UAH alumna Kristen McBride sworn in as civilian aide to the secretary of the Army

Kristen McBride, an alumna of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), was sworn in as a civilian aide to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth during an investiture ceremony at the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Conference in October in Washington, D.C.

Civilian aides to the secretary of the Army (CASAs) are business and community leaders appointed by the secretary to advise and support Army leaders across the country.

“It’s an honor to welcome our newest CASAs to the Army team,” Wormuth said at the ceremony. “As CASAs they will be great advocates for the Army in their local communities. I have asked them to help share the Army story to help young people see how the Army can give them a sense of purpose and provide a fulfilling career.”

A Huntsville resident, McBride has an extensive background serving the community and working in the defense industry. In 2019 she retired from SAIC as vice president for programs and deputy program manager for a $1 billion IDIQ contract that provided system and computer resource engineering services to Army and Department of Defense customers. Previously she was an executive manager at Intergraph Corp. and the president of federal systems at Sigmatech Corp.

She currently is a part-time senior business counselor for APEX Accelerator at UAH, a part of the University of Alabama System. She holds a B.A. in computer science and mathematics from The University of Tennessee and an M.S. in computer science from UAH.

McBride’s new role involves building partnerships and strengthening relationships between the military and the civilian communities, advising the secretary about regional matters, helping with recruitment, and supporting soldiers and their families while they’re serving and afterward.

“I’m honored to serve as CASA in our patriotic North Alabama community,” she said. “While this is an Army community, often only those with direct connection to the Army see what our all-volunteer force does for us, the values it promotes and the opportunities it provides for those who choose to be part of it. I look forward to helping tell the Army story, supporting our soldiers as they ‘Be All They Can Be,’ and strengthening the connection Americans feel to our Army.”

McBride spends much of her time volunteering for organizations that support soldiers, young people, education and economic development in greater Huntsville. She has served in several leadership positions, including chair of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s board of directors, regional president of AUSA, president of the Rotary Club of Madison, and board member of the Huntsville Committee of 100.