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Melinda Simmons-Healy, a member of the Senior Executive Service, serves as the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Associate Administrator for Administration where she supports the Maritime Administrator by providing strategic, agency-wide policies and procedures to execute MARAD’s mission. She provides leadership and operational support to agency programs through Human Resources, Acquisition, Industrial and Personnel Security, Property Management and other administrative functions for the agency’s 800 employees nation-wide. She oversees the expenditure of over $1.4 billion in contracts and leases annually.

Previously, she served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift, overseeing the Maritime Security Program (MSP), the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreements (VISA), the Vessel Transfer Program, Tanker Security Program, commercial strategic port readiness, NATO, and the Mariner Medals and Flag Programs; and to the Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift, which administers Cargo Preference, oversees domestic shipping under the Jones Act and provides input on Committee for Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) cases.

Ms. Simmons-Healy served as Deputy Director within MARAD’s Office of Ship Operations, Fleet Program Management for the operation and management of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF), including the quick response component of the fifty-six ships in the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), including the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and State Maritime Academies training ships. She managed the (3) NDRF anchorages and facilities located in VA, TX, and CA. Additionally, she oversaw the project for decommissioning of the Nuclear Ship Savannah, and the Office of Ship Disposal programs. Ms. Simmons-Healy joined MARAD in 2010 serving as the Chief of Contract Office (COCO) for MARAD’s field-activity area divisions located in Norfolk, New Orleans, and Oakland, where she awarded DOT’s largest contract, ship management services for the RRF.

Before joining MARAD, Melinda served over 20 years with the Department of Defense as contracting officer in a variety of increasingly complex assignments with both the Departments of Navy and Army, including Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Supply Command, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Army Contracting Command, and the Training and Doctrine Command in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Ms. Simmons-Healy is a graduate of Regis University with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). She also completed the University of Virginia (UVA), Darden’s School of Business, Executive Education Certificate in Management and the Office of Personnel Management, Federal Executive Institute, Leadership for a Democratic Society, UVA, Charlottesville, VA. Melinda achieved Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) and Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC) in Program Management, Contracting and maintains current certifications.

Melinda is the recipient of the Department of Army’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Civilian Service Commendation Award. Melinda was awarded the Maritime Administration’s Superior Achievement Award for developing and managing the contract execution for the destruction at sea of 600-tons of Syria’s declared chemical weapons, coordinating with multiple federal agencies and funded by Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Melinda also received MARAD’s Bronze Award for her significant contributions and measurable improvements while serving as Acting Chief of Staff at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.