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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
Assistant Professor of Leadership and Management
College of Leadership and Team Development
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
2025
Present
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