The Grifton Shad Festival is pleased to announce that Brigadier General Debra A. Lovette will be the Grand Marshal of the 2022 Grifton Shad Festival Parade. Brig. Gen. Lovette was born and reared in Lenoir County, just 10 miles outside of Grifton. She attended Contentnea Elementary School and graduated valedictorian in 1990 from North Lenoir High School. Brigadier General Lovette graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in English. Subsequently, the Brigadier General earned Masters of Science degrees in Counseling and Human Development, Strategic Leadership, and National Security Strategy.  Other educational achievements include Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.

Brigadier General Lovette has served our country in many positions and her boots have landed on the soil of many foreign countries. She served as the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as the Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff for General and Flag Officer Matters. More recently, Brig Gen Lovette served as the Director of the Executive Action Group for the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Space Operations at Headquarters Air Force. She deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle and served overseas in South Korea in the 51^st Fighter Wing and again, as Commander of the 18^th Mission Support Group, in the largest combat-coded wing in the Air Force in Okinawa, Japan. Additionally, she served as Commander, 81^st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, MS, commanding 12,000 Airmen and civilians.

Brigadier General Lovette currently serves at the Pentagon as Director for the Department of the Air Force’s Integrated Resilience Office.

It is indeed an honor to have Brigadier General Debra A. Lovette return to Eastern North Carolina and join us as our Parade Grand Marshal for the Golden Anniversary of the Grifton Shad Festival.