Patty Collins

Patty Collins is the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s (GPO) Deputy Director, the agency’s second highest ranking position and its Chief Operating Officer. She reports directly to GPO’s Director. Collins oversees GPO’s operations, which includes Plant Operations, Security and Intelligent Documents, Official Journals of Government and Customer Services. These business units are responsible for GPO’s most important products including the U.S. passport, Congressional Record, Federal Register, White House print materials, secure Federal credentials, and other congressional and executive branch products and services.

Prior to joining GPO in May 2020, Collins retired as a Colonel following a 24-year-career in the U.S. Army. She spent seven of those years within the Joint Special Operations Command. During her military career, Collins was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. She provided leadership and organization to those under her command to complete their missions successfully. She has experience in a multitude of areas including information technology, knowledge management, strategic leadership and organizational change. A pioneer in her field, Collins was one of a small number of women to serve in Special Operations and was the first woman in the Department of Defense to complete the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Course.

In 2006, following her return to Ft. Bragg, NC from Iraq, she was hit by a car while riding her bike to work. The injury was so severe Collins elected to have her leg amputated below the knee. Upon rehabilitation, she continued her military service for nine more years, which included a deployment to Afghanistan. Collins joined other injured veterans for a mountain biking ride in Texas with President George W. Bush.

In 2014, Collins became the Chief Information Officer for the Joint Force Headquarters Military District of Washington/National Capitol Region, where she led a team working with federal and local law enforcement agencies during crisis response exercises and provided command and control support plans for national events such as Presidential Inaugurations and State Funerals.

She retired from active duty in 2015. Collins joined the McChrystal Group as a Principal consultant where she focused on leadership development and guiding clients through complex challenges in the public and private business sectors.

Collins competed as a triathlete in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A native of Hackettstown, NJ, Collins holds a Master’s degree from the National War College and a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University.