Former Defense Health Agency Director Raquel Bono Joins Johns Hopkins APL as a Senior Fellow

Vice Adm. Raquel C. Bono, who led the Defense Health Agency and Navy Medical Corps, has joined the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, as a Senior Fellow.

Bono comes to APL after four years as director of the Defense Health Agency, where she oversaw management of all 55 military treatment facilities and more than 300 associated clinics. Before that, from 2013 to 2015, she served as the 11th chief of the Navy Medical Corps.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Vice Admiral Bono to the Laboratory as a Senior Fellow,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel. “Her deep expertise and extensive experience will immensely benefit our efforts to revolutionize health through science and engineering.”

A trained surgeon, Bono served as head of casualty receiving at Fleet Hospital Five in Saudi Arabia during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Other duty stations included general surgery at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia; attending surgeon at the Burn Trauma Unit at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Virginia; and director of restorative care at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Her staff assignments included director for medical-surgical services at the National Naval Medical Center (now Walter Reed National Military Medical Center), commanding officer of Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida; command surgeon for U.S. Pacific Command, Hawaii; and acting commander of the Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical.

Commissioned in 1979, Bono earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and medical degree from Texas Tech University. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and has an executive MBA from the Carson College of Business at Washington State University. Her decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

“I am looking forward to helping APL disrupt the health care system, influence the policies that guide it and increase the Lab’s impact on global health security,” said Vice Admiral Bono. “APL is providing innovative approaches for both civilian and military health care needs.”

APL’s Senior Fellows are distinguished experts in national security and space who work with technical experts at the Laboratory to better inform technology and policy decisions made by U.S. military leaders and senior government officials.