Joan Wills

Executive Director – Software Engineering, Cummins Inc.

Ambassador

Joan Wills (BSEE, MSEE) is currently Executive Director – Software Engineering at Cummins, where she is responsible for development and support of embedded and edge software, software tools and software development environment across Cummins product lines. Prior to this, Wills led Power Systems Engineering for Platform 3 products: engine systems 38-91L displacement both diesel and natural gas varieties and gensets roughly 1-3MW. She was Chief Engineer and Program leader for the Cummins range of Tier IV High-Horsepower engines, as well as General Manager for U.S.-based Komatsu-Cummins Mining Quality JV. She led Technology Strategy and Planning for Cummins, working with the Chief Technology Officer and global Technical Leaders to set long-term technical investment direction. She has over 15 years of experience in developing and leading development of control systems for automotive applications including diagnostic and control algorithms for various subsystems of diesel and spark-ignited engines. Wills has developed controls and diagnostics for engine and aftertreatment systems including initial introduction of key diesel aftertreatment technologies. She holds 20+ U.S. patents for her work in developing diesel aftertreatment controls and diagnostics, technology which is currently in use in multiple products. 

Wills served on the SAE Board of Directors for the 2021-2024 term, and for 2025, she has taken on the Chair role for the SAE Foundation Board of Trustees.  Wills was a 2017-2018 member of the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council on Energy. She is also active in SWE and a senior member of IEEE. She holds an MSEE from The Ohio State Center for Automotive Research, a Strategy & Innovation certificate from MIT Sloan, and a BSEE from the University of Dayton, Ohio.