AGA NLT 2026

Cara Whitehead
Director, Office of Grants Management
U.S. Department of the Interior


Cara Whitehead is the Director of the Office of Grants Management at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), where she provides executive leadership for financial assistance policy, oversight, internal controls, and IT systems. In 2024, she received the Impact Award, Public Sector from the National Grants Management Association (NGMA) for her outstanding contributions and leadership in federal grants management. With three decades of experience, Cara has driven transformative improvements in grants management across multiple federal agencies, including DOI, HHS, Education, and Homeland Security. Her achievements include implementing stronger internal controls, launching a widely acclaimed financial assistance symposium and training series, and advancing electronic systems to streamline grant operations. Previously, as Grants Director for the System for Award Management (SAM) at GSA, Cara led the development of FAPIIS, transitioned the CFDA to electronic Assistance Listings, and introduced electronic grant certifications. As an OMB Senior Fellow, she spearheaded the strategy to close out over $500 billion in ARRA grant awards and led the development of the first OMB-sanctioned grants management training course. Her leadership continues to set the standard for excellence in federal grants management.

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