Rear Admiral Jan Tighe
Interim President
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California
Rear Admiral Jan Tighe was appointed by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to the position of Interim President of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., in November 2012.
Rear Adm. Tighe has a B.S. in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy, and was commissioned as an ensign (Special Duty Cryptology) in 1984 following graduation. Tighe is also a distinguished graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, awarded an M.S. in Applied Mathematics as well as a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 2001. She also studied Russian at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center also in Monterey.
Tighe’s cryptologic operational tours include duty with Naval Security Group Activities in Florida, Virginia, Atsugi/Misawa Japan and on the Pacific Fleet staff.
Tighe earned Naval Aviation Observer wings while deployed as an airborne special evaluator aboard VQ-1 EP-3E aircraft in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Tighe served as operations officer and assistant officer for Naval Security Group Detachments in Japan, accumulating over 1,200 operational flight hours in the EP-3E aircraft.
Following her doctoral work, she reported to the Naval Information Warfare Activity, where she served as chief staff officer and chief engineer. During her tour she earned a Level III DAWIA certification in Program Management.
Next, Tighe oversaw the development of the Human Capital Strategy for NSG and the IW/Cryptologic community, served as chief of staff and prepared the staff for merger with Naval Network Warfare Command, also serving as deputy director of Information Operations within NETWARCOM.
From July 2006 through September 2009, Tighe commanded over 2,800 multi-service and multi-agency personnel at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service Hawaii in Kunia. Following command, she served for a year as the executive assistant to director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service and Commander, U.S. Cyber Command.
Her flag tours include deputy director of Operations for CYBERCOM and director, Decision Superiority on the OPNAV N2N6F4.
Born in Bowling Green, Ky., and raised in Plantation, Fla., Tighe has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (second award), the Strike/Flight Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (fourth award), and the Navy Achievement Medal.