Nancy E. Brown

After completing over 35 years of service Vice Admiral Nancy E. Brown retired from her position as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems, The Joint Staff. Since retiring on 1 October 2009, she has served as an Outside Director of Systematic Software Engineering, Inc, on the Board of Advisors for Enlightened, Inc, The EDGE, and Kingfisher Systems, Inc., Vice Chair of the Broad of Directors of the United States Naval Institute, Chair of the Board of Directors of Homeward Deployed and an Executive Committee Member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). She also served as the Vice Chair of Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois and was instrumental in organizing and executing their first flight to Washington, D.C. She currently works as an independent consultant for various C4I focused companies.

Raised in Marion, Illinois, she is a 1973 graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Following graduation she joined the United States Navy. Highlights of her assignments include attending the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where she earned a Master of Science Degree in Communications Systems Management; the Naval War College and was awarded a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies; and the Senior Course at the Army War College, Carlyle, Pennsylvania.

In August 1993, VADM Brown assumed command of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Cutler, Downeast, Maine. After completing her command tour, she was assigned in August 1995 to the National Security Council staff at the White House. In July 1997, VADM Brown assumed command of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic, Norfolk. Completing her major command tour in June 1999, VADM Brown returned to the White House as the Deputy Director, White House Military Office. In October 2000, she reported to the Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Director and Fleet Liaison, Space, Information Warfare, Command and Control (N6B). In August 2002 she assumed duties as Vice Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems (J6), the Joint Staff. In August 2004 she deployed to Iraq becoming the first Multi-National Force–Iraq C6 headquartered in Baghdad and returned to the Joint Staff in April 2005. In August 2005 VADM Brown assumed the duties as J6 Director for both North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command. In August 2006 she assumed her last active duty position as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (C4 Systems), The Joint Staff.

Vice Admiral Brown's decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Defense Superior Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Legion of Merit (with Gold Star), the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal (with two Bronze Stars), the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal (with two Bronze Stars). She has also been recognized by the Diversity Journal in 2007 as one of their 5th Annual Women Worth Watching, in February 2009 by Fast Company The Most Influential Women in Tech, the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, the 2017 Southern Business Journal Leaders Among Us and the 2019 Distinguished Graduate from Stephens College.