Elizabeth Kolmstetter, PhD

Elizabeth Kolmstetter, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Principal Research Fellow and member of the Federal Forum Steering Committee at The Conference Board. She is an award-winning Industrial-Organizational Psychologist and senior executive leader with over 30 years of federal service across nine major agencies. A visionary in talent strategy, leadership development, the future of work, and organizational culture, she has shaped national workforce policies and led large-scale transformation efforts for NASA, TSA, CIA, ODNI, FBI, USAID, and most recently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Elizabeth retired in 2025 as CISA’s first Chief People Officer, where she pioneered a “People First” workforce culture that boosted employee engagement to record levels and transformed internal leadership, training, and communication systems. At NASA, she directed culture and workforce change, authored its “Future of Work” strategy, and helped the agency achieve top government-wide rankings in employee satisfaction and pandemic response. She is a nationally recognized thought leader, frequent keynote speaker, and published author with a strong track record of translating science into operational solutions. She has authored numerous articles, technical reports, and chapters, and has delivered over 100 invited presentations and keynotes at national conferences and government forums. She now works as a consultant, speaker, writer, and educator.

Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Virginia Tech, as well as a B.A. in Psychology and Computer Science from Hollins University, where she also earned an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. She is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and has received the Presidential Rank Award, the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal, and NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal. She serves on the Board of Trustees at Hollins University, on various SIOP committees, is a former President of the Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington, and participates in other national boards and volunteer activities. Her work and voice continue to influence the development of future-ready, inclusive, and high-performing leaders, workforces, and public sector agencies.