The INDOPACIFIC comes with a very unique set of national security challenges. Learn how Vice President, Mission Integration, Cathy Johnston plans on leveraging over three decades of intel community experience to help Peraton lead in the region.
Could you share some highlights from your career journey that have led you to this significant role as Vice President, Mission Integration and INDOPACOM Senior Leader in the Defense Mission & Health Solutions Sector?
My background is solidly focused on East Asia and the INDOPACIFIC. I spent 33 years in the Intel Community mostly focused on Asia at DIA, CIA, and ODNI. My last assignment was as the Deputy Director of Intelligence at the USINDOPACIFIC Command in Honolulu. In addition, I have been a driving force in mission modernization on the government side in both the IC and Department of Defense. Finally, I have led complex mission integration efforts for the last two decades within government. I came to Peraton because I saw a confluence of fantastic technology solutions that are critical to solve the nation’s problems, impressive talent and mission delivery, and leaders I have worked with and admired for years.
As the Vice President of Mission Integration, what are your primary goals and vision for this role within the Defense Mission & Health Solutions Sector, and how do you plan to contribute to the sector’s success?
My principal focus is to better posture the company to meet the challenges in the INDOPACIFIC so that we become national security leaders in the region. We have awesome capabilities across our sectors and the challenges in the Pacific require a unique degree of mission integration and innovation. While integration is goodness in all cases, the drivers in the Pacific region require such operational speed, scale, and complexity that mission integration is an imperative. To that end, we have initiated an INDOPACOM Synch forum across the company to create transparency, identify opportunities, and bring together the totality of our expertise.
In a rapidly evolving field like defense and health solutions, how do you plan to stay at the forefront of industry developments and ensure our organization remains innovative and adaptable?
Listening to the customer and their evolving needs is a critical step in understanding where we need to innovate and stay at the forefront. On a frequent basis, our operational forces and citizens encounter challenges that must be solved creatively and constantly adapted. I think staying close to the customer helps us to understand how we best position our technology and people.
As you embark on this new role, what opportunities and challenges do you foresee within our sector, and how do you plan to address them?
There are so many opportunities, having the discipline and wisdom to understand where we are best positioned to make a difference will be a challenge. There is a tremendous amount of activity that needs to be synchronized so we have a more integrated approach when engaging with customers. The trick will be to enable that engagement without stifling or slowing down initiatives.
Finally, what message would you like to convey to our employees, stakeholders, and clients as you step into this crucial position within the Defense Mission & Health Solutions Sector?
I am extremely excited to be part of the team and look forward to learning from our teammates about the awesome work we do! I strongly believe frequent touchpoints with customers and potential customers is critical to understanding the solutions we can offer. I am committed to continuing to do that and to bring that awareness back to the organization and our broader stakeholders.