Kathryn Wang, principal for the public sector at SandboxAQ, has received the 2026 Wash100 Award in recognition of her leadership in advancing artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and cybersecurity innovation to support national security missions.
Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, presented the honor to Wang at a recent 4×24 Leadership Program dinner.
You can still vote for Wang in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition at Wash100.com.
Why Did Kathryn Wang Win the 2026 Wash100 Award?
This year marks the first time that Wang has won a Wash100 Award. She is recognized for contributing to mission-driven innovation, particularly through efforts that strengthen cryptographic resilience and advance the federal government’s transition to post-quantum security.
“We’re excited to celebrate Kathryn’s first Wash100 Award, a well-deserved milestone that highlights her growing influence and innovative spirit in GovCon,” Garrettson said.
“Kathryn brings a rare combination of strategic insight, technical forward-thinking and mission focus, and this inaugural Wash100 honor is a powerful signal of the lasting impact she is poised to make across federal technology and national security,” Garrettson added.
A key element of Wang’s contributions is SandboxAQ’s deployment of the AQtive Guard platform under a five-year agreement with the Department of War. Launched in April 2025, the AI-enabled tool is designed to identify, assess and manage cryptographic assets across enterprise environments, providing visibility into vulnerabilities, dependencies and risks.
SandboxAQ is also collaborating with the Defense Innovation Unit under the Transition of Quantum Sensing program. The effort includes the deployment of AQNav software, which enables position, navigation and timing capabilities without reliance on GPS signals to bolster resilience in contested or denied environments.
Beyond program execution, Wang has contributed to broader discussions on emerging technology risks and opportunities. In a 2025 podcast appearance, she highlighted the importance of balancing AI adoption with risk awareness, including concerns around vulnerabilities and data integrity. She has also participated in multiple Potomac Officers Club events, including the 2025 Cyber Summit and the 2026 Defense R&D Summit, to share insights on defense cybersecurity, zero trust and quantum innovation.
Reflecting on her Wash100 win, Wang emphasized the importance of mission-driven innovation.
“We stand at a frontier where AI and quantum offer us the keys to the universe. Our mission of cyber resilience is the anchor that allows us to innovate with purpose,” she said. “It is the quiet, unbreakable promise that no matter how the digital storm rages, our national resolve and our warfighter’s edge will remain undimmed and undisputed.”
Who Is Kathryn Wang?
Wang is a technology and cybersecurity executive focused on building partnerships and advancing innovation across public and private sector environments.
She joined SandboxAQ in November 2024 as principal for the public sector, where she works to expand adoption of post-quantum cryptography and strengthen collaboration between the government and the private sector.
Prior to SandboxAQ, Wang held leadership roles at cybersecurity firm HUMAN, where she most recently served as vice president of partnerships and sales. She also spent time leading business development and go-to-market efforts across U.S. and international markets at Google.
She is the founder of Ctrl+Alt+Defeat.io, an organization focused on identifying and delivering emerging technologies to government and commercial customers.
In addition to her industry work, Wang is active in nonprofit organizations supporting cybersecurity workforce development. She serves as co-chair of the Uniting Women in Cyber initiative under The Cyber Guild and as a board adviser to Building Cyber Security.
What Is the Wash100 Award?
Founded in 2014, the Wash100 Award is an honor conferred annually to the 100 most influential leaders across government and the government contracting sector, whose contributions and visions directly impact federal missions.
Honorees are selected based on their successes over the past year and their potential to revolutionize the GovCon landscape in the years to come.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Wang and the SandboxAQ team on this achievement. Vote for Kathryn Wang in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition by visiting Wash100.com.
