Kathy Warden

Kathy Warden
Warden in 2024
Born	1970 or 1971 (age 54–55)[1]
Education	James Madison University (BA) George Washington University (MBA)
Title	Chair, President and CEO of Northrop Grumman[2]

Kathy J. Warden is an American business executive who became chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Northrop Grumman in 2019.

Warden grew up in Smithsburg, Maryland, and graduated from Smithsburg High School.^[3] She then earned a bachelor's degree at James Madison University in 1992,^[4] and a MBA at George Washington University in 1999.^[5][6]

Warden is a cybersecurity and information technology expert.^[7] Early in her career, she worked for General Electric for nearly a decade, and held executive roles at Veridian Corporation and General Dynamics.^[5][8][9] Warden was also a principal in a venture capital firm, where she helped companies improve their business models and electronic publishing services.^[10]

Warden joined Northrop Grumman in 2008 as vice president and general manager of the company's cybersecurity business.^[11] In 2015, while president of Northrop Grumman Information Systems,^[12] she was included in Federal Computer Week's "Federal 100" list; the magazine credited her for increasing Northrop Grumman's participation in the CyberPatriot program and creation of the Advanced Cyber Technology Center, and for overseeing $1.5 billion in contracts for the 2014 fiscal year.^[13] Warden began her tenure as president of the Mission Systems sector in January 2016, when the company merged its Information Systems and Electronics Systems sectors.^[7][14][15] She became president and COO of Northrop Grumman in January 2018,^[16] and her tenure as CEO started on January 1, 2019.^[7]

Warden has been credited with leading the integration of Orbital ATK, later Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.^[7][17] She joined Northrop Grumman's board of directors in July 2018^[5][14] and became Chair in August 2019.^[18]

Warden is a member of The Business Council.^[19] She has a position on the board of the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.^[10][20] She is on the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond board, as of mid-2018.^[5] She also worked with the Aspen Institute's computer security strategy group.^[4]

Warden was on the Clinton administration's Internet Advisory Council.^[10] She joined James Madison University's board of visitors in October 2018.^[4] Previously, Warden was on the board of the university's College of Business, starting in 2016.^[4]

Warden was sanctioned by Russia on April 21, 2022 along with 28 other American nationals.^[21] On May 22, 2024, she was sanctioned by the Chinese government due to arm sales to Taiwan.^[22][23]

Warden accepted the 2022 Collier Trophy on the company's behalf for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.^[24]

Warden joined the board of Merck & Co. in 2020. In 2019, she joined the board of the nonprofit Catalyst, becoming its chair in 2024.^[25][26] She is also on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership and became its chair in January 2024.^[27] She is on the executive committee for the Aerospace Industries Association^[28] and previously served as its board chair.^[29]

Warden was appointed to the National Space Council's users' advisory group in May 2020.^[30] She was selected for another term in December 2022.^[31] In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security named her to its new Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board.^[32]

• Gillis, Jan. "How to succeed in business". James Madison University.