WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth swore in Kristen McBride and Ronald “Ron” Corsetti as Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army during an investiture ceremony at the Annual AUSA Conference on Oct. 10, 2023.
“It’s an honor to welcome our two newest CASAs to the Army team,” said Wormuth. “As CASAs they will be great advocates for the Army in their local communities. I have asked them to help share the Army story to help young people see how the Army can give them a sense of purpose and provide a fulfilling career.”
Kristen McBride, from Alabama, is a retired corporate executive with more than 30 years in the defense industry. She is currently a part-time senior business counselor for the University of Alabama in Huntsville's APEX Accelerator, where she advises small businesses interested in doing business with the government at the federal, state and local levels. Ms. McBride spends most of her time volunteering for organizations that support Soldiers, young people, education and economic development in greater Huntsville, Alabama. She has been an active leader in the Association of the United States Army for 20 years, working her way from chapter secretary to third region president. Ms. McBride is the immediate past chair of the board of directors for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She holds a BA in computer science and mathematics (double major) from the University of Tennessee and an MS in computer science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
“I’m honored to serve as CASA in our patriotic North Alabama community,” said McBride. “While this is an Army community, often only those with direct connection to the Army see what our all-volunteer force does for us, the values it promotes and the opportunities it provides for those who choose to be part of it. I look forward to helping tell the Army story, supporting our Soldiers as they ‘Be All They Can Be,’ and strengthening the connection Americans feel to our Army."
Ron Corsetti, from New Hampshire, retired as a colonel after 34 years of service in the Army. His last assignment was in the formation of the 75th Innovation Command and Army Futures Command, where he influenced the design of the largest restructuring of the Army since the Vietnam War. He placed emphasis on leveraging the unique skills, agility and private-sector connectivity of reserve Soldiers for expert counsel to the Army Modernization Enterprise and to further its reach to technology-sector and risk-capital partners. Currently, he serves as president of White Birch Analytics, a due diligence and management advisory firm. He is on the boards of several philanthropic organizations, businesses and institutions and serves as a mentor in the MIT Gordon Engineering Leadership Program. Corsetti is passionate about talent development to advance our national interests. He and his wife Katie have two sons who serve as Army engineer officers on active duty and a daughter who is a physical therapist.
“It is an honor to be given the privilege to continue to serve the exceptional men and women who chose to ‘Be All They Can Be’ in today’s Army,” said Corsetti. “Their story is one of the American people, their aspirations and their progress. The Army is an engine of innovation that energizes our economy with the derivatives of the people and invention it produces. I look forward to working with the Secretary of the Army to tell the Army’s story in the Granite State.”
CASAs promote good relations between the Army and the public, advise the secretary about regional issues, support the total Army workforce and assist with recruiting and helping Soldiers as they transition out of the military.
Each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories have one or more CASAs to provide a vital link between the Army and the communities they serve. CASAs are usually business or civic leaders who possess a keen interest in the welfare of the Army and their communities.
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