Toni Townes-Whitley

Toni Townes-Whitley is one of only two Black female CEOs running a Fortune 500 company. Her firm, SAIC, is one of the largest tech contractors for the U.S. government and works for the military as well as civilian agencies like the State Department. In its 2025 fiscal year, the company raked in $7.5 billion in revenue, 98% of which came from work for the U.S. As President Trump slashes headcount and budget at government agencies left and right, Townes-Whitley is steering a company that appears to be at risk. But in a March earnings call, Townes-Whitley noted that changes during Trump’s administration have only had a “nominal” effect on SAIC’s bottom line so far. Townes-Whitley, who became CEO in October 2023, hails from Microsoft, where she managed $16 billion in annual revenue as the president of U.S. regulated industries, which included contracts with the government as well as with education, financial services, and health care companies.