Ms. Debra Hadley has served as the Chief of Internal Review for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District since 2021. She leads a team providing independent advisory and assessment services to district leadership, contributing to the district’s overall performance and driving continuous improvement.
Ms. Hadley is a recognized subject matter expert providing national audit support for Emergency Management missions. She delivers comprehensive audit and advisory services, focusing on strengthening internal controls and addressing vulnerabilities during disaster response. Ms. Hadley has supported recovery efforts as the Internal Review Chief for Recovery Field Offices following Hurricanes Maria and Michael and provided virtual support to the Mississippi Valley Division during the COVID-19 pandemic for Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
Before her current role, Ms. Hadley served as an auditor within the Mobile District Internal Review Office (2015-2021), rejoining USACE after experience in private industry and with the Department of Justice. Her career with USACE began as a co-op student, with accounting and budget analysis roles within the Mobile District Real Estate Division. She expanded her financial expertise as the Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama, where she directed all financial operations and managed a team of Financial Specialists. Earlier in her career, she contributed to audit efforts related to Hurricane Andrew recovery and led technical teams as an accounting software and network analyst for a national software company.
Ms. Hadley’s leadership has been recognized with the Award for Humanitarian Service, the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, the Achievement Award for Civil Service, and Commander’s Coins from USACE Headquarters, South Atlantic Division, and Mobile District. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Alabama and is a Department of Defense Certified Financial Manager at Level 2 (FMCP2). Ms. Hadley is a graduate of leadership programs from the Mobile District (2018), HQUSACE (2021) and the South Atlantic Division (2024).