With a share of women holding top executive positions in the U.S. steadily rising, this year holds great promise for women executives to inspire and lead. The U.S. Census Bureau’s data reveals that women accounted for 31.7% of the top executive roles in 2021, marking a significant growth of nearly five percentage points since 2015. 

The Importance of Highlighting Successful Women Executives

1. Women Can Render the Gender Pay Gap Obsolete

The gender pay gap, persistently observed despite progress, remains a significant concern, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. On average, women in full-time, year-round positions earn 83.7% of what men earn, with an even wider gap for Black and Hispanic women. This stark inequality emphasizes the urgent need for organization intervention. Offering women leadership roles presents a promising solution to address the gender pay gap. 

2. Women Make Better Leaders

According to a comprehensive analysis by Harvard Business Review, women in business outperformed men in 17 out of 19 leadership qualities, showcasing their strengths in areas including bold leadership and resilience. Women CEOs also often exhibit authentic leadership, which embraces inclusivity and encourages diverse teams. 

3. Women Promote Diversity

When women assume leadership positions, they bring their unique talents and fresh perspectives and introduce structural and cultural diversity to the organizations they lead—this infusion of diversity creates more successful and effective solutions.

Moreover, women can analyze minor details with a keen awareness and diverse viewpoints enabling them to address issues comprehensively, contributing further to the company’s success and growth.

Here, we highlight some of the most influential female leaders who excel in their fields and make history by breaking barriers previously uncharted by women

5 Women Executives to Follow in 2023

Note: The following list features esteemed women executives selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of their accomplishments, including their strategic vision, demonstrated impact on the industry, innovative contributions, and leadership prowess. However, this is in no way an exhaustive list. The industry is filled with talented professionals making significant contributions, warranting close attention for their achievements and potential impact.

Carey Smith, Board Chair, President, Chief Executive Officer at Parsons

Carey Smith serves as Parsons’ Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer. She oversees the company’s strategy, growth, business execution, and global operations. Her background includes extensive strategic planning experience, particularly in acquiring and integrating technology businesses. Furthermore, Ms. Smith possesses a robust cybersecurity background gained from her tenure in the aerospace and defense industry at Honeywell Aerospace and Lockheed Martin.  

Since joining Parsons in 2016, Carey Smith has achieved organic growth, acquired four companies, and expanded margins while promoting Parsons. Her outstanding contributions have been recognized through the Wash100 award, which she has received five times in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023 over its ten-year history.  

Carey Smith in 2023

Carey Smith’s goal is to secure top positions in high-growth market areas. She plans to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the U.S. infrastructure initiatives and position Parson as a national security and critical infrastructure leader by leveraging domestic and international infrastructure investments. 

About Parsons

Parsons Corporation is an American technology leader specializing in defense, intelligence, security, and infrastructure engineering. It excels in national security and global infrastructure markets with diverse capabilities and operates within Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments.

Tina Dolph, President and Chief Operating Officer at CRDF Global

Tina Dolph is the President and Chief Operating Officer at CDRF Global, overseeing mission delivery and growth. Her expertise includes operations, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, pricing, strategic planning, and government finance. Dolph successfully integrated the Applied Technologies Division of CSC into PAE. 

Before her current role, she served as CDRF Global’s Chief Global Officer, where she successfully expanded the company’s global presence and fostered science and technology-driven collaborations with the U.S. and allied countries. 

Ms. Dolph is a distinguished four-time Wash100 winner, receiving the award in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Her most recent recognition in 2022 highlights her exceptional ability to balance strategic vision with operational focus, driving growth at Siemens Government Technologies. 

Tina Dolph in 2023

In 2023, Tina Dolph and CRDF Global are actively addressing the impact of climate on global security, with a primary focus on food and water scarcity in nations. They are committed to devising effective actions to mitigate risks to the surrounding regions and worldwide. 

With the digital aspect now integrated into all aspects of life, information security has emerged as a crucial factor in diverse threat mitigation strategies, surpassing its traditional scope limited to cybersecurity programs. Their special interest in promoting women in STEMM is fueled by the awareness of their underrepresentation and importance in global security.

Among CRDF Global’s offices, the Amman branch stands as the oldest and most experienced, placing significant focus on promoting women in science and technology. The top three executives in Jordan are female, serving as an example of strong female leadership for the entire company. This commitment further strengthens their dedication to fostering diversity and inclusivity within CRDF Global. 

About CRDF Global

CRDF Global is an independent nonprofit fostering safety, security, and sustainability through international development and foreign assistance in 120+ countries. It promotes global peace and prosperity by funding collaborative science between the USA and other nations.

Jill Singer, Vice President of Defense and National Security at AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet

Among the highly esteemed women executives in recent times is Jill Singer who has been the Vice President of National Security at AT&T Public Sector & FirstNet since February 2015. With over 30 years of experience, she leads AT&T’s business activities for the Department of Defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community, delivering strategic technology solutions and services to the military and national security organizations.

Ms. Singer’s prior roles include Chief Information Officer for the National Reconnaissance Office, Deputy CIO for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Director for the Department of State. 

Jill Singer is a six-time Wash100 winner in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021. She was recognized for driving 5G capabilities’ advancement in the federal and commercial sectors. She also spearheaded FirstNet’s expansion across the U.S. military services, making her one of the most influential executives in the federal landscape in 2021 and beyond. 

Jill Singer in 2023

This 2023, Jill Singer is helping the U.S. government with defense and national security innovations. At AT&T, they are actively seeing how agencies develop and acquire new use cases powered by 5G technology. These initiatives address their mission needs while harnessing the scalability, flexibility, and lower latency offered by 5G. 

They also try to ensure that every element within the IT architecture or system comes with built-in cybersecurity protection–by examining the supply chain and verifying the safety and expected quality of software or hardware added to the infrastructure.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. offers telecommunications, media, technology, data, wireless, internet and telephone services. FirstNet, operated by AT&T, is the only network designed for first responders and those who support them, providing transformative mission-critical solutions to modernize public safety communication needs. 

Shawn Purvis, Chief Executive Officer at QinetiQ North America

Shawn Purvis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of QinetiQ U.S., where she oversees operations and transforms the company into a leading provider of defense and security solutions. Previously, Ms. Purvis served as the Corporate Vice President at Northrop Grumman, leading the Enterprise Services sector, which includes global cybersecurity and digital design for engineering, manufacturing, and production operations.  

Throughout Shawn Purvis’ extensive career spanning over 25 years, she has taken on senior leadership roles to enhance workforce capabilities and daily operations. She has succeeded in portfolio management, employing innovative strategies in business development, intelligence, technical integration, and strategic planning.  These efforts have led to the implementation of sustainable solutions for clients in the cyber, intelligence, information systems, and defense sectors.

A three-time recipient of the Wash100 award in 2021, 2022, and 2023, her third award was for her notable achievements, including acquiring Avantus Federal and securing contract wins with the U.S. Army.

Shawn Purvis in 2023

This 2023, Ms. Purvis at QinetiQ is spearheading a transformation in their defense technology approach. Instead of solely relying on the processing, exploitation and dissemination (PED) model, they fully embrace the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) concept. This framework unifies communication systems across different environments and perspectives, creating a sophisticated yet user-friendly network of tools. 

About QinetiQ

QinetiQ U.S. is a top defense company specializing in mission-critical solutions for various missions. It creates, tests, and implements the latest technologies to deliver benefits to the world. The company’s strengths encompass Mission Operations, ISR, Cybersecurity, Information Advantage and Robotics and Autonomous Systems.

Roshan Roeder, President of Defense Systems at Northrop Grumman

Roshan Roeder holds the position of President of Defense Systems at Northrop Grumman. In her role, she oversees the delivery of a wide range of products and capabilities, including missiles, tactical weapons, all-domain command and control architectures, and integrated battle command systems, catering to national security, military, and civil customers. Her expertise spans diverse global capabilities, including air and ground sensors, advanced military communications, transformational computing, etc.

Beyond Roeder’s leadership, she actively engages in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She has been a proactive member of Northrop Grumman’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council for a long period, fostering a culture that promotes employee engagement and innovation. Her outstanding contributions were recognized with a Wash100 award in 2023. 

Roshan Roeder in 2023

Under Roeder’s leadership, Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is actively constructing the U.S. Army’s Integrated Battle Command System throughout a significant five-year, $1.38 billion contract awarded in December 2021. With a focus on enhanced efficiency, they are employing digital models to design, test, and deploy capabilities swiftly, addressing current and emerging needs. Real-time changes are made and visually reflected in the models, eliminating the previous physical prototyping and testing cycle.

The aerospace and defense industry has come a long way in terms of diversity. Ms. Roeder strives to foster talent diversity and an inclusive work environment. They actively seek top talent from various backgrounds, ensuring a  well-rounded team achieves their goals. 

About Northrop Grumman Systems

Northrop Grumman Systems is a prominent American company that manufactures defense and commercial aerospace, electronics, and information technology products and services to foreign and domestic governments and commercial customers in North America, Europe, and the Asia– Pacific region.