Kate Maxwell

Kate Maxwell is the Chief Technology Officer for Defense & Intelligence in Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector, where she delivers on Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

Maxwell is an accomplished technology leader and strategist with almost 20 years of experience supporting Defense & Intelligence customers around the globe. She is an internationally recognized expert in digital transformation, innovation leadership, and unmanned systems, and is an accomplished and sought-after public speaker, author, and innovator with multiple patent filings, publications and conference proceedings both domestically and abroad. 

Prior to joining Microsoft, Maxwell held various technical and engineering leadership roles within Raytheon Intelligence & Space, including Technical Director of the Navigation & Modernization Solutions product line ($2.4B), Chief Engineer of the Product Support business ($700M), and Founding Director of the Raytheon Innovation Center – a global corporate innovation engine that inspires and empowers employees to innovate, across all levels and functions.

Maxwell is a passionate advocate for STEM outreach, mentoring, and diversity & inclusion. She serves on the Board of Directors for TechPoint Foundation for Youth, an Indiana based non-profit connecting underprivileged youth with opportunities in STEM, as well as The Startup Ladies, a membership organization focused on increasing investment in women entrepreneurs. She also launched and facilitates the annual Maxwell Scholarship for Women in Computing and Engineering at her high school alma mater. 

Maxwell was named #40 on the global list of the Top 100 Women in Tech by Technology Magazine in 2021. She was also honored with Indiana Business Journal (IBJ) Forty Under 40 recognition in 2021, the IBJ Woman of Influence recognition in 2019, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Emerging Leader Award in 2019, and the SWE Work/Life Integration Award in 2011. 

Maxwell holds a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from George Mason University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown. She is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys skiing, paddle boarding, and traveling with her family and friends.