Mr. Gifford has been chief of the Boating Safety Division at Coast Guard headquarters since September 2017. He is responsible for administering and coordinating the National Recreational Boating Safety program, which aims to minimize deaths, injuries, damage, and environmental impact from recreational vessels while optimizing safety and enjoyment. His responsibilities include managing a $130 million grant program, executing the program’s strategic plan, serving as designated federal official to the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee, administering the casualty reporting system, developing standards for recreational boat and equipment manufacturing, overseeing the boat manufacturer compliance program, maintaining the recall process for defects, and managing education, state law enforcement, and undocumented vessel numbering programs.

Before that, Gifford had a 30-year active-duty career in the Coast Guard, serving primarily on the Gulf Coast, in Washington, D.C., and in New England.