Karen Landale

Dr. Karen Landale is the director of Contracting for MIT Lincoln Laboratory. In this role, she is responsible for $745M of annual subcontracted spend. Landale oversees 100 personnel and is responsible for directing all aspects of contracting: prime contract management, subcontract management, a wide spectrum of legal agreements, market intelligence and supplier development, compliance and policy, businesses and data systems, export control, logistics, and Department-wide strategic efforts. Landale also leads the Laboratory’s Enterprise Supply Chain program.

Landale joined the Laboratory in 2025 as a deputy director of Contracting for Acquisition, where she was responsible for commercial, non-commercial, and facilities subcontracting, as well as logistics operations. Prior to joining the Laboratory, she served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force and held multiple positions spanning weapon system contracting, operational contracting, enterprise sourcing/category management, and contingency contracting. Landale holds a BS degree in international business from the University of Tampa, an MBA degree in strategic purchasing from the Naval Postgraduate School, a master of military operational art and science in joint warfighting and an MS degree in airpower strategy and technology integration from Air University, and a PhD in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

She is active in the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), where she currently serves as the deputy board chair for the Boston Chapter. She holds multiple professional certifications, including Certified Federal Contracts Manager and Certified Professional Contracts Manager from NCMA, and Certified Professional in Supply Management from the Institute for Supply Management. Landale is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III in contracting and Level I in program management.