Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
With over 30 years of government service, Katharina (Katrina) McFarland is widely recognized as a leading subject-matter expert on government procurement. In addition to the Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation, she serves on the board of directors of SAIC, Chairman of the Board of Army Research and Development at the National Academies of Science, Commissioner of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, and as a Director on the Procurement Round Table. She was previously the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology). She is an accredited Materials, Mechanical, Civil and Electronics Engineer. She has received an Honorary Doctoral of Engineering from the University of Cranfield, United Kingdom; the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the Department of the Navy Civilian Tester of the Year Award, and the Navy and United States Marine Corps Commendation Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service.