Welcoming Susan McGarvey: Waitt Institute's New Law and Policy Director

Join us in welcoming Susan McGarvey to the Waitt Institute as the Law and Policy Director. Susan brings over two decades of experience advising senior leaders on complex ocean and geopolitical challenges to her role at the Waitt Institute. As the Law and Policy Director, she drives the work supporting partners in developing and implementing legally binding ocean protection frameworks, Marine Spatial Plans, and sustainable ocean policies. She has a strong track record in developing policy frameworks for responsible ocean use and is well-versed in the Law of the Sea. In her most recent role, she served as an advisor to the Office for Ocean Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), where she provided guidance on international ocean governance, navigation rights, and maritime security.

Before joining the Office of the General Counsel at DoD, Susan served as an active duty Navy judge advocate for 22 years. Throughout her distinguished military career, she advised on maritime matters at positions spanning the globe, including U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii and U.S. SEVENTH Fleet in Japan. She also served as the senior legal advisor aboard a U.S. Navy carrier that deployed to the Pacific Ocean and conducted exercises with dozens of other nations. In all of these roles, Susan worked closely with her staff and international partners to advance common understandings and promote the rule of law in the maritime domain.

Susan holds a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, a Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo.