Who Is Carey Smith?
Carey Smith, chair, president and CEO of Chantilly, Virginia-headquartered Parsons, is renowned for her role in propagating transformational leadership and promoting growth in the government contracting sector. Under Smith’s purview, Parsons has gained a strong foothold in the industry, integrating innovative technologies and expanding through mergers and acquisitions. She also remains a steadfast presence as Parsons maintains its strong foothold in key sectors like cybersecurity, defense and environmental services.
“We strive to ‘Imagine Next’ and that is key to our culture. Imagine Next means that we’re focused on creating the future of national security and global infrastructure. It’s where we start with a clean sheet of paper and envision the way that things could be rather than trying to evolve them from where they are today,” she said in an Executive Spotlight interview with GovCon Wire.
What Has Carey Smith Accomplished in Her Career?
Smith has served as Parsons’ president since 2019, CEO since 2021 and chair since April 2022. She joined Parsons in 2016 as president of the firm’s federal solutions business. She was promoted to chief operating officer in 2018 when the company merged its federal and critical infrastructure business segments.
Before joining Parsons in 2016, Smith held a series of progressively more challenging leadership roles within the defense and aerospace industry. She was president of the defense and space business unit at Honeywell, where she led an expansion of the firm’s business with a broad base of customers, including U.S. government agencies and international defense ministries.
She also worked at Lockheed Martin, holding various leadership positions, including vice president of technical services; VP of business development for maritime systems and sensors; and president and CEO of Canadian business. She began her career as a systems engineer at IBM Federal Systems.
Smith holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Ohio Northern University. In 2018, she received an honorary doctorate from Ohio Northern University for her contributions to the university and the field of engineering. Smith is a certified Program Management Professional, Green Belt and National Association of Corporate Directors cyber governance professional and fellow.
How Carey Smith Has Influenced Parsons’ Immersion in GovCon
Smith’s sharp strategy and relentless drive have contributed to Parson’s becoming a leader in integrating transformative technologies and expanding through mergers and acquisitions. Parsons’ purchase of TRS Group in February 2025 and BlackSignal Technologies in 2024 attests to her goal of diversifying her company’s reach in the GovCon market and providing advanced solutions to government agencies.
Smith’s focus on strategic growth is underscored by the company’s expansion in the defense sector, as evidenced by contract awards that include a spot on the $4 billion Defense Threat Reduction Agency contract in October 2024 and a series of environmental remediation contracts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including a spot on a $225 million multiple-award contract to support USACE Northwestern Division and the Environmental Protection Agency Region 2.
How Many Wash100 Awards Has Carey Smith Won?
As of 2026, Smith has won her eighth Wash100 Award.
The Wash100 Award, which was founded by Executive Mosaic CEO Jim Garrettson in 2014, annually recognizes the achievements of government contracting leaders.
“This year’s list is replete with bold and disruptive leaders who are realizing the current administration’s mission of reshaping and reequipping the federal services industry for greatness,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
“Sincere appreciation goes to everyone involved in the process and congratulations to this year’s 100 outstanding honorees,” Garrettson added.
What Is the 4×24 Leadership Program?
The 4×24 Leadership Program recognizes the top influencers in the GovCon sector, providing a private forum that connects senior industry executives with prominent government officials to form strategic partnerships, share best practices, accelerate networking activities and tackle government needs and solutions.
Smith has been actively involved in advancing industry leadership as chair of Executive Mosaic’s 4×24 Group 1 Leadership, providing her expertise and mentorship to the most influential leaders in the industry. Members of Group 1 Leadership represent the most senior executives within some of the largest and most well-known government contracting companies in the market.
“This forum provides a unique opportunity for collaboration with C-suite and government executive leaders to discuss and drive acquisition reform, technology innovation and legislative priorities in support of our customers’ critical missions. Equally important is the networking opportunity with industry colleagues to find mutually beneficial areas of partnership. I feel fortunate to be involved in an executive business organization that makes a significant mission impact,” Smith said.
Learn more about the 4×24 Leadership Program today!