Jennifer Plozai serves as the Director of Coast Guard Communications for the U.S. Coast Guard and is a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES). In this role, she leads enterprise-wide communications and public engagement strategies that advance the Service’s mission and strengthen public trust. Ms. Plozai oversees communications and engagement with Congress, the media, the public, the workforce and intergovernmental partners, while directing Legislative Affairs, Public Affairs, Partnerships and Engagement, History and Heritage, and the National Coast Guard Museum.
Ms. Plozai brings more than 25 years of leadership in strategic communications, public affairs and stakeholder engagement across the federal government. Prior to joining the Coast Guard, Ms. Plozai spent over two decades leading high-profile federal communications programs. She served as the Director of the Office of Communications for Justice Programs at the Department of Justice, and as the Public and Media Affairs Chief and senior spokesperson for the National Science Foundation. Additionally, she served as Director of External Communications for the Transportation Security Administration, where she managed global media relations and spearheaded the creation of the award-winning AskTSA social media care program.
Earlier in her career, she served as Chief of Strategic Communications and Speechwriter for the Department of Defense Inspector General—which included serving on a Coalition Support Funds assessment team in Islamabad, Pakistan—as well as service with the Air Force Pentagon Communications Agency. Ms. Plozai began her federal service with the U.S. Coast Guard, where she served as a member of a small boat search and rescue crew in St. Petersburg, Florida, before supporting the National Boating Safety Campaign while stationed at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California. In addition to her government service, Ms. Plozai is an Adjunct Professor at American University, where she teaches strategic communications in the School of Public Affairs.
Ms. Plozai’s leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Department of Homeland Security Customer Service Award, the Partnership for Public Service Basics Award for Ingenuity and Results, and the 2026 Service to the Citizen Award for Customer Experience Trailblazer, and the Department of Defense Distinguished and Meritorious Civilian Service Medals. In 2016, she was selected by the White House as a federal change-maker and participated in a retreat at Camp David focused on addressing complex government challenges.
Ms. Plozai holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from University of Michigan-Dearborn and a master’s degree in Policy Management from Georgetown University. She is also a graduate of the Defense Information School, Partnership for Public Service Fellowship Program, DHS Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program, Harvard Senior Executive Fellows Program, and Stanford Executive Leadership Program.