Navy Affiliate

Captain Dewon Chaney

Captain Chaney was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Following high school, he enlisted in the Navy in 1993 and was selected to attend the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program following basic training. He earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College and commissioned via the NROTC program in the summer of 1998.

Captain Chaney was designated a Naval Aviator in July 2000 and then reported to HC-3 in San Diego for H-46 fleet replacement training after completing a brief H-60 qualification at HSL-40 in Mayport, FL. Captain Chaney’s operational assignments include his junior officer tour with the “Providers” of HC-5 in Yigo, Guam where he deployed on the USNS San Jose (AFS 7), USNS Kiska (AE 35), and twice onboard USS Essex (LHD 2). CAPT Chaney served aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as the V-2 Waist Catapult Branch Officer and V-1 Flight Deck Officer. His department head tour was with the “Island Knights” of HSC-25 where he deployed to Basrah, Iraq. He commanded the “Wildcards” of HSC-23 and the “Merlins” of HSC-3.

Shore and staff assignments include Flag Aide to the 53rd Chief of Naval Personnel, a tour at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee as the Helicopter Sea Assignments Officer, and a Pentagon tour as Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs within the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. In October 2019, Captain Chaney reported for duty as the first Commander, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing (CMV-22 Commodore) and his team successfully procured and deployed CMV-22s onboard USS CARL VINSON. Following his Major Command tour, CAPT assumed the duties of Executive Assistant to the 59th and 60th Chief of Naval Personnel.

Captain Chaney attended the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, completing his Phase I Joint Professional Military Education, and earning a Master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He also completed Phase II Joint Professional Military Education at the Joint Forces Staff college.

He has accumulated over 2,000 flight hours in various aircraft to include the H-46, H-60, and V-22. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Strike/Flight Air Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), the Army Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and several unit, campaign and service awards. CAPT Chaney is an avid supporter and lifetime member of NNOA. In addition to his current position as the Navy Affiliate for NNOA, he has served as Chapter Vice President, interim President and Chapter Senior Advisor at the local level

Ms. Karen M. Davis, Navy Civilian Liaison

Ms. Karen M. Davis serves as the Executive Director for Industrial Operations, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) where in addition to directorate executive leadership, her principal responsibilities include executive oversight and support of the four public naval shipyards encompassing more than 37,000 civilian and military personnel executing major maintenance and modernization availabilities on the Navy’s submarines, aircraft carriers, and supporting surface ship maintenance. She has executive oversight of the Navy’s four Supervisors of Shipbuilding and Repair organizations colocated with major shipbuilders as the Navy’s on-site technical, contractual and business authority, partnered with private industry to ensure the highest quality ships are delivered to the fleet.

Ms. Davis’ immediate past position was Executive Director, Program Executive Office (PEO) Aircraft Carriers where she was the senior civilian official leading a $50 billion portfolio that includes design and construction of Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, execution of mid-life Refueling Complex Overhauls (RCOH) for Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, inactivation of ex-USS Enterprise (CVN 65), and life cycle support for all in-service aircraft carriers in the fleet. Prior to this position she served as Director for Surface Warfare, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management Office. This brief assignment charged her with leadership of mission portfolio management, policy, investments in ground interdiction and maritime interdiction capabilities, and evaluation of essential mission areas across system-of-systems to execute mission threads. Prior to this assignment, Ms. Davis served two years as Executive Director, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Fort Bragg, NC, where she led resourcing, support and business integration matters for JSOC’s assigned, attached, and augmented forces conducting special operations in protection of the Homeland and U.S. interests abroad. She previously served as Executive Director, PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants, providing executive oversight of multi-billion dollar programs for development, acquisition and sustainment of Littoral Combat Ships, Future Frigates, International Small Combatants, mine warfare and unmanned maritime systems. Before this position, she served three years as the Executive Director for Surface Warfare at Naval Sea Systems Command, responsible for a $15 billion portfolio for fleet support of surface ships, inactive ships, foreign military sales and ship transfer programs. Ms. Davis’ initial SES assignment was as Director, Integrated Combat Systems, PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, leading engineering of integrated combat solutions for Navy surface combatants, amphibious ships and aircraft carriers.

Prior to selection to the Senior Executive Service (SES), Ms. Davis’ career progression included numerous engineering and program management leadership positions starting as an AEGIS Weapon System Engineer at Port Hueneme Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (PHD NSWC) within NAVSEA, where she led Combat System Ship Qualification Trials and at-sea test events. She completed a one-year detail with the AEGIS Test Team, Bath, Maine, leading warfare system integration and testing in the first AEGIS Destroyer.

Ms. Davis also served as lead engineer for Topside Signature Control / Passive Countermeasure Systems and after a year of managing these efforts, she was promoted to lead the PHD NSWC branch responsible for Ship Self Defense Systems In-Service Engineering. Ms. Davis then transitioned to NAVSEA Headquarters, Washington Navy Yard, DC via the Commander’s Development Program (CDP).

Following CDP, Ms. Davis was selected as Assistant Program Manager for CVN 68 Class Aircraft Carrier Construction within PEO Aircraft Carriers, where she managed two aircraft carrier shipbuilding projects, and subsequently was selected to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) staff as Director for Aircraft Carriers and Amphibious Assault Ships within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Ship Programs). Her duties included informing Navy Acquisition Executive decisions and responding to Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congressional oversight. After four years, Ms. Davis returned to PEO Aircraft Carriers when slated as the Deputy Program Manager for the Future Aircraft Carriers Program; a Major Defense Acquisition Category One Program valued at over $30 billion.

Ms. Davis was subsequently selected as the Marine Corps Systems Command Program Manager for Information Systems and Infrastructure, where she provided senior leadership to approximately three hundred civilian and military personnel responsible for acquisition and sustainment of Marine Corps information technology solutions and the associated infrastructure. She returned to the Navy when slated as the Major Program Manager for Advanced Technology within PEO Integrated Warfare Systems and was selected to the SES from this position.

Ms. Davis, a graduate of Clemson University, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Management. As a member of the Defense Acquisition Workforce, she is certified in Program Management and Engineering. Ms. Davis also earned certification in Business and Professional Coaching from North Carolina State University. Her professional recognition includes the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Navy Superior Civilian Service Award, Blacks in Government DoD Meritorious Service Award, Navy Chief Information Officer Information Technology Excellence Award and several Special Act Commendations from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition).