Paladin Global Institute President Kemba Walden Named One of Washington’s Most Powerful Women

Washington, D.C. - Last week, the President of the Paladin Global InstituteKemba Walden was featured among The Washingtonian's 2025 Most Powerful Women in Washingtonin the Lobbying, Advocacy, and Think Tank category. Every year, The Washingtonian puts together a list of the most influential women in the city who are shaping government, business, the arts, education, law, media, and nonprofits. This year, Kemba joins a distinguished list of nearly 250 changemakers including lawmakers, administration officials, Supreme Court Justices, business executives, and others.

"This award is a testament to Kemba's remarkable career spanning decades in the private and public sector," said Michael Steed, Founder and Managing Partner of Paladin Capital Group. "She has been a driving force in the hardening of America's critical infrastructure against cyber threats, and we are honored to have her lead the Paladin Global Institute, where she continues to make critical advances in U.S. cybersecurity."

As President of the Paladin Global Institute, Kemba is leading a global effort to protect the world's critical infrastructure from cyber and AI threats and promote online safety. Recently, the Institute released a report called, "The AI Tech Stack: A Primer for Tech and Cyber Policy," and Kemba has been promoting the Institute's work at events with The UN General Assembly, POLITICO, The Aspen Institute, and The Atlantic Council.

Before joining Paladin, Kemba served as the acting U.S. National Cyber Director, during which time she launched a renewed National Cybersecurity Strategy and the corresponding Implementation Plan. Before her time at the White House, she was an Assistant General Counsel in the digital crimes unit at Microsoft, and she spent a decade at the Department of Homeland Security.

Over the course of her distinguished career, Kemba has become someone "who is making things happen and having an impact," "who is getting her calls (or texts or emails) returned immediately," and "who is leading the way in her field," according to The Washingtonian.

You can read more about Kemba and the full list of The Washingtonian's 2025 Most Powerful Women in Washington here.

About Paladin Capital Group

Paladin Capital Group was founded in 2001 and has offices in Washington DC, New York, London, Luxembourg, and Silicon Valley. As a multi-stage, dual-use investor, Paladin's core strength is identifying, supporting, and investing in innovative companies that develop promising, early-stage technologies to address the critical cyber, defense, and advanced technology needs of both commercial and government customers.

Combining proven investment experience with deep expertise in global security, cyber technology, and cutting-edge research, Paladin has invested in more than 80 companies since 2008 and has been a trusted partner to investors, entrepreneurs, and governments for over two decades.

For more on Paladin Capital Group, follow us on Twitter at @Paladincapand on LinkedInor visit us at https://www.paladincapgroup.com.

About Paladin Global Institute

The Paladin Global Institute's mission is to protect global critical infrastructure from cyber, AI, and deep tech threats and enhance the safety of people online by investing in research and advocacy, making informed policy recommendations, and bringing together the public and private sectors to share knowledge and create and invest in innovative tech