Kathy Turner is a strategic communications executive with more than 29 years of leadership experience spanning military service, federal government, and the nonprofit sector. A retired U.S. Army colonel, Kathy has built her career advising senior leaders, leading high-performing teams, managing organizational reputation, and developing communications strategies for complex, high-profile organizations.
Today, Kathy continues her commitment to serving the military community as the Senior Director of Communications for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), where she leads communications that support military and veteran survivors while advancing the organization’s mission and national visibility. Prior to joining TAPS, she served as Assistant Director of Communications for the National Park Service, overseeing the agency’s national communications program, including strategic communications, public affairs, brand management, digital experience, and internal communications.
During her 29-year Army career, Kathy served in senior communications leadership positions from the division level to the Pentagon, advising executive leaders on strategic communications, crisis communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and organizational reputation. She served throughout the United States, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific, with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Her final military assignment was as Public Affairs Director for U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), where she led communications for the Army’s largest command.
Kathy holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western New England University, a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Military Arts from the School of Advanced Military Studies. She is a Senior Service College Fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar XXI national security fellowship.
Committed to continued service, Kathy serves on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation and volunteers with the Women’s Military Memorial, ALIVE! Food Program, and Food & Friends in Northern Virginia.
Kathy and her husband, LTC (Ret.) Frank Turner, have three children: Grace, Abigail, and Logan.
