BETHESDA, Md. – Megan Ruggiero joined the Acoustic Systems Branch as branch head earlier this year, bringing nearly a decade of experience from the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and a collaborative, mission-focused leadership style.
With a background in physics and biomedical engineering, Ruggiero didn’t originally envision a career in naval acoustics. But after applying to an interdisciplinary job posting at ONI, she landed in the Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT) department and quickly became immersed in the world of acoustic systems.
“ACINT wasn’t on my radar,” Ruggiero said. “But once I got in, I loved the mission, the people, and the opportunity to love something new every day.”
Over time, she grew into a subject matter expert on machine learning and served as a bridge between developers, engineers, and senior decision makers.
“I kind of blindly walked into the department,” Ruggiero said. “I had no idea about naval acoustics, but I immersed myself in the culture and learned a ton.”
It was in that environment where she evolved into a technical subject matter expert in machine learning, while also discovering methods to bridge communication between senior leadership and research experts across Navy labs and partner institutions.
Now at Carderock, that blend of technical curiosity and communication skills continue to serve her well.
Though her transition to a supervisory role was swift, Ruggiero says it’s one she has approached with intention and mentorship. She credits her ONI mentors with encouraging her to become a technical expert before taking on a supervisory role, a foundation that she says allows her to ask smart questions, advocate for her team, and provide informed feedback without micromanaging.
One of her first priorities was to meet one-on-one with every employee in the branch to better understand their work, goals, and needs. It was a deliberate choice, shaped by her own experiences as an employee.
“In the past, I’ve had supervisors who were very hands-off – you’d talk to them twice a year for performance evaluations,” she said. “But I always wanted someone who really knew me and could help support me as I grew professionally.”
Those initial conversations revealed opportunities to improve cohesion and communication. Across the Acoustic Systems Branch, teams are aligned by separate programs, and Ruggiero noticed a disconnect between them – along with gaps in understanding how each program supports the broader mission.
“We’re separated by program, but that doesn’t mean we should be siloed,” she said. “I’d like to get to a place of continuous collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the teams. I also want to bring our customers in more often so our people can see how their work fits into the bigger picture.”
She’s exploring ways to do that through internal briefings, cross-program learning and developing onboarding tools to help new hires get up to speed more quickly. Ruggiero says that getting people oriented faster helps them contribute sooner and feel more connected to the overall mission.
While she is comfortable taking a step back from day-to-day development, she still supports some machine learning projects and maintains a strong grasp of the work happening in her branch.
“I don’t need to be hands-on with the work to add value,” she said. “What I enjoy most is being able to connect the dots – understanding the work at high level and helping people move it forward. I want to be able to speak smartly about the work we’re doing and ask challenging questions, but I also trust my team to make the best technical decisions.”
She describes her leadership style as intentional and relationship-driven – built on trust, communication, and respect for individual working styles. Her preference for one-on-one conversations, she says, helps create space for open dialogue and deeper understanding across the team.
“I want people to know that I’m approachable and that I genuinely care about what they need to succeed,” Ruggiero said. “Those conversations help me get to know each person – not just what they’re working on, but how they work best.”
That level of awareness is especially important as the branch prepares for a demanding year. Like many teams across the command, the branch is facing tight deadlines, staffing constraints, and increasing pressure to do more with less. Ruggiero is focused on supporting her team without sacrificing sustainability or morale.
“We’re navigating a lot right now – retirements, workload distribution, and shifting priorities,” she said. “My goal is to position people so they can do their best work, and to create the space to say ‘no’ when we need to. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Sometimes, it’s about leveraging what’s already working.”
As a working parent, Ruggiero says she’s especially mindful of how work impacts life outside of it. She encourages her team to prioritize balance and is looking for ways to build flexibility and efficiency into the branch’s routines.
“I want people to be productive and engaged at work but also feel supported enough to be fully present in their lives outside of it,” she said.
Though still early in her tenure, Ruggiero is excited about the direction the branch is heading, and grateful for the team around her.
“Every day, I’m impressed by the people here,” she said. “Their technical aptitude, their commitment, and their willingness to go above and beyond – it’s inspiring. I feel fortunate to be part of it.”