In 1984, Booz Allen hired Natalie Givans right out of college as part of a pilot project to train new engineers for various positions in consulting and management. Her technical knowledge, business acumen, and interpersonal talents contributed to her quick rise within the firm. Today, Natalie is a Senior Vice President and a senior leader in the firm’s Cyber Technologies Center of Excellence with a focus on cybersecurity in Booz Allen’s Military Health System business.
She was recently honored by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) with the prestigious Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award. SWE recognizes individuals who contribute to the engineering profession through their efforts in the industry, education, and the community.
Throughout her career, she has provided the full range of system security engineering services, including development of security concepts of operation, security policy, security architectures, security designs, and analysis of security design tradeoffs. This has helped make government more accessible to citizens, protected their privacy and data, driven down costs, and improved efficiencies.
Senior Vice President Karen Dahut has worked with Natalie for over a decade. “Natalie is an active, enthusiastic leader and professional whose energy seems limitless,” says Karen. “I greatly admire her visionary, compelling ideas about how engineering and technical leadership can transform the world in which we live.”
In addition to her considerable professional accomplishments, Natalie is also a role model and mentor to junior staff, guiding their career growth and technical expertise. “I think it’s very important to contribute to the growth of future leaders,” says Natalie. “It’s not just good for Booz Allen, it’s also good for our clients and for the country’s technological competitiveness.”
Natalie’s passion extends to supporting nonprofit, educational, and community organizations and institutions, working on K-12 outreach and other initiatives that encourage women in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She is a leader in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.
Among her professional association affiliations, she was Chair of the Board of Directors for Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International. Natalie was also named Engineer of the Year by the District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies for 2010; and was recognized as one of Federal Computer Week’s Federal 100 for 2011, a prestigious award that honors those who greatly impact the government information systems community.
With degrees from both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Johns Hopkins University, Natalie is active in the alumni organizations of both schools, especially in STEM programs. She serves on the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering National Advisory Council and founded and leads the energy, environment and sustainability (EES) network at MIT.
“Natalie is more than simply a successful engineer,” says Karen. “She is also a mom, an academic, and a humanitarian. She is an inspirational role model to all who know her through her professional endeavors and her numerous volunteer efforts.”