Captain Christiaan (Chris) van Westendorp
Director of the NOAA Corps Commissioned Personnel Center
Capt. Christiaan (Chris) van Westendorp is the director of the NOAA Corps Commissioned Personnel Center. He has served with NOAA and the U.S. Navy since 1999, devoted to developing and leading the nation's premier mariners, scientists, scientific operators and support staff, while promoting inter-agency and international advances in hydrography, oceanography and atmospheric sciences.
Over the course of nearly 11 years of sea duty, he served up through the officer ranks onboard the Navy nuclear submarine USS Oklahoma City and numerous NOAA ships, including Thomas Jefferson and Ferdinand R. Hassler. His seagoing experience culminated in command of Thomas Jefferson from 2016-2019, where he led an unprecedented range of missions from demonstrating the capability of uncrewed small craft to conducting emergency response surveys in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Maria.
He has served in senior leadership NOAA headquarters positions within the National Ocean Service's Office of Coast Survey and NOAA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Most recently as Executive Director to the Deputy Under Secretary for Operations, where he served as chief of staff and key advisor to NOAA's senior career official on program and policy issues, particularly in the area of workforce wellness.
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Capt. van Westendorp received a Navy commission and Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999, later transferring to the NOAA Commissioned Corps in 2005. He holds a Master of Science in Marine Sciences from Savannah State University and Certificate in Public Leadership from the Brookings Institution, as well as has completed a Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executive Fellowship.
Capt. van Westendorp's notable citations include two Department of Commerce Gold Medals, Department of Commerce Bronze Medal, NOAA Corps Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and four NOAA Corps Commendation medals, in addition to numerous other individual, unit and campaign awards.
United States