A Legacy of Leadership: Sailor’s 38-year Career Sets Standard for Sexual Assault Prevention

This year’s Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month observance was the last one for Capt. Jessica Beard, who officially retires in June, capping a 38-year military career that includes advocating for victims of sexual assault and driving systemic change. A decorated sexual assault prevention officer and deputy chief of staff for Navy Region Hawaii, she will leave behind a robust framework of prevention, education, and survivor-centered care that will continue to guide sexual assault prevent and response initiatives long after her departure.

“Capt. Beard championed a culture of dignity, respect, and accountability by consistently advocating for survivor-centered care and ensuring leadership engagement across the Region,” said Michelle Dewberry, sexual assault prevent and response (SAPR) program manager for Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH). “She will be deeply missed for her steady leadership, her genuine care for Sailors and families, and her unwavering commitment to building safe, supportive environments.”

Beard brought a wealth of executive medical experience to CNRH when she joined the team in 2023. Prior to her arrival in Hawaii, she served full-time as the director for nursing services and chief nurse officer at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where she oversaw more than 2,000 employees.

Her move to CNRH coincided with a major personal and professional milestone: graduating with a Ph.D. in nursing practices and executive medicine, as well as a Master of Business Administration, from Johns Hopkins University. During her time at CNRH, Beard has worked closely with the SAPR team to ensure that all prevention training complies with Navy and Department of War (DoW) standards, ensuring that Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) and Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) communities receive the most effective resources available.

Setting the Standard

Beard’s career began in 1988, when she joined the Navy as a 20-year-old Sailor. She started at the Navy’s lowest enlisted rank of Seaman Recruit and became a Storekeeper, a rating now known as a Logistics Specialist. Beard worked in medical supply by day and earned medical certifications during her off-duty hours to become an emergency medical technician and later a paramedic. Those credentials provided Beard with the skills and necessary experience to build her resume for what she hoped would be a transition to a full-time medical job with the Navy.

In 1996 that dream came true when 23-year-old Beard graduated from the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program at the University of Central Florida, a competitive pathway for active-duty enlisted Sailors and Marines to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing and earn a commission as an Ensign in the Navy Nurse Corps.

From 1997 to 2005, Beard served as a sexual assault response coordinator at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, and at the Navy Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. She also was SAPR victim advocate for four years as an enlisted Sailor.

“Throughout my career, my goal has been to teach women how to care for themselves, their health, things they can do to stay healthy. And that's what drove me, and also I just love babies, the miracle of a baby going from an egg and a sperm to multiplying into cells, into this human being, is just amazing to me,” Beard said.

In 2007, Beard earned her Master’s in Midwifery and Women’s Health from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.

Motivation to Serve

Beard says her commitment to sexual assault prevention stemmed in part from experiencing a sexual assault herself and from seeing inequities in patient care.

“What inspired me to go into women's health was the disparity in care for women,” said Beard, who saw firsthand how male and female patients were treated differently.

During her time at CNRH, Beard also served as a standby sexual assault medical forensic examiner and was prepared to conduct forensic examinations for victims of sexual assault including collecting evidence from a victim for use in a later criminal trial.

One of Beard’s proudest moments was coordinating a joint Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month proclamation signing in 2025 with CNRH, Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill, and JBPHH.

The leaders’ signatures represented the commitment of their commands to devote more time, resources, and personnel to sexual assault prevention education. Beard said the process of creating and displaying the proclamation inspired other commands to create their own SAPR proclamations.

A Shared Responsibility

Beard believes the first step in preventing sexual assault is understanding the definition of sexual assault. “People think that it's about sex. Sexual assault is not about sex. It's about control and it's a crime,” she explained.

Beard added: “The prevention part of sexual assault and awareness starts with training, and prevention starts with all of us.”

Dewberry reiterated that said sexual assault prevention is a shared responsibility.

“SAPR is a community effort. Every Sailor, civilian, and family member plays a role in prevention, accountability, and supporting survivors,” she said. “Our office remains committed to ensuring safe, respectful environments across Navy Region Hawaii.”

Beard stressed that CNRH will remain committed to sexual assault prevention when Capt. Robert Liberato replaces her in June. Liberato is currently director of total force manpower and personnel for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan.

Beard will mentor Liberato to ensure no lapse in oversight of the CNRH SAPR team and continued compliance with Navy and DoW standards of sexual assault training and response.

SAPR Resources at CNRH

The CNRH SAPR team includes four sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs) who oversee victim support services including the coordination of medical and legal care and handling assault reporting options. SARCs act as a central point of contact and as an advocate for victims to ensure they receive the highest standard of care possible in a timely manner.

Additionally, five victim advocates provide 24/7 confidential support, advocacy, and resources to victims of sexual assault including explaining reporting options, assessing a victim’s immediate needs and making a safety plan. Advocates also provide referrals for counseling, legal or chaplain services.

The SAPR team conducts mandatory sexual assault prevention trainings for service members and organizes various awareness events for all Navy personnel.

For assistance with sexual assault, call the 24/7 Department of War Safe Helpline at 877-995-5247 or the Navy Region Hawaii 24/7 SAPR Crisis Line at 808-722-6192.

For educational resources or to connect with a SAPR team member, the community is invited to stop by the SAPR office in the Military Family Support Center near the Navy Exchange.