Stefanie Link is the Executive Director for In-service submarines for Program Executive Office Attack Submarines (PEO SSN). She is responsible for technical and programmatic matters for in-service nuclear powered submarines and deep submergence systems and related lifecycle support, maintenance planning and execution, quality assurance and safety. Ms. Link was promoted to the Senior Executive Service in January 2023 and has 28 years of civilian service.
Prior to her promotion to the Senior Executive service, Ms. Link served as the Deputy Construction Manager for the Columbia Class Submarine Program from October 2017 to January 2023. She was responsible for the planning and execution of lead and follow ship construction at the nuclear shipbuilders and coordination with the United Kingdom (UK) for the Dreadnought programs.
Ms. Link also served as the Columbia construction material manager from September 2015 to October 2017 and led the joint government and nuclear shipbuilder material and supplier base effort across the submarine and carrier program offices. During this time, Stefanie also served as a rotational action officer for Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (DASN) Ships. From December 2012 to September 2015, Ms. Link was assigned as a future operations planner in Naples, Italy for Commander Navy Installation Command’s (CNIC) Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia Region.
From February 2007 to December 2012, Stefanie served as the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) Depot availabilities manager for the NAVSEA Strategic and Attack Submarine Program Office in Washington, D.C. Stefanie managed 14 Chief of Naval Operations Depot level submarine availabilities at PSNS to include engineered refueling overhauls for multiple strategic submarines, the USS San Francisco post collision repair and bow restoration, and other attack submarine maintenance periods.
From January 2001 to January 2007, Stefanie served in multiple assignments to include availability manager for the USNS Lewis and Clark (TAKE-1) with Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath, Maine, San Diego Detachment in San Diego, California, and Special Projects Engineer for the Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP) Groton serving as the senior on-site representative at PSNS for the USS Ohio and USS Michigan conversions from Strategic to Attack Weapons Systems platforms. Stefanie began her career in Navy acquisition in 2001 serving as an Industrial Engineer for SUPSHIP Groton, supporting new construction efforts for USS Jimmy Carter and USS Virginia.
In May 1993, Stefanie Link was commissioned through ROTC as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During four years of active duty and six years as a reservist, Stefanie served in engineer officer assignments with the 5th Engineer Battalion (Corps)(Mechanized), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters, Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany and the 368th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Heavy) in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Following completion of active duty, Stefanie was employed as an engineer with the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group from 1997-1998.
Ms. Link holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri at Rolla. Stefanie holds DAWIA Level III Certification in Program Management, and Level II certifications in Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering, and Manufacturing, Production and Quality Assurance.
Ms. Link received the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal in 2023 and 2012 and the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Individual Achievement Award for Production, Quality, and Manufacturing in 2020.