As Senior Vice President of Government and Customer Relations, Mara is responsible for developing and executing Peraton’s public policy and government affairs strategies in alignment with corporate and sector strategic priorities and leading Peraton’s interactions with the legislative branch, the executive branch, state and local officials, think tanks, and trade associations.

An experienced business and government executive with expertise in delivery, strategy, business development and public policy, Mara joined Peraton from Booz Allen Hamilton, where she served as Corporate Vice President and Head of Government Relations and Military Affairs. In this role, she established and led the firm’s first government affairs capability, guiding strategic government customer relationships and advancing the firm’s business interests with policymakers, including creating the firm’s first Political Action Committee. She also oversaw the firm’s military partnership strategy, integrating philanthropic activities with recruiting, diversity, and business strategies to sustain a strong veteran workforce foundation. During her tenure at Booz Allen, she also held roles as the business development executive for defense and military intelligence and led the firm’s business supporting U.S. government classified missions with full responsibility for strategy development and execution, program performance, and growth objectives. Prior to Booz Allen, Mara was a strategy executive for BAE Systems.

Before joining industry, Mara served as a U.S. naval officer for over two decades. Her diverse experience spans combat operations in the Middle East, acquisition oversight for U.S. government satellite and special communications, and legislative affairs director for the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Mara has a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy, an MPA from Harvard University, and an M.S. from the National Defense University. She serves on the boards of the Stimson Center, the International Spy Museum, the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and Orion Talent. She is a past board member of Blue Star Families. Since 2018, The Hill has continued to recognize Mara as one of Washington’s Top Lobbyists. In 2022, she was named to the Atlantic Council Commission “Breaking and Remaking the US Defense Innovation System: A Commission on Improving DoD Engagement with New Companies and Innovators,” co-chaired by former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and former Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James.