Retired Norfolk Navy officer is 1st woman sworn in as leader of federal maritime agency

A retired Norfolk Navy officer is the first woman to be sworn in as the leader of the federal agency overseeing the United States’ maritime infrastructure.

Retired Rear Adm. Ann Phillips was sworn in as the 20th administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration on May 16.

“From her distinguished naval service to her leadership on coastal infrastructure, Rear Adm. Ann Phillips has championed America’s maritime sector throughout her career,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an announcement.

Under Phillips’ leadership, Buttigieg said the department would address supply chain issues, oversee spending from the bipartisan infrastructure law and combat climate change. According to its website, the Maritime Administration oversees the country’s maritime transportation infrastructure — everything from ships to ports and from national security to the environment.

Phillips brings several years of leadership on the latter, previously working as the special assistant to Gov. Ralph Northam for coastal adaptation and protection. In the position, Phillips led the state on the issue of sea level rise, drafting a coastal resilience master plan and coordinating city and county-level responses.

Before that, Phillips spent more than three decades in the Navy as a surface warfare officer. She has experience operating with multinational maritime forces, including NATO, and has served in Guam, Lisbon and Portugal, according to the announcement.

“In my nearly 31-year Navy career, I have witnessed many of the challenges facing our maritime sector and look forward to working with my colleagues to address them,” Phillips said in the announcement.

After finishing the sea level rise plan, Phillips was unequivocal about the future of climate change, telling The Virginian-Pilot that residents are “going to see a lot more water, a lot more often.” However, she hoped the master plan would act as a catalyst for action, informing what the region will build and where it will be constructed.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com