Elizabeth Hight Elizabeth A . Hight is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who served as the Vice Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency ( DISA ) . She assumed this post in December 2007 . In 2008 , she was nominated for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as director , Defense Information Systems Agency ; commander , Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations ; and deputy commander , U . S . Strategic Command Global Network Operations and Defense , Arlington , Va . Her nomination was rejected by the Senate due to a perceived conflict of interest with her husband , retired Air Force Brigadier General Gary Salisbury , who is vice president of business development and sales for Northrop Grumman Corp . ' s mission systems sector , defense mission systems division . She retired from the Navy in 2010 . Biography . Rear Adm . Hight graduated Magna Cum Laude from Huntingdon College in 1974 and joined the Navy in March 1977 . Naval career . Her first duty station was Naval Communications Area Master Station Western Pacific , Guam where she was the High - Frequency Receiver Site Division Officer . In 1979 , she reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola where she established the command ’ s first Human Resources Office , followed by two years as the base Public Affairs Officer . In 1984 , Rear Adm . Hight reported to the CNO staff ( OP - 094 ) as the Program Sponsor for the Ultra High Frequency Satellite Communications Program . In July 1986 , she reported to the U . S . Space Command Directorate of Plans ( J5 ) as a plank owner , and in February 1988 , she was selected to serve as a member of the USSPACECOM Commander - in - Chief ’ s Group . In July 1989 , Rear Adm . Hight reported to Director , Communications Security Material Systems as Executive Officer . In July 1991 , she was assigned to the Program Executive Officer for Space , Communications and Sensors ( PMW - 146 ) where she served as the Assistant Program Manager for Operations . In May 1993 , Rear Adm . Hight reported to the Fleet Surveillance Support Command as Commanding Officer . In March 1995 , she reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel as the Assistant Branch Head , Fleet Support Assignments Office . Upon completion of that tour in July 1997 , she transferred to the Joint Staff / J6 where she served as the Chief , Current Operations Division and then as the Executive Assistant to the Director , C4 Systems . In June 2000 , Rear Adm . Hight reported as the U . S . Space Command Liaison Officer to the U . S . European Command , Stuttgart , Germany . In July 2001 , Rear Adm . Hight reported for duty as Commanding Officer , Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic and Program Manager for Mid - Atlantic Region Information Technology . In June 2002 , she was selected for promotion to Rear Admiral ( lower half ) and reported to OPNAV 6 / 7 where she was the Director , Net - Centric Warfare . From 2006 to 2007 , Hight was DISA ’ s Principal Director for Operations and Deputy Commander , Joint Task Force - Global Network Operations . As Principal Director , she was responsible for providing command , control , communications , computer and intelligence support to the nation ’ s warfighters . As Deputy Commander , JTF - GNO , Rear Adm . Hight was responsible to United States Strategic Command ( USSTRATCOM ) for directing the operation and defense of the Global Information Grid ( GIG ) . Rear Admiral Elizabeth A . Hight is currently the Vice Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency ( DISA ) . She helps lead a worldwide organization of more than 6 , 600 military and civilian personnel responsible for planning , developing , and providing interoperable , global net - centric solutions that serve the needs of the President , Secretary of Defense , Joint Chiefs of Staff , the combatant commanders , and other Department of Defense ( DoD ) components . Career At HP . On January 11 , 2010 it was announced that Elizabeth A . Hight would take a position as the Director of the new U . S . Defense Command and Control Infrastructure practice for Hewlett Packard ' s Enterprise Services ( HPES ) , U . S . Public Sector . In October 2010 , she became the Vice President of the HPES U . S . Public Sector Cybersecurity Practice . Education . Rear Adm . Hight is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College , the Naval Postgraduate School with a master ’ s degree in Telecommunications Systems , and George Washington University with a master ’ s degree in Information Systems . Awards and decorations . Rear Adm . Hight ’ s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal ( with Oak Leaf Cluster ) , Legion of Merit ( with Gold Star in lieu of second award ) , Defense Meritorious Service Medal , Meritorious Service Medal ( with Gold Star in lieu of third award ) , Navy Commendation Medal , Navy Achievement Medal and Air Force Master Space Badge .