Gen. Lori Robinson

General Lori J. Robinson retired from the Air Force in July 2018 after a distinguished 37-year military career. She made history as the first woman to be nominated and confirmed as a combatant commander, serving as Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM). During her tenure, she commanded 1,600 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and civilians from the United States and Canada.

Prior to her command of NORAD and NORTHCOM, Robinson was the Commander, United States Pacific Air Forces, where she was responsible for 45,000 Airmen and was the first woman to command multiple and diverse combat forces in this capacity. She played a pivotal role in delivering combat air power throughout the Pacific Theater and represented the Chief of Staff of the Air Force in meetings with heads of state and political and military leaders throughout the region.

General Robinson also held other significant leadership roles including Director of Joint Capabilities Development (J-8) reporting to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Director of Air Force Legislative Liaison on Capitol Hill, where she was responsible for budget issues and coordination with political leadership in the House and Senate. Earlier in her career, she commanded the Air Force’s only Airborne Warning and Control Wing (AWACS), including command of combat units engaged in the Middle East.

General Robinson has earned two Masters degrees and continues to contribute to national security discussions as a nonresident senior fellow in the Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at the Brookings Institution and the Belfer Center at Harvard. She was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People” in 2016 and appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine in 2017 as part of the TIME “Firsts” project, celebrating 46 women who are changing the world. She remains a sought-after speaker on leadership, overcoming obstacles, and U.S. national security issues. Robinson is married to Major General (Ret) David A. Robinson.