Captain Bailey assumed the role as the Chief of Staff, Coast Guard Atlantic Area in June 2025. In this role, she directly supports the Area Command and Commander, Defense Force East, DHS Joint Forces Maritime and manages the staff, subordinate units and major cutters responsible for all Coast Guard missions east of the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, and East Coast of the United States throughout the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf.
She previously served as Commanding Officer of Activities Europe (ACTEUR) serving as Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, ensuring U.S. commercial vessel and foreign cruise ship compliance with U.S. regulations and international conventions throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In addition, she oversees the International Port Security Program's efforts to meet the congressional mandate to assess anti-terrorism measures and verify implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code at ports in 83 countries.
Prior to her assignment to ACTEUR, she served as Deputy Commander of Sector Columbia River headquartered in Warrenton, Oregon located at the mouth of the Columbia River. The Sector spans the southern half of Washington, all of Oregon, most of Idaho, and includes 465 miles of navigable rivers, 420 miles of coastline, 33 ports, and 12 river bars.
Captain Bailey enlisted in 1995 and received her commission in 1998. Her first assignment was as Deck Watch Officer on CGC COURAGEOUS in Panama City, Florida until 2000 when she started her Prevention career. She served as a Marine Inspector and Command Duty Officer at Marine Safety Office Puget Sound; Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge as was the Chief, Inspections Division, Senior Investigating Officer, Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security Division Chief, and Reserve Division Chief: Coast Guard Headquarters Office of Standards and Policy in the Hazardous Materials Division; Sector Puget Sound as Assistant Chief, Inspections Division and Chief, Domestic; Commanding Officer of the Marine Safety Unit in Houma, Louisiana; and the Atlantic Area Commander’s Executive Assistant and was acting Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Portland, Oregon, June to December 2021.
Captain Bailey is from Lincoln, Nebraska and a 1994 graduate from the University of Nebraska where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Sciences—Natural Resources. She has also earned a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security from American Military University.