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Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti on U.S. Defense

Join the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston and the University of St. Thomas Center for International Studies for an evening conversation with Admiral Lisa Franchetti, former Chief of Naval Operations and the first woman to serve as the U.S. Navy’s top officer and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Drawing on her nearly four decades of service and extensive experience in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and across the U.S. Navy, Admiral Franchetti will discuss the evolving global security environment and the role of American sea power in an increasingly contested world. Her assignments included commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, commander of Carrier Strike Groups 9 and 15, and director of Strategy, Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff.

Featured Speaker: Adm. Lisa Franchetti

Adm. Lisa Franchetti

Adm. Lisa Franchetti is a native of Rochester, New York. She is a 1985 graduate of Northwestern University where she was commissioned through the Naval Reserve OfficerTraining Corps Program. Designated a Surface Warfare Officer in 1989, she has commanded at every level and deployed in every Fleet, with nearly 20 years of operational and at-sea experience.

Her flag assignments include: Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; director for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff; deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, N7; commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa during the 2018 strikes against Syrian chemical-weapons facilities; chief of staff, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) Joint Staff; commander, Carrier Strike Group 15; commander, Carrier Strike Group 9; and commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea.

At sea, she commanded Destroyer Squadron TWENTY ONE, embarked on USS John C. Stennis(CVN 74); commanded USS Ross (DDG 71) and also served as commander of Pacific Partnership 2010, embarked on USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). Her operational sea tours include assistant surface operations officer on USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group; executive officer of USS Stout (DDG 55); combat systems officer and chief staff officer for Destroyer Squadron TWO; operations officer on USS Moosbrugger (DD 980); navigator on USS Monongahela (AO 178); and auxiliaries officer and first division officer on USS Shenandoah (AD 44).

Ashore, Franchetti’s assignments include military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy; deputy director of International Engagement and executive assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations and Strategy on the Navy staff; division chief, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation, on the Joint Staff, J7; 4th Battalion officer at the U.S. Naval Academy; protocol officer for Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; aide to the Vice Chief of Naval

Operations; commanding officer, Navy Reserve Center Central Point, Oregon; program manager, Naval Reserve Readiness Command, Region 13.

Franchetti holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Medill at Northwestern University, a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, completed Harvard Kennedy School’s National and International Security program, and was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Fellow. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, was awarded the Northwestern Alumni Medal in 2019, inducted into the Medill School of Journalism Hall of Achievement in 2024, and received the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate award in 2024.

Her personal awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service

Medal (two awards), Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (fiveawards), Meritorious Service Medal (six awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards).

Franchetti served as the as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations from November 2023 to February 2025.

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