Lisa Franchetti | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Born | (1964-04-25)25 April 1964 (age 61) Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1985–2025 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | |
| Awards | |
| Alma mater | |
Franchetti's opening statement at her confirmation hearing to bechief of naval operations Recorded 14 September 2023 | |
Lisa Marie Franchetti (/frænˈkɛti/fran-KEH-ti; born 25 April 1964)[1] is a retiredUnited States Navyadmiral who served as the 33rd[2]chief of naval operations from 2 November 2023 to 21 February 2025,[3][4][5] after being relieved by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. She was the first woman to be chief of naval operations, and the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[3] She was also the first chief of naval operations to be relieved of command.
Before this she most recently served as the 42ndvice chief of naval operations from September 2022 to November 2023[6] and as actingchief of naval operations (CNO) from August to November 2023.[7][8]
A surface warfare officer, Franchetti previously served as director for strategy, plans, and policy of theJoint Staff (J5) from 2020 to 2022,[9] the second deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting development in 2020,[10] and commander of theUnited States Sixth Fleet from 2018 to 2020.[11] She has also commandedcarrier strike groups andU.S. Naval Forces Korea during her career. She was the second woman promoted to four-star admiral in the United States Navy.[12] She was also the second female vice chief of naval operations in the history of the Navy.
Franchetti, who is ofItalian heritage,[13] was born on 25 April 1964, inRochester, New York.[14] She attended Northwestern University'sMedill School of Journalism[15] inEvanston, Illinois. While at Northwestern, she was a coxswain on the crew and joined theNaval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. She was commissioned in 1985.
Franchetti has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Medill at Northwestern University (1985),[16] a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies from theNaval War College inNewport, Rhode Island, and a master's degree in organizational management from theUniversity of Phoenix. She was also awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Northwestern University in June 2025.[17][18]
Franchetti's operational assignments have included auxiliaries officer and firstdivision officer inUSS Shenandoah (AD-44),navigator andjumboization coordinator inUSS Monongahela (AO-178), operations officer inUSS Moosbrugger (DD-980),combat systems officer and chief staff officer forDestroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, executive officer ofUSS Stout (DDG-55), and assistant surface operations officer on theUSS George Washington Carrier Strike Group staff. She commandedUSS Ross (DDG-71) andDestroyer Squadron 21, embarked inUSS John C. Stennis (CVN-74). She also served as commander ofPacific Partnership 2010, embarked inUSNS Mercy (T-AH-19).
Ashore, she has been assigned as commander ofUnited States Naval Reserve CenterCentral Point, Oregon; aide to theVice Chief of Naval Operations;protocol officer for the commander ofUnited States Atlantic Fleet; 4th Battalion officer at theUnited States Naval Academy; division chief of Joint Concept Development and Experimentation on theJoint Staff, J7; deputy director of International Engagement and executive assistant to N3/N5 on theNavy staff; and military assistant to theSecretary of the Navy.
Since promotion toflag rank, Franchetti has held appointments as commander ofUnited States Naval Forces Korea;[19][20] commanderCarrier Strike Group 9; commander ofCarrier Strike Group 15; chief of staff, Joint Staff, J-5, Strategy, Plans and Policy; commander ofUnited States Sixth Fleet,[21] Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO; deputy commander,United States Naval Forces Europe; deputy commander ofUnited States Naval Forces Africa; and joint force maritime component commander[clarification needed]
During her time as commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, based in Italy, Franchetti oversaw the first-ever use ofTomahawk missiles launched by aVirginia-class submarine.[22] The missiles were fired fromUSS John Warner at targets in Syria.
On 6 May 2020, Franchetti was nominated as deputy chief of naval operations forWarfighting development (OPNAV N7), while keeping her other roles.[23]
In April 2022, Franchetti was nominated for promotion to admiral and appointment asVice Chief of Naval Operations.[24][25] The Senate confirmed her promotion in May 2022.[24] She assumed the position on 2 September 2022.[6]
On 21 July 2023, President Biden nominated her to replaceMichael M. Gilday aschief of naval operations (CNO). On August 14, 2023, upon Gilday's retirement, Franchetti became acting CNO.[26][8] Franchetti was confirmed by the Senate to become the CNO on 2 November 2023, and was sworn in on the same day, becoming the first female CNO and, due to having that position,[27] the first woman on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[3][4][28][29]
In February 2025, Franchetti faced an uncertain future as reports circulated that she would be removed from her position as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations by Secretary of DefensePete Hegseth.[30] On 21 February 2025, she was officially relieved of her position by Hegseth,[5] and retired from the Navy in April 2025 after over 40 years of service.[31][32]
Franchetti is married to James Sievert and has one child.[20] She enjoys running for relaxation and exercise.[22]
In June 2024, after a routinemammogram screening, the 60-year-old admiral was diagnosed with early-stagebreast cancer. When she underwent outpatient surgery in July 2024, she temporarily transferred her authority to the vice chief of naval operations, Adm.James Kilby. She completed radiation therapy and in September 2024 began maintenance endocrine therapy.[33]
"I am grateful for my wonderful team of doctors at John P. Murtha Cancer Center for their excellent care and their development of a treatment plan that allows me to continue leading the world's greatest Navy", Franchetti said in a statement. "I am blessed that this was detected early and will forever be an advocate for early and routine screening".[34]
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This article incorporates public domain material from theUnited States Navy document "US Navy Biography: Vice Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti" (2018-03-07). Retrieved 2018-10-08.
Media related toLisa M. Franchetti at Wikimedia Commons| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Commander ofUnited States Naval Forces Korea 2013–2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander ofCarrier Strike Group 9 2015–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander ofCarrier Strike Group 15 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of theUnited States Sixth Fleet andNaval Striking and Support Forces NATO 2018–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of theJoint Staff 2020–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice Chief of Naval Operations 2022–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Naval Operations 2023–2025 | Succeeded by |
