Kathy Boockvar is President of Athena Strategies LLC, working with a broad base of organizations, government officials, and academic institutions to fortify election security, strengthen democracy, and amplify understanding and civil discourse about elections in the United States. Formerly Vice President of Election Operations for the Center for Internet Security (CIS), Kathy led its election security initiatives, working closely with federal, state, and local government to provide the highest standards of election security and cybersecurity practices and systems.

Ms. Boockvar previously served as Pennsylvania Secretary of State and chief election official, leading the Department of State to implement secure and resilient elections, protect the health and safety of the public through professional licensure, and support economic development. Prior to serving as Secretary, Ms. Boockvar was Senior Advisor to the Governor on Election Modernization, where she also worked closely with local, state, and federal officials to strengthen election security and technology.

During her tenure as Secretary of State, Ms. Boockvar co-chaired Pennsylvania’s Inter-Agency Election Security and Preparedness Workgroup, strengthened election security and voting rights measures across the state, and oversaw secure and accessible elections amidst a global pandemic, marked by unparalleled transparency and voter participation.

Ms. Boockvar also served as co-chair of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Elections Committee from 2019-2020, and as co-chair of the NASS Business Services Committee from 2020-2021. She also served as NASS Representative on the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordinating Council (EIS-GCC), a collaboration among federal, state, and local officials to secure elections and ensure that election officials across the country receive timely threat information, support, and resources.

Prior to joining the Department of State, Ms. Boockvar was Executive Director of Lifecycle WomanCare, one of the oldest continually-operating birth centers in the United States. She also previously served as Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Auditor General.

In prior years, Ms. Boockvar served as a poll worker and as a voting-rights attorney. She also worked for over a decade as a private practice attorney with a focus on employment law, and began her career as a nonprofit Legal Services attorney, representing low-income, disabled, and senior clients, and victims of domestic violence.

Ms. Boockvar is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 1990) and the American University, Washington College of Law (J.D. 1993). She received a GIAC GISF Certification in Cybersecurity Fundamentals in 2022, and a Performance Leadership Certificate from Cornell University in 2014. She is a member of the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, Third Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, and Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington, D.C. courts.

Ms. Boockvar serves on many boards and committees, including as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for Civic Design, the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Election Science Task Force, and a founding member of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, a cross-sector collaboration of election officials, law enforcement, federal agencies, and nonpartisan organizations working to help protect election workers, voters, and infrastructure.

Ms. Boockvar has received many awards and honors including the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from the American University, Washington College of Law; City & State 2023 Responsible 100 Honoree; Salute to Women Who Make a Difference Honoree; and SmartCEO Brava Award.