"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
Defense Tech
Portfolio Strategy
Overview
The vision
Support the Space Force’s RAD platform - a secure delivery system for critical capabilities - and ensure infrastructure and software investments translated into real outcomes for airmen and guardians.
The reality
When I arrived, the org was underwater. Contractor teams were overextended and hard to get in touch with, leadership was overwhelmed by backdoor asks and shifting priorities, and engineering had no reliable source of truth. Multiple stakeholders had conflicting definitions of value, and no one could confidently explain what was actually in flight.
The work
As Portfolio Lead working directly with Nimbus (a core product team), I helped rebuild foundational delivery practices. I led backlog cleanup and storywriting, introduced async rituals and sprint planning norms, and aligned program-level outcomes with real day-to-day work. I also supported broader org strategy - clarifying roles, supporting hiring, framing investments, and helping civil service leads reduce friction across teams.
The result
The broader CDD org operates with more trust, shared context, and outcome-aligned planning. Foundational initiatives - including release automation, governance models, and cross-team rituals - gained traction through this work.
Goals
How might we help a mission-driven software org move faster without losing alignment, stability, or trust?
Rebuild a clear, prioritized backlog across multiple cross-functional teams
Reduce engineering burnout and restore trust in product and cybersecurity leadership
Align delivery with Space Force outcomes instead of internal politics
Strengthen rituals and ways of working that enable repeatable, iterative releases
Challenges
Too much work, no shared map
Teams were juggling 15+ priorities with no roadmap, no triage process, and no agreement on what mattered. Engineers were jumping across epics without ever closing the loop.
Leaders stuck in reaction mode
Program leads were overrun by DMs, one-off asks, and unclear stakeholder mandates. There was no space or structure to plan, coordinate, or advocate at the right altitude.
Tooling confusion slowed delivery
Linear, GitLab, Confluence, and SharePoint were all in use, but none were configured consistently. Work was hard to find, duplicate requests were common, and sprint planning lacked traction.
Delivery lacked rhythm
Without shared planning, refinement, or visibility norms, each sprint felt like starting from scratch.
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.
