Heather Ichord

About

Heather Ichord is a program manager in the Human Systems and Energy Portfolios at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), focused on developing and accelerating commercial technologies for the Department of Defense. Ichord previously spent more than a decade on active duty as a logistics officer in the US Marine Corps and joined DIU after working as a consultant at the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. She holds expertise in both public- and private-sector strategy, product development, and support operations. Previously, she served in several educational, recruiting and human resources, and legislative liaison roles. Ichord serves in the US Marine Corps Reserve, where she is currently assigned and leading work on Contested Logistics challenges, Marine Innovation Unit. She is an alumna of the US Naval Academy, where she was a three-time varsity letter winner on the women’s rowing team. She is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina–Wilmington, Boston University, and the Harvard Kennedy School. She serves on the boards of directors of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and Patrol Base Abbate. She lives in greater Boston.