Gloria L. Valdez retired in April 2018 after 32 years of civilian service with the Department of the Navy and the Department of Homeland Security.  Before her retirement, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, overseeing all naval shipbuilding programs, major ship conversions, and the maintenance, modernization, and disposal of in-service ships.

Ms. Valdez previously served as the Executive Director for the Program Executive Office for Submarines, responsible for civilian management and design, acquisition and construction for submarine platform and undersea systems.

In July 2009, Ms. Valdez was selected as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and served as the Budget Director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security.  Before that, she held various positions, serving as the head of shipbuilding, modernization and sealift branch in the Office of Budget, Deputy Program Manager for the SSGN conversion program, and Director for Naval and Commercial Construction in the Office of the ASN for Ship Programs.

Ms. Valdez began her federal career in April 1986 as an engineer-in-training for Submarine Maintenance, engineering, Planning and Procurement, a detachment of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Portsmouth, N.H.

Ms. Valdez graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.  She also earned a Master of Science in Management from Florida Institute of Technology.  Ms Valdez was awarded the Department of the Navy's Distinguished, Superior and Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, and was also awarded the Pioneer award from Great Minds in STEM in 2014.

Ms. Valdez is the proud sponsor of VERMONT (SSN 792), the 19th Virginia-class submarine.