EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan — From Bridgeport to Kings Point — The First Female To Lead The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
In 2022, Bridgeport native and retired USCG Rear Admiral Joanna Nunan made history as the first woman to lead Kings Point. Her tenure would coincide with the 50th anniversary of women being admitted
Author’s Note
In 2021, just a year before I met then–Rear Admiral Joanna Nunan, I launched what would become The Connecticut Native. At the time, I was working as a full-time contractor at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut—taking a pause from my own career at sea as a merchant mariner.
By early 2022, speculation was swirling among staff and cadets about who might be named the next Coast Guard Commandant. My curiosity only deepened when I heard that President Biden was considering replacing then-Commandant Schultz—himself a Connecticut native—with a woman.
That spring, the announcement came: President Biden had, in fact, named a woman as the next Commandant. But just a few months later, in November, an even more historic milestone was revealed—Joanna Nunan would become the 14th Superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the first federal service academy to admit women. Even more fitting, her tenure would align with the 50th anniversary of that landmark moment.
For me, the news carried a double significance—professionally, as a mariner watching one of our own take the helm of a service academy, and personally, as the founder of The Connecticut Native. It felt as though the very story I had built this platform to tell had arrived right at my doorstep.
A Historic Summer at Kings Point
To understand Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan’s story, we need to look back—about 50 years. In the summer of 1974, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York—one of America’s five federal service academies alongside West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and the Coast Guard Academy—made history as the first to admit women.
Fifteen pioneering women arrived that summer, ready to take on rigorous academics, military training, and the Academy’s signature “Sea Year” aboard merchant ships around the globe. Four years later, only eight crossed the graduation stage, marking a milestone in the Academy’s then-30-year history.
From Connecticut to Beyond
Just a year later in 1975 and less than 60 miles away, a ten-year-old girl named Joanna Collins was practicing ballet near hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut in New Haven. She couldn’t have known that one day she would become a historic “first” at Kings Point herself.
By her sophomore year of high school, Nunan thought ballet might be her life. But when her teacher told her she lacked the potential for a professional career, she pivoted—literally and figuratively. Encouraged by her grandfather, a World War II naval aviator who had gone to flight school with fellow Connecticut native George H.W. Bush, she began to look toward military service.
Nunan applied to the Naval Academy, which required a congressional nomination—hers would come from Senator Chris Dodd. At the same time, she also applied to the Coast Guard Academy, which was her top choice.
“I got into the Naval Academy but chose the Coast Guard Academy because of the missions and opportunities for women”.
Her Grandfather would go onto say “Don't you know that Annapolis is much more prestigious than the Coast Guard Academy?," flew across the dinner table or over the phone, but she stuck to her guns, and he respected that.
Photo: 1/C Joanna Collins, in front of Parade Field at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as Bravo Company Commander, taken in 1986.
Early Coast Guard Days
Commissioned from the Coast Guard Academy in 1987, Joanna Collins began her career with cutter tours that took her across the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Western Pacific. At the same time, her personal life was beginning to take shape. Her future husband, Tom Nunan—a Riverside, Connecticut native and Fairfield Prep graduate who had been a year ahead of her in both high school and later in college—had just completed his degree at the University of Richmond. After two years aboard a buoy tender in Galveston, Texas, Joanna returned to the Academy to serve in Admissions. It was there that she and Tom reconnected, rekindling their relationship. In 1991, the two were married aboard the schooner Ernestina in Mystic—close to where they would eventually settle and raise their family. Today, their daughter is a student at Connecticut College, and Mystic - once just a memory - has become home.
Professionally, Collins’s career had continued to climb. At sea, she commanded two buoy tenders: first as the last commanding officer of the World War II-era USCGC Ironwood out of Kodiak, Alaska where we take another detour…
A License Beyond the Coast Guard
While serving in Ketchikan, Alaska, after her tour as Executive Officer aboard the USCGC Ironwood, Joanna Nunan began thinking ahead.
“I thought, you know, my next tour, I’m hoping to command a buoy tender. What can I do to prepare?” she recalled.
It was there, during a conversation aboard an Alaska Marine Highway vessel, that a Kings Point graduate challenged her.
“He was basically making fun of me,” she said. “He’s like, you’re in the Coast Guard and you can command a cutter, and you don’t even need a Coast Guard license. What is that all about?”
