Karolyn Gardner
Senior Vice President, Contracts and Pricing, ICF
Karolyn Gardner’s biggest recent achievement was streamlining the contracts, procurement and pricing team at ICF, organizing staff in these professional roles under one cohesive leadership structure that creates maximum efficiency and results for the company. Her team has deep relationships across markets with internal stakeholders, clients and suppliers, and is trusted for its expertise in contracts, procurement and pricing support.
For many contractors, 2025 started as a dynamic year with fluctuating client demands. During each shift in the market, Gardner’s team has leaned into its relationships and team structure to bolster ICF’s success. Their high-impact performance makes her proud.
At ICF, the priority is to provide clients with efficient and effective solutions. The company invested in technological training for employees to strengthen their ability to serve clients. Most recently, ICF introduced ICF Fathom to the U.S. federal market as a strategic response to the growing demand for artificial intelligence-driven efficiency and the push for automation, cost savings and measurable outcomes in government operations.
“Karolyn’s leadership has been invaluable and her team of professionals have allowed ICF to remain stable in a time of uncertainty for many firms working in the federal contract space,” said James Morgan, ICF chief operating officer. “Her team is an excellent representation of how ICF delivers high-impact, innovative solutions for clients. I am proud to have her at the helm of a critical facet of our company. She is a trusted partner for many, and it is my honor to call her a friend and colleague.”
Why Watch
This year and going forward, as markets continue to shift, Gardner and her team are focusing on three key drivers — people, process and technology — to improve outcomes. They are implementing plans around each driver to shape the team into more effective and efficient partners for the businesses they support.
ICF is investing in new systems to strengthen supplier management and is beginning the evaluation of contract lifecycle management systems for implementation in 2026, with a strong emphasis on how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to maximize efficiencies. The team is also evaluating and updating internal processes and tools to create more efficient workflows while integrating changes tied to the FAR Overhaul.
At the same time, ICF continues to invest in training, developing staff skills and implementing cross-training to support not only federal but also state, local and commercial markets. This approach will allow teams to be more nimble and to support one another as demand surges and growth occur across different markets. Gardner’s team remains committed to sustaining ICF’s growth momentum in its priority markets and evolving alongside federal requirements.
Fun Fact: Gardner finds the most reward in mentoring staff and watching them grow professionally. She values seeing interns develop into impactful team members and senior staff refine their skills to become leaders in their own right.