Rear Admiral Lake assumed the duties of Commander, Coast Guard Northeast District in July 2026. He oversees all Coast Guard missions across eight states in the Northeast including over 2,000 miles of coastline from the U.S.-Canadian border to northern New Jersey and 1300 miles offshore.
During his career, Rear Admiral Lake has held a mix of Coast Guard operational and field support assignments. These included service in Coast Guard Cutters MIDGETT and NORTHLAND, at Maintenance & Logistics Command Atlantic, Sector St. Petersburg, FL, and Surface Forces Logistics Center. Rear Admiral Lake also served as the Coast Guard Yard's Industrial Manager, overseeing shipyard operations, and later as the Commanding Officer. The Yard is the largest industrial facility in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Coast Guard’s only public shipyard.
In addition to field assignments, Rear Admiral Lake served in the Coast Guard Office of Budget and Programs where he oversaw formulation of the Service’s $12 billion budget. He later served under the DHS Chief Financial Officer, developing DHS’ annual budget. Rear Admiral Lake also served as the Assistant Program Executive Officer for Surface Acquisitions, where he led the Service’s cutter construction programs at shipyards throughout the nation, valued at over $30 billion, and then as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, supporting human capital, engineering, logistics, acquisitions, and information technology services across the Service.
Rear Admiral Lake’s most recent Flag Officer assignment was the Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Resources and Chief Financial Officer, where he was responsible for all Coast Guard budget, financial and resource management activities facilitating Service operations.
Rear Admiral Lake earned a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from the Coast Guard Academy in 1995. He earned Master of Science degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Business Administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rear Admiral Lake is a Certified Government Financial Manager and Senior Federal Acquisition Program Manager.
Rear Admiral Lake has been awarded the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, five Meritorious Service Medals, and several other personal and unit awards. He is a recipient of the 2018 General Tuttle Award for Business Acumen in Defense and Government, the 2010 American Society of Naval Engineers Perry Award, the 2007 Coast Guard Chief Financial Officer Award, and was awarded by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 2013 for outstanding performance of duty.