Ms. Bonacic entered the Senior Executive Service in May 2020 as the Executive Director, Cost Engineering and Industrial Analysis, Naval Sea Systems Command, where she provides executive leadership for more than 100 personnel responsible for cost engineering and industrial analysis for programs under the cognizance of NAVSEA and affiliated Program Executive Offices (PEOs) including submarines, ships, combat systems, and complex weapon systems. She serves as a consultant to the Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, functional directorates, and PEOs on ship acquisition, life cycle cost, and matters concerning the historic, current and emerging trends in shipbuilding and the industrial base to assist in program planning and acquisition.
From December 2019 until May 2020, Ms. Bonacic served under the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN (RD&A)) in the position of Director for Submarines, where she provided executive level acquisition coordination of the VIRGINIA and COLUMBIA Class submarine new construction programs.
From 2007 until 2019, Ms. Bonacic held various key leadership positions in the Virginia Class submarine program. As Deputy Program Manager, she provided leadership over 150 personnel in the design, construction, test and certification, and delivery of Virginia Class submarines. She contributed to 3 successive multi-year construction contracts for the procurement of 28 ships of progressively advanced capability and constituting 60% of the total planned size of the Class. As the Business and Acquisition Principal Assistant Program Manager, she was responsible for proper administration and accounting of a $5+ billion annual budget, as authorized by Congress for the design and construction of submarines. She was personally responsible for managing the program office division responsible for all procurements, acquisition planning, and fiscal management. From 2007 to 2010, Ms. Bonacic held the position of Acquisition Head, responsible for the generation and approval of formal acquisition documentation required for Defense Acquisition Boards, ensuring information was positioned appropriately for decision makers. As the Program Office spokesperson, she was responsible for all public affairs coordination with industry, Navy and OSD stakeholders, Congress, and the media.
From 2003 to 2007, Ms. Bonacic held the position of Business and Financial Manager for Submarine Acoustic Systems, responsible for all facets of financial management required to execute simultaneous Acoustic System development and production and provide life cycle support to the entire operational fleet of submarines.
Ms. Bonacic entered civil service in 1989 in the NAVSEA SSN688 and Trident Class combat system office, which eventually merged with the SSN688I BSY-1 office. She filled various program and contract management rolls of progressing responsibility, gaining experience in competitive procurement as a member of several Technical Evaluation Review Panels. She has over 30 years of civilian service with the Navy.
Ms. Bonacic is the recipient of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award, and holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Old Dominion and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Troy State.