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Geoffrey (Geoff) Abbott

MEMBER SINCE: 2025

Geoffrey (Geoff) Abbott profile headshot
Five decades public service. 30-yr career Coast Guard officer: commanded R&D Center, led the Performance Excellence Program, Commandant’s Innovation Council Chair, 1st Homeland Security Institute CG/DHS Fellow. Excellence in Government (EIG) Senior Fellow, co-coach, Partnership for Public Service Alumni Board member (20 yrs), led leading ‘from the middle’ workshops. Senior faculty Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness (14 yrs) - for development, delivery, and oversight of SEC leadership programs/workshops/classes. SEC’s EIG Fellows program manager-13 yrs. Launched leadership book "Unauthorized Progress – Leading ‘from the Middle’" (2020); often speak about it: #1 Best-Seller (2 eBook categories); #1 New Release (4 categories). Gifted 4,000 eBooks to federal employees: EIG Fellows; recent Air Force, CG and Merchant Marine Academy graduates. Augmenting CG Academy cadet leadership development (2024-present). Doctorate in Business Administration (Improving Organizational Performance), 2 MIT engineering graduate degrees and a B.S. from the Coast Guard Academy. Professional Engineer, served as a national director of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and a founding Director of MIT's Military Alumni Assn. Military Awds: Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (4), CG Commendation Medal (2). Others: EIG Senior Fellows Community Awd, Platt Authors Awd, SEC's Veterans' Charity Awd, SAME's Academy of Fellows, NAPA Fellow.

History of Employment

Position
Division
Organization
Start
End
Senior Faculty
Ldrship & Org. Eff.
SEC HQ
2025
Current
Leadership Faculty (Instructor/Facilitator)
College of Leadership & Team Development
Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Headquarters; Washington, DC
2011
2025
Senior Fellow (Civilian)
Multiple Divisions
Honeland Security Institute; Arlington, VA
2006
2011
Senior Fellow (Captain)
Operations
Homeland Security Institute; Arlington, VA
2005
2006
Chief, Quality & Management Effectiveness/Chair Commandant's Innovation Council (Captain)
Chief of Staff's Office
Coast Guard HQ; Washington, DC
2002
2005
Commanding Officer (Captain)
CG Research & Development Center
CG R&D Center; Groton, CT
2000
2002
Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Systems Directorate (2-star Admiral); (Captain)
Systems Directorate (G-S)
CG Headquarters; Washington, DC
1998
2000
Commanding Officer (Commander)
Civil Engineering Unit Providence
CG CEUPROV, Providence, RI
1995
1998
Chief, Facilities Engineering (Commander)
Facilities Engineering Division
CG Training Center Cape May; Cape May, NJ
1991
1995
Chief, Ocean Engineering Section/Planning Officer/Executive Officer (Lieutenant Commander)
Civil Engineering Unit
CIvil Engineering Unit Cleveland; Cleveland, OH
1986
1991
Ocean Engineer, Solar Power Project Manager ($2M, earned Professional Engineer license in VA; Lieutenant)
Ocean Engineering Division
CG Headquarters, Washington, DC
1982
1986
Graduate Student (Lieutenant)
Program 13A, Ocean/Naval Engineering
MIT - Cambridge, MA
1980
1982
Rescue Coordination Center Duty Officer (Lieutenant Junior Grade)
Rescue Coordination Center
CG Greater Antilles Section; San Juan, Puerto Rico
1978
1980
Deck Watch Officer/1st Lieutenant (Ensign, USCG)
Deck Division
Coast Guard Cutter DEPENDABLE; Panama CIty, FL
1976
1978
Primary Policy Areas

Alternative Energy, Defense, Government Operations/Innovation, Homeland Security, Infrastructure, Intergovernmental Affairs and Coordination, National Security, Science – Research and Development, Technology – Product Development, Transfer, Commercialization, Veterans Affairs

Primary Sector of Expertise

Federal

Primary Functions

Academic Faculty, Change Management, Human Capital, Intergovernmental, Military Service, Performance Measurement, Risk Management