Katie Zacharia Fmr. Deputy Assistant Secretary (DHS)

Katie Zacharia is a senior national security communications and public affairs leader with extensive experience shaping strategic messaging, stakeholder engagement, and information operations across the U.S. government. She most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where she played a central role in communicating the Department’s priorities across a broad portfolio including border security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection.

In this role, Katie advised senior leadership on strategic communications, crisis response, and public positioning during high-impact national security events. She helped coordinate messaging across federal agencies, the interagency, and international partners, ensuring alignment between policy objectives and public narrative in an increasingly complex information environment. Her work spanned both domestic and global audiences, reflecting the growing importance of information as a domain of national security.

Prior to DHS, Katie held senior communications roles across government and national security-focused organizations, developing expertise in media strategy, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement in highly scrutinized environments. She has been closely involved in translating complex policy and operational initiatives into clear, actionable narratives for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public.

Katie’s experience sits at the intersection of national security, communications, and influence—an area of increasing importance as defense and technology companies operate in contested information environments and under heightened regulatory and public scrutiny. She brings a nuanced understanding of how government priorities are communicated, perceived, and operationalized across both public and private sectors.

At Decorus Imperium, Katie advises on strategic communications, government engagement, and positioning for portfolio companies operating in sensitive or high-visibility sectors. Her perspective helps ensure that emerging technologies and platforms are not only operationally effective, but also aligned with stakeholder expectations, regulatory frameworks, and broader national security narratives.

Her expertise strengthens the firm’s ability to navigate the reputational and policy dimensions of defense innovation, ensuring that portfolio companies are positioned for both adoption and long-term strategic relevance.