Ashley Godwin joins SCA as Senior Defense Advisor

Ashley Godwin has joined the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) as Senior Defense Advisor. Ms. Godwin will serve as SCA’s principal interface with Capitol Hill on issues related to major new construction Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard shipbuilding. 

“Ashley comes to us as a professional consultant on government acquisition and budgeting for Navy and Marine Corps programs, as well as specializing in Defense Authorization and the Appropriations Committees,” says SCA.  “Additionally, Ashley has extensive experience in industry and government having worked on Capitol Hill, in the White House, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (FM&C) and as a government relations executive at Northrop Grumman Corporation. ”

At SCA, Ms. Godwin will focus on the Navy and Marine Corps budget processes, including the SCN and OPN accounts.  She will also be the face of the SCA on the Hill, carrying the SCA flag to Members of Congress to ensure that the industry’s message is heard.  

SCA’s Chairman, Chris Bollinger of Bollinger Shipyards, heralded Ashley’s decision to join SCA: “The addition of Ashley’s significant talents to SCA’s staff leaves no question that the Council is now even better positioned to work with the appropriate committees on Capitol Hill and the Department of Defense to help ensure that the shipyard industrial base remains qualified and competitive to meet America’s security demands.” 

SCA President Matthew Paxton stated, “Ashley is one of a very few with such a breadth of understanding and expertise in Navy shipbuilding. We are pleased she has joined the Association as we continue to look to serve our government customers.” 

SCA is the national trade association representing the U.S. shipyard industry.  SCA members constitute the shipyard industrial base that builds, repairs, maintains and modernizes Navy ships and craft, U.S. Coast Guard vessels of all sizes, as well as vessels for other government agencies. In addition, SCA members build, repair and service America’s fleet of commercial vessels. The Council represents 52 companies that own and operate over 120 shipyards, with facilities on all three U.S. coasts, the Great Lakes, the inland waterways system, Alaska and Hawaii.  Over 100,000 people are directly employed in U.S. shipyards. SCA also represents 72 affiliate members that provide goods and services to the shipyard industry. 

February 15, 2012