Colonel (Air Force retired) Victoria Bowens is the Associate Director, Diversity and Inclusion for the Director, Diversity Management Operations Center, in the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and Defense Human Resources Activity. Victoria has over 30 years of experience in the Human Resources domain spanning across a myriad of human resources and manpower management programs in the areas strategic planning; training and development; program and project management and joint military and civilian personnel programs. In this capacity, Ms. Bowens is responsible for providing strategic and operational direction and support to the military services and Department of Defense (DoD) Components to attract, develop, and retain a diverse workforce with the unique skills affecting 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel and 950,000 DoD civilians. Ms. Bowens is an accomplished diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility renowned Thought Leader with over 12 years advising senior leaders, academia and industry partners on diversity matters affecting DoD and published DoD’s first Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan in 2012 and the Department of Navy’s Diversity Roadmap in 2017.

Previously, Ms. Bowens served as the Director, Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Navy, where she was responsible for providing advice and counsel to the Assistant Secretary to the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Civilian Human Resources on strategies to address the Navy and Marine Corps military and civilian diversity and inclusion challenges for a workforce of over 900,000.

Ms. Bowens graduated from the University of Akron, Ohio, and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer’s Training Corps as a distinguished graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Management; a Master’s of Arts Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University; and a Master’s degree in Military Operational Art/Science from the Air Force’s Air University. She is a graduate from several Air Force-level schools and held a variety of positions at the squadron, wing, staff and in joint level organizations across a spectrum of 16 positions at 10 locations.

Ms. Bowens is a Certified Diversity Professional, New Inclusion Quotient Certified Game Changer and a certified Coach from the John Maxwell Program. She is also a recognized Air Force Human Resources expert having received two Air Force level honors as the Senior Personnel Manager of the year in 2002 and Junior Personnel Manager of the year in 1997.

Ms. Bowens’ awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In 2018, she was recognized by Wonder Woman Tech as a Black Innovator in STEM + Arts; in 2013, she was selected as the National Association of Professional Women, “Professional Woman of the Year;” recognized as “Worldwide Who’s Who” in the Registry of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs for 2012-2013; and honored as one of the Most Influential in the 2nd Edition of “Who’s Who” Black in Washington, D.C, in 2010.