Katherine C. Gugulis, Deputy Chief, Management

As Deputy Chief for Management for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Katherine Gugulis is responsible for administrative management in the Department of Agriculture’s second largest agency with nearly 12,000 employees located in 2,500 field offices across the United States.  She has been a member of the Senior Executive Service since 1995.

 NRCS provides leadership in helping farmers, ranchers, and other landowners conserve, maintain, and improve soil, water and other natural resources through voluntary programs.

Ms. Gugulis currently provides leadership for human resources management and development, training, contracting, and information technology support.  Prior to her current position, she served as Deputy Chief for Strategic Planning and Accountability between 1998 and 2007 with responsibility for developing the agency’s strategic, performance, and business plans; budget request; performance measurement system; and oversight and evaluation activities. The performance management system she implemented is recognized as one of the best among all federal natural resource agencies.

 From March 1997 to February, 1998, Ms. Gugulis served as USDA’s Acting Associate Assistant Secretary for Administration overseeing implementation of the 92 recommendations contained in the Secretary’s civil rights action team report.  She has also served Director of the Operations Management and Oversight Division (1995-96) as well as Director of the Office of Public Affairs (1994-95).

She began her career as public affairs officer at the Maryland State Office of NRCS’s predecessor agency, the Soil Conservation Service, from 1974-1986. A native of Maryland, Ms. Gugulis earned a bachelors of science degree in journalism from the University of Maryland with minors in economics and English. She has received several national awards for performance management, civil rights leadership, and communications, held various leadership positions in professional associations, and has been recognized by the agency for outstanding and superior service consistently throughout her career. She lives in Gaithersburg, Md., with her husband.