Ms. Mary Ann Kutny is the Acting Director of the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) International and Interagency Affairs Division (IIAD. IIAD provides strategic leadership and direction for NESDIS international and interagency partnerships, agreements and activities; coordinates international policy interactions with other executive branch departments and agencies; advocates for NOAA and U.S. Earth observation data and space operation policies globally; and coordinates NOAA engagement in multilateral bodies to facilitate NOAA access to global Earth observations and enhance global use of NOAA's space-based observations. In addition, Ms. Kutny serves on the Board of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters, and served as Chair of the International Committee for Remote Sensing of the Environment (ICORSE).
Ms. Kutny has led the development of robust external relationships with domestic and international partners and stakeholders to further NOAA’s mission objectives throughout her NOAA career. She began her NOAA career as a Presidential Management Fellow in the National Weather Service (NWS) International Activities Office, and later served as the NWS Program Coordination Officer in the Office of the Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. She continued her efforts to build strong partnerships by leading constituent and stakeholder engagement for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Prior to her current role, Ms. Kutny served as a Senior International Relations Specialist advancing open data sharing policies and NESDIS international climate activities, coordinating through World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) to meet NESDIS objectives, and developing robust partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region. Before joining NOAA, Ms. Kutny served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala.
Ms. Kutny earned her master’s in international relations from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. She completed her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. She has received numerous awards, including the 2019 Department of Commerce Gold Medal for leading the development of interagency open data sharing principles to advance international scientific cooperation to address global challenges.