# Kathy Warden

> Kathy J. Warden is chair, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman, serving as CEO and president since January 2019. A first-generation James Madison University graduate with an MBA from George Washington University, she moved from commercial technology into national security and joined Northrop Grumman in 2008. Her leadership record includes the Orbital ATK integration, the Webb telescope launch period, and the 2022 Deming Cup for Operational Excellence.

- **Role:** Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President at Northrop Grumman
- **Organizations:** Northrop Grumman, Greater Washington Partnership, Merck & Co., Inc., Aerospace Industries Association, Business Roundtable, General Electric (former), General Dynamics (former), Veridian Corporation (former)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BBA in Computer Information Systems, James Madison University, MBA, George Washington University
- **Known for:** Led the integration of Northrop Grumman’s Orbital ATK acquisition., Received the 2022 Deming Cup for Operational Excellence., Received the Ronald E. Carrier Alumni Achievement Award from JMU in 2019.

## Career timeline

- **1992** — Graduated from James Madison University and began working at General Electric.
- **1999** — Earned an MBA from George Washington University.
- **After 2001** — An intelligence-community assignment using her commercial technology experience helped redirect her career toward national security.
- **2008** — Joined Northrop Grumman to lead its cybersecurity business.
- **2016** — Began leading Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector.
- **2018** — Became president and chief operating officer; led the Orbital ATK acquisition integration; elected to the board.
- **2019** — Became CEO and president on January 1; elected board chair later in the year.
- **2021** — Announced a $1.25 million scholarship matching commitment with her husband, Eric, at JMU.
- **2022** — Received Columbia Business School’s Deming Cup for Operational Excellence.

## Achievements

- Led the integration of Northrop Grumman’s Orbital ATK acquisition.
- Received the 2022 Deming Cup for Operational Excellence.
- Received the Ronald E. Carrier Alumni Achievement Award from JMU in 2019.
- Received a 2018 Beta Gamma Sigma Business Achievement Award.
- Led Northrop Grumman during the launch and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope, for which the company was NASA’s main industrial contractor.
- With Eric Warden, committed $1.25 million to match need-based scholarship gifts to JMU in 2021.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Northrop Grumman released its third-quarter 2026 financial results on October 20; its current leadership biography continues to list Warden as chair, CEO and president.
- **2026-03** — Appeared on KPMG’s Strategic Compass podcast, discussing technology, leadership and embracing difficult assignments.

## Links

- Website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/who-we-are/leadership/kathy-warden
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathywarden

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/kathy-warden
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21