That moment stuck with her.
“I thought, you know what? I should be able to match up my knowledge and experience with people who hold merchant mariner licenses. So I just made it a goal. During my short tour, I figured it out, sat for all the tests, and got my Merchant Mariner’s license. Honestly, I didn’t think that much of it at the time—it was just something I was doing.”
She tucked the credential away and carried on with her career. But years later, as she was about to assume command in Honolulu as Sector Commander and Captain of the Port, the significance of that license came back to her.
“I thought, I bet the people out here in the maritime world would probably appreciate that I had gone to the effort to get my license.”
There was just one problem. When she went digging through her records, she discovered the license had expired—by only two weeks.
“Oh my gosh,” she remembered thinking. “Somebody told me, write a letter to the office that does this sort of thing and see if you can put your license in continuity. So I wrote a letter and said, here’s why I want to do this—because I think it matters as Captain of the Port that I went through the effort to earn it. Since it had only lapsed by two weeks, they said, that’s a no-brainer, and gave me a new one stamped ‘continuity.’”
Even with the updated version, it’s the original license that she still treasures most.
“I didn’t frame the continuity one,” she said with a smile. “But the original—it’s this green license, suitable for framing. That’s the one I have.”
Command & Senior Leadership
Afterwards, she then became the plank-owning first commanding officer of the 225-foot USCGC Spar. Ashore, her leadership carried her into senior billets at the cabinet level, including service as Military Assistant to the Secretary of Transportation and later as Military Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, a role she assumed in April 2015. She also served as deputy sector commander in San Juan before taking command of Sector Honolulu on August 6, 2010, where she led for nearly three years until May 2013. From there, she moved on to become Chief of Staff at the Coast Guard’s Force Readiness Command, further solidifying her reputation as both a seasoned operator and trusted advisor at the highest levels of government.
Photo: Taken in 2008, Then-Captain Joanna Nunan being issued her shoulder boards by (left) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and (right) Joanna Nunan’s retired WWII Naval Aviator Grandfather Capt. Thomas H Griffin. Nunan recalls when they went to the officers club for brunch, her Grandfather would introduce her to his friends and tell the story:
“This is my granddaughter, the Captain. She got into the Naval Academy, but I told her that there would be so many more opportunities for women in the Coast Guard and I'm so glad she followed my advice."
Her flag tours followed: she assumed command of the Great Lakes District in August 2017 and served until June 2019; in July 2019 she became Assistant Commandant for Human Resources (CG-1), a post she held through 2021; and her final Coast Guard assignment was as Deputy for Personnel Readiness under the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support. She retired from that headquarters role in April 2022, concluding a 35-year Coast Guard career.
Photo Credit: MIDN Brian Son KP ‘25 📷
Leading Kings Point
In late 2022, Nunan stepped onto the Kings Point campus as its 14th Superintendent—and the first woman to hold the post in the Academy’s 80-year history. Her appointment coincided with the 50th anniversary of women’s admission, a powerful reminder of both progress made and work still to do.
Her appointment placed her alongside barrier-breaking leaders such as Vice Admiral Sandra L. Stosz, the first woman to lead any U.S. service academy as Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy in 2011, as well as Vice Admiral Yvette M. Davids, who became the first female Superintendent of the Naval Academy in 2024.
A Tumultuous Context
Nunan’s tenure unfolded during a politically charged time. In early 2025, several senior female maritime and military leaders were abruptly removed:
Critics saw the moves as politically motivated, targeting leaders tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Through it all, Nunan’s hand remained steady. Her final official act was presiding over the June 23, 2025 graduation.
“I think I have a great story to tell that’s very positive and uplifting,” she reflected. “I’m still the biggest supporter of the Merchant Marine Academy.”
An Exclusive Conversation with Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan
Upon the announcement of Vice Admiral Nunan’s departure from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kyle Knickerbocker of The Connecticut Native, was granted one on one time with Nunan for this exclusive interview.
Photo of Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan taken in August 2025, in Stonington Borough, Connecticut
Connecticut Roots
“We’ve lived all over—Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Cleveland, Norfolk, D.C.,” she said. “But Mystic feels like home. The community is welcoming, and we found our house within a week of deciding to move.”
