Booz Allen Hamilton Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Susan Penfield will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award on June 17 at WashingtonExec’s virtual Chief Officer Awards, celebrating her advocacy for women in STEM careers and her drive to continually advance the firm’s innovation journey.
As chief innovation officer, Penfield focuses on integrated capabilities, advanced products and solutions, and alternative business models that help implement innovation and lead to next-generation business. For Penfield, this means incorporating secure operational technology, artificial intelligence and digital solutions.
She also works to scale innovative capabilities across the firm to drive growth, and develops strategies that scale, retain and upskill the firm’s talent base with the tools and skills of tomorrow.
In 2019, she told WashingtonExec she was proud of the firm’s achievement of institutionalizing a culture of innovation, following a 6-year journey that began with the 2013 creation of the firm’s Strategic Innovation Group.
“Today, we have unlocked in our talent an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit determined to make the world a better place and support our clients’ critical mission challenges,” she said.
Under Penfield’s leadership, the firm built on that culture and opened Booz Allen’s DC Innovation Center, which has a network of Innovation Hubs, where the firm can identify partnerships and emerging technologies.
Prior to her current position, Penfield led the firm’s health business, where she drove technology and transformation initiatives across the federal, commercial and not-for-profit health space. She also provided consulting services for federal health-related organizations in the U.S., including overseeing the program and technology for the National Institutes of Health National Children’s Study, leading the transformation of the Centers for Disease Control’s Vaccine for Children program and overseeing the implementation of large-scale technology transformation programs in support of various Food and Drug Administration regulatory programs.
And along with her professional achievements, Penfield said she’s passionate about mentoring and advocating for women in STEM careers, and for women in leadership positions.
In her bio, Penfield said she is “tirelessly partnering with other Booz Allen leaders to galvanize the message of opportunity and achievement for emerging talent — has been a game changer for the firm’s approach to recognition, recruitment, and retention.”
Penfield serves as an executive adviser for Booz Allen’s women’s agenda and speaks on STEM-related topics often. She also received a 2017 Diamond Award from Girls Inc. DC for her executive leadership as a woman and for Booz Allen’s service for programs like STEM Girls 4 Social Good.
“We are excited to honor Susan for her impressive work in the community and for championing for women in STEM,” said JD Kathuria, founder and CEO of WashingtonExec. “Susan has been role model to many and a true, innovative leader whose contributions deserve to be highlighted. She perfectly embodies what the Lifetime Achievement Award stands for, and we are thrilled to acknowledge her work.”
WashingtonExec’s inaugural Chief Officer Awards will celebrate the most impactful and innovative C-suite executives in government and industry. Nominations are open until May 8.