“Catholic University taught me to think deeply, communicate clearly, and consider other perspectives so that I can provide guidance and influence outcomes in a thoughtful, compassionate, and effective way and better the lives of others. As an evening student at CUA, I learned not just from my outstanding professors but from my fellow classmates, who brought their varied real-world experiences into the classroom to bring the law to life.”

Andrea Vavonese is an astute business leader and trusted advisor with more than 25 years of experience leading teams to make informed strategic decisions, develop effective risk mitigation strategies, and solve complex problems as both outside and in-house counsel for government contractors, non-profit organizations, and commercial enterprises. She is driven by ethics and integrity to achieve excellent outcomes for stakeholders.

Vavonese is incoming Deputy General Counsel for Peraton. She previously served as Corporate Director, Division Counsel for Northrop Grumman. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman in 2015, Vavonese served as Senior Counsel with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and Litigation Counsel for Verisign, Inc. Ms. Vavonese has represented companies on all aspects of federal government contracting, including procurement, contract negotiations, protection of intellectual property, and compliance. She has also represented clients on litigation and dispute resolution matters relating to claims against the U.S. Government, contract and commercial issues, intellectual property, and construction.

Vavonese has spent the last 15 years advocating for children, including on the board (currently as Chair-Elect) of the National Council for Adoption, the leading expert on adoption issues, providing resources and education for all people and organizations in the adoption world, and advocating for sound policies so that every child can thrive in a nurturing, permanent family.

Vavonese received her B.S. in accounting from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 1991. She became a certified public accountant in 1993. She received her J.D. magna cum laude in 1997 from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, where she was a member of the Catholic University Law Review. She is an Associate of Corporate Counsel National Capitol Region Leadership Academy Fellow, Class of 2020.