Lessons from Ballet
Before becoming an admiral, Nunan dreamed of being a ballerina. Ballet, she said, shaped her leadership.
“One of the things about ballet is you make it look easy—even if your toes are bleeding, you act like it’s effortless…and like a ballerina, you always have a graceful exit. I’ve carried that into leadership my whole career: accountability, adaptability, and composure under pressure.”
Choosing the Role
“I retired in April 2022, and when I heard about the opening that same spring, it felt like the perfect fit”
Interestingly, even with an early heads-up that the Superintendent’s post would be opening, Joanna Nunan had to apply like anyone else—through USAJOBS.gov, the federal hiring portal.
In March 2022, the incumbent Superintendent announced his retirement, shortly before Nunan’s own Coast Guard retirement in April.
On November 12, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation, under Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Biden Administration, officially named retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral Joanna Nunan as the Academy’s 14th Superintendent.
Less than a month later, on December 8, 2022, she formally assumed command during a ceremony at Kings Point
“It brought together leadership, maritime focus, national security, education, and public service.”
Her husband, Tom—whom she affectionately referred to as the…
“First Gentleman of Kings Point”—played an active role in campus life. “He was fully engaged—volunteering, supporting hockey, just being present in the midshipmen’s world.”
Leadership at Kings Point
Taking charge of the Academy meant facing decades of deferred maintenance and cultural change. She prioritized creating a Strategic Plan through 2030, securing accreditations, and pushing modernization.
“When I first got there, I spent a lot of time listening—faculty, staff, midshipmen, alumni,” she said. “You can’t change everything at once. You prioritize, explain the why, and respect the traditions that matter.”
The results were concrete:
Renewed accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
A five-year cycle approval from the Coast Guard.
A review of unapproved master plans that stretched back 20 years.
Her work aligned with President Trump’s April 2025 Executive Order on Maritime Dominance, which called for modernization of Kings Point.
“Section 14 calls for modernization of Kings Point, and that connected directly with the plan we had in place.”
Accreditation and Professional Growth
For Nunan, accreditation wasn’t just paperwork—it was credibility.
“Accreditation is rigorous, peer-driven, and external. It’s both a validation and a growth opportunity,” she said, noting her prior experience chairing an accreditation review of the Naval War College.
Global Maritime Perspectives
As a member of the International Association of Maritime Universities, Nunan engaged with peers worldwide.
“It was striking to see how many countries were investing heavily in simulators and facilities,” she said. “And the conversations around attracting women and underrepresented groups weren’t just American—they were global. Everyone was asking: how do we make this industry more welcoming, safer, and sustainable?”
For her, it wasn’t politics—it was pragmatism.
“It wasn’t some so-called ‘woke’ thing—it was talent management. Diverse teams make better decisions.”
On Leadership and Hierarchy
With 35 years in the Coast Guard, Nunan knew hierarchy mattered. But to her, leadership was more than enforcing structure.
“The most important thing is to know your people—where they come from, what motivates them, their strengths and struggles,” she said. “You can’t stay in your office. You need to walk the decks, talk to them, and listen. Feedback—both giving it and receiving it—is how you improve.”
Photo: Vice Admiral Nunan, at Commencement in June 2025, seen standing with ENS Elizabeth Kay
Closing Out as Superintendent
Reflecting on her departure, Nunan wanted the spotlight on the Class of 2025. Nunan's final act was presiding over the commencement exercises. The announcement of her departure was made afterwards to ensure that graduation was about the Class of 2025 and not about the Superintendent stepping down.
Looking Ahead
Even in retirement, Nunan isn’t done leading. She currently serves on the board of the World Maritime University and continues to mentor young leaders.
“Right now, my focus is on being present for my daughter during her senior year at Connecticut College,” she said. “But I’ll stay connected with Kings Point, the Coast Guard Academy, and maritime education. Leaders don’t really retire—we just find new ways to contribute.”
A Connecticut Legacy
From ballet lessons in Bridgeport to the Superintendent’s office at Kings Point, Joanna Nunan’s journey is one of resilience, service, and leadership. Her story is more than personal—it’s a chapter in Connecticut’s maritime legacy, and a reminder that “firsts” are never the end of the story, but the beginning of new possibilities.
