Kathryn McMullan

Kathryn McMullan is Director of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO), a role she has held since July 2023. In this role she is responsible for all aspects of AGO’s operations as an intelligence agency within the National Intelligence Community (NIC) and the Department of Defence.

Previously, as the First Assistant Director-General Analytical Capabilities Division at the Office of National Intelligence (ONI), Kathryn was responsible for NIC-wide workforce, training and inclusion initiatives, including the establishment of the National Intelligence Academy; was head of profession for analysis and tradecraft; and led the daily Prime Ministers Brief. Kathryn also led ONI’s intelligence and open source collection capabilities, and has held roles in ONI that delivered intelligence strategy, mission management, and foreign engagements.

Kathryn has worked extensively across the national security community in a range of operational and strategic policy roles within the Australian Government, including at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Defence. Her breadth of experiences span border security, national defence, foreign policy and intelligence, and federal criminal matters. Additionally, Kathryn spent a number of years as National Security Advisor to the Attorney-General and as the Senior Strategic Adviser for Intelligence and International for the Minister for Home Affairs.

Kathryn has augmented her extensive experiences across government roles in the NIC with a period in the private sector, as a Senior Strategy and Security Consultant with a UK-based firm.

Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Philosophy), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons), a Masters of Laws (International Law) and a Masters of Diplomacy.