2019 LEAD Speaker: Michelle J. Howard

Michelle J. Howard (USNA ‘82), a retired U.S. Navy admiral, led sailors and Marines multiple times in her career as the commander of a ship, an expeditionary strike group, a task force and a Naval theater. The 2019 LEAD speaker spoke to the crowd about her leadership experience, including her many notable firsts: the first African American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy, the first woman to become a four-star admiral, the first woman to be appointed vice chief of naval operations and the first African American woman to reach the rank of three stars and four stars in the U.S. Armed Forces.

LEAD Recap 2019

Being a Strong Leader Takes Courage, Practice

Adm. Michelle Howard spoke about her experience as a leader and trailblazer in the armed forces. “Success can be sweet, but it’s sweeter when it’s done with a team,” she said.