Admiral James Stavridis is a retired four-star officer who led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter piracy, and cyber security. He served as Commander of U.S. Southern Command, with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America from 2006-2009. Admiral Stavridis earned a PhD in international relations and has published eleven books and hundreds of articles in leading journals around the world. Admiral Stavridis is Chair Emeritus of the U.S. Naval Institute Board, Vice Chair, Global Affairs, at The Carlyle Group, and Chair of the Board of the Rockefeller Foundation.

His most recent book is The Sailor's Bookshelf: Fifty Books to know the Sea . Rear Admiral Robert Girrier served as Deputy Commander Pacific Fleet and as Director of Operations for U.S. Pacific Command as well as commanding two carrier strike groups, a destroyer squadron, a destroyer, and a mine countermeasures ship. He holds master's degrees in international affairs, marine affairs, and public administration and is the co-author of seven professional book editions, including Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations , the Watch Officer's Guide and the Division Officer's Guide as well as the previous edition of Command at Sea. Rear Admiral Girrier is President Emeritus of Pacific Forum International, an Indo-Pacific focused foreign policy think tank, and founder and managing member of Strategic Navigation, LLC, providing consulting services for strategy and policy. Rear Admiral Fred Kacher has commanded Expeditionary Strike Group 7, Destroyer Squadron 7, and USS Stockdale (DDG 106). He is the co-author of several professional books, including the Newly Commissioned Naval Officers Guide and Naval Officer's Guide to the Pentagon .

A former White House Fellow, he is a recipient of the Surface Navy Association's Elmo Zumwalt Award for Visionary Leadership and the U.S. Navy League's John Paul Jones Inspirational Leadership Award.