Military Advisory Board

April Beldo

Fleet Master Chief, U.S. Navy Retired

Master Chief Beldo, a native of Lancaster, California, graduated from Desert High School in 1982 and joined the U.S. Navy through the Delayed Entry Program and completed basic training in May 1983.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College and master’s degree in management from American Military University.
 
Throughout her 34-year military career, she served in various roles to include Command Master Chief of Recruit Training Command, Naval Service Training Command, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Force Master Chief for Naval Education and Training Command, and Fleet Master Chief of Personnel/ Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education.  
 
Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) and numerous unit awards.
 
She retired from the U.S. Navy in 2017 and is currently the Director of Enterprise Events and Protocol with United Services Automobile Association.
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Kendall Card

Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy Retired

Admiral Card, a native of Fort Stockton, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from U.S. Naval War College, and is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate.
 
Throughout his 36-year military career, he served in various roles to include Director, Command Control Systems at North American Aerospace Defense Command/U.S. Northern Command, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group THREE, Director of Concepts, Strategies, and Integration for Information Dominance, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance, and the 64th Director of Naval Intelligence.
 
He has over 3,900 flight hours and has received various awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), a Bronze Star, and several personal, service, and campaign honors. 
 
He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2013 and is fully retired after a second career as Director of U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community Integration for the Global Security Directorate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
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Theresa Carter

Major General, U.S. Air Force Retired

General Carter is a distinguished military graduate of Purdue’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and earned a doctorate in business administration from Drexel University, among other advanced degrees.  
 
Throughout her 31-year military career she served in roles to include Installation Commander for Joint Base San Antonio, the largest joint base in the Department of Defense. Notably, she was the first female civil engineering officer promoted to brigadier general and the first female to serve as the Air Force Civil Engineer, the highest-ranking officer in her field.  She led a reorganization, creating the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, serving as its first commander.
 
She has earned accolades and distinctions from Purdue University, including the title of Distinguished Engineering Alumna in 2013, induction into the Purdue ROTC Hall of Fame in 2011, and the Purdue School of Industrial Engineering’s Outstanding Industrial Engineer award in 2010. She was appointed to the Purdue University Board of Trustees in July 2020 and is actively involved on the boards of Purdue Global, the Purdue Applied Research Institute, and the Purdue Alumni Association. She is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia. 
 
She retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2016 and is currently an independent consultant providing strategic leadership and management advisory services to the Department of Defense and corporate clients.
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Steffanie Easter

Federal Senior Executive Service Retired

Ms. Easter earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University, and her masters of engineering degree from The Catholic University of America.  She received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from both Universities.
She was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2002 and has more than 30 years of federal service.  In 2018 she became both the first civilian to serve as Director of Navy Staff.  She previously served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA(ALT), and the senior civilian for the F-35 Joint Program.
 
She has been recognized with multiple awards including the Presidential Rank Award; the Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award; the Army Exceptional Civilian Service Award; and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award. She is also the recipient of the 2010 Back Engineer of the Year Award for Professional Achievement and the 2009 National Women of Color Award for Managerial Leadership.  
 
She retired from federal service in 2019 and is currently the Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions. 
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Karen Gibson

Lieutenant General, U.S. Army Retired

General Gibson is a native of Bozeman, Montana, she earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University, a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College, and a master’s degree in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University.
 
Throughout her 33-year military career she held various roles in intelligence and cyberspace operations with notable assignments as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for National Security Partnerships, Director of Intelligence for United States Central Command, Director of Intelligence for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, and Deputy Commanding General for U.S. Army Cyber Command.
 
Among her various awards and decorations, she is a recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Superior Service Medal with combat device.
 
She retired from the U.S. Army in 2020 and as of March 22, 2021 is the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate.
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Charles W. Ray

Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Retired

Admiral Ray, a native of Newport, Arkansas, earned a bachelor’s degree from the Coast Guard Academy, a master’s degree from The Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a master’s degree in industrial administration from Purdue University.  He holds Federal Aviation Administration certifications in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
 
Throughout his 40-year military career he held various roles to include Deputy Commandant for Operations, Pacific Area Commander, Deputy Pacific Area Commander, the Fourteenth Coast Guard District Commander, Director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission for the Ministry of Interior, Military Advisor to the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security, and culminating as 31st Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

He has over 5,000 flight hours and has received several prestigious awards, including the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. 
 
He retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2021 and was most recently the Tyler Chair in Leadership Studies at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
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Scott R. Van Buskirk

Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy Retired

Admiral Van Buskirk, a native of Petaluma, California, is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
 
Throughout his 34-year military career he held various roles to include Commander, Task Force Total Force, Deputy to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Effects (MNF-Iraq); Commander, Carrier Strike Group NINE, Assistant Deputy, Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy; Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet; 47th Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education/56th Chief of Naval Personnel.
 
His accolades include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (seven awards), Order of the Rising Sun (Japan), Order of National Security Merit (Republic of Korea), and various other personal, unit, and service honors. 
 
He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2013 and is currently the Vice President for Strategic Program Development with Oceaneering.
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Christopher P. Weggeman

Lieutenant General, U.S. Air Force Retired

General Weggeman is a distinguished military graduate of Purdue’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program, and earned a master’s degree in military strategic studies from the U.S. Air War College and a master’s degree in military arts and sciences from Army Command and General Staff College.
 
Throughout his 34-year military career he served in various roles to include Commander, 24th Air Force and Commander, Air Forces Cyber, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and as a combat-proven career long F-16 pilot his career culminated as Deputy Commander, Air Combat Command.
 
He has over 2,800 flight hours and his awards include Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Legion of Merit (one oak leaf cluster), Distinguished Flying Cross with valor, Meritorious Service Medal (three oak leaf clusters), Air Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Aerial Achievement Medal (one oak leaf cluster), and various other personal, unit, and service honors. 
 
He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2021 and is currently a Managing Director with Deloitte.
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