Wendy J. Kay, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, Management and Associate Deputy Chief Management Officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. She is responsible for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Department of Air Force business operations. She advises Department of Air Force senior leadership on establishing strategic performance goals and managing enterprise-wide cross-functional activities to meet those goals. She also serves as the Department of Air Force Assistant Director of Business Transformation, overseeing the implementation of continuous process improvement initiatives across the total force.
Prior to her current position, she was the Deputy Director of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Ms. Kay previously served as the Senior Director for Intelligence and Senior Director for Security, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy; the Deputy, Department of the Navy/Assistant for Administration; and Director, Security, Special Program Oversight and Information Protection, Office of Administrative Assistant, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
Ms. Kay joined Active Duty as a Navy intelligence officer in 1989 and transitioned to the Navy Reserve intelligence program to become a Navy Civilian Intelligence Analyst in 1991. Ms. Kay spent 23 years in Navy intelligence, conducting operational, strategic, and law enforcement intelligence analysis related to counterdrug, civil maritime and other topical intelligence issues.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Arts, History, Briar Cliff College, Iowa
2013 Joint Professional Military Education, Phase One, Naval War College, R.I.
2015 Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1989–1994, Intelligence Watch Officer, Joint Task Force Four, Key West, Fla.
2. 1994–1998, Department of Defense Liaison Officer, El Paso Intelligence Center, El Paso, Texas
3. 1998–2007, Various leadership positions, Office of Naval Intelligence, Suitland, Md.
4. 2007–2012, Senior Director for Intelligence, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
5. 2012–2013, Senior Director for Security, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. 2013–2015, Deputy, Department of the Navy/Assistant for Administration, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. 2015–2019, Director, Security, Special Program Oversight and Information Protection, Office of the Administrative Assistant, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. 2019–2021, Deputy Director Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. 2021–present, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, Management, and Assistant Deputy Chief Management Officer, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Joint Achievement Medal
Department of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award
Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award
Department of the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Meritorious Presidential Rank Award
Department of the Air Force Distinguished Civilian Service Award
(Current as of May 2023)