Marsha J . Evans Marsha Johnson " Marty " Evans ( born 1947 in Springfield , Illinois ) is a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Navy . Since her retirement from the Navy , Johnson has served as executive director of the Girl Scouts of the USA ( 1998 – 2002 ) , president and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross ( 2002 – 2005 ) and was the interim commissioner of the LPGA for three months in 2009 . She assumed the position on July 13 , 2009 upon the resignation of former commissioner Carolyn Bivens . Michael Whan replaced her as the permanent commissioner in late October 2009 . Early life and education . Born in Springfield , Illinois , Evans earned a bachelor ' s degree in diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College . She later earned a master ' s degree in law and diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University . She did additional study at the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island , and the National War College in Washington , DC . Military career . Evans spent nearly 30 years in the United States Navy , eventually achieving the rank of Rear Admiral . She was commissioned an Ensign following graduation from Women ’ s Officer School at Newport , Rhode Island and was designated as a general unrestricted line officer . Her early assignments included duty with the Defense Intelligence Agency ; Office of the Commander , Fleet Air Western Pacific staff , Atsugi , Japan ; and Office of the Chief of Naval Operations ( OP - 04 ) . In 1973 , she became the first woman Surface Assignments Officer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel and concurrently served as Senior Navy Social Aide to the President of the United States . Following selection as a Chief of Naval Operations Scholar in 1975 , Evans earned a master ’ s degree in law and diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy , Tufts University . Subsequently she served as the Middle East Policy Officer on the staff of the Commander in Chief , U . S . Naval Forces Europe . Selected as a White House Fellow in 1979 , she served a one - year fellowship as Executive Secretary and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury . In early 1981 , she became the Deputy Director of the President ’ s Commission on White House Fellowships . In 1982 , Evans was assigned as Executive Officer , Recruit Training Command , Naval Training Center San Diego , and from 1984 to 1986 as Commanding Officer , Naval Technical Training Center , Treasure Island , San Francisco . She served the next two years as a Battalion Officer at the U . S . Naval Academy . During that assignment , she also chaired the Women Midshipmen Study Group , served on the Navy ’ s 1987 Women ’ s Study , and taught classes in international relations . In 1989 , Evans began a one - year assignment as Chief of Staff , Naval Base San Francisco . On 15 June 1990 , she assumed command of Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco , becoming the first woman to command a U . S . naval station . In November 1991 , she returned to the Naval Academy as Chief of Staff , an assignment that was curtailed in August 1992 when she became the Executive Director of the Standing Committee on Military and Civilian Women in the Department of the Navy . In this capacity , she chaired a task force that developed a strategy to address gender - based issues in the U . S . Navy in the wake of the Tailhook incident . From June 1993 to July 1995 , Evans served as the Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command and became Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School on 8 Sep 1995 . She has also served for seven months as the interim director of the George C . Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch , Germany . Evans is a graduate of the U . S . Naval War College off - campus program and a 1989 graduate of the National War College . She retired from the Navy in 1998 . Post - military career . After retiring from the military , Evans was named executive director of the Girl Scouts of the USA . She held that position from 1998 through 2002 . In 2002 she became president and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross . She resigned under pressure in 2005 following a series of disagreements with the organization ' s board of directors accepting a severance package valued at $ 780 , 000 She was appointed to the board of directors of the LPGA by then - Commissioner Carolyn Bivens in early 2009 , after serving on the commissioner ' s advisory council in 2007 and 2008 . In addition to serving on the LPGA board , Evans also serves on the boards of Office Depot , Weight Watchers International , Huntsman and the U . S . Naval Academy Foundation . In 2008 , she earned $ 953 , 000 in cash and other compensation in exchange for her service on these boards . Evans also engages in public speaking where her booking fee is between $ 20 , 000 and $ 30 , 000 per speech . Personal life . Evans is married to Jerry Evans , a retired Captain in the U . S . Navy and a Naval Aviator . She and her husband live in Jacksonville Beach , Florida .