Media Center

Gloria Valdez

Gloria L. Valdez retired in April 2018 after 32 years of civilian service with the Department of the Navy and the Department of Homeland Security. Before her retirement, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, overseeing all naval shipbuilding programs, major ship conversions, and the maintenance, modernization and disposal of in-service ships.

Ms. Valdez previously served as the Executive Director for the Program Executive Office for Submarines, responsible for civilian management, and design, acquisition and construction for submarine platform and undersea systems.

In July 2009, Ms. Valdez was selected as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and served as the Budget Director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security. Before that, she held various positions, serving as the head of the shipbuilding, modernization and sealift branch in the Office of Budget, Deputy Program Manager for the SSGN conversion program, and Director for Naval and Commercial Construction in the Office of the ASN for Ship Programs.

Ms. Valdez began her federal career in April 1986 as an engineer-in-training for Submarine Maintenance, Engineering, Planning and Procurement, a detachment of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Portsmouth, N.H.

Ms. Valdez graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. She also earned a Master of Science in Management from Florida Institute of Technology. Ms. Valdez was awarded the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished, Superior and Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, and was also awarded the Pioneer award from Great Minds in STEM in 2014.

Ms. Valdez is the proud sponsor of Vermont (SSN 792), the 19th Virginia-class submarine.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus

Ray Mabus is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy and leads America's Navy and Marine Corps.

As Secretary of the Navy, Mabus is responsible for conducting the affairs of the Department of the Navy, including recruiting, organizing, equipping, training and mobilizing. Additionally, he oversees the construction and repair of naval ships, aircraft, and facilities, and formulates and implements policies and programs consistent with national security policies. Secretary Mabus is responsible for an annual budget in excess of $170 billion and leadership of almost 900,000 people.

Upon assumption of office and throughout his tenure, Mabus has prioritized improving the quality of life of Sailors, Marines and their families, decreasing the Department’s dependence on fossil fuels, strengthening partnerships and revitalizing the Navy’s shipbuilding program.

Leading the world's only global Navy, Mabus has traveled more than one million miles to over 130 countries and territories to maintain and develop relationships with national and international officials and visit with Sailors and Marines forward deployed or stationed around the world. He has traveled to Afghanistan on 12 separate occasions, in recognition of the sacrifice and service of Sailors and Marines deployed in combat zones.

To prepare service members and their families for the high tempo operations of today’s Navy and Marine Corps, Mabus announced in 2012 the “21st Century Sailor and Marine” initiative, designed to build and maintain the most resilient and ready force possible.

Mabus also directed the Navy and Marine Corps to change the way they use, produce and acquire energy, and set an aggressive goal that no later than 2020, the Navy and Marine Corps obtain at least 50% of their energy from alternative sources. In pursuit of that goal the Department has achieved several milestones. In 2012, President Obama announced in his State of the Union address that the Department will purchase or facilitate the production of 1GW of renewable energy for use on Navy and Marine Corps installations. The Navy also demonstrated the Great Green Fleet in 2012, a carrier strike group in which every participating U.S. Navy ship and type of aircraft operated on alternative energy sources including nuclear energy and biofuels.

Secretary Mabus has made increasing the size of the naval fleet and protecting the industrial base a top budget priority of the Department. During his tenure, the Navy went from building fewer than five ships a year to having more than 40 ships under contract, most of them in fixed-price, multi-year deals that assure value for taxpayers, certainty for industry partners and strength for our nation.

In June 2010, as an additional duty, President Obama appointed Mabus to prepare the long-term recovery plan for the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Mabus’ report was released in September 2010 and met with broad bi-partisan support with most recommendations passed into law by Congress as the Restore Act. Included in the legislation was a fund to aid in the Gulf Coast’s recovery by distributing 80 percent of any civil penalties awarded as a result of the damage caused by the disaster. To date, civil penalties total more than one billion dollars.

Before his appointment, Mabus held a variety of leadership positions. From 1988 to 1992, Mabus served as Governor of Mississippi, the youngest elected to that office in more than 150 years. Mabus was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1994-1996 and later was Chairman and CEO of a manufacturing company.

Mabus has been recognized for his leadership of the Navy and Marine Corps on multiple occasions. In 2013, he was named one of the top 50 highest rated CEOs by Glassdoor, an online jobs and career community. Mabus was the only leader of a federal agency to receive this award.

Secretary Mabus is a native of Ackerman, Mississippi, and received a Bachelor's Degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi, a Master's Degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a Law Degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. After Johns Hopkins, Mabus served in the Navy as an officer aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock.

Jeffrey S. Geiger

President, General Dynamics Electric Boat

Jeffrey S. Geiger became president of General Dynamics Electric Boat on Nov. 4, 2013.

Previously, Geiger was president of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a position he assumed in April 2009.

Geiger joined Bath Iron Works in 1984 and progressed through several assignments in the Planning and Production organizations following his participation in a company-sponsored, two-year management development program. In 1993 he was named vice president of Engineering with responsibility for all engineering, design and logistic-support functions.

In 2000, Geiger was appointed vice president of Operations, overseeing all Manufacturing and Facilities functions. In 2004, he took on additional responsibility for the Planning and Quality Control organizations.

He was appointed senior vice president of Operations in 2007, assuming additional responsibility for the Strategic Planning, Communications and Business Development organizations. In 2008 he was named senior vice president of Operations and Engineering.

Geiger earned a bachelor’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering at the University of Michigan in 1983 and was awarded a master’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering, ship production specialization at the University of Michigan in 1984.

Geiger is a member of the American Bureau of Shipping and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. He is a recipient of the Rosenblatt - Michigan award for outstanding leadership in Naval Engineering, and the University of Michigan Alumni Society Merit Award.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut.

Phil Scott

Principal Speaker and Governor of Vermont

Phil Scott became the 82nd Governor of Vermont on January 5, 2017. He previously served three terms as Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor and as a Senator for Washington County. As Governor, he has committed to making a difference in the lives of Vermonters by growing the state’s economy, making Vermont more affordable, protecting the most vulnerable and restoring faith and trust in government.

While serving as the state’s Lieutenant Governor, he launched the Everyday Jobs Initiative – where he worked in 35 different professions around the state – and Vermont Economy Pitch sessions for the opportunity to learn from Vermont’s employers and workers. In 2011, in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, he organized the removal and disposal of mobile homes around the state, which were destroyed by the flood, all at no cost to homeowners and without spending any taxpayer dollars.

Before that, he represented Washington County in the state Senate for five terms, serving as Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee and Chair of the Institutions Committee.

Governor Scott is also active in community service projects. In 2005, he founded the Wheels for Warmth program, which allows Vermonters to donate tires they no longer need, with all proceeds benefiting heating fuel assistance programs. The program has raised more than $428,000 for emergency fuel assistance, sold nearly 19,000 safe donated tires, and recycled more than 31,000 unsafe tires.

For more than 30 years, Governor Scott was a co-owner of his family construction business. He still races the #14 car at Barre’s Thunder Road, where he has the most career wins as a Late Model driver at the track. He’s also an avid cyclist.

Lieutenant Commander David R. Beam

Executive Officer

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, LCDR Beam was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and graduated from Drexel University in 2004 earning a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering.

Prior to Commissioning, Beam spent four years as an enlisted sonar technician aboard USS BOSTON (SSN 703). He earned his Gold Dolphins in 2005 aboard USS CONNECTICUT (SSN 22) and served as Navigator aboard USS PASADENA (SSN 752) from 2011-2015. He has deployed experience in the Northern Atlantic, UNITAS, and Western Pacific.

Ashore, he served as special operations assistant (N341) on Commander Submarine Group Seven staff in Yokosuka, Japan. Following his department head tour, he served as Operational Support Liaison for the Research and Development Support Activity.

Beam has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) and various campaign and unit awards. He lives in Ledyard, Connecticut with his wife, Jennifer, and twin daughters, Charlotte and Margaux.

Commander Henry M. Roenke IV

Commanding Officer

Commander Henry Roenke, a native of Geneva, New York, began his naval career at the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with distinction in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering.

As a junior officer, he was assigned to USS CHEYENNE (SSN 773) from June 2000 until June 2003. During this tour, the ship conducted two Western Pacific and Central Command deployments. During the last of these two deployments USS CHEYENNE was the first warship to launch Tomahawk missiles during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

From October 2005 until November 2007, he served as Engineer Officer on USS HONOLULU (SSN 718). During this tour, he completed his third Western Pacific Deployment. The final year of this tour was spent inactivating and recycling USS HONOLULU at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

CDR Roenke was the Executive Officer of USS KENTUCKY (SSBN 737) (BLUE) from May 2010 to May 2012.

CDR Roenke was most recently assigned as the Military Assistant to the Deputy Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy. Previous shore duty assignments have included duty as the Sensitive Reconnaissance Operations Officer for United States Strategic Command, Joint Functional Component Command – Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance and service on the staff of Commander, Submarine Force.

CDR Roenke’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and various unit and campaign awards.

He is married to the former Judith Van Atta, and together they raise their sons, Henry and Peter, in Eastern Connecticut. They enjoy running, biking, and spending time outdoors.

Master Chief Petty Officer James F. Brownson

Chief of the Boat

Master Chief James Brownson is a native of Howard, PA. He joined the Navy in July of 1994 and attended Basic Training in Orlando, FL. After Basic Training he attended Basic Enlisted Submarine School and Submarine Navigation Electronics “A and C” schools. He reported to his first submarine, USS Miami (SSN 755) in Groton, CT.

Ashore, Master Chief Brownson served as a Canvasser Recruiter at NRD Pittsburgh and two tours assigned to Commander Submarine Squadron Four in Groton, CT as the Assistant Navigator.

His subsequent sea duty assignments as the Assistant Navigator include USS Hartford (SSN 768), USS Annapolis (SSN 760), and USS New Mexico (SSN 779). He reported to PCU Vermont as the Chief of the Boat in February 2017.

Master Chief Brownson is a graduate of the United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy and the Command Master Chief Capstone Course. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Five Awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (Five Awards), and numerous unit and campaign awards. He is married to the former Nicole Sharer of Bellefonte, PA and they have three sons.