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WBD Employee Spotlight: Katherine Estes
April 1, 2021
Meet Katherine Estes, a WBD Senior Associate supporting one of our Department of Defense (DoD) clients with pre-award acquisition services for cybersecurity contracts.
Katherine joined the WBD team in 2018 after graduating cum laude from George Mason University in 2017. As a Creative Writing major, she was surprised by how well her experience would translate to the acquisition-field. It takes a writer’s touch and exacting eye to pull out deliverables, inconsistencies, and weak language in a Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Objectives (SOO). Katherine applies her creative writing skills to deliver comprehensive and customized contract packages for our federal partners.
Currently, Katherine develops hardware and software packages for the DoD’s cybersecurity requirements. She has also supported our clients with post-award actions– resulting in more than 300 successfully executed modifications and the introduction of a robust digital contract management system.
She was initially attracted to WBD for the growth opportunities, joining the team as an administrative assistant and working her way into more advanced roles. When asked if she wanted to learn the consultant ropes, Katherine was eager to roll up her sleeves, and put her nose to the grindstone, soaking in every bit of acquisition and consulting experience she could. Today, she is a knowledgeable and reliable member of the WBD team.
She said she couldn’t have done it without her teammates. “The employees at WBD are as eager to teach as they are to learn. That dedication to growth and to each other is what inspires me every day at WBD,” said Katherine.
She recalls a holiday party in 2019 where the entire firm had gathered. A few WBDers found a piano nearby and started playing and singing carols. The singing wasn’t perfect; however, for a few seconds, it was like magic. Katherine has come to understand that’s just how WBD is – creating pockets of magic wherever we end up.
When she isn’t helping build that WBD magic or cybersecurity acquisition packages for our federal partners, Katherine enjoys writing and learning to play the bass.
At WBD, our people make us great.