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Vice Admiral Ann E. Rondeau, U.S. Navy (Ret.) has been the President of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (NPS) in Monterey, California since 2019, when she was appointed by the Secretary of the Navy as the 50th head of the institution since its founding in 1909.

Rondeau brings broad and deep experience to NPS as a distinguished military leader, a former executive in the defense industry, and President of both the National Defense University and the College of DuPage – one of the nation’s largest community colleges. Armed with decades of service and commitment to national security, she has brought visionary leadership to NPS and advanced its impact in defense education, research and innovation.

Born in San Antonio, Texas and growing up in Beacon, New York, Rondeau earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Eisenhower College, a Master of Arts in Comparative Government from Georgetown University, and a Doctorate in Education from Northern Illinois University (with honorary Doctorates in Public Service from Carthage College, and in Humane Letters from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science). She commissioned into the U.S. Navy through Officer Candidate School in 1974.

During her distinguished 38-year naval career, Rondeau held numerous leadership positions. Her early assignments included serving as Intelligence and Operations Officer with Patrol Squadron 50 and officer-in-charge of Military Sealift Command Unit New Orleans, and Executive Officer of Sealift Squadron One. She also served as a Battalion Officer at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Rondeau's strategic roles encompassed assignments with the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, the NATO Branch of the CNO staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, focusing on policy planning and analysis. Selected as a White House Fellow, she served at the Department of Justice and was appointed National Security Advisor to the Attorney General.

Her command tours included Naval Support Activity La Maddalena, Italy supporting U.S. and NATO ships and submarines; Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee where she oversaw a mission transformation and ~$500m recapitalization program; and Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois. At NSTC, she oversaw all non-Academy officer and enlisted accessions, including Recruit Training Command, Navy ROTC, and NJROTC programs. She led a $1.5 billion recapitalization of Recruit Training Command and oversaw the installation of the transformative "Battle Stations" capstone training event.

Rondeau later commanded Naval Personnel Development Command and served as Director of Navy Staff. In 2006, she was appointed Deputy Commander of U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where she advanced military logistics and global mobility operations including support of military operations in Afghanistan. Her final active-duty assignment was as President of the National Defense University, where she led professional military education modernization efforts.

After retiring in 2012, Rondeau served as an independent consultant with IBM’s Watson Group, advising on cognitive computing applications for defense and federal agencies. In 2016, she was appointed President of the College of DuPage in Illinois and led institutional reforms to restore accreditation and financial accountability.

As NPS President, Rondeau oversees warfighter development at the graduate level including applied research and warfighting innovation. Current enrollment is more than 2,500 U.S. and international military officers and federal civilians, supported by a defense-expert faculty and staff. Under her leadership, NPS is transforming to strengthen its impact on U.S. maritime advantage, and to be the future home of the Naval Innovation Center – a facility aimed at leveraging NPS to accelerate the Navy's adoption of emerging technology applications. Her tenure was extended to continue her efforts to rebuild our military, revive warrior ethos, and increase lethality through applied research and specialized graduate education.

Military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, and four awards of the Legion of Merit. Rondeau has also received an honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Carthage College and the Panetta Institute's Jefferson-Lincoln Leadership Award in 2024.

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In her pro bono and Board service, Rondeau has served on succession, membership, governance, audit, compensation and strategic planning committees. She has been a speaker for many years on wide-ranging and myriad subjects, including military strategy and missions, political-military affairs, military-civilian affairs, ethics, public policy analysis and research in the public domain, history, education and training, and effective leadership.

Activities include: Board of Directors for the German Marshall Fund; National Museum of the American Sailors; Council of Higher Education Accreditation; Chicago Regional Growth Corporation; Choose DuPage (regional development organization for Chicago northwest suburbs); served as Vice Chair for the Board of Trustees, American Public University System; and presently serves on two boards within Quanta Services, a $50B utilities distribution and transmission company.

Rondeau has also supported The Atlantic Council as an advisor to the Canadian Defense College Foundation; accreditation committees for the United States Naval Academy and the University of Memphis; the Tennessee/Mid-South Economic Development Board; DoD liaison to the Center for the Study of the Presidency; Military Advisory Board; Flag Officer Advisory Council for Arizona State University; Board of Trustees for Princeton Theological Seminary; and the Arlington National Cemetery Committee.

(Does not constitute endorsement of organizations mentioned by the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of Defense)