Paula Trimble is a Senior Principal at Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, a full-service government relations firm in Washington, DC, where she works with higher education and research organizations to identify funding opportunities and shape the development of future programs at the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. With more than 18 years of experience in the government and private defense and aerospace sectors, Paula is adept at helping clients navigate the complex and often opaque national security research landscape. Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates from 2007 to 2016, Paula supported the Rapid Reaction Technology Office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, providing project oversight for research, prototyping and experimentation efforts, communications and outreach support, and developing strategic relationships for the office. While at the Department of Defense, she spearheaded an interagency effort to deliver a report to Congress on “Science and Technology Support to Information Operations” and led a portfolio of projects aimed at addressing the report’s recommendations. Paula previously served in commercial space offices at the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Federal Aviation Administration. Early in her career, Paula was a news reporter for several publications, including Federal Computer Week and Space News. She remains engaged with the journalism profession as a judge for the Gerald R. Ford Award for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense. Paula serves on the Board of Directors of the Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR). She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with honors in Media Studies, as well as minor degrees in Art History and Science, Technology, and Society from The Pennsylvania State University. She is an avid runner and cyclist, and a wine hobbyist in her free time.