Matt Burns is a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy with a distinguished 37-year career in Naval Special Warfare and Special Operations. He enlisted in the Navy in 1988 and later selected for a groundbreaking commissioning program, Seaman to Admiral. He completed both Bachelor’s and a Master of Science in Defense Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Over his career, Matt commanded at every level within the SEAL Teams, including leading the Navy’s premier Special Operations Unit. He completed more than 15 combat deployments across Afghanistan, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, North and East Africa, directing strategic missions in some of the world’s most complex environments. In 2020, Matt became the first Seaman to Admiral graduate to attain flag rank.

Today, Matt advises corporate leaders on risk management, leadership in uncertainty, organizational performance, and national security trends. He is also a senior fellow at the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA).