EP · 014
SHE STARTED AS CIO OF MARYLAND 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. HERE'S WHAT SHE BUILT.
Kathleen Hicks
Work Unscripted
Kathleen Hicks: Leading the Pentagon as the First Woman in the Room
with Kathleen Hicks
Kathleen Hicks became the first Senate-confirmed woman to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense, the highest-ranking woman in the department's history. She left the role in January 2025, her third time leaving government, after three decades building a career she never approached as a burden to carry, but as a duty to hand off.
In This Episode
- What it actually takes to lead the Pentagon as a woman in a role no woman had held before
- How three decades in and out of government shaped her sense of duty over burden
- What confidence looks like when you're the first person in the room, not the last
- Why she calls this her third time leaving government, and what that pattern taught her
- What leadership without permission actually means in practice
Full Essay
We turned this conversation into a long-form essay. More context, more depth, and the moments that didn't make the edit.
Read on Substack →What We Discuss
Becoming the first Senate-confirmed woman to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense
Three decades building a career, and three exits from government
Leading the Pentagon as the first woman in the room
Duty to hand off vs. burden to carry
What comes after the highest-ranking role a woman has held at the DoD
#lifebetweentitles#careertransition#lifetransition#identity#workunscripted#pentagon#defense#womeninleadership
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