Director for DoDEA

Marilee Fitzgerald

As the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, Ms. Marilee Fitzgerald has oversight of all DoDEA schools, in the U.S. and overseas. She was selected as the Director in November 2011 and had previously served as the acting Director since June 2010.

Prior to her recent service with DoDEA, Marilee Fitzgerald was appointed as the Director of Workforce Issues and International Programs, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy, in June 2005. She oversaw and approved the Department of Defense (DoD) human resource policies and programs that affect over 700,000 employees worldwide. She also served as the Principal Deputy to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy. During her tenure, she led the transformation of the Senior Executive Service and the creation of the DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW).

Ms. Fitzgerald also served as the Deputy Director for Field Advisory Services for the DoD Civilian Personnel Management Services, and served as its Acting Director before joining the staff of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy. The Civilian Personnel Management Service provides DoD-wide policy and support to Component Headquarters and all operating field civilian personnel offices in the human resources arena. As Deputy Director for Advisory Services, Ms. Fitzgerald was responsible for executive program oversight, policy development, and management of field advisory services for the DoD civilian personnel program, including programs functioning through both appropriated and nonappropriated funds. In addition, she was responsible for the coordination of wage surveys, development of the resultant wage schedules, and development and issuance of special salary rates for the Department. Ms. Fitzgerald was charged with planning and implementing human resource strategies to meet Department-wide strategic plans for civilian personnel management. Within that strategic vision, she assisted the Department in drafting legislative proposals and other policy and regulatory guidance to meet the strategic direction.

Previously, Ms. Fitzgerald served as the Associate Director of Management for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). As the Associate Director of Management, Ms. Fitzgerald provided executive leadership in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating major system-wide support in the areas of human resources, logistics, procurement, financial management, information technology, and the management control functions.

Earlier, Ms. Fitzgerald held several positions with the DoD school system including: Chief of Staff, Chief of Executive Services and Chief of Staffing. In accomplishing these functions, she was responsible for conducting and overseeing long-range and strategic planning based on the strategic goals of DoDEA, the military, DoD initiatives and priorities, and Congressional requirements. She has also led many of the DoDEA reorganization and realignment projects, which included the decentralization of civilian personnel and other management functions within DoDEA, and the transformation to automated services.

Ms. Fitzgerald holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland, with an additional concentration in secondary education, and has completed graduate work in Education and Human Development at the George Washington University. She is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive for sustained superior accomplishments in the management of significant Department of Defense programs. She was also awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award for her distinguished accomplishments with the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award for her distinguished service in civilian personnel policy.

Ms. Fitzgerald is married to Dr. Dennis Fitzgerald. They have two daughters and one son.