Charlene Downey is the owner of SeeWorthy Coaching & Consulting, LLC where she serves as a Leadership & Life Coach partnering with individuals and teams to inspire inner strength, learning, and growth experiences designed to maximize potential and achieve positive, sustainable results. She also frequently speaks on Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion at various events and workshops. Charlene retired from U.S. Coast Guard in June 2018 after serving over 26 years on active duty, reaching the rank of Captain. Her final assignment was Sector Commander and Captain of the Port for Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach where she coordinated maritime operations in an area of responsibility stretching more than 350 miles along the southern California coast, out to 200 miles offshore, including the nation’s largest and most economically vital port complex. She facilitated the daily flow of over $2 billion in cargo in the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Hueneme. Charlene served in a variety of operational and staff assignments in Virginia, Connecticut, Washington DC, North Carolina, and California. During her career she had Command of three operational units and was one of the first women to Command a Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team where she and her Team completed a 7-month deployment to Joint Task Force, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and responded to the devastating Haiti earthquake in 2010. In 2015-2016, Charlene served as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Refugio Oil Spill, the largest oil spill in Santa Barbara County in 25 years. She directed the response of over 1,300 personnel to oversee the clean-up of 25,000 gallons of heavy crude oil along the coastline in a highly environmentally and politically sensitive area. Her staff tours include Instructor, Officer Candidate School and two tours in Officer Personnel Management. She also served as a Military Executive Fellow at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA. Charlene is originally from Fort Wingate, New Mexico. She is a 1989 graduate of the Naval Academy Preparatory School, Newport, RI and graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT in 1993 with a B.S. in Management. She received her M.S. in Management (HRM) from Florida Institute of Technology and earned her Human Resources Certificate from George Mason University. Her numerous personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and USCG Captain Stratton Inspirational Leadership Award. She is currently the Chair of the Los Angeles Mayor’s Military Veterans Advisory Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association and is an active member of Team Rubicon (Veterans Disaster Response Organization). She is an avid runner and has completed over 25 marathons. Charlene resides in Huntington Beach, CA and is married to Anna Cruz, a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and senior manager at Johnson & Johnson Company.