Search for one of these names and the other often shows up nearby. That raises a fair question. Is there a real link between Kathy Warden and Simone Biles?
The short answer is no. There is no known family tie, work tie, or shared project between them. One leads Northrop Grumman, a major aerospace and defense company. The other is the most decorated gymnast in history.
This guide clears up the confusion. You will learn who each woman is, what she does, and why people may mention them together. All facts come from public sources checked in November 2026.
Are Kathy Warden and Simone Biles Related?
No, they are not related. No news story, company profile, or official biography links them by blood or by marriage. They have different last names, different life stories, and very different careers.
Simone Biles was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1997. She spent time in foster care as a young child. Her grandfather Ronald and grandmother Nellie later adopted her. She grew up in Spring, Texas. Biles has shared this story in interviews and in her memoir, and Kathy Warden is not part of it.
Kathy Warden built her career in technology, cybersecurity, and defense contracting. Her company biography lists her schools, her jobs, and her board seats. It never mentions the Biles family.
Here is what the public record shows.
| Question | What public sources show |
|---|---|
| Are they family? | No link found |
| Do they share an employer? | No |
| Have they worked on a project together? | None that I found |
| Do they share a last name? | No |
| Has either one spoken publicly about a family tie? | None that I found |
The table says it plainly. If a link exists, it has not been made public. Be careful with any page that claims otherwise without naming a source.
Who Is Kathy Warden?
Kathy Warden is an American business leader. She is the chair, chief executive officer, and president of Northrop Grumman Corporation. She became CEO in January 2019. She became chair in August 2019.
Her rise was steady. She joined Northrop Grumman in 2008. Before that, she worked at General Dynamics and at a firm called Veridian. At Northrop, she led the cyber business. Then she ran the former Information Systems sector. After that, she led the Mission Systems sector. In 2018, she became president and chief operating officer.
Warden earned her bachelor’s degree at James Madison University. She later earned an MBA from George Washington University. Her roots are in technology and government contracting, not in sports or entertainment.
She also holds other leadership roles outside her company. She sits on the board of Merck. She chairs the boards of Catalyst and the Greater Washington Partnership. She is a former chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond board and a former chair of the Aerospace Industries Association. In 2026, Fortune ranked her No. 72 on its list of the world’s most powerful women.
Quick facts about Kathy Warden:
- Full name: Kathy J. Warden
- Current role: Chair, CEO, and President of Northrop Grumman
- CEO since: January 2019
- Joined the company: 2008
- Education: James Madison University (bachelor’s) and George Washington University (MBA)
- Board roles: Merck, Catalyst, and the Greater Washington Partnership
What Does Kathy Warden Do at Northrop Grumman?
A CEO sets the direction of a company. Warden decides where Northrop Grumman should invest, which programs matter most, and how the company serves its customers. Her main customer is the U.S. government. The company also works with allied nations.
Northrop Grumman makes aircraft, space systems, missile defense tools, radar, cyber tools, and electronic warfare systems. Its best-known program is the B-21 Raider. This is a next-generation stealth bomber for the U.S. Air Force. In February 2026, the Air Force and Northrop finalized a $4.5 billion agreement to raise the bomber’s production capacity by 25 percent.
Her work looks like this in practice:
- Setting long-term strategy and approving big investments
- Meeting with government leaders, military officials, and international partners
- Reporting results to investors on quarterly earnings calls
- Speaking to Congress and officials about acquisition reform and manufacturing capacity
- Leading a workforce of about 100,000 people
- Running the board as chair
On the second-quarter 2026 call, Warden said demand was rising in missiles, missile defense, autonomous aircraft, and national security space. Investors watch these calls closely. They often show where defense spending is heading.
The numbers below show the scale of the company she leads.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2025 revenue | About $42 billion |
| 2025 net earnings | About $4.2 billion |
| Backlog at end of 2025 | $95.7 billion |
| Backlog after Q2 2026 | A record $105 billion |
| 2026 sales outlook (raised in July) | $43.75 billion to $44.25 billion |
| Employees | About 100,000 |
Who Is Simone Biles?
Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast. She was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. Many fans call her the greatest gymnast of all time. The numbers support that view.
She won her first world all-around title in 2013. Since then, she has built a record no other gymnast has matched. She has 30 world championship medals, and 23 of them are gold. She has 11 Olympic medals: seven gold, two silver, and two bronze. That is the most Olympic medals ever won by a U.S. gymnast.
Her story is not only about wins. At the Tokyo Games in 2021, she stepped back from most of her finals to protect her mental health. She was dealing with the “twisties,” a mid-air loss of spatial awareness that makes twisting skills dangerous. She still left Tokyo with a team silver and a beam bronze. Millions of people saw her choice as a lesson in self-care.
She came back strong. At the 2023 World Championships, she won four golds and a silver. At the Paris Games in 2024, she won gold in the team event, the all-around, and the vault. She also took silver on floor. In January 2025, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
Off the mat, Biles is a wife, a business partner, and a public voice. She is married to NFL safety Jonathan Owens. She works with major brands, and she has spoken openly about her mental health and about her experience as a survivor of abuse by former team doctor Larry Nassar.
Why Simone Biles Changed Gymnastics
Biles did not just win. She changed what fans, judges, and coaches think is possible. Her impact shows up in four main areas.
- Difficulty: Several skills on floor, vault, and beam carry her name. She often performs moves that other elite gymnasts avoid.
- Longevity: She won the Olympic all-around title at age 27. Many gymnasts retire years before that age.
- Mental health: Her choices in Tokyo started a global talk about stress, pressure, and the right to say no.
- Athlete safety: She used her platform to push for better protection of young athletes.
The sport also changed around her. Coaches now talk more about mental wellness. Fans pay more attention to the human side of elite sport. Young gymnasts see a champion who is small in size, bold in skill, and honest about limits.
Her return also changed how people view comebacks. Many expected her to stay away after Tokyo. Instead, she came back and won again. Reports in 2026 describe her plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Games as undecided. Whatever she picks, her place in history is secure.
In short, Biles raised the bar on skill, on public honesty, and on what an athlete can demand from the system around her.
Why Their Names May Be Mentioned Together
No single confirmed reason explains why people pair these names. Still, a few simple explanations make sense.
- Search suggestions: Search engines and AI tools suggest related names based on what people type. Two famous American women can end up linked by chance.
- Women in leadership themes: Articles about powerful women often list leaders from many fields. Business, sports, and politics can appear in one roundup.
- Curiosity about sponsors: Biles has many brand deals. Some people may wonder whether a defense company is one of them. I found no record of that.
- Low-quality pages: Some websites pair famous names to attract clicks. They rarely give proof.
- Mixed-up memory: People sometimes blend names they have seen in separate news stories.
What they truly share is a similar kind of story. Both women reached the top of demanding fields. Both work under heavy public attention. Both are often held up as role models.
The comparison below shows how different their worlds are.
| Topic | Kathy Warden | Simone Biles |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Aerospace and defense | Artistic gymnastics |
| Main role | Chair, CEO, and President | Elite athlete |
| Known for | Leading Northrop Grumman since 2019 | 11 Olympic and 30 world medals |
| Key project or event | B-21 Raider program | Paris 2024 Olympics |
| Education | JMU and George Washington University | Home-schooled for high school, trained full time |
| Public recognition | Fortune’s 2026 Most Powerful Women list | Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| Family tie to the other | None known | None known |
Key Career Milestones
A timeline helps show how each woman built her career. Dates and figures come from company filings, news coverage, and official sports records.
Kathy Warden’s Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Joins Northrop Grumman |
| 2011 to 2012 | Vice president of the Cyber Intelligence Division |
| 2013 to 2015 | President of the Information Systems sector |
| 2016 to 2017 | President of the Mission Systems sector |
| 2018 | Becomes president and chief operating officer |
| January 2019 | Becomes CEO and president |
| August 2019 | Becomes chair of the board |
| February 2026 | $4.5 billion B-21 production agreement finalized |
| 2026 | Ranked No. 72 on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list |
Simone Biles’ Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Born in Columbus, Ohio |
| 2013 | Wins her first world all-around title |
| 2016 | Wins four golds and a bronze at the Rio Olympics |
| 2019 | Wins five golds at the World Championships |
| 2021 | Wins team silver and beam bronze in Tokyo |
| 2023 | Returns and wins four golds and a silver at Worlds |
| 2024 | Wins three golds and a silver in Paris |
| January 2025 | Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom |
These timelines show two careers built on years of work. They never cross. Each woman earned her place in her own field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kathy Warden Simone Biles’ mother?
No. Biles was adopted and raised by her grandparents, Ronald and Nellie Biles. Kathy Warden has no known family link to her.
Are Kathy Warden and Simone Biles family members?
No. No public source shows any family tie between them.
Has Simone Biles worked for Northrop Grumman?
I found no record of it. Biles is known for her gymnastics career and for consumer brand partnerships such as Athleta, Visa, and United Airlines.
What is Kathy Warden famous for?
She is famous for leading Northrop Grumman as chair, CEO, and president since 2019. She oversees programs such as the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
What is Simone Biles’ Olympic medal total?
She has 11 Olympic medals. Seven are gold, two are silver, and two are bronze.
What do Kathy Warden and Simone Biles have in common?
Both are American women who reached the top of demanding fields. Both lead under public pressure and serve as role models.
Why do people search for Kathy Warden and Simone Biles together?
There is no confirmed reason. Search suggestions, women-in-leadership lists, and curiosity about sponsors are the likeliest causes.
Conclusion
So, is there a connection? Not a family one, and not a professional one. Kathy Warden and Simone Biles are not related, and no public source shows that they have worked together. The link people imagine most likely comes from search habits and from the way news stories group famous women.
Still, the two stories are worth knowing. Warden leads one of the world’s largest defense companies and shapes programs like the B-21 Raider. Biles redefined gymnastics and showed the world that strength includes knowing when to rest. Different fields, different paths, and one clear lesson: long, steady work builds lasting influence.
