Agosto Justice Center Lecture to Feature First Woman to Serve as U.S. Navy JAG

Home Law School News Agosto Justice Center Lecture to Feature First Woman to Serve as U.S. Navy JAG

Nan DeRenzi achieved the rank of vice admiral in 2012, becoming the first woman judge advocate general (JAG) of the Navy. She will be the featured presenter Oct. 15 for the annual lecture hosted by South Texas College of Law Houston’s Agosto Justice Center for Leadership and Empowerment.

In her presentation, titled “Keep Moving Forward: Awareness, Access, and Attitude,” DeRenzi will share her experiences while rising through the ranks and guiding Navy leaders through a variety of legal issues. This annual lecture is presented by the Agosto Justice Center, which was made possible by a generous donation from alumnus Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95 and his wife Nichole.

Commissioned through the JAG Corps Student Program and a graduate of Temple University School of Law in 1986, DeRenzi began her career as a litigator — first as a defense counsel and later as a trial counsel in Newport, R.I. She served the U.S. 7th and 3rd fleets as fleet judge advocate to the fleet commanders, and was staff judge advocate to the commander of the Carrier Group 7.

When DeRenzi served as fleet judge advocate for the U.S. Navy, her role was to ensure compliance with the Rules of Engagement and international law. In that capacity, she advised commanders on where they could operate their ships, fly their aircraft, and use their weapons in self-defense versus mission accomplishment. 

As leader of the JAG Corps, part of DeRenzi’s job was education and personnel development. “We continually sought to identify quality individuals who would be a good fit in the JAG Corps,” she said. “We also worked to maintain a culture of high standards that they would want to be a part of. We wanted each individual to feel like they were part of a high-performing group that cared about each other.”

The focus of the Agosto Justice Center — supporting a diverse community — dovetails nicely with DeRenzi’s responsibilities. “The Navy should look like the country we serve,” she said. “Diversity is important for so many reasons: diversity of thought, representation, and quality of work.”

When DeRenzi joined the Navy in 1986, about 16% of the JAG Corps was women. By the time she retired in 2015, that percentage was almost a third, and now it’s about 40%.

DeRenzi reflected on some of the challenges she faced in her work.

“When I went into an operational environment as a lawyer, advising on operational rules, ethics, and international law, it was difficult at first,” she noted. “I worked hard to integrate the group, understand their views, and be proactive. I never felt I had to change who I was to fit in.”

The pressure she put on herself was intense, though. “If you were good at what you did, the Navy didn’t care who you were or what you looked like. But I was motivated by the thought that if I didn’t do well, would they be willing to take a chance on another woman?”

DeRenzi found that being a woman was beneficial when addressing sexual assault in the military. She testified before Congress and other audiences. “As a woman, I was able to say things candidly that men may have had trouble saying.”

Along with advancing naval objectives, DeRenzi mentored up-and-coming leaders, noting, “We all need someone to show us the ropes.” She would advise them to “be good at what you do, be proactive, don’t let setbacks discourage you, have a sense of humor, and keep going.”

Following her retirement, DeRenzi worked for a small, woman-owned consulting firm, overseeing its human resources policies, information technology, and financial operations. Her contributions helped the company grow from 35 employees to 101 in five years.

In May, she earned a master’s degree in biblical studies from Virginia Theological Seminary and will soon join the seminary’s Academic Resource Center. She also hopes to volunteer as a hospital lay chaplain. These roles continue to fulfill her desire to be part of something bigger than herself.

“Seminary is actually a lot like law school,” she said. “It can be overwhelming. So it’s rewarding to be able to mentor and guide the students and say ‘you’ll be okay. Just keep moving forward.’ ”

To register for the upcoming Agosto Justice Center lecture on Oct. 15, 2024, click here: The Agosto Justice Center for Leadership and Empowerment Lecture

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