CAPT Christina Hicks is an Information Warfare officer and the daughter of a Navy Chief. She is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Project Management Professional, designated Joint Qualified Officer, a member of Navy's Space Cadre, and holds degrees in Professional Physics, Engineering Management, and Space Systems Operations. After receiving her commission, Hicks reported to the USS ASHLAND (LSD 48) as the Combat Information Center Officer and earned her Surface Warfare Officer designation. Upon completion of Navy Nuclear Power School, she served on the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as Reactor Mechanical Division Officer where she deployed to the North Atlantic during SUMMER PULSE '04 and qualified Nuclear Engineering Officer. She later returned to the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as the Combat Systems Information Officer and deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Hicks commanded the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Guam and served on the Chief of Naval Operations staff in Washington, D.C. Other shore assignments include: the Military Ultra High Frequency Strategic Satellite Communications Manager and Aide-de-Camp to the Commander at U.S. Strategic Command; Executive Officer to the Director of Command and Control Communications and Computer Systems, J6, and the Chief of Operations for the Joint Cyber Center at U.S. Central Command; Operations Officer at Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Atlantic; Military Team Lead and C4I Chief for Joint Collective Training at U.S. Special Operations Command; and most recently served as the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. Hicks currently serves as Commanding Officer of Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command and Commander, Task Force 1020 whose mission is to execute defensive cyber operations and enable global power projection through proactive network defense. She has served on teams that have been recognized with numerous awards and is the recipient of the Legion of Merit Award, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3), Navy Meritorious Service Medal (2) and Commendation Medal (3). She also received the 2009 Admiral William Adger Moffett Space Systems Award for her contributions to the application of emerging space technologies and the 2015 Sparky Baird Award for the outstanding SIGNAL Magazine article of the year.