Leading through Turbulent Times - The Importance of Trust, Culture, and Feedback

Colonel Katie Crombe is an Army strategist currently serving as the Chief, Joint Operational War Plans Division, The Joint Staff, J5. Katie recently served at U.S. Special Operations Command Central as the Director of Strategy and Plans (J5) and prior to this, as the Director of the Commander’s Action Group. Katie was born at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and grew up on numerous Army posts within the United States and Germany. She holds Bachelor's Degrees in English and Political Science from Lehigh University, where she was elected President of the Class of 2003. COL Crombe holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and National Security from the Institute of World Politics in Washington, DC (2011) and a Master’s Degree in National Security Affairs from the U.S. Army War College (2023).  
 
Katie was commissioned into the U.S. Army upon graduation from Lehigh University in 2003 and has gone on to serve in a myriad of staff and leadership positions throughout her career. Katie served from 2003-2006 in the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment Support Squadron as a platoon leader, troop executive officer and squadron adjutant, deploying twice to Iraq—first to Al Asad and second to Tal Afar during Operation Restoring Rights. From 2006-2009 Katie served at the Army’s Human Resources Command (HRC), first as an assignments officer and then as a strategic initiatives officer for the Army’s Officer Personnel Management Task Force. From 2009-2010, Katie commanded Chosen Battery (a unit of 300 wounded soldiers undergoing rehabilitation) at Walter Reed Army Medical during the height of the restructuring of warrior care across the Army. Post command, Katie completed an 18-month graduate fellowship before moving to Amman, Jordan. In Amman, Katie worked for three years as a forward planner for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), overseeing bilateral, coalition and interagency plans, culminating as an adviser to the Jordanian Chief of Defense and staff for Syria planning and initial operations to combat ISIS along the Jordanian border. COL Crombe then moved to London where she served as an exchange officer in the United Kingdom’s Operational Headquarters, leading the development of the UK’s strategy for the Middle East operations. Katie then moved to U.S. Central Command, where she joined the planning team for the Defeat ISIS plan within the strategy and plans directorate prior to being selected to serve as CENTCOM Commander, General Joseph Votel’s, Aide-de-Camp from 2018-2019. 
 
Katie is married to Retired Air Commodore Roddy Dennis, now a Captain for United Airlines. They have four children - Freya, Archie, Dylan, and Owen and enjoy traveling and skiing. 

General Joseph L. Votel is a retired U.S. Army Four-Star officer and the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command – responsible for U.S. and coalition military operations in the Middle East, Levant and Central and South Asia. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. His career included combat in Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq. Notably, he led a 79-member coalition that successfully liberated Iraq and Syria from the Islamic State Caliphate. He preceded his assignment at CENTCOM with service as the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command.   

Following his retirement from military service, General Votel served as the President & CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). He is member of the Board of Trustees of Noblis Corporation and a Strategic Advisor for Sierra Nevada Corporation and AGI, Inc. Votel is a Board Director with AeroVironment, Minnesota Wire, DC Capital Partners, Helix Decision Science and a member of the Government Advisory Board for Insight Partners.  He a non-resident Distinguished Fellow at the Middle East Institute and the Distinguished Chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.  

General Votel is a member the Executive Board at the UPenn Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL). He is a member of the Board for both Bravo Zulu House and the Veterans Defense Project. Votel is a member of the advisory Board for Spirit of America. He is a current member of the Council on Foreign Relations.   

Votel was recognized with the Distinguished Military Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council, the U.S. – Arab Defense Leadership Award from the National Council on U.S. - Arab Relations, the Patriot Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the SGT James T. Regan Lifetime Achievement Award from the “Lead the Way” Foundation and the Freedom Award from the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. 

Votel is a 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy and earned master’s degrees from the U.S. Army Command and Staff College and the Army War College. He is married to Michele; and they have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. The Votels reside in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.