dr. Coyle served as the Chief Test Strategist for the CBC Engineering Directorate and developed a cross-functional Strategic Test Cell for Chemical and Biological Defense Program acquisition life-cycle topics. Earlier, Dr. Coyle directed a special projects team in support of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense; the Joint Program Manager for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Contamination Avoidance; and Product Director for Cross-Commodity Advanced Threats and Test Infrastructure. In this role, she led scientific and technical matters and planned strategic projects in test capability planning and strategy development to align with stakeholder needs and acquisition requirements, including early identification of test capabilities and mitigation options due to changes in funding, program test needs, risk and schedule.
Prior to her DOD career, Dr. Coyle’s academic career was spent in the chemistry departments at the University of Maryland College Park, Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Dr. Coyle completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in biophysical chemistry at Princeton University after graduating under a Department of Energy Traineeship from West Virginia University with a Doctor of Philosophy in chemistry. Prior to that, she received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dr. Coyle has also earned certified acquisition program manager level III, engineering level I, and test and evaluation level I status from the Defense Acquisition University.
Dr. Coyle’s awards include a Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, Deputy Under Secretary of the Army Letter of Appreciation for Service, Deputy Under the Secretary of the Army Test and Evaluation Executive Letter of Appreciation for Service and multiple other recognitions of her performance.
