Northrop Grumman hires VP of legislative affairs

Northrop Grumman Corp. has appointed Lesley Kalan vice president of legislative affairs.

Kalan, whose appointment becomes effective Oct. 25, will report to Sid Ashworth, corporate vice president of government relations.

In her new role, Kalan will lead the corporate legislative affairs organization and be responsible for implementing and overseeing all of Northrop Grumman's strategic and tactical interactions with Congress and related organizations. That includes development of strategies to promote the company’s legislative agenda and build legislative and policy coalitions.

From 2006 to 2010, Kalan was vice president of the Cohen Group, where she created strategies and business development campaigns for clients seeking new business in domestic and international markets.

Previously, she spent five years as a member of the professional staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee, where she served as senior analyst for the Defense Department and intelligence community’s procurement, research, development, test and evaluation programs.

Kalan also served as a committee fellow and a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

She earned a master’s degree in public administration and policy from the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida.

Kalan is a member of the U.S. Navy Director’s Senior Panel and a recipient of the Navy Department's Superior Public Service Award.

Northrop Grumman, of Los Angeles, ranks No. 2 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.