"Kate brought positive energy and optimism - she asked the right questions, listened attentively, and relentlessly built connections across (our) ecosystem. Her persistence was a key factor for alignment and buy-in across stakeholder groups. If you're looking for someone who can lead with purpose, build bridges across complex organizations, and stay optimistic in the face of ambiguity, Kate’s the one you want."
Biz/Org
US Space Force SLD45 Capabilities Development Division (CDD)
Year
2024 - 2025
GovTech
Infrastructure Modernization
Overview
I led delivery modernization for the Space Force’s Range Application Development (RAD) platform - the secure path-to-production used to develop, test, secure, and ship launch-critical software. The mission: shorten time from idea to operational release without losing trust, security, or alignment across command, cybersecurity, and engineering.
When I joined, delivery was slow and brittle. MVPs took more than six months to reach production. Contractors were juggling 15+ priorities without a clear roadmap. Leadership was drowning in one-off asks. Tooling was inconsistent across Teams, Mattermost, Linear, GitLab, ServiceNow, Confluence, SharePoint, and written notebooks. Teams were working hard, but few could articulate what was actually in flight or why it mattered.
Goals
How might we help a mission-driven software org move faster without losing alignment, stability, or trust?
Cut delivery cycle time for secure software from months to weeks.
Rebuild a single, prioritized backlog spanning multiple pods and mission areas.
Reduce burnout by introducing sustainable, repeatable delivery rhythms.
Align work with Space Force mission outcomes instead of internal politics.
Strengthen platform capabilities so app teams could self-serve and ship without constant firefighting.
Challenges
No shared map of work or priorities—engineers jumped between epics without closing the loop.
Leaders stuck in reaction mode with no time or structure for strategic planning.
Inconsistent tooling and process making it hard to find work, avoid duplication, or run predictable sprints.
Delivery without rhythm—each sprint felt like starting from scratch.
Operational Acceptance bottlenecks slowing production releases for apps like Nimbus WeatherBoard.
Solutions
Rebuilding the backlog from the ground up
I partnered with engineers and program leads to audit every existing story, consolidate scope, and rewrite the backlog using structured templates and clear acceptance criteria. We restored effort estimation and reintroduced sprint planning as a team-wide ritual.
Designing rituals that respected team time
I introduced async check-ins, roadmap threads, and decision logs that cut down meeting bloat while improving visibility. These rituals helped stabilize velocity and made progress easier to sustain.
Creating a shared lens for prioritization
I developed roadmaps and clarified fuzzy RACI-aligned decision docs that helped stakeholders align on what mattered most - and say no to the rest. This reduced fire drills and gave cross-functional leads a real sense of progress.
Coaching the org through the shift
Beyond delivery, I supported hiring efforts, clarified internal ownership roles, and helped civil service leads find leverage points across silos. We used retros and health checks to spot delivery drag and course-correct early.
Tying delivery to outcomes
I worked with leadership to reframe delivery around mission goals instead of checklists. This gave engineers a clearer purpose and helped teams justify long-term platform investments.
Outcome & Impact
Product teams are now delivering new features on a reliable 2-week cadence. Platform engineers and operators are working with clarity, not churn. Backlogs are clean, sprints are scoped, and priorities reflect both mission need and engineering feasibility.
Stakeholders have real visibility into progress and feedback. One leader from the user Squadron told us, “I love this. (The users) are loving this. We finally feel like you’re actually listening.”
Delivery decisions are now grounded in shared goals - not internal politics or arbitrary blockers. Teams are trusted to ship real value. Security, engineering, and operations are working together instead of in conflict. What used to feel reactive now feels aligned.
This work didn’t just improve velocity. It restored trust across the org.
