Kate Robb

Prior to leading Crowell GovCon Strategies, Kate founded Crown Spire, a consulting practice focused on helping clients win and execute defense contracts. Over the course of her federal career, Kate oversaw more than $30 billion in total contract awards and led high-performing procurement teams. She supported multiple Program Executive Offices (PEOs) and held contracting oversight and responsibility for many of the U.S. Navy’s largest and most consequential weapon, sensor, and IT infrastructure programs.

Kate’s government service culminated in her role as the contracting officer for the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer shipbuilding program from 2020 to 2023. In this capacity, she negotiated and signed the $15 billion FY23-27 multiyear contract, which procured 10 ships and leveraged competition among two national shipbuilders. Additionally, she partnered with industry and Congress to sustain the U.S. surface combatant industrial base through $151 million in capital investments for 79 projects across 51 companies, critical to stabilizing private shipyards and their supply chains in the post Covid-19 environment. For these contributions, Kate received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in August 2023.

Kate also served as the Chief of Staff for the Contracts Directorate at the Navy’s largest ship repair office, where she led an 80-person acquisition staff while overseeing a $1.1 billion annual budget and executing 5,000+ contracting actions.

She has been invited to serve on myriad independent oversight and accreditation panels responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance and safeguarding business practices for U.S. Navy contracting offices tasked with delivering and sustaining cutting-edge tactical capabilities for the fleet.