Captain Jean Marie Sullivan

Captain Jean Marie Sullivan is the youngest child of U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers and spent most of her youth overseas. She attended University of Rochester under the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program and received her commission in 2000 as a Surface Warfare Officer.

Captain Sullivan’s sea tours include USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81), USS FORREST SHERMAN (DDG 98), DESTROYER SQUADRON 28, and as the Executive Officer in USS GONZALEZ (DDG 66). She served as the 22nd Commanding Officer of USS WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41)from 2019 to 2021.

Captain Sullivan’s shore assignments include Director of Women’s Policy for the Navy, speechwriter for the Chief of Naval Personnel, Defense Legislative Fellow, Special Assistant to Chief of Naval Operations, and Commander’s Action Group Director for the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Commander, NATO Joint Force Command Naples. Her last assignment prior to arriving here was as Division Chief in the Directorate for Global Operations (J-39) in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Captain Sullivan has also served as a White House Social Aide for President George W. Bush.

She has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from The George Washington University.

Her personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards) along with other personal awards and unit citations.

Captain Sullivan assumed command of The George Washington University NROTC unit in May 2023 and serves as the University’s Professor of Naval Science.