Board of Directors
Linda R. Gooden joined the CRDF Global Board of Directors in March 2023. After nearly 40 years of working in the Aerospace and Defense industry, Ms. Gooden retired as the Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) business area and an officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Under her leadership, IS&GS included 40,000 experienced professionals who established a world-class cyber center; created digital platforms; led large scale transformations; and provided integrated mission critical information solutions, cyber solutions, and services in support of worldwide missions for civil, defense; intelligence and other government customers. The business was one of four principal business areas within Lockheed Martin; generated over $10 billion of annual sales; and operated in all 50 U.S. states and 20 countries around the world.
Ms. Gooden actively supports professional, academic and civic organizations, serving on numerous executive boards including Chairing Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International; Chairing the University System of Maryland Board of Regents; and Chairing Audit for the American Heart Association. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for General Motors, Home Depot, and Washington Gas. She was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) in 2010.
Ms. Gooden’s contributions to her field and to promoting women in technology and business has been widely acknowledged and celebrated. She has been recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Business for 3 consecutive years; by Washingtonian magazine as one of Washington’s Most Powerful Women; by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America; by Corporate Board Member magazine’s as one of the Top 50 Women in Technology; and as Black Engineer of the Year by U.S Black Engineer and IT magazine. Ms. Gooden was presented with the Maryland Speaker’s medallion in recognition of her distinguished service to Maryland; inducted into the Career Communications’ Group Hall of Fame, Maryland Business Hall of Fame and selected as Executive of the Year by the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards in 2007.
She received a degree in Computer Technology from Youngstown State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College. In 2005, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from the University of Maryland University College in recognition of her service to the community and to higher education; in 2010, an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Morgan State University; and also, an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Drexel University in 2012. She also successfully completed the Executive Program Manager course at the Defense Systems Management College and achieved Cyber Board Certification by NACD and Carnegie Mellon.
