Kathy J. Warden — Board Member Accountability Profile
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Kathy J. Warden — Board Member Accountability Profile

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Kathy J. Warden — Board Member Accountability Profile

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Category: Private Citizen — Corporate Executive/Director Role: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Northrop Grumman Corporation Board Tenure: 2018 – present (CEO since January 2019; Chairman since 2019) Committee Memberships: Chairman of the Board (non-independent) Profile Type: Board Member Accountability — Anchor B (Documented Organizational Leadership)

> Basis for Inclusion: Kathy J. Warden is the Chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman Corporation, a major U.S. defense and aerospace contractor specializing in autonomous systems, space systems, and nuclear deterrence platforms, which made documented political donations to Trump-aligned entities. Northrop’s major programs — the B-21 Raider bomber, the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD/Sentinel), and space systems — are funded through defense appropriations directly shaped by presidential budget decisions. As the company’s top executive and board chair, Warden is the primary governance authority over Northrop Grumman’s strategic direction and political engagement. This profile documents the factual governance relationship, not the subject’s personal political views.

> Subject Classification: Private Citizen / Corporate Executive. Board membership and executive role are matters of public record.

> What is NOT the basis for inclusion: Personal political opinions, party affiliation, or protected speech are NOT the basis for inclusion.

Biographical Overview

Kathy J. Warden became President and CEO of Northrop Grumman in January 2019 and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board later that year, becoming the company’s first female Chairman and CEO. She joined Northrop Grumman in 2008 after prior roles at General Dynamics and Veridian Corporation. At Northrop, she held leadership positions including Corporate Vice President and President of Mission Systems, and President of the Information Systems sector. Warden holds a B.S. in business administration from James Madison University and an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business. Under her leadership, Northrop Grumman has been the prime contractor for two of the Pentagon’s most significant strategic programs: the B-21 Raider stealth bomber (the Air Force’s next-generation long-range strike aircraft) and the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD/Sentinel), the program to replace the aging Minuteman III ICBM fleet — two programs whose combined value is estimated at over $100 billion.

Board Role and Governance Authority

  • Company: Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC)
  • Board tenure: 2018 – present; CEO since January 2019; Chairman since 2019
  • Governance authority: As Chairman and CEO, Warden is the single highest governance authority within Northrop Grumman, setting corporate strategy, overseeing the B-21 and Sentinel programs, and representing the company in negotiations with the Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Systems Command.

Other Current Board Memberships

  • Business Roundtable (board member)
  • Merck & Co., Inc. (board member)

Parent Corporate Donor Profile

This profile is a governance-accountability companion to the Northrop Grumman corporate donor profile.

Sources

  • Northrop Grumman Corporation DEF 14A Proxy Statement, 2025; SEC EDGAR
  • Northrop Grumman Corporation Annual Report 2024
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