YVONNE DARLENE CAGLE, M.D. (COLONEL, U.S. AIR FORCE, RET.)

SPACE AND LIFE SCIENCES DIRECTORATE

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

 Pronunciation: EE-von KAY-gull

PERSONAL DATA: Born in West Point, New York, but considers Novato, California, 

to be her hometown. Enjoys jigsaw puzzles, juggling, skating, hiking, music, writing, 

public speaking, and historical novels.

EDUCATION: Novato High School, Novato, California, in 1977; received a Bachelor 

of Arts in Biochemistry from San Francisco State University in 1981, and a Doctorate in 

Medicine from the University of Washington in 1985. Transitional internship at 

Highland General Hospital, Oakland, California, in 1985. Received certification in 

Aerospace Medicine from the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base, 

Texas, in 1988. Completed residency in at Ghent Family Practice at Eastern Virginia 

Medical School in 1992. Received certification as a senior aviation medical examiner from the Federal Aviation Administration 

in 1995. Received an honorary Ph.D. in Humanities from Fordham University in 2014.

ORGANIZATIONS: Boys and Girls Club; Aerospace Medical Association; Third Baptist Church; American Academy of 

Family Physicians.

AWARDS: Outstanding Young Women of America; National Defense Service Medal; Air Force Achievement Medal; U.S. Air 

Force Air Staff Exceptional Physician Commendation; National Technical Association Distinguished Scientist Award; 

Commendation Marin County Board of Supervisors; Commendation Novato School Board; Honorary Ph.D. in Humanities, 

Fordham University; Honorary appointment, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

EXPERIENCE: Cagle’s medical training was sponsored by the Health Professions Scholarship Program, through which she 

received her commission as an officer with the United States Air Force, and subsequently was awarded her board certification in 

family practice. During her initial active duty tour at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, she was selected to attend 

the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. In April 1988, she became certified as a flight surgeon 

logging numerous hours in a wide range of aircraft. She was actively involved in mission support of aircraft providing medical 

support and rescue in a variety of aeromedical missions.

From 1994 to 1996, Cagle served as the Deputy Project Manager for Kelsey-Seybold Clinics, practicing as an occupational 

physician at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Occupational Health Clinic, in Houston, Texas. In addition to conducting jobrelated exams, routine health screenings, and providing acute care for onsite injuries and illness, she designed the medical 

protocols and conducted the screenings for select NASA remote duty operations.

Cagle is a consulting professor for Stanford University’s Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and to the Department of 

Electrical Engineering, where she has conducted and published research on various biotechnologies. She is on the Advisory 

Committee for the National Center for Human Performance at the Texas Medical Center. Cagle is also a Clinical Assistant 

Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas and has served on the Volunteer Family Practice Clinical 

Faculty at the University of California, Davis, California. While with the U.S. Air Force, she was assigned to the Pentagon Flight 

Medicine/Special Mission Clinic. Cagle is a certified FAA Senior Aviation Medical Examiner and has been ACLS Instructor 

qualified. 

NASA EXPERIENCE: During May 1989, while a flight surgeon assigned to the 48th Tactical Hospital, United Kingdom, 

Cagle volunteered to serve as the Air Force Medical Liaison Officer for the STS-30 Atlantis shuttle mission to test the Magellan 

spacecraft. She was assigned to the Trans Atlantic Landing (TAL) site at Banjul, West Africa, to provide emergency rescue and 

evacuation of the shuttle crew should it have been required. Cagle has contributed ongoing data to the Longitudinal Study on 

Astronaut Health, and served as a consultant for space telemedicine. She was a member of the NASA Working Group and 

traveled to Russia to establish international medical standards and procedures for astronauts. She also conducted health 

screenings of Mir-18 consultants from the Russian Federation.

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National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058
Selected by NASA in April 1996, Cagle reported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, Texas in August 

1996. She completed two years of training and evaluation, and is qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist.

Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Operations Planning branch, supporting the Space Shuttle Program and 

International Space Station, followed by a special assignment to NASA’s Ames Research Center. Cagle is currently on 

detail to Fordham University as a visiting professor, and awarded an honorary Ph.D. by Fordham University for her 

substantial and significant contributions to the fields of science, technology and human health. Prior assignments include 

the lead ARC Astronaut Science Liaison and Strategic Relationships Manager for Google and other Silicon Valley 

Programmatic Partnerships. Cagle’s groundbreaking work is preserving historic NASA space legacy data while, 

simultaneously, galvanizing NASA’s lead in global mapping, sustainable energies, green initiatives and disaster 

preparedness.

SEPTEMBER 2014