- Kate Insley previously held a counterproliferation post on NSC
- Insley also worked as a deputy assistant secretary at the State Department
- Her board appointment comes during a period of expansion for CRDF Global
CRDF Global has appointed Kate Insley, a Northrop Grumman executive and former State Department official, to its board of directors.
Insley has spent more than two decades shaping U.S. government policy and programs aimed at reducing threats and strengthening international security, CRDF Global said Wednesday.
What Did CEO Mike Dignam Say About Insley’s Addition to the Board?
Mike Dignam, CEO of CRDF Global, said Insley’s work at the State Department, the Pentagon and the White House gives her insight into the security challenges facing the nation and into the organization’s mission.
“Her leadership in shaping national nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and technology security programs serves as an invaluable asset to our Board of Directors at this critical period of our expansion as an organization,” added Dignam, a previous Wash100 awardee.
Who Is Kate Insley?
Insley is a national security policy specialist who serves as senior director for executive branch customer relations at Northrop Grumman, according to CRDF Global. She directs the company’s initiatives to deepen defense cooperation with international partners and to align its global engagement with U.S. national security priorities.
Before moving to industry, Insley served as deputy assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation at the State Department, overseeing programs designed to stop illicit proliferation and safeguard critical and emerging technologies from misuse.
She also served at the National Security Council as director for counterproliferation under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Her earlier roles include director of the Office of Transnational Threats within the Pentagon’s Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, along with multiple positions at the Departments of Commerce and State.
Insley earned a juris doctor and a master of public policy from the University of Maryland.
Insley said she has followed CRDF Global’s programs for years and looks forward to helping the organization widen its reach and impact.
“I am honored to join CRDF Global’s Board of Directors and support an organization and leadership team that truly lives out its mission of creating a safer world,” she said.
What Other Developments Has CRDF Global Announced?
Insley joins the board months after CRDF Global named Alonzo Fulgham chairman of its board of directors. Fulgham, who has three decades of experience in international development policy, planning and operations, joined the board in 2023 after serving on the organization’s Advisory Council.
Less than a week before the Fulgham announcement, CRDF Global welcomed Julie Chalfin, a 20-year State Department veteran, as a strategic adviser. Chalfin most recently served as deputy director of the Office of Global Programs and Initiatives within State’s Political-Military Bureau and provides expertise in security assistance programming and workforce development.
On the cybersecurity front, CRDF Global signed a memorandum of understanding with CyberUnit Technologies in July to expand collaboration. CRDF Global previously partnered with SecDev to launch the Cyber Exercises and Experiential Education program, a State Department-funded initiative designed to strengthen cybersecurity in frontline states.
