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Profile

Ms. Rathbun currently serves as the DON CIO driving continuous improvement and innovation of the DON’s Information Technology portfolio valued at 12+B. In her role, she ensures alignment of IT investment priorities to SECNAV priorities, guides the execution of the DON’s Information Superiority Vision focused on modernizing, innovating, and defending Enterprise and Business IT. Ms. Rathbun plays a key advocacy role for DON data and cyber/IT workforce initiatives, and overseas DON CIO internal operations. Key focus areas include Cyber Readiness, zero-trust architecture, optimizing transport diversity through commercial tech, SIPR 2.O; and movement to cloud and enterprise services delivery.

Prior to her role as DON CIO, Ms. Rathbun served in a dual-hatted capacity as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Information Warfare and Enterprise Services (DASN IWAR) under the ASN, RDA, and as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), DONCIO. As DASN IWAR, she supported an $9+B portfolio of programs that modernize and deliver information-centric capabilities spanning enterprise, operational and tactical missions to include Command, Control, Communications, Cyber, Battlespace Awareness, Space, Business and IT Services. Ms. Rathbun led key software and cyber acquisition reforms and served as the Navy’s IT Acquisition Workforce champion. As CTO she drove the modernization of key elements of the DON’s IT Infrastructure to include a unified network architecture Capstone Design, movement to enterprise cloud and identity services and execution of zero trust principles all enabling mobile, agile, secure and interoperable force in meeting their mission. She was instrumental in resourcing and driving the rapid adoption of MS Office 365 to meet the demands that the COVID pandemic placed on remote access to productivity services; and consolidating Logistic IT efforts across the Navy.

Before joining the Department of Navy, Ms. Rathbun served as the Deputy Director for Defense Business Systems in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for C3, Cyber, and Business Systems (DASD C3CB) within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. She was responsible for shaping the acquisitions of the Department’s major Defense Business Systems and Enterprise IT Infrastructure Services investments, a portfolio valued at over $15B.

Ms. Rathbun has had a diverse civilian career in the government driving change initiatives focused on improving decision advantage across key government and defense processes. Her assignments included: the Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces; Ops Research Analyst at the Office of the Secretary of Defense Program Analysis and Evaluation; ERP Change Lead and Acting Director of Resources, Headquarters NASA; Chief of Staff for Deputy Secretary of Defense initiative: Institutional Reform & Governance Roadmap where she implemented a Capability Portfolio Management process; Special Assistant to the Director of Portfolio Systems Acquisition for Program Management; Division Chief for the Strategic Capabilities Office in the J1/8 Resources Directorate, USAFRICOM Stuttgart, Germany; and Chief of Staff to the DASD C3CB.

Ms. Rathbun holds a BA in Political Science from John Carroll University and an MPA from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She has earned top civilian service awards for her various efforts and contributions. Ms. Rathbun is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certified – Program Management, Level III.

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Sessions

• Panel: Accelerating Enhanced Capabilities from the Tactical Edge to the Enterprise